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§ 21-14-101. Appointment and commission

(a) (1) The Secretary of State may appoint and commission an individual person as a notary public in this state. (2) Effective January 1, 2006, a notary public may perform notarial acts in any part of the state for a term of ten (10) years, beginning on the date of commission or the date of […]

§ 21-14-102. Change of residence

(a) (1) Upon receiving notification of a change of residency, the Secretary of State shall transfer a notary public’s appointment and commission to the new county of residence in instances in which a person appointed and commissioned a notary public under § 21-14-101 changes residence to a county within this state other than the county […]

§ 21-14-103. Change in personal information

(a) If any notary public has a change in his or her mailing address or status in life that alters the information on record with the Secretary of State and the circuit clerk for the county where the notary public resides or if the notary public is a resident of an adjoining state, the circuit […]

§ 21-14-104. Power and authority generally

The power and authority of a notary public shall be coextensive with the state for: (1) Swearing witnesses; (2) Taking affidavits; (3) Taking depositions under Rule 28 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure and Rule 28 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; and (4) Taking acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments in writing […]

§ 21-14-106. Acknowledgments and authentications

(a) A notary public may: (1) Take the proof or the acknowledgment of all instruments of writing relating to commerce and navigation; (2) Receive and authenticate acknowledgments of deeds, letters of attorney, and other instruments of writing; (3) Make declarations and protests; and (4) Certify under his or her official seal the truth of all […]

§ 21-14-107. Signature — Seal

(a) (1) At the time of notarization, the notary public shall sign his or her official signature in blue or black ink on every notary certificate. (2) The official signature is the signature on file with the Secretary of State at the time of signing. (3) A notary public may refuse to perform a notarial […]

§ 21-14-108. Expiration date of commission

(a) (1) Every notary public shall attach to any certificate of acknowledgment or jurat to an affidavit that he or she may make a statement of the date on which his or her commission will expire. (2) No acknowledgment or other act of a notary public shall be held invalid on account of the failure […]

§ 21-14-109. Performance of duties for corporation

(a) It shall be lawful for any notary public who is a stockholder, director, officer, or employee of a bank or other corporation to take the acknowledgment of any party to any written instrument executed to or by the corporation, or to administer an oath to any other stockholder, director, officer, employee, or agent of […]

§ 21-14-110. Admissibility of acknowledged instruments

All declarations and protests made and acknowledgments taken by a notary public and certified copies of the notary public’s records and official papers shall be received as evidence of the facts therein stated in all the courts of this state.

§ 21-14-111. Unlawful act — Penalty — Definition

(a) It is unlawful for any notary public to witness any signature on any instrument unless the notary public either: (1) Witnesses the signing of the instrument and personally knows the signer or is presented proof of the identity of the signer; or (2) Recognizes the signature of the signer by virtue of familiarity with […]

§ 21-14-112. Denial or revocation of notary public commission

(a) The Secretary of State may deny the application of any person for appointment or reappointment or revoke the commission of any notary public during the notary public’s term of appointment if the notary public: (1) Submits an application for commission and appointment that contains substantial and material misstatement or omission of fact; (2) Is […]

§ 21-14-113. Notice of revocation — Appeal

(a) If the Secretary of State revokes a notary public commission, he or she shall serve the notary public with written notice that explains the reason or reasons for the revocation. (b) (1) The notary public may appeal the revocation to the Pulaski County Circuit Court within thirty (30) days after service of the notice […]

§ 21-14-114. Rules

The Secretary of State may promulgate rules necessary to administer this chapter.