FJB Notary Services

03/22/2026

I had the honor and privilege of officiating another wedding yesterday as a Florida Notary Public, as James and René were united in matrimony.

They had arranged everything for the wedding to take place on Friday, but when they went to get the marriage license on Wednesday they learned it would not be EFFECTIVE until Saturday (yesterday). It would have been a nightmare to reschedule everything for the next day, and were in a real bind.

So they went ahead with some sort of "ceremony" on Friday, with the reception afterwards. Then yesterday afternoon -- in the parking lot of a Chick-Fil-A no less -- I met with them and we did the real thing!!

When I met them yesterday they were wearing the specialized T-Shirts they had purchased... James' shirt had "Husband" on the front, René's had "Wife", with the message "Just Married" and the date on the back.

I don't do a lot of weddings... this was just my second one this year... but it felt really good to be able to help them out. When they called me on Wednesday they were somewhat frantic and unsure what to do, but everything worked out perfectly.

Congratulations, James and René... and thank you for letting me be part of your special day.

03/09/2026

Based on my experience as a Florida Notary Public, it seems people are often confused about what it means to notarize a document and why it’s required. This overview explains the basics.

Notarization does not apply to the document itself and does not verify its accuracy, legality, or validity. Instead, it applies to specific signatures. When a document is said to be “notarized,” a Notary Public has signed and sealed a notarial certificate for those signatures. The document recipient is assured that the signatures are valid and can be trusted.

In Florida, a notarization can be either an acknowledgment or an oath/affirmation. Both require the Notary Public to verify the signer’s identity and confirm they appeared generally aware and willing at the time of signing. The key difference is that an oath/affirmation requires the signer to swear or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that the document’s information is true and correct.

02/22/2026

Wow. I have been trying to get a business profile created on Google, but no matter what I do the verification system keeps failing. The system is so utterly idiotic, it is asking for things that simply don't apply, even though I've been very clear about my business operation.

Well, Google... FORGET YOU!! I'm done playing your stupid games and I'm not jumping through any more hoops just to get a profile done. It's just not worth it. My time and efforts will be far more productive elsewhere.

02/04/2026

For my fellow Notaries Public, or for those considering becoming a Notary Public, I just want to give a shout out and very strong recommendation to NotaryBonding.com. They can handle new or "renewal" commissions in most (if not all) states, including E&O insurance, plus have notary supplies that are both general and state-specific. They also have packages for Remote Online Notary.

They have done my last two commission applications, plus my adding some E&O insurance to my current commission, and the responsiveness and customer service I've received has been outstanding. Jim Williams, the account support agent I've worked through, has been simply amazing: quick replies to emails, clear and concise answers to questions, and more.

When it comes time for your next (or first) commission, I encourage you to check them out. https://notarybonding.com

Established in 1940, we have served millions of notaries. We specialize in state-approved notary education and offer step-by-step guidance on how to become a notary or renew your notary commission. We provide the highest quality notary service such as notary bonds, E&O insurance, stamps, journals, e...

02/03/2026

While I tend to avoid these silly fad trends, this was kind of fun!!

01/31/2026

I was honored to solemnize rites of matrimony this past Thursday for a wonderful couple, Joshua and Kayla, in a small outdoor ceremony at Zephyr Park.

01/28/2026

In Florida, the official notarial seal is a rubber stamp. In addition to a couple of those seals (different sizes and such), I have stamps for other things to fill in missing information required by Florida on notarial certificates.

Sometimes the areas available to affix the stamps can be rather tight.

So I marked on all four sides of the stamps, in Silver sharpie marker, where the actual impression would appear. That way, I can very accurately line it up before affixing the stamp.

For example, on the Florida DH-743 form, the box where the stamp can be placed is JUST large enough for my smaller stamp, but it was a nightmare before making the markings on the outside of the stamp.

Just a hint for newer Notaries Public, from someone who has lost count of the number of his commissions.

Update: I got some messages asking about the stamps that I have. I have FOUR official ones, 3 rectangular in different sizes plus a round; the round and one other are in my main notary case, one is in my carry bag (for every day carry), and the fourth is a small pocket stamp that I carry in my pocket if I don't take the carry bag.

Of course, any official seal stamp not being carried is kept stored in a secure lock box (where I also keep my journal, plus an embossing seal containing my commission information). Check your state laws for any requirements on secure storage of those items... VERY IMPORTANT to know your own state's laws on these things.

I also have 2 "name" stamps, one in my main case and one in the carry bag. I have a "Physical Presence / Online Notarization" stamp to meet the Florida requirement added in 2020, and a "Personally Known / Produced ID" stamp (with a line for ID type), both carried in my main case.

01/25/2026

My true goal: be the kind of Notary Public that does NOT give this impression to my clients... or anyone else.

01/24/2026

I’m proud to serve as a Notary Public in Florida, and I take my role seriously—especially when it comes to ensuring every notarial act is secure, confidential, and reliable. Even the pens and inks I use (and provide to clients) matter, so I’ve done some hands-on testing to see which writing tools stand up best to water and tampering.

I use fountain pens for my own signature, drawn to their century-old connection with notarial work and the wide range of archival-grade inks available. These inks are designed to resist fading, water, and chemicals. In contrast, many common gel and rollerball pens can falter in these areas, so I put several to the test.

On premium copy paper, I checked water resistance at intervals from 15 seconds up to 1 hour (with a final 24-hour test coming soon). Uniball Signo pens with Super Ink Plus performed impressively—which is reassuring since I offer them to clients for their signatures. The Pilot G-2 was passable but not ideal, while Sharpie S-Gel pens fared poorly and aren’t recommended for important documents.

My fountain pen “bulletproof” inks (black, blue, red) barely budged under water testing, and even fast-drying fountain inks did well—often better than the Super Ink Plus. Next, I’ll test on other paper types and check chemical resistance using substances like isopropyl alcohol, bleach, ammonia, and vinegar after 24 hours of drying.

It might seem like overkill, but I believe in trusting the materials I use and recommend, especially for documents that matter. It’s rare for these issues to surface, but I want to be sure my standards hold up every time.

01/24/2026