A notary public is a person who is appointed or commissioned by a state to act as an impartial witness to the signing of important legal documents. Notary public appointments are usually handled by a state’s Secretary of State’s office and require a potential notary to meet eligibility requirements, take a notary training course, and pass a state notary exam.

Many different types of legal documents may need to be notarized—such as an affidavit, contract, will, trust, power of attorney, power of attorney for health care, divorce papers, deed, mortgage, or deed of trust.

In Alabama, a notary public is an individual commissioned by the state to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of important legal documents. The process of becoming a notary public in Alabama is overseen by the Alabama Secretary of State's office. To be eligible for a notary public commission, applicants must meet certain requirements, which typically include being at least 18 years old, a legal resident of Alabama, and able to read and write English. Some counties may have additional requirements. Applicants may need to complete a notary training course and pass a state-administered notary exam, although the specific requirements can vary by county. Once commissioned, notaries in Alabama are authorized to perform notarial acts such as acknowledging signatures on documents like affidavits, contracts, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, divorce papers, deeds, mortgages, and deeds of trust. It's important for notaries to follow Alabama's notary laws and maintain a record book of their notarial acts.