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 New Mexico (NM), a notary public is an individual commissioned by the state to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents. The appointment of notaries public in New Mexico is managed by the Secretary of State's office. To become a notary in NM, an applicant must meet certain eligibility criteria, which typically include being at least 18 years old, a legal resident of the United States, and having no felony convictions. Applicants are also required to complete a state-approved notary training course and pass a notary exam. Once commissioned, a notary public in New Mexico is authorized to notarize various legal documents, including affidavits, contracts, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, divorce papers, deeds, mortgages, and deeds of trust. The notarization process involves verifying the identity of the signers, ensuring they understand the document and are signing voluntarily, and witnessing the signing before applying the notary's official seal.