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 Wyoming, a notary public is an individual commissioned by the Secretary of State to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents. To become a notary in Wyoming, applicants must meet certain eligibility criteria, which typically include being at least 18 years old, a resident of Wyoming or a resident of a neighboring state who is employed in Wyoming, and having no felony convictions. Applicants are not required to take a notary training course or pass a state notary exam, which makes Wyoming distinct from many other states that do have such requirements. Once appointed, a Wyoming notary public has the authority to notarize documents such as affidavits, contracts, wills, trusts, powers of attorney (including those for health care), divorce papers, deeds, mortgages, and deeds of trust. The notary's role is to verify the identity of the signers, ensure they understand the document and are signing of their own free will, and to witness the signing process. Notaries in Wyoming must also maintain a notary journal of their notarial acts and use a notary seal for certifying the notarized documents.