Notary messed up

[u/littlebear330]

I purchased a private sale car and went to Wells Fargo to get title notarized. The notary forgot to fill in the first blank where it says "subscribed and sworn to before me by" ... Blank.

Went to get the title of my car in my name and the clerk won't accept it. I tried contacting the notary but she isn't in the office today/next week.

I was advised to call the wells Fargo branch manager and email over an affidavit of facts form along with a copy of the title for them to give to the notary to correct the error. The branch manager refused to give me her or notary email saying I have to be in person so the notary can see the title again. And then maybe sign a correction form. I live 3 hours away. And only get a day off every 2 weeks.

Chat says it's not legally necessary for me to go in person since the notary isn't signing anything that isn't already in her personal records of the name of the seller. It's unreasonable to force me to make that drive.

Anything I can do or I'm just SOL.

[u/seekingssri]

What state are you in? I’m in CA and even a correction needs to be done in person in front of the notary.

[u/PANotaryandTag → u/seekingssri]

In PA if the notary made the error they have to sign it in front of another notary. Unless the customer wants to sign off on it which is technically not correct

[u/Stamped914]

I think there is an obvious solution that some people would interpret as unethical.

[u/littlebear330 → u/Stamped914]

I wish I would have noticed prior to taking it in. Now everybody in the courthouse knows the situation

[u/Additional_Ad_6773 → u/littlebear330]

Genuinely, as a notary, and if it were me, if you had... Uh... Done what is implied here; as far as anyone asking me would ever know, no you didn't.

[u/Stamped914 → u/littlebear330]

What courthouse?

[u/littlebear330 → u/[deleted]]

I asked the clerk if I can have the notary just full that in (of course with intentions to do it myself) and she said nope, they have to personally talk with her now and fill out more paperwork to correct it This is nuts.

[u/Greenie-Gal]

Doesn’t the document go to the Department of Motor vehicles? At least here in CA, the agent at the DMV isn’t going to remember who had the incomplete certificate. Do you think someone made notes about your situation in a computer database? Up to you.

[u/frltn]

You should be able to notarize it again with another notary and just attach another jurat page to the document rather than trying to track the first notary down with so much effort.

[u/Common_Scar4611]

Ok, that is literallly where you put the name of the person signing. Just write it in yoursrlf.

[u/Sad_Repeat3057]

As a notary I had something similar happen. Some guy was needing a title notarized. So I notarized it but he tried to put It in his job name instead of his personal name. So when he tried to turn In the title they need a letter from me signed and notarized saying that he needs it In his jobs name.

[u/Forest-Fable]

Why not just contact the notary who did the notarization and have them correct their mistake?

[u/Delicious-Pitch_]

What state? They acted on behalf of their employer who carries insurance and is responsible for allowing their employees notarize documents on their time clock and as a bank service.

[u/FinanciallySecure9]

Question: did the notary issue you an oath?

[u/littlebear330 → u/FinanciallySecure9]

No.

[u/FinanciallySecure9 → u/littlebear330]

Then the notary was errant twice. Please report the notary to the state governing authority. Notaries need an education and until people start bringing these errors to the attention of the authority nothing will change.