Are notaries allowed to solicit business or advertise services to a signer?

• A. Notaries should maintain ethical conduct, avoid coercion or misrepresentation, and advertise truthfully.
• B. Notaries may solicit business aggressively.
• C. Notaries cannot advertise at all.
• D. Notaries should advertise only at social events.

Answer: (A)

Notaries can offer their services to signers, but they must do so in a truthful and ethical way. The key idea is that any solicitation or advertising should be honest, not misleading, and not coercive. If a notary advertises, they should clearly describe what they do (for example, witnessing signatures or taking acknowledgments) without making guarantees about results, implying government endorsement, or pressuring potential clients.

That’s why the best choice emphasizes ethical conduct, avoiding coercion or misrepresentation, and truthful advertising. It allows notaries to inform others of their services while preventing deceptive practices. The other options overstate or misstate the rules: aggressive solicitation isn’t appropriate, advertising at all is not required, and advertising only at social events isn’t a standard rule.