The main area of a notary's activity is the preparation of notarial deeds.

In addition to this, one of

their basic tasks also includes notarial certifications, which in many situations determine the validity
of the action performed by the notary. They may relate to, for example, powers of attorney prepared
by the notary or agreements on which parties place notarized signatures.

In our Notary Office located in Warsaw's Wola district, near the second metro line, we prepare deeds
certifying signatures, as well as certifications of other documents. In addition to the signature
certification, it may also require:

signature sample,
date of document presentation,
confirmation of being alive or in a specific location,
compliance of the copy/extract with the original document.
Therefore, if you need such services, we invite you to our office located in the Koło district in Warsaw.
We will gladly welcome clients from Wola, Bemowo, and neighboring districts.

Signature certification
The act of certifying a signature involves placing a signature on a document in the presence of a
notary or recognizing a previously signed signature as handwritten. The signature must be made with
a durable writing instrument. Also, the document being notarized must be drawn up in a durable
manner, preventing subsequent changes to its content. The identity of the person signing the
signature should be verified by the notary in accordance with Article 85 of the Notary Public Act. To
do this, it is necessary to present the notary with a valid document confirming identity, such as an ID
card or passport.

The notary certifies the authenticity of the signature with their seal, and also with a fingerprint in the
case of illiterate persons and clients who cannot sign independently. This way, they confirm its
authenticity. Usually, the signature is made in their presence, although certification can also be
obtained for a signature made outside the office. However, it is not possible to obtain signature
certification remotely, by email, or by phone – the person whose signature is being certified must be
present during the notarial proceedings.

Certifications of the authenticity of signatures apply to, among others, agreements, powers of
attorney, and other documents regulated by notarized matters of company law. Others include
documents on the basis of which entries are made in the land register.

It should be emphasized that a document with a certified signature does not gain official status
because it requires being drawn up in the form of a notarial deed for that purpose. It only gains an
official certification clause, from which two presumptions arise: the presumption of the authenticity
of the signature and the presumption of the existence of the document on the date of certification.
Attached to the original document, the certification clause contains the date of certification, the name
and address of the notary office where the certification is performed, the notary's signature, and their
seal.

Notarial certification of the date on a document

In a similar manner to the certification of signatures, notarial certification of the date on a document
is carried out to prevent its falsification. Notarial certification of this kind is evidence that the
document existed at the time it was presented to the notary. This action transforms the form of the
document from written with an ordinary date to written with a certain date. At the same time, this
certification does not constitute evidence of the originality of the signature appearing on the
document. Certifications of a certain date are most often used for lease agreements or rental
agreements.

Certification of the conformity of a copy or extract

One of the most commonly performed notarial acts is the certification of the conformity of a copy,
extract, or extract with the original document. Such certification confirms the identity of the contents
of the copy or extract, making such a document equally valid as the original. The notary usually
prepares a copy or extract of the document based on the original provided to the office.

Certifications of conformity of a copy or extract are carried out, among others, for court judgments
and administrative decisions. It happens that such certification is also required for court documents
and certificates of completion of schools and higher education institutions.

Certification of being alive

The notary also certifies the client's being alive or in a specific location, which is needed to obtain a
pension, disability pension, or other benefits granted by ZUS (Social Insurance Institution). The
notary's certification confirms the person's identity and their being alive, including by specifying the
exact time of the notarial act.

Inheritance certification
Notarial certification of inheritance serves as evidence that the person indicated in the deed is
entitled to the inheritance. Notarial certification of inheritance has the same effects as a final court
decision confirming the acquisition of the inheritance. During the preparation of the notarial deed of
inheritance, all persons who may be statutory or testamentary heirs must be present, including those
for whom the deceased made vindicative dispositions.

To obtain inheritance certification, it is necessary to present documents such as:

proof of identity,
a copy of the deceased's death certificate,
the deceased's will, if one was made,
extracts from civil status documents of persons called to inherit under the law – abbreviated birth
certificates and abbreviated marriage certificates,
the land register number, if the estate includes real estate,
other documents that may affect the determination of inheritance rights.

The procedure conducted by the notary begins with the opening and announcement of the will (if one
was made). Then, a protocol of inheritance is drawn up – the participation of all persons who may be
statutory or testamentary heirs is necessary. It is worth noting that if no more than 6 months have
passed since the opening of the inheritance, statements of acceptance or rejection of the inheritance
must be submitted. Subsequently, the notary prepares the deed of inheritance certification and
enters it into the Inheritance Register – then it gains legal force.

The notary may refuse to issue a deed of inheritance certification if, among other reasons:

a deed of inheritance certification has already been prepared for the inheritance,
it is inheritance based on special wills,
there are doubts about the identity of the heir and the amount of shares in the inheritance,
not all persons who may be statutory or testamentary heirs are present,
the application for inheritance certification was submitted by a person who is not an heir,
less than 6 months have passed since the opening of the inheritance, and the known heirs have not