What does it mean for a notary to serve as an impartial witness?

A notary serving as an impartial witness means that they have no personal interest in the transaction in which they are involved. This neutrality is essential to maintain the integrity of the notarization process. A notary must be unbiased and must not benefit personally from the transaction they are witnessing. This impartiality helps ensure that the signers are entering the agreement voluntarily and that they understand what they are signing without any undue influence or pressure from the notary.

The role of the notary is to verify the identity of the signers and to attest that they signed the document willingly and without coercion, which can only be achieved if the notary is completely detached from the transaction itself. Serving as an impartial witness reinforces public confidence in the notarization process and protects the rights of all parties involved.