According to Brooke’s Notary, the essential requirements in cases involving authentication by notarial certificate of the due execution of a document are the following
- the name of the notary
- a statement that the notary is duly admitted to practice in the place of issue of the certificate
- the names of the signatories and the capacity in which they have executed the document, whether on their own behalf or in an official or representative capacity
- a statement authnticating the signatures of the parties and where appropriate, indicating that evidence has been producted to the notary proving the capacity in which they have executed the document
- the place and date of issue of the certificate and
- the signature and seal of the notary
English notaries adopt the practice of binding notarial acts and their attachments securely with ribbon or tape, with the notary’s wafer seal being impressed over the ends of the ribbon or tape to prevent the substitution of pages without breaking the seal, ribbon or tape.