What kind of documents typically require notarization?

Documents that require notarization primarily serve the purpose of ensuring the authenticity of signatures and the identities of the signers, which is vital for creating a reliable legal record. Notarization adds a layer of trust to documents by confirming that the parties involved have willingly signed them in the presence of a notary public, who verifies their identities and, in some cases, ensures they understand the contents of the documents they are signing.

While legal contracts are a prominent category that often needs notarization, they are not the only documents that fall under this requirement. Additionally, notarization is especially important for certain legal documents such as deeds, wills, and powers of attorney to prevent fraud and verify the parties' intentions.

Therefore, the correct understanding is that notarization is specifically required for documents where the verification of signatures is crucial for legal acceptance and enforcement.