Alabama’s Mandatory Notary Training Matters

When Alabama implemented mandatory notary training a couple years ago, some saw it as another bureaucratic hoop. As a practicing attorney, I saw it as long‑overdue protection for the public record. A notary isn’t just a witness — a notary is a required step between a valid conveyance and a void instrument when dealing with deeds. And recently, a quiet‑title matter reminded me just how high the stakes really are.

A Deed That Wasn’t a Deed

A client hired us to quiet the title on a property they purchased three years earlier. Routine work — until we examined the deed conveying the property to them. The notarial attestation block didn’t identify the grantor at all. Instead, it literally said:

“Fill in grantor here.”

That placeholder language made the attestation ineffective and the deed void. Not voidable — void. As if the conveyance never occurred.

The notary worked at a bank and simply stamped whatever was placed in front of her. There was no closing agent, no attorney, and no title company involved. That meant no one bore liability for the defective deed except the notary herself.

How We Cured the Problem

Fortunately, we were able to locate the notary's email address through state records. She was cooperative and willing to sign a corrective affidavit, which we recorded to fix the defect. She also told us she had been brand‑new at the time and had never taken any class or training to prepare her for the responsibilities of being a notary-and that there was no closing attorney to check that everything was correct.

Her lack of training nearly cost my client their title.

Why Training Is Not Optional

Alabama’s new mandatory notary education requirement exists precisely to prevent situations like this. The training course — administered through the Alabama Probate Judges Association — teaches the fundamentals of acknowledgments, identification, proper completion of notarial certificates, and the legal significance of a notary’s seal. The course materials emphasize that a notary must ensure:

The signer appears in person

The signer is properly identified

The acknowledgment is complete and accurate

The notary’s signature and seal match their commission

These requirements are not academic. They are the difference between a valid deed and a void instrument.

Alabama Notaries Must Complete Training

Alabama’s mandatory training is provided through the Alabama Probate Judges Association Notary Public Training Course, accessible at: https://alpja.org/?lesson=the-process

This is the official course required before a notary commission can be issued. The site hosts the full curriculum,

quizzes, and instructional modules.

The Bottom Line

My client’s case ended well and we didn't have to sue the notary's bond and insurance, but it could have become a multi‑year litigation nightmare. One properly trained notary would have prevented the entire problem. Alabama’s mandatory training requirement is great and should stop us from seeing so many void deeds, but all realestate transactions should use a closing agent to protect the buyer.