A Notary Is Not A Lawyer
MCL 55.291 — no notario publico, and no power to counsel on immigration
In much of Latin America a notario publico is a trained lawyer holding a public office with real legal authority. In Michigan a notary public holds a commission, not a law license. The words look the same across the two systems and mean very different things, and Michigan has written that difference into the statute rather than leaving it to be discovered.
The term itself. A notary public may not use the term notario publico or any equivalent non-English term in any business card, advertisement, notice or sign.
- Claiming powers, qualifications, rights or privileges the office of notary does not provide, including the power to counsel on immigration matters.
- Literally translating into another language, in any advertisement, letterhead, business card or similar material describing the notary's role, terms such as notary public, notary, licensed, attorney or lawyer, or any other term implying the person is an attorney.
- Notarizing their own signature, or performing a notarial act on a record they executed.
- Performing a notarial act in a transaction where the notary has a conflict of interest, or for a spouse, lineal ancestor, lineal descendant or sibling, including in-laws, steps and half relatives.
The statement. A notary public who is not a licensed attorney and advertises notarial services in a language other than English includes, prominently displayed in the same language, the statement I am not an attorney and have no authority to give advice on immigration or other legal matters, together with the fees for notarial acts as set by statute.
The practical shape of it is narrow. A notary confirms who signed and that they signed. A notary does not decide whether the document is the right document, whether it says what it needs to say, or whether signing it is sound. A notarized signature on a bad form is a witnessed signature on a bad form.
How a notary is commissioned in Michigan, what a notarial act requires, remote notarization, and the fees a notary may charge are set elsewhere and are not on this page. Nor does this page cover who may lawfully assist with an immigration matter, which is a federal question with its own accreditation system. Whether a particular person's help crossed the line is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 55.291 — Notary public; prohibited conduct
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.