Certain documents and transactions require a notary public to witness the signing and verify the identities of the signers. A notary public is a person issued an appointment by the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions to serve as an impartial witness, performing notarial acts as are allowed or required by law.
Some common types of documents that typically require a "notarial act" include things like affidavits, wills, power of attorney (POA), and other real estate planning, financial, or business documents.
Using Madison Public Library Notary Services
Free notary services are available at select times at two Madison Public Library locations: Goodman South Madison Library and Alicia Ashman Library.
- Call ahead to the library you'd like to visit and ask when a notarized staff person will be available.
- After confirming availability, make sure to bring a valid photo ID.
**IMPORTANT** Do not expect to have documents notarized without calling ahead. Madison Public Library has limited notary staff, and they are not available during all open hours.
Other Free Notary Services
- City of Madison Clerk’s Office (210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Room 105)
- Summit Credit Union (service provided to anyone – you do not need to have an account with them)
- Most financial institutions will notarize documents for customers who have an account with them. For example:
Pay For Service Notary Options
- FedEx Online Notary Services
- The UPS Store (multiple locations)