What is the most important trait for a notary public?

The most important trait for a notary public is proven integrity. This quality is crucial because a notary serves a critical role in ensuring the authenticity and trustworthiness of documents. The public relies on notaries to act impartially and to maintain the integrity of the notarization process. A notary's role involves verifying the identity of signers, witnessing signatures, and ensuring that the signers are acting voluntarily and understanding the contents of the documents they are signing. Therefore, having proven integrity reassures the public that the notary will perform these duties honestly and diligently. This trait helps build public confidence in the notarization process, which is essential for legal and financial transactions.

While skills and training, knowledge of the law, and notarizing speed are all valuable attributes for a notary public, they do not hold the same weight as integrity in this context. Even the most skilled and knowledgeable notary would not be effective if they lacked integrity. The trust placed in notaries hinges fundamentally on their personal character and reliability.