What should a notary do if they notice a blank space in the document?

The appropriate action for a notary to take when they notice a blank space in a document is to ask the signer to address it. This practice ensures that the signer has the opportunity to fill in any missing information intentionally and accurately before the notary completes the notarization process. It maintains the integrity of the document and protects against potential fraud or misunderstanding, as the notary is not permitted to alter the document in any way on their own.

Filling in the blank space themselves may lead to unauthorized changes or misrepresentation of the signer's intentions. Ignoring the blank could result in incomplete documentation and questions about the validity of the notarization later on. While it's good practice for notaries to keep a journal of their activities, simply recording the blank space in the journal does not resolve the issue and does not fulfill the responsibility of ensuring that the document is complete and accurate before notarization.