What action is required if the notary discovers that the document is not signed?

When a notary discovers that a document has not been signed, the appropriate action is to encourage the signer to sign the document before proceeding with the notarization. This is important because a notarization verifies the identity of the signer and their willingness to sign the document. Notarizing a document that has not been signed would not serve its intended purpose, as the notary’s role is to witness the signing and ensure that it takes place voluntarily. By encouraging the signer to complete the signature, the notary upholds the integrity of the notarization process and ensures that the document is valid and legally binding.

Other actions, like proceeding with notarization without the signature, stamping the document with the seal regardless of the signing status, or wrongly notarizing the document, compromise the legal validity of the notarization and may lead to legal repercussions for both the notary and the signer. Each of these alternatives ignores the essential requirement of a notarization, which is to confirm the signature's authenticity.