When a bank asks for a notarized corporate resolution, the notary is confirming who signed it, not that the resolution is valid or that the signer is really the company’s secretary. Your company records do that job.
Century City has a lot of small companies, family offices, funds and holding entities, and this request comes up whenever one opens an account, adds a signer or takes out a loan. Here’s what to expect.
What the bank is usually asking for
- A banking resolution naming who can open accounts, sign checks or borrow for the company.
- A secretary’s or officer’s certificate confirming that the resolution was adopted and is still in effect.
- A certificate of incumbency listing the current officers or managers.
Many banks have their own forms. Use theirs if they have one, and ask whether they want an acknowledgment or a jurat.
What a California notary can and can’t certify
California notarial certificates identify the person who signed. They don’t certify that person’s title or authority, so the certificate won’t say “as president of” anything, even if the document does. The document itself can describe the signer as an officer, and the bank relies on your records for that.
If a bank outside California sends a certificate that asks the notary to confirm capacity, let us look at it first. Our guide to out-of-state and foreign documents explains what we can complete.
How to prepare
- Fill in the company name, date, account details and any names exactly as the bank requires. Leave nothing blank.
- Make sure every person whose signature needs notarizing will be there with ID that’s current or issued within the last five years.
- If it’s a jurat, wait to sign until the notary arrives.
- Book a conference room and tell us the building check-in. Office towers often need visitor registration ahead of time.
If the documents are going abroad
Resolutions for a foreign bank or subsidiary often need an apostille as well. See business document apostilles and our page on apostilles in Century City.
We can’t draft a resolution or tell you who should sign it. That’s for your corporate counsel or the bank.
Need a notary? We come to you anywhere in Los Angeles County, 24/7 by appointment. Book online or call (424) 484-9268.