Do land purchase and lease agreements need notarization to be binding?

Full question:

Does the intent to purchase land and an intent to the lease the land (e.g., lease/purchase agreement) have to be notarized to be legal and binding?

Answer:

A notary public is a state-authorized officer who can administer oaths, take acknowledgments, certify documents, and take depositions if also a court reporter. In Florida, a person signing a document for land records must do so before a notary public. The notary must indicate the form of identification used, affix their seal, state their appointment expiration date, and print their name.

Notarizing a signature does not change a document's legality. The purpose of notarization is to verify that the signature is genuine, allowing the document to be recorded in land records, especially for land transfers.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

Yes, a contract can still be legally binding even if it is not notarized. The essential elements for a contract to be binding include offer, acceptance, consideration, and the intention to create a legal relationship. Notarization primarily serves to verify the authenticity of signatures, but it is not a requirement for the contract's validity.

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