In society, it is wrong for someone to regard “notarization” as “just”, because these two words have significantly different meanings. So what is “notarization”?

Stipulated in Article 2 of Interim Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Concerning Notarization, “Notarization means that the state notarial department, upon application of any party concerned, gives testimonial, according to law, to the authenticity and legality of legal actions, legal documents and legal facts, so as to safeguard public properties, and to safeguard citizens’status, and property rights as well as their lawful interests.” In accordance with this concept and the historical development status of the notarization system, simply speaking, notarization is a kind of certified activity.

Actually, “notarization” has two layers of meanings, first, it represents the state, and second, it means the testimonial activity. Therefore, literally, “notarization” should be understood as “state’s certification”, i.e. a special “organ” entrusted by the state performs the certified right in the name of the state, which is called as “notary office” because of its special certification function, and sometimes is also called as “notary” or “notary firm” in other countries.

Because the notary office represents the state to perform the certified right, the notary document issued by the notary office is regarded as a kind of “state’s document”, with the appearance characters such as positive figures on white ground inside and outside, i.e. the “white paper” known by people commonly.

Because of above reasons, “notarization” could be only a specialized word without extensive applicability, and it could only be used in the superior notary activity by the notary organ, and it is inapposite for any other in the activity except for notary activity to use the word of “notarization”.

Because of the particularity of notarization character, “notary” is a kind of special and legal occupation, which will guide relatively social behaviors according to legal procedures and laws. Other than the administrative behavior of administrative body, in many situations, the professional work of notary office could not be simplified, because it needs certain chain of evidence to prove and make conclusive notarization document.