What is the difference between a medallion and a notary?
Asked by: Xzavier Brekke | Last update: January 5, 2026Score: 4.8/5 (24 votes)
The basic difference is: Notary Stamps are for legal documents. Medallion Guarantees are for financial documents. A Notary Public is a state-appointed official who serves the public as an impartial witness when signing legal documents.
Why is it so hard to get a medallion signature?
The refusal to provide a medallion signature guarantee, as indicated by the manager, could be due to a variety of reasons. It's important to know that not all bank branches offer this service, and even if they do, they may have limitations based on their policies or the specific qualifications of the staff.
What is the purpose of a medallion signature?
Certain formal documents require a Medallion signature guarantee (MSG), which authenticates your signature, and ensures you have the legal authority and capacity to sign. You can typically obtain an MSG from a bank officer, trust company, or member of the U.S. stock exchange.
What is the highest level of notary?
All notaries begin at the Bronze level, but can be invited to upgrade to Silver, Gold, or even Platinum!
Do banks charge for a medallion signature?
The cost of obtaining a Medallion Signature Guarantee can vary depending on the financial institution and your relationship with it. Many banks and credit unions offer MSGs at no cost to their account holders, particularly those who have maintained accounts with them for a certain period.
Differences between Medallion Signature Guarantee and Notary Stamps
How much does a medallion notary cost?
A financial institution may charge a small amount for a medallion signature guarantee stamp to cover the nature of securities. This may include the paperwork that needs filing and the agent's time and effort. To account for these costs, you could spend anywhere between $10 to $50.
Which Canadian banks offer medallion signature guarantee?
The Guarantor must affix a stamp bearing the actual words “Medallion Guaranteed”, with the correct prefix covering the face value of the certificate. Canada: A Signature Guarantee obtained from an authorized officer of the Royal Bank of Canada, Scotia Bank or TD Canada Trust.
Is a medallion stamp the same as a notary stamp?
The basic difference is: Notary Stamps are for legal documents. Medallion Guarantees are for financial documents. A Notary Public is a state-appointed official who serves the public as an impartial witness when signing legal documents.
What does a notary say to swear someone in?
*There is no prescribed wording for the oath, but an acceptable oath would be “Do you swear or affirm that the statements in this document are true?” When administering the oath, the signer and notary public traditionally each raise their right hand but this is not a legal requirement.
How long is a medallion signature good for?
Does a medallion signature guarantee expire? A medallion that has been carried out within accordance of state law will not expire. However, a medallion signature guarantee is only good for the date that it was signed and dated.
Do credit unions do medallion signatures?
You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee at banks, credit unions, and brokerage firms. Examples include Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Navy Federal Credit Union, Charles Schwab, and Fidelity. These institutions often require an existing relationship with the applicant.
What is a medallion?
me·dal·lion mə-ˈdal-yən. 1. : a large medal. 2. : something resembling a large medal (as in shape)
How do you get a medallion notary?
A Medallion Signature Guarantee stamp can be obtained at a bank, credit union, broker, or other financial firm. Individuals should contact the bank, credit union, broker, or other financial firm they have an account with and inquire if the institution participates in the Medallion Signature Guarantee program.
What is the difference between verifiable and medallion?
Medallion is a holistic platform
From licensing to ongoing compliance, experience a unified, feature-rich provider-patient journey. Verifiable may exhibit gaps in reporting and depend on manual processes like Excel, without digital fingerprinting.
Can a lawyer do a medallion signature guarantee?
Lawyers cannot give either a regular signature guarantee or a medallion signature guarantee. Again, an institution that can do a signature guarantee probably will require that a person have an account at that institution before it will give a medallion signature guarantee.
Is it profitable to be a notary?
Opportunity to make extra money
While it's difficult to build a six-figure income by doing simple notarizations like jurats and acknowledgments, some states have higher maximum rates than others. In California, notaries can charge $15 per notarial act. In Florida, Arizona, Michigan, and others, notaries can charge $10.
How much do most notaries charge?
Notarization fees are regulated by California state law and are generally low-cost. So how much does a notary charge? In most cases, a California notary public may charge a maximum notary fee of $15 for each signature. This includes writing the certificate, affixing the notary stamp, and acknowledging the signature.
What type of notaries make the most money?
Specialize in real estate closings
Make money as a notary public by becoming a loan signing agent and specializing in notarizing real estate documents. Loan signings are often more complex and command higher fees.
Can you use a signature stamp as a notary?
Some states prohibit their notaries public from notarizing documents with a signature stamp. However, the notary statutes in some states merely state that the notary shall sign and affix a notary seal to the certificate at the time of the execution of the notarization.
What is the alternative to medallion signature?
Signature witnessed by a bank officer: Some institutions may accept a signature witnessed by a bank officer as an alternative to a Medallion Signature Guarantee. This involves having a bank officer witness the signing of the document and then affix their signature and stamp to the document.
What is a golden seal notary?
Add the classic touch to your notarizations with these permanent gold foil seals. Each seal is 2" diameter. 100 seals per package. Permanent adhesive seals dress up and add a touch of class and professionalism to the documents you notarize. Often such seals are expected on papers received in other countries.
What is the difference between a medallion guarantee and a notary?
To quickly summarize, signature guarantees, also known as medallion guarantees are for financial documents and notary stamps are for legal documents. Both signature guarantees and notary seals are used to verify the identity of parties involved and people agreeing to the documents in question.
Does CIBC do Medallion Signature Guarantee?
Transfer agent parties such as the TMX, ComputerShare, CIBC Mellon, will generally require a signature guarantee in the form of a medallion when an owner wishes to transfer securities, such as stocks or bonds, held in physical certificate form to a new holder without going through a broker's account.
What if my bank doesn't offer Medallion Signature Guarantee?
If you have been unable to obtain a medallion guarantee, you should contact the transfer agent or issuer corporation requiring the medallion signature for assistance.