ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Notary public

A notary public is like a grown-up superhero who helps people make sure important papers are real and legal.

Imagine you have a very important paper, like a contract or a legal document. You want to make sure it is real and official, so you go to a notary public. They are like a special grown-up who has been trained to check papers and make sure they are legal.

When you get to the notary public, they will ask you to show your ID (like your driver's license or passport) to make sure you are who you say you are. Then they will watch you sign the important paper. They might ask you some questions to make sure you understand what you are signing.

After you sign the paper, the notary public will put their own special stamp on it. This stamp shows that they checked everything and that the paper is official. This stamp is like a grown-up superhero's special mark, telling everyone that the paper is real and legal.

Now you can take your important paper and feel safe knowing that it is official and legal. All thanks to the notary public, your grown-up superhero!