Can I sign the document earlier?

In order for a notary to issue acknowledgement, it is not necessary for the document to be signed in his or her presence. However, the signer must still appear before the notary at the time of the acknowledgement to swear he or she freely signed for the purposes stated in the document under his or her own will. Some services, such as jurats, require the document actually be signed in the notary’s presence.  A jurat requires the wording “subscribed and sworn to” on the document just above where the Notary Public signs his or her name.