Chase Bank Branch Hours & Notary Availability Update: What Signers Must Know
Signers frequently confuse a notary stamp with a Medallion Signature Guarantee, but the legal mechanisms serve entirely different functions. A notary public verifies the identity of the person signing and ensures the act is voluntary. A Medallion Signature Guarantee protects financial institutions against forgery during the transfer, sale, or assignment of securities and stock certificates.
A notary cannot legally execute a securities transfer requiring a Medallion imprint, and a standard notary seal will be rejected immediately by transfer agents such as Computershare or broad brokerage desks. Conversely, a Medallion stamp cannot be substituted for a notarized personal affidavit or parental consent form.
Chase provides Medallion Signature Guarantees exclusively to established account holders, often requiring an account seasoning window of at least 6 months. The dollar limits covered by the guarantee depend strictly on the branch officer’s authorized surety bond limit, which typically ranges from $100,000 to $1,000,000 depending on the banker's credential tier.
