---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1044a"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1044a"
heading: "Authority to act as notary"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1044a"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 53 — Miscellaneous Rights and Benefits"
---

# §1044a. Authority to act as notary

- (a) The [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) named in [subsection (b)](#b) have the general powers of a notary public and of a consul of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) in the performance of all notarial acts to be executed by any of the following:
  - (1) Members of any of the [uniformed services](/usc/10/1072.md?p=1).
  - (2) Other [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) eligible for legal assistance under the provisions of [section 1044 of this title](/usc/10/1044.md) or regulations of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense.
  - (3) [Persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) serving with, employed by, or accompanying the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) outside the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) and outside the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
  - (4) Other [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) subject to the Uniform Code of [Military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) Justice ([chapter 47](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch47.md) of this title) outside the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1).
- (b) [Persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) with the powers described in [subsection (a)](#a) are the following:
  - (1) All [judge advocates](/usc/10/801.md?p=13), including [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [judge advocates](/usc/10/801.md?p=13) when not in a duty status.
  - (2) All civilian attorneys serving as legal assistance attorneys.
  - (3) All adjutants, assistant adjutants, and personnel adjutants, including [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) members when not in a duty status.
  - (4) All other members of the [uniformed services](/usc/10/1072.md?p=1), including [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) members when not in a duty status, who are designated by regulations of the [uniformed services](/usc/10/1072.md?p=1) or by statute to have those powers.
  - (5) For the performance of notarial acts at locations outside the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1), all employees of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) or the Coast Guard who are designated by regulations of the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) or by statute to have those powers for exercise outside the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1).
  - (6) All civilian paralegals serving at [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) legal assistance offices, supervised by a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) legal assistance counsel (as defined in [section 1044d(g) of this title](/usc/10/1044d.md?p=g)).
- (c) No fee may be paid to or received by any [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) for the performance of a notarial act authorized in this section.
- (d) The signature of any such [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) acting as notary, together with the title of that [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2)’s offices, is prima facie evidence that the signature is genuine, that the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) holds the designated title, and that the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is authorized to perform a notarial act.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title V, § 551(a)(1), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1566; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 573, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2534; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title XI, § 1103, Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1236; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title V, § 523(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2116; Pub. L. 116–259, title II, § 205(b)(1), Dec. 23, 2020, 134 Stat. 1167.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116–259, § 205(b)(1)(A), substituted “uniformed services” for “armed forces”.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 116–259, § 205(b)(1)(B), substituted “uniformed services” for “armed forces” in two places.

2016—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 114–328 added par. (6).

2001—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 107–107, § 1103(a), substituted “legal assistance attorneys” for “legal assistance officers”.

Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 107–107, § 1103(b), added par. (5).

1996—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–201, § 573(1), substituted “, including reserve judge advocates when not in a duty status” for “on active duty or performing inactive-duty training”.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 104–201, § 573(2), substituted “adjutants, including reserve members when not in a duty status” for “adjutants on active duty or performing inactive-duty training”.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 104–201, § 573(3), substituted “members of the armed forces, including reserve members when not in a duty status,” for “persons on active duty or performing inactive-duty training”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.