A Maryland Notary may notarize a foreign language document under what condition?

• A. They may notarize only if they fully understand the document.
• B. They may notarize any foreign language document regardless of understanding.
• C. They may notarize a foreign language document only with a certified translation.
• D. They may notarize a foreign language document even if they do not understand it.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that a Maryland notary must be able to confirm the signer understands what they are signing. For a document in a foreign language, the notary can only properly notarize if they themselves fully understand the content, so they can verify the signer's comprehension and voluntary signature. If the notary does not understand the document, they cannot reliably attest that the signer knows what they are signing, which could undermine the validity of the notarization. Therefore, a Maryland Notary may notarize a foreign language document only if they fully understand the document.