Refer to your state statutes or notary division. In most instances the loose certificate needs to be stapled to the document it is being attached.

Safeguards to use in addition to stapling: Annotate on the loose certificate across the bottom, what the certificate is being attached. (i.e. ATTACHED TO MORTGAGE DATED 1ST OF JANUARY 2005, SIGNED BY JOE S. DOES AND SUSAN B. DOES, NUMBER OF PAGES 16.) By making this statement across the bottom of the loose notarial certificate, there is no question as to what it is being attached to.