What Is an Express Notice?

Also known as an actual notice, an express notice is a type of notification that provides direct information about the subject matter contained in the document, including clear directives about what should follow. With this type of notification, there are no vague hints about what is to occur next, but very clear and concise data about what is and is not being granted as the result of the issuance of the document. This is in contrast to an implied notice, which may contain information that is broader in scope and more open to several different interpretations.

The use of a direct or express notice is common in a number of applications. A communication of this type may be issued to a customer in regard to a recently placed order. The text of the notice will provide specific information about the status of the order and what actions the supplier will take next in order to fulfill the terms of that order. If there are specific actions that the buyer needs to take in order to expedite the process, those actions will clearly be stated, often including precise instructions in how to comply.

An express notice may also be used to confer authority for specific tasks within a company organization. With this application, the notice will identify who is being granted the authority and in what areas of the operation that authority may be exercised. In some instances, the express notice will even define the parameters of that authority, making sure there is no room for misunderstandings about how and when that authority may be exercised.

With any application of an express notice, the goal is to provide clear and concise information so there is no opportunity for a number of understandings and interpretations of the notice content to occur. Depending on the setting in which the notice is issued, this may be necessary not only as a mechanism to maintaining order and function within a company, but also as a means of creating a document trail that will hold up in a court of law. Whether the content of the notice is to clearly articulate facts related to a specific situation to confer powers that are to be used for a specific task, or to provide specific instruction in how to pursue a particular activity, the express notice leaves no room regarding what the issuer of the notice intended to accomplish with the drafting and distribution of that notice.