Mobile Notaries Rock

Why Go Mobile?

In the not-so-distant past, those needing notarial services had to travel to the notary and meet at a time convenient for the notary. Currently, mobile notaries are providing individuals, groups, and businesses a way to save time and effort while achieving accurate results. Mobile notaries can meet at a time and location convenient to you whether it be your home, office, hospital room, or favorite coffee shop. The ways in which a mobile notary can make your life simpler are only limited by your imagination!

In-Person and Personable

Have you ever visited a bank or other service provider that happens to have a notary on staff for the purpose of executing an important document? If you have, you may also have experienced the frustration of traveling to the location only to learn the notary is not available to assist you. Even if the notary is available, you may learn you are missing an essential piece of information or identification and leave without completing your task.

Mobile notaries, however, offer a more personal approach to their work. Conscientious and professional mobile notaries involve their clients in selecting a convenient time and location for the appointment. They also review what to expect at the appointment, what documentation and identification to have available at the appointment, and the cost of the appointment prior to placing the client on their calendar. This empowers the client in all aspects of the engagement of their notary.

What to Expect

The following do’s and dont’s apply to appointments with a notary regardless of the documents being notarized:

Notaries DO establish your identity.

The best way for a notary to complete the required step of establishing your identity is to provide your notary with a valid photo ID. In real estate transactions, you may be asked for a second form of identification and your notary can provide a list of acceptable forms.

Notaries may also establish identity when they personally know the client or they personally know an individual who is present at the appointment who vouches for the identity of the client.

Notaries DON’T select the type of notarization.

Whether your document’s execution requires an acknowledgement or a jurat is a determination not made by the notary. Often, the paperwork provides the verbiage that makes that determination easily identifiable. On the off chance the paperwork does not, you will need to know which type of notarization you need. In a nutshell, acknowledgements demonstrate that the signer has signed the document willingly while jurats demonstrate a signer’s affirmation that the document contains truthful contents.

Notaries DON’T explain document contents.

It’s important that clients understand the nature of the documents they seek to execute through notarization. Even when a notary is also an attorney (like me!), we are not permitted to explain the document’s contents or provide instruction on how to complete a document to our clients. Prior to your appointment, it’s important you understand the nature of the document and ask questions of the document’s source if you have them. For instance, if your mobile notary is a signing agent for your home loan refinance, you will want to speak with your title company or mortgage lender about questions — even if it’s at the signing table!

Notaries DO have the right to refuse.

Notaries are commissioned (not licensed) by their states to carry out their work. Notaries who wish to keep their commissions must maintain the highest ethical standards. Notaries may refuse to perform a notarial act if, for instance, they ascertain that the signer is not able to understand the nature of what they are doing by applying their signature to the document. For this reason, it’s important to plan in advance so that conditions like cognitive decline do not prevent the signer from completing vital documents.

Notaries DO value your time.

Professional notaries, especially those working in the mobile notary space, value your time. You should expect your notary to communicate frequently, arrive on time, provide a concise overview of the appointment agenda, collect verification information, complete the notarizations, collect a fee or arrange payment, and depart.

How BEST Can Help

BEST wants to be your notarial solution. Partner with us and we will scope our work to fit your needs. Whether your notarial needs are personal or business, we have you covered.