Notary Public Frequently Asked Questions
Most people don’t really even think about notaries and what they do until the time comes that they really need one! So what is a notary?
“A Notary Public is an official appointed by state government to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official acts related to the signing of important documents. A Notary’s duty is to screen the signers of important documents for their true identity, their willingness to sign without duress or intimidation and their awareness of the contents of the document or transaction.
Some notarizations also require the Notary to put the signer under an oath declaring under penalty of perjury that the information contained in a document is true and correct. Property deeds, living wills and powers of attorney are examples of documents that commonly require a Notary.
Through the process of Notarization, Notaries help to deter fraud by establishing identity as well establish that the signer knows what they are signing and that they are a willing participant in the transaction."(Nationalnotary.org, What is a Public Notary.) https://www.nationalnot ary.org/knowledge-center/about-notaries
California has very specific requirements when it comes to notarization. First, every signer of the document must personally appear before the Notary at the time the notarization takes place. They notary will quickly look over the document to determine what type of notarization to perform. The Notary will then carefully identify each signer using only identifications allowed by the state such as Driver’s licenses and passports and others as required.
Please remember that you will need some form of legal verification that is acceptable by law. The notary must then determine to the best of their ability that the signer is acting independently, is aware of what is going on, and is willing to sign of their own free will. All information will usually be recorded in the Notary’s Record Journal before filling in and sealing all notarial certificates.
Notary services are regulated by the State of California, so you can be sure that you will only be charged the allowable amount. As of January 1, 2017, Fee’s were adjusted to $15.00 per each signature per document. $30 for Deposition services, $7 for Deposition Oath and $7 for Deposition Certificate.) If you require the ease and convenience of our mobile service, a minimal travel/mileage fee will be added to cover those costs. Travel fees are not specified in the laws governing Notaries, but there are no surprises here. Just fast, easy, honest service. The basic travel convenience fee is $25. If for some reason the fee needs to be adjusted to accommodate a greater than normal distance, we will let you know in advance.
Using a mobile notary service has several benefits. Transportation can be time consuming and long wait times can be frustrating. Mobile notary services can save you time and reduce stress. Many times other notary businesses may be closed in evenings or on the weekends. SLO Notary offers flexible hours to assist you.
Often our clients have health concerns which can make travel difficult. The elderly, hospitalized, or bedridden individuals may be unable to travel. Mobile notary services solves all of those problems.
You can make arrangements at either your home or another location of your choosing and one of our professional notaries will travel to you. One of the best parts of mobile notary is that they can come to you and you never have to leave your home or your office. It’s all about convenience and flexibility.