Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, a Notary will ask to see a current ID that has a photo, physical description and signature. Acceptable IDs usually include a driver's license or passport.

Yes. In California, the signer must personally appear before the Notary at the time of notarization with proper identification. A California Notary Public cannot perform notarial services online. Remote Online Notarizations (RON) via webcam are invalid and illegal. In California, the signing party(ies) must be physically present before the notary public.

Yes, as long as....

1. Date of Issue - if the date your ID was issued is within 5 years of the signing date, the notary will be able to accept this ID as satisfactory evidence.
2. One Credible Witness - you can provide 1 witness that both you and the notary know personally.  Please note that the notary must know this person as well.  They will appear with you in person, provide a valid ID, take an oath and sign/thumbprint the Notary's Journal of Notarial Acts.
3. Two Credible Witnesses - you will provide 2 people that know you personally, but are not named in the document(s) or benefiting from the documents needing notarization.  They must appear in person with you, present their valid ID's to the notary, take an oath from the notary and sign and thumbprint the Notary's Journal of Notarial Acts.

 I accept credit card, cash, check, Venmo, Paypal & Zelle.  Credit cards must be taken PRIOR to appointment time and over the phone.

Absolutely not. A California Notary Public is forbidden from preparing legal documents for others or acting as a legal advisor unless he or she is also an attorney. Violators can be fined and/or jailed for the unauthorized practice of law.

No. A California notary public cannot notarize a document that is incomplete or contains blanks.

A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by state government, typically by the secretary of state, to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents.

A Notary Signing Agent (NSA) or Loan Signing Agent (LSA) is a California Notary Public with distinctive expertise and specialized training in notarizing loan and real estate documents. A good signing agent is trained and certified by the National Notary Association (NNA).

Unlike Notaries in foreign countries, a U.S. Notary Public is not an attorney, judge or high-ranking official. A U.S. Notary is not the same as a Notario Publico. 

Through the process of notarization notaries deter fraud and establish that the signer knows what document they're signing and that they're a willing participant in the transaction.

There are 4 items a California Notary must do in order to notarize your document...

• They must meet you in person, face to face; no exceptions
• They must confirm that the document you are presenting is complete with no blanks
• They need to be able to communicate with the signer and ensure they are okay with signing the document.
• They must confirm your identity using a State Driver's License, US or Foreign Passport, State ID or other government issued identification.

California Law States:

* For taking an acknowledgment or proof of a deed, or other instrument, to include the seal and the writing of the certificate, the sum of fifteen dollars ($15) for each signature taken.

* For administering an oath or affirmation to one person and executing the jurat, including the seal, the sum of fifteen dollars ($15).

* For all services rendered in connection with the taking of any deposition, the sum of thirty dollars ($30), and in addition thereto, the sum of seven dollars ($7) for administering the oath to the witness and the sum of seven dollars ($7) for the certificate to the deposition.

In addition, to the above fees dictated by the State of California, Notaries  need to include traveling fees.

The purpose of an acknowledgement is for a signer, whose identity has been verified, to declare to a Notary or notarial officer that he or she has willingly signed a document.

The purpose of a jurat — also known in some states as a “verification upon oath or affirmation” — is for a signer to swear to or affirm the truthfulness of the contents of a document to a Notary or notarial officer.

No. California guidelines indicate the notary must be able to communicate with the signer directly. Translators are not allowed in this instance. If you need a notary that speaks a language besides English or Spanish, it is best to search online for a notary that advertises their ability to speak that language.