5 Tips to Choose the Right Notary Service

Choosing “the best” notary out of the 4.5 million signing agents in the nation can seem like an impossible task. There are a lot of factors that play into finding the best notary public for your needs. Whether the service is estate planning, deed, power of attorney, loan signing, or any other document that requires notarization, you want to choose the most qualified candidate for the job.

#1 Mobility

Long gone are the days where you have to drive to the bank for the notary. Mobile Notaries will come to you, save you time and money, and you’ll never have to wait in a line again. Mobile Notaries go far beyond just signing and stamping, we come to you and insure that every step to the signing process is done correctly and legally. Mobile Notaries will meet you on location, at your job, or at the nearest Starbucks.

#2 Qualifications & Specialization

Check the notary’s qualifications to ensure they are a good fit for your needs. Notaries should display their qualifications and any specialty fields publicly on their website or business cards. If you require notarial services for legal documents, you’ll probably want to choose someone with an educational and/or professional background in law. If you’re signing loan documents for real estate, you’ll want to choose someone with a background in real estate or someone suggested by your loan officer. Doing so reduces the risk of error while encouraging a smooth service for both parties involved.

#3 Fees

Each state has its own cap on how much a notary can legally charge for his or her services. These limits are listed per state on the Secretary of State’s website. It is important to note that this is merely the maximum charge and not the relative price for services!

Mobile Notaries are legally allowed to charge a “convenience fee” for their services and this is not represented in the limit set by the state.

#4 Association Membership

Most Notary Networks require their notary public’s to meet certain criteria, including working hours, education, and training. Being part of any notary association means your notary is well trained and constantly kept up to date. You can rest assured knowing that a notary is highly accredited if he or she is an active member of a notary association.

#5 Communication

Is your notary easy to reach via phone or email? If not, you might want to find another notary public. Communication is an important part of the notary signing process, if you need to reach any person who assisted on your documents you want them to be just a phone call away. The right notary will acknowledge the importance of communication and understand that they need to make themselves available to clients.