How to Prepare For your Notary Appointment

Understand your responsibility to the documents.

A notary is *not a legal professional* and cannot inform you about your documents, how they process, or their implications. We aren’t qualified to know. It is very important that a document signer understand what they are signing and it is their responsibility to research and ask for help from professionals in advance. A notary simply identifies an individual and affirms the are willingly signing or swearing to a document.

All signers will have active government-Issued IDs.

All signers will have active (not expired) government issued picture identification at notary appointment. (Bringing 2 IDs is even better!) Passport Driver’s License / State ID Military ID or 2 Witnesses w/ ID

Identification name matches name on document exactly.

An ID must show more or ‘equal to’ the name indicated on the document for a notary to identify you in that manner as mandated by California Law. (Formula: Identification Name > or = Document Name)

Signer and notary can communicate.

All signers can speak the same language as the notary conducting the transaction. Please indicate if your signer will need a notary that is bilingual. At the notary appointment, Spanish speakers will need a Spanish speaking notary, French will need French Speaking, Etc.

Documents are completed and ready in advance.

By law, documents being notarized are to be filled entirely before notarization. A notary is unable to draft or assist with completion of documents. Contact the receiving agency or an attorney for assistance.

Signers agree to the documents in advance, being fully at peace with all agreements.

All agreements/discussions should be finalized and agreed upon before scheduling. Potential signers should be willing and at peace with the situation, having fully reviewed and understood the nature of the documents to be signed in advance. All signers are openly willing to sign the document on their own accord. A notary is unable to proceed with transaction if their are signs of unwillingness, duress, uncertainty, or coercion.

Signers are completely of sound mind

It is particularly common that we have requests for sick or elderly signers. SD Signings will not provide notary for disoriented, medicated, or signers with questionable capacity. SD Signings will ask a series of questions about the magnitude of the documents and current events to determine a person’s ability to make sound decisions for themselves. The signer should be able to answer these questions in full dialogue.

California law mandates all signers will be of sound mind and competent before the notary. Read on here…

Schedule your notary online.

Click “schedule notary” button to schedule. The calendar has availability one day out to give all signers and the notary enough time to be prepared for the appointment. This provides time to ensure that documents have been reviewed, proof-checked, and completed in their entirety.

Streamline your appointment

Send your document to us in advance. This will streamline your appointment. We will have our certificates ready and can proof-check for best notary processing in advance. We will gladly print up to 25 pages b/w, at no extra charge. The notary will bring documents to the signing.

Streamlined single document signings are usually completed in 5 or less minutes.

Learn what you'll need for your notary.

Email, Call or Text.

Do you have questions about your appointment or the process? Email or call. Our FAQs and other web pages offer common information for all types of notary transactions. team@sdsignings.com

Schedule by phone: 619-442-8585