San Diego Notary Girl

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Confused by the notary process? Not sure what needs to be included on your document to legally confirm your identity? Below are some "Frequently Asked Questions" that will take the mystery out of the Notary Public and exactly what we do!

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1. WHAT IS A CALIFORNIA MOBILE NOTARY PUBLIC?
   A California Notary Public is a person of proven integrity appointed by the California Secretary of State to serve the public as an impartial witness in confirming identity, taking acknowledgements, administering oaths and affirmations, and performing other acts authorized by law. The Notary Public does not give legal advice, complete documents, or verify that the documents are true or legally binding. The CA Notary Public only verifies the person’s identity. A San Diego mobile notary public provides an affordable and convenient alternative to an office appointment and will come to you. A California Mobile Notary Public will travel to your home, place of business or other convenient meeting spot!
    

2. WHAT IS A NOTARY SIGNING AGENT (NSA) OR LOAN SIGNING AGENT (LSA)?
   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).
    

3. HOW MUCH DOES A MOBILE NOTARY PUBLIC COST?
   Fees vary and can be as much as $15 in some states and as little as 50 cents in others and is mandated by state law. California law limits the amount to $15 per signature, and a notary may charge travel or appointment fees, in addition. See more details on coverage areas and fees at MOBILE NOTARY FEES
    

4. WHY ARE DOCUMENTS NOTARIZED?
   To provide a deterrent to fraud. As an impartial witness, the Notary Public ensures that the signer(s) of document(s) are who they say they are and are not impostors. The Notary makes sure that signer(s) have entered into agreement(s) knowingly and willingly, are of sound mind, present proper identification, and will administer an oath, when required.
    

5. WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR A DOCUMENT BE NOTARIZED?
   For a document to be notarized, it must contain: 1) text committing the signer in some way, 2) an original signature (not a photocopy) of the document signer, 3) a notarial "certificate" which may appear on the document itself or on all attachment. The Notary fills in the certificate, signs it, then applies his or her seal to complete the notarization.
    

6. WE NEED A POWER OF ATTORNEY, BUT MY MOTHER DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH! CAN WE USE A TRANSLATOR? No, translator are not allowed. The signer who appears before San Diego Notary Girl must speak fluent English and be able to communicate directly with the mobile notary during the signing. They must confirm, in English, that they understand what they are signing. It is illegal in California for a signer to use a translator during the notarization process.
    

7. MAY A CALIFORNIA NOTARY PUBLIC GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR DRAFT LEGAL DOCUMENTS?
   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.
    

8. DOES A NOTARIZATION MEAN THAT A DOCUMENT IS "TRUE" OR "LEGAL"?
   No. A California Notary Public is not responsible for the accuracy or legality of documents they notarize. A California Notary can only certify the identity of signers. The signers are responsible for the content of the documents.
    

9. DO I HAVE TO APPEAR PERSONALLY FOR NOTARIZATION OF MY DOCUMENTS?
   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.
    

10. CAN A DOCUMENT THAT CONTAINS BLANKS BE NOTARIZED?
    No. A California notary public cannot notarize a document that is incomplete or contains blanks.
     

11. MAY A NOTARY PUBLIC REFUSE TO SERVE A CUSTOMER?
    The Notary shall, as a government officer and public officer and public servant, serve all of the public in an honest, fair and unbiased manner. Only if the Notary is uncertain of a signer's identity, willingness or general competence, or has a good reason to suspect fraud can the notary refuse the notarization. Notaries should not refuse to serve anyone because of race, religion, nationality, lifestyle, or because the person is not a client or customer. Discrimination on any basis is not a suitable policy for a public official.
     

12. MAY A CALIFORNIA NOTARY PUBLIC PREPARE OR NOTARIZE AN I-9 FORM OR OTHER IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS?
    Only a few immigration forms need to be notarized, such as the Affidavit of Support (1-134), but U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) regulations state that no one may prepare or file another person's immigration papers unless he or she is all attorney or a U.S. Justice Department-approved "accredited representative." Non-attorneys can provide clerical, secretarial or translating assistance with INS forms, as long as no advice is given. However, courts have held that even the selection of which forms to complete can constitute the practice of law, since the filing of INS forms creates legal consequences having a substantial impact on the applicant.
     

13. CAN A CALIFORNIA NOTARY PUBLIC SERVE AS A WITNESS AND A NOTARY PUBLIC?
    It is not recommended and may even be improper for a California Notary Public serve as a witness. In cases where a document must be witnessed and notarized, the Notary may serve as either a witness OR as a Notary, but not both.
     

14. CAN A CALIFORNIA NOTARY PUBLIC PERFORM REMOTE ONLINE NOTARIZATIONS (RON)?
    A California Notary Public cannot perform notarial services online. Remote Online Notarizations (RON) via webcam are invalid and illegal. In California, the signing party must be physically present before the notary public.
     

15. IS A NOTARY PUBLIC THE SAME AS "NOTARIO PUBLICO"?
    No! A Notary Public in California is not the same as "Notario Publico", and translation of Notary Public to Notario Public is prohibited.
     

16. WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS OF OPERATION?
    San Diego Notary Girl is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. As long as I have availability I am happy to assist you with your mobile notary needs. I work on weekends and holidays. To ensure availability for your appointment, call first and as far in advance as possible. I welcome last minute and short notice mobile notary public services, and will always do my best to fulfill every mobile notary request.