What you need to know for your appointment?
Here is what you need to know for your appointment. All signers, including witnesses, must be present at the time of the notarization. Acceptable forms of unexpired valid ID for all signers (including witnesses) include one of the following:
Government-issued Identification
• Passport
• Driver’s License
• Non-driver’s identification card
• Another form of government-issued identification with a photo and signature
OR
A credible witness is an individual who personally knows both the signer and the notary public and can vouch for the identity of the signer. This method is often used when the signer lacks proper identification documents. The credible witness cannot be the same as the person(s) who witnesses the signer sign the document(s). Here are the characteristics and requirements of a credible witness:
• Has personal knowledge of the signer
• Unbiased and disinterested
• Identified by the notary using valid unexpired identification
• Must be placed under oath or affirmation. When a credible witness is placed under oath, that is considered a notarial act, which incurs an additional fee.
• The notary will record the credible witness’s details in their journal.
According to Maryland statutes and regulations, the Notary Public may require an individual to provide additional information or identification credentials necessary to assure the Notary Public of the individual’s identity (State Gov't §18–206).
What is a Notarial Act?
A notarial act is a process performed by a notary in which the following steps occur:
Identification: The notary verifies the identity of the signer using government-issued identification with a photo and signature.
Competency and Awareness: The notary ensures the signer is competent and aware by direct interaction and observes that the signer is not under duress.
Oath or Declaration: The notary asks the signer to take an oath or make a declaration, as applicable.
Notarization: The notary then notarizes a notarial certificate (also referred to as the notarial language) on the document, which may appear multiple times on a single document. This is done by signing the certificate and applying the notary’s commission stamp.
Journal Entry: Finally, the notary records the signer’s details in their journal.
The time required to complete a notarial act for one signer typically ranges from 15 to 20 minutes. A notarial act is performed each time a person signs in the presence of a Notary Public.
Note: The original document(s) and the person the document(s) belong to must be present for all copy certification notarial acts.
Notary Public Disclaimer
Notaries who are not licensed to practice law are forbidden to advise a signer(s) on the type of notarial language/certificate to use for a notarization. You can find explanations for the various types of notarial certificates here (copy and paste link to your browser if needed: https://www.thesignaturepros.com/notarial-certificates). It is your responsibility to choose the notarial language that best fits your notarial request if there is no notarial language present on the document.
Please be advised that no Notary Public at The Signature Pros is an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland and is not allowed to draft legal records, give advice on legal matters, including immigration, or charge a fee for those activities.
Travel Fee Policy (Mobile Notarization)
At The Signature Pros, our commitment to providing reliable and efficient notarial services to our valued customers is unwavering. We understand that there may be instances where, due to circumstances beyond our control, a notarial act cannot be performed. In such cases, we want to clarify our travel fee policy to ensure transparency and fairness to all our clients.
Our travel fee is designed to compensate our notaries for the time and effort they dedicate to reaching your location, as well as for the resources involved in preparing for the appointment. Even when a notarial act cannot be performed, we must adhere to this policy for the following reasons:
No-show or Unavailability: If the customer is not available or fails to show up upon arriving at the specified location and time, the travel fee will still be due. To avoid this fee, it is essential to be punctual and available for your scheduled notarial appointment.
Lack of Proper Identification or Documentation: A valid notarial act requires specific identification and documentation to be in order. If the customer does not have the necessary identification or documentation as per our requirements, and the notarial act cannot proceed, the travel fee remains applicable.
Legal Ineligibility: In cases where our notaries determine that the notarial act requested does not meet legal requirements or that the proceeding would be unlawful, the travel fee will still be due. Our notaries adhere to legal and ethical standards and will not perform acts that violate the law.
Failure to Comply with Notarial Process: If the customer does not cooperate or follow the notarial process, preventing our notaries from performing the act, the travel fee will apply. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, and we strive to work with our customers to reschedule appointments when possible. However, our travel fee policy remains in effect to compensate our notaries for their time and expenses involved in traveling to the appointment location.
Get In Touch
Assistance Hours
(By Appointment)
All appointments must be finalized with a confirmation call from a team member.
Get In Touch
Assistance Hours
(By Appointment)
All appointments must be finalized with a confirmation call from a team member.
