Q: What is a California Notary Public?

A: A Notary is a government officer and public servant who serves as an
impartial witness in taking acknowledgments, administering oaths
affirmations and performing other acts authorized by California state law.
A California Notary Public is not an attorney and is not licensed to
practice law, may not give legal advice, draft legal documents nor accept
fees for legal advice.

Q: What is a Notary Signing Agent?

A: A Notary Signing Agent is a commissioned Notary Public who specializes in
home loan document signing. State law and lenders regularly require notarization
of documents, such as Deeds of Trust, Mortgages, etc., so a Notary with specific
training in this area is often employed to facilitate loan signings. A Notary Signing
Agent is not a loan officer, escrow officer or a closing agent.

Q: What documents CAN NOT be notarized?

A: Incomplete documents, copies of birth, death or marriage records, wills, immigration documents, photographs
and copied or faxed signatures.

Q: Does every signer have to personally appear before the notary?

A: The signer must appear in person before the Notary on the date and in the county stated in the notarial certificate.

Q: Does a document have to be signed in presence of the Notary?

A: Documents requiring acknowledgments normally do not need to be signed in the Notary’s presence. The signer however must appear before the Notary at the time of notarization to acknowledge that he or she freely signed for the purposes stated in the document. The Notary must positively identify the signer either through personal knowledge, one or two credible identifying witnesses or proper identification cards. A document requiring a Jurat must be signed in the Notary’s presence as dictated by the typical wording, “ Subscribed (signed) and sworn to before me”. The Notary certifies having watched the signing of a document and having administered an oath or affirmation in which the signer declares the document to be truthful and accurate.