General Information
Answers to common questions...
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Legally speaking...
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No, I cannot notarize for immediate family or those who may directly or indirectly benefit from the contents of the document. A last Will and testament must be signed by TWO witnesses who are not potential beneficiaries of the estate, but your Will in Washington State does NOT require a notary signature.
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Money matters...
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Fees for service must be in accordance with state law: currently, the fee is $10 (ten dollars) per notarial act. Travel may be charged as agreed upon in advance if needed, no more than $10. Taking a verification upon oath or affirmation: $10. Industry-standard fees are requested for Signing Agent services.
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Proving you are legit...
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Acceptable, legal forms of ID: WA State or federal-issued ID card, current driver's license, current passport with photo and signed, a certificate of United States citizenship or naturalization, tribal government identification, or an alien registration card with photo, military ID with photo or one credible witness who is personally known by the notary, who can vouge for the signee. ID or passport must have the signee's photo, physical description, and signature. An expired Photo ID issued in WA that is LESS than three years past due for renewal IS acceptable. Birth certificates alone, credit cards, school IDs, library cards, temporary driver's licenses, driver's permits, and tokens of any kind are NOT valid forms of identification for notary services.
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If you have questions, please ask!
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What is a Notary Public...
& why it matters...
Q. What does a Notary Public do?
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A. Notaries verify the signer's identity, witness the document being signed, affix a notarial seal to the document and record the transaction in a journal. Notarizations have historically been conducted on paper and in person, but as electronic signature-related technologies and associated principles become more familiar, these traditional manual and paper-based processes are being replaced by digital remote solutions.
Q. Why do documents need notarization...
A. Notarization is the official fraud-deterrent process that assures the parties of a transaction involving documentation is authentic and can be trusted. It is a three-part process, performed by a Notary Public, that includes vetting, certifying, and record-keeping. Notarizations are sometimes referred to as "notarial acts."
Q What types of businesses are likely to require a notary...
A. Here's a partial list ~
Real Estate firms
Law firms
Banks, mortgage lenders, financiers
Healthcare providers
Government agencies
Employment Agencies
Small businesses
to name a few...
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What's new or in the news...
Q. What is RON or Remote Online Notary?
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A. RON is an electronic signature-related technology that significantly furthers the modernization of notarization. At a high level, RON technology ensures identity verification, provides fraud-evident encryption, and provides digital audit trails in conjunction with industry-standard audio-visual technology to perform an efficient and secure electronic notarial act. RON allows for the notary and the signee to communicate remotely with one another over a secured online format. Washington State RON law became permanent in March of 2020, making it the ninth state to adopt the practice. Currently, I am not set up to perform RON Notary online.
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Q. Are all electronic or remote notarizations, RON?
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A. In short, no. As notarization continues to evolve from a traditional paper-based, in-person process, other variations have arisen over time. IPEN, for example, used across various states in recent years, involves a notary performing an electronic notarization while physically present with the signer(s). Unlike RON, the notary is required to be in the same location as the signer(s) to complete the notarial act. "RIN" is another remote ink-signed method that allows the signer and notary to appear over two-way audio-visual communications; however, the notary is required to watch the signer sign a paper document, and then mail the signed document to the notary, who then must notarize and return the document as needed. I do not ordinarily use this method as it is less efficient as compared to RON and time-consuming. Currently, I am IN PERSON only!
