Question 1

What does a notary public do?

Accepted Answer

A notary public is a state-commissioned official who witnesses signatures and verifies a few specific facts at the moment of signing. The signer's identity is the first check, usually proven through current government-issued photo ID or, in states that allow it, credible witnesses. Competence and willingness come next: the signer must appear capable of understanding the document and must be signing voluntarily. After those checks pass, the notary completes a notarial certificate (acknowledgment, jurat, or another form prescribed by state law) and records the act in a journal where state law requires one.

Question 2

How much does a notary cost in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Notary fees in the US are capped by state law for the underlying notarial act, and the cap varies widely. New York sits at the low end at $2 per act under New York Executive Law section 136. Most states fall in the $5 to $10 range. California runs at the high end at $15 per signature for an acknowledgment or jurat under Government Code section 8211. Mobile notaries also charge a separate travel or convenience fee, set by the notary based on distance and time, which is disclosed and agreed to in writing before the appointment. The directory's same-day mobile and RON listings show the act fee plus any travel charge upfront.

Question 3

What is mobile notarization?

Accepted Answer

A mobile notarization brings the notary to the signer instead of the other way around. Common pickups include a home, an office, a hospital room or rehab facility, a hotel lobby, a jobsite trailer, an assisted living unit, or a coffee shop near the signer's location. Mobile notaries on this directory work evenings, early mornings, weekends, and holidays, with same-day availability common in metro areas and most secondary markets. Travel is billed on top of the underlying notarial act, with the fee disclosed in writing before the notary leaves for the appointment. Most US states permit mobile work for any notarial act the notary is otherwise authorized to perform.

Question 4

What is remote online notarization (RON)?

Accepted Answer

Remote online notarization is a notarization performed over an audio-video session instead of in person. The signer can sit at a kitchen table in one state, the notary at a desk in another (subject to the rule that the notary is usually required to be physically located in the state where they are commissioned). State-approved RON platforms handle the identity verification flow, the signing surface, the credential analysis, and the recording. Sessions are recorded and the recording is retained for a minimum period set by state law, typically 5 to 10 years. Most US states now permit RON, and the directory's RON view filters listings down to notaries currently registered to perform online sessions.

Question 5

Do I need to be physically present to be notarized?

Accepted Answer

For traditional in-person notarization, yes. The signer and the notary must be in the same physical location at the same time, with the document and acceptable identification in front of them. Remote online notarization is the alternative: an audio-video session that lets the signer participate from anywhere, while the notary performs the act on a state-approved RON platform from inside their commissioning state. A small number of states recognize a narrow exception called the subscribing witness, used in jurisdictions like Pennsylvania, where a witness who personally knows the signer can appear before the notary on behalf of a signer unable to appear in person. Most signers will use either in-person or RON.

Question 6

What identification do I need for a notary?

Accepted Answer

Most US states require a current, government-issued photo ID with a signature, name, and physical description. Common acceptable IDs include a driver's license, a state ID card, a US passport or passport card, a US military ID, and a permanent resident card. States that permit a credible-witness alternative let one or two adults who personally know the signer (and who carry their own valid ID) vouch for identity when the signer has no acceptable ID of their own. Specifics vary by state, including whether expired IDs are acceptable, how recent the photo must be, and whether non-photo identification can be used in any context. The state pages on this directory cover the identification rules state by state.

Question 7

Can a notary refuse to notarize a document?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in specific situations. Identification can be the blocker: no acceptable ID, no qualifying credible witnesses, or a signature mismatch on the ID. The signer's state can also stop an act, for example if the signer appears incapacitated, intoxicated, or being coerced rather than signing knowingly and willingly. Blank spaces the notary is asked to leave open without authorization are another standard refusal. So is a disqualifying conflict of interest, such as the notary being a party to the underlying transaction or named in the document as a beneficiary. A notary cannot refuse based on the document's subject matter alone, or on the signer's race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic, as long as the basic notarial requirements are met.

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