How long will this take?

We allocate one hour for the appointment but it rarely takes this long. For a straightforward acknowledgment or witnessing signature it should be no more than 15-30 minutes. This is assuming the paperwork is in order, the client has a proper ID and there are no other complications. But you never know, so we block out an hour. The signing process for a real estate transactions is usually longer (45-60 minutes) depending on the complexity of the packet.

What exactly is Apostille?

An “Apostille” is an authentication issued for use in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of October 5th, 1961. An Apostille Authentication verifies that the Notary Public is authorized to provide the notarization or certification and that they have done so in accordance with the requirements of the current code of the state the notarization took place.

My ID has expired, can we still get our document notarized?

In the State of Washington and Oregon you may use an ID that is up to three years expired! Crazy, right?

The signer does not have any kind of ID, can we still get our document notarized?

It is possible to use what is known as a credible witness to verify the ID of the signer. The credible witness must sign an oath attesting/swearing that they are being truthful in verifying the signers identity. The oath will then be notarized and added to the document. This is a separate notarial act.

Can the Notary Public explain to us what we are signing?

Short answer - no. A Notary Public is a neutral third party commissioned by the state to notarize a document. If you do not understand a document you should consult with your lawyer or who ever wants you to get the document notarized.

What is a Notary Signing Agent?

A Notary Signing Agent is a Notary Public who has undergone extra training to assist someone with signing their documents related to a Real Estate transaction. There are several pages of a loan document that require notarial acts so a signing agent will perform the Notarial Acts and walk the client through the many different pages.

The date is wrong on my document, is that OK?

In the process of performing the Notarial Acts the Notary may make small alterations to a document to make it correct. This may include adding or changing a date to match the correct date OR location the act is being performed. A Notary cannot make major changes to a document that would fundamentally alter what it is.

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