Are you able to perform notarial acts in all counties in Texas?

Yes. I have statewide jurisdiction and may perform notarial acts in any county in the state of Texas.

Are you Insured and Bonded?

Yes. As required by the Secretary of State, I have a $10,000 surety bond.  I also carry Errors & Omissions Insurance.

Do you charge extra for “after hours” service?

Yes. Services outside of 9am-5pm M-F, please add $30 to the standard price.

Do you have sample Notarial Certificates?

Yes. However, I am not a licensed attorney and cannot provide legal advice.  I cannot inform you on which certificate to use, however here is a list of common certificates to choose from. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8enMyPESHJuY3lxZGRnbkJ0azQ/edit?usp=sharing

What type of Documents can you Notarize?

I am a loan signing agent, and can notarize general documents. Examples:

Acknowledgments

Adoption Documents

Affidavits

Birth and Death Certificates

Business Documents

Contracts

Deeds

Health Directives Jurats

Medical Documents

Parents Consent to Travel

Powers of Attorney

Time Share Documents

Traffic School Tests

Trust Signings

Vehicle Title Transfers

Wills

Towing VSF

What do I need to do prior to meeting with the Notary?

Please do not sign the document prior to meeting with the Notary. Also, proper identification of the signer is required. Acceptable identification must be issued by a federal or state government agency and contain a photograph and signature. Examples: State Driver’s License, State I.D. card, US Military I.D., current US Passport, or an Alien Registration Card.

What if I do not have a Current Photo ID?

A)I would have to personally know you, or

B) An oath of a credible witness personally known to the signer and myself would be necessary. Meaning, the signer and I would have to know someone in common, and that person would take an oath that they know the signer.

Where can I request a Certificate of Authority, or Apostille?

You must make a written request to the Secretary of State or go in person to their office.

Who is eligible to become a notary public?

To be commissioned as a notary public in Texas, you must be a Texas resident at least 18 years of age who has not received a final conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude or a felony.*

May a Notary make a certified copy of a birth certificate or a marriage license?

No. Birth certificates and marriage licenses are publicly recordable documents. Recordable documents are recorded with some specific governmental entity, such as the secretary of state’s office, a court of law, a county clerk, or the Bureau of Vital Statistics. A certified copy of a recordable document may be obtained by contacting the recording entity. A notary cannot make certified copies of recordable documents.

A notary may, however, make a certified copy of a non-recordable document. A non-recordable document is one that cannot be recorded with any type of governmental entity. For instance, a letter is not recorded with anyone, but there are times the sender of the letter would like to maintain a certified copy of that letter for his or her file.*

May a Notary take an acknowledgement over the phone?

No. The person for whom a notarization is performed must personally appear before the notary public at the time the notarization is performed.*

May a Notary Public determine which type of Notarial certificate should be attached to a document?

No. A notary public who is not an attorney should only complete a notarial certificate which is already on the document, or type or attach a certificate of the maker’s choosing. If a notary public were presented with a document that did not contain a certificate and decided which certificate to attach, that notary public would be “practicing law.” Instead, the notary may allow the person for whom the notarization is performed to choose among the sample certificates provided to the notary with the notary’s commission.*

What is a Notary Public’s Duty?

According to the Texas Secretary of State’s office:

“The primary duty of a Notary Public is to show a disinterested party (the Notary Public) has admonished the signer of an instrument as to the importance of such document, and the signer of such document has declared that his/her identity, his/her signature and his/her reasons for signing such instrument are genuine. The signature and seal of a Notary Public do not prove these facts conclusively, but do provide prima facie proof of the,and allow persons in trade and commerce to rely upon the truth and veracity of the Notary Public as a third party who has no personal interest in the transaction.”

How do I file a complaint against a Notary Public?

To file a complaint against a Texas notary public, submit Form 2304 (Word, Acrobat – Fill in the blank) to the Notary Public Unit.  Form 2304 contains detailed instructions for how to complete and submit the complaint.  For more information on complaint procedures, please see 1 Tex. Admin. Code §87.23.*

*From the Secretary of State Website: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/faqs2300.shtml#np1

If for some reason you unsatisfied with my service, I will happily refund you any fees incurred.