A notarization that is done incorrectly can invalidate the document it was meant to secure – sometimes discovered months later, when a deed is rejected or a court challenges a signature. It is worth five minutes of checking.
1. What is the total price, including travel?
California caps the notarial act at $15 per signature. That cap does not cover travel, which a mobile notary may charge separately but must agree with you in advance. So the honest answer to “what will this cost” is always two numbers, not one.
Be wary of anyone quoting a single vague figure, or who will not commit to a number until they have arrived at your door. Ours is a flat $95 visit fee within the county, covering travel and up to three signatures, and we publish exactly how much of that is the statutory notarial fee.
2. Are you bonded and insured?
Every California notary must file a $15,000 surety bond. That bond protects the public, and if it pays out the notary has to reimburse it – it is not professional insurance. Errors and omissions insurance is separate, voluntary, and the thing that actually protects you if a mistake is made. Ask whether they carry it. We do.
3. Have you handled this type of document before?
A loan package, a hospital bedside signing and a detention-facility visit are three different skills. Signing agents are trained specifically on closing documents. Hospital signings require judgement about signer awareness. Jail signings require knowing each facility's access rules. Someone who mainly notarizes car titles in a shopping centre may not be the right person for a reverse mortgage.
4. What happens if there is a problem with my ID?
A good answer sounds like: “Tell me what you have now and I will tell you if it works, and if it does not, here are the alternatives.” A bad answer is a shrug, or worse, a suggestion that it will probably be fine. ID problems are the top cause of failed appointments, and a professional screens for them on the phone rather than discovering them in your living room.
5. Will you tell me what my document means?
The correct answer is no, and you should be reassured by it. A California notary who is not an attorney may not choose documents for you, explain their legal effect or advise whether to sign. A notary offering legal advice is committing an offence and demonstrating that they do not know their own limits.
What they should be able to explain is the difference between an acknowledgement and a jurat, what the notarization itself does, and what the appointment will involve.
6. What are your cancellation and rescheduling terms?
Life interferes. Ask what happens if the signer is asleep when you arrive at the care home, or if the lender's documents are late. Reasonable terms – ours ask for four hours' notice, waived for same-day bookings – signal a business that has thought about real situations.
7. Are you actually available when you say you are?
“24/7” appears on a great many notary websites and means rather less than it should. Test it: call outside business hours before you need anything, and see whether a person answers. We answer, including at night, because hospital and jail work does not keep office hours.
Warning signs: no fee quoted until arrival; offering to notarize without the signer present; offering to notarize a signature from a photograph or scan; giving advice about what your document means; promising an apostille over a weekend; refusing to give a full name or commission number.
What you should get
A clear price before booking, a confirmed arrival window, a notary who checks ID properly, correct certificate wording, a journal entry, and the document back in your hands complete. If something cannot be done lawfully, you should be told plainly and early – not after they have taken your money.
If you are in San Diego County, call or text (858) 888-8060 and ask us all seven.
Related questions
Is a cheaper notary a bad notary?
Not necessarily, but understand what the price covers. A $15 notarization at a shipping store is the statutory fee with no travel, and you go to them during their opening hours. A mobile fee buys you their time and travel at an hour that suits you. What should worry you is not a low price but an unclear one.
Should I use a notary my lender recommends?
Usually yes, for a loan signing – the escrow company picks signing agents they have found reliable, and coordination is simpler. You are free to use someone else, but check first that your escrow officer will work with them.
How can I check a notary is real?
Every California notary has a commission number and an expiry date on their seal, and the Secretary of State maintains a public search. Any legitimate notary will give you their full name and commission number without hesitation.
Need this done in San Diego?
Call or text (858) 888-8060, or send a request. We cover the whole county, 24/7.