Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need mobile service?
Mobile service is well worth the extra expense under a variety of circumstances. You may need a document to be notarized after hours when banks are closed. Or you may need a
notarization to occur at a given place. Perhaps it is not convenient for the signer(s) to travel to a bank or other office that offers notary services to the public. In some cases, such travel is impossible for medical reasons. Mobile notary services afford a great deal of flexibility and convenience which facilitate the execution of documents that otherwise would not occur by an important deadline.
What documents require notarization?
Many documents are not valid unless the signatures have been properly notarized by a notary commissioned by the state where the notarization occurs. A notary public has authority to witness a signer's voluntary acknowledgement of a signature, attest to his/her awareness and willingness at the time of the acknowledgement, and certify that acceptable identification was provided. A certificate is completed by the notary as evidence that the signature is valid and authentic. Additionally, a record is made in a journal that serves as evidence of the notarization itself if such should ever become an issue in legal proceedings.
Though not required in Arizona, I always request a fingerprint of each signer as additional evidence of the signer's acknowledgement. I feel this is very important because it is a great deterrent to any signer that may regret a transaction later on and might otherwise try to claim that a signature is fraudulent. This little extra effort is great protection for all parties involved.
Since the purpose of a notarization is to certify the authenticity and validity of a signature, it follows that any important document should perhaps be notarized whose legal force is wholly dependent on the credibility of the signature(s). You may wish to consult an attorney to help you determine whether or not a notarization is necessary and, if so, the appropriate type of notarization. Another helpful resource is the Notary Reference Manual available for download on the website of the Secretary of State
What identification must I present to the notary?
It is necessary to provide a SINGLE ID that proves a signer's identity and satisfies ALL of the following requirements:
Issued by the U.S. government, state government, or tribal government.
Contains a photo, signature, and physical description of the signer (eyes, hair, height, weight)
Still current
It should be no surprise that the most commonly used ID is a state driver's license or state issued ID card.
It is important to keep in mind also that if the document requiring notarization has the signer's name as "Mary Willis Calahan" and the ID only has "Mary Calahan", the ID would not be acceptable. However, the ID would be acceptable if it contained more information, for example, if it had "Mary Willis Ruth Calahan".
What can I do if I do not have an acceptable ID?
In this case you would have a couple different options. Of course, you could always go to the MVD and obtain a new ID card.
