Notary Regulations and Services

Notary services are conducted in accordance with California laws and regulations governing the practices and procedures of Notary Publics. 

- The document signer must physically appear before the Notary at the time of notarization, neither before nor after. A telephone call from the signer or the Notary's familiarity with a signature does not constitute a personal appearance. 

- The Notary must identify the signer through either (1) vouching by a personally known, reliable, uninvolved witness who is under oath or (2) by presenting a current government-issued ID card with a photograph, signature, and physical description. 

- The Notary must maintain impartiality and avoid conflicts of interest. They cannot notarize a document bearing their own name or signature, or that of their spouse or relative, nor can they notarize any document from which they will benefit in any way. 

- The Notary must keep a record of each notarization and require the document signer to affix their signature and, where necessary, their thumbprint in the official journal of notarial acts. 

- The Notary is prohibited from certifying copies of birth certificates, other vital records, or recordable documents such as deeds. Copies of these documents must be obtained only from the appropriate public records custodian, not from the Notary. 

Proper ID Includes: 

California Driver's License, Other States Driver's License, California Identification Card, Foreign Passports Stamped by U.S. Customs, Other State Identification Card, Foreign Passports Stamped by U.S. Customs, U.S. Passport Canada Driver's License, U.S. Military ID card, Mexico Driver's License, Inmate ID card or you will need two credible witness’s (for a person who does not have current or acceptable ID).

To have a document notarized, it must contain text that commits the signer in some way. Signatures must be original, not photocopies, and if an oath is taken, it must be done in front of the Notary Public. 

A Mobile Notary Public witnesses the signing of documents and requests a sworn oath of authenticity from each party. The Notary Public must complete and/or attach a notary certificate. Notary Publics are legally authorized by the state to administer oaths, take acknowledgments, and certify documents. The Mobile Notary Public MUST ensure that the person signing a document to be notarized is who they claim to be, as identities are crucial. At times, the Notary may spend some time verifying names and confirming the identity of all parties involved. 

The signature and seal/stamp serve as evidence that the person is a Notary Public. A Notary Public's signature and seal are always required to authenticate the signatures on every legal document. 

Loan Documents:

9 Typical Notary Signing Agent Document Packages

1 – Cash Real Estate Deals and Seller Packages

2 – Loan Modifications

3 – Property Tax Loans

4 – Refinance Loan

5 – Purchase Loan

6 – Equity Loans and Lines of Credit

7 – Piggy Bank Loans

8 – Reverse Mortgage Loans

9 – Commercial Loans

Some other documents to notarize:

- Travel Docs  

- Affidavits  

- Power of Attorney  

- Advance Medical Directives  

- Durable Power of Attorneys 

- Wills and Living Trusts  

- Grant Deeds  

- DMV Documentation  

- Contracts  

- Student Housing Documents  

- Immigration Documents  

- Quit Claim Deeds  

- Background Check Forms  

- Bill of Sales  

- Certified Loan Signing Agent  

And any other document requiring notarization

Apostille:

If you're sending a certified document to a foreign country, we recommend obtaining an apostille authentication for only $100. 

- If a birth or death certificate bears the signature of a Health Officer or County Registrar (e.g., Local Registrar, Registrar of Vital Records), before presenting it to our office for authentication, you will need to: 

- Have the birth or death certificate certified by the county clerk’s office in the county where it was issued, 

OR 

- Obtain a certified copy of the birth or death certificate from the county recorder or the California Department of Public Health. 

Airport Services: 

As the nearest notary provider to the International LAX Airport, we also offer mobile services at the airport for your last-minute inquiries. 

Important Note: 

California law mandates that any non-attorney notary public advertising notarial services in a language other than English must display a prescribed notice in both English and the other language. This notice clarifies that the notary public is not an attorney and cannot offer legal advice on immigration or other legal matters. Additionally, the notary public must list the fees set by statute for notarial services. Notably, a notary public cannot translate the term “Notary Public” into Spanish as “notario público” or “notario,” even if the prescribed general information notice is also posted. Violating this law for the first time can lead to the suspension or revocation of a notary public’s commission, while a second offense can result in permanent revocation (Government Code section 8219.5). 

Queridos Clientes Españoles:

Regulaciones y servicios de Notary Public (no un abogado) 

Los servicios Notary Public (no un abogado) están adheridos a las leyes y regulaciones de California que rigen la práctica y los procedimientos de Notary Publics. La firma y el sello de un notario Notary Public (no un abogado) siempre son necesarios para autenticar las firmas en muchos documentos legales.  

- Documentos para notarizar:  

• Documentos de viaje  
• Declaraciones juradas  
• Poder legal  
• Directivas médicas anticipadas  
• Poder duradero de los abogados       
• Testamentos y fideicomisos en vida  
• Grant Deeds  
• Documentación del DMV  
• Contratos  
• Documentos de vivienda para estudiantes 
• Documentos de inmigración  
• Renunciar a las escrituras  
• Formularios de verificación de antecedentes  
• Factura de ventas  
• Agente de Firma de Préstamo Certificado  
• Cualquier otro documento que requiera     

- Notarización apostilla: 

Si envía un documento certificado a un país extranjero, le recomendamos que obtenga una autentificación apostilla con solo $ 100. 

* En caso de certificados de defunción relacionados con transacciones  de bienes inmuebles, necesitará un Certificado especial de la Oficina de Registro del Estado de Norwalk con $199.95. 

- Servicios de entrega LAX: 

LAX Notary and Translation ofrece sus servicios móviles en el aeropuerto de LAX para los clientes de último minuto que necesitan servicios.