Los Angeles Mobile Notary FAQs
Everything You Need to Know Before Your Mobile Notary Appointment
Have a question about identification, pricing, signatures, hospital appointments, or what to bring? Here are answers to some of the most common questions about mobile notary services in California.
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How much does a mobile notary cost in Los Angeles?
A standard local mobile appointment starts at $65.
The mobile service fee covers travel and the convenience of having a notary come to you. California notarial fees are charged separately and are regulated by state law.
Current maximum California notarial fees include:
• Acknowledgment: $15 per notarized signature
• Jurat: $15 per signer
• Oath or affirmation: $15 per person
• Certified copy of a power of attorney: $15 per copy
Additional fees may apply for extended travel, rush appointments, evenings, weekends, holidays, waiting time, parking, or tolls.
What identification do I need for a California notary?
California requires satisfactory evidence of a signer's identity.
Common acceptable forms of identification include a California driver's license or identification card, U.S. passport, qualifying out-of-state driver's license or identification card, and certain foreign passports, consular identification cards, military identification cards, government employee IDs, and tribal identification cards that meet California requirements.
Some forms of identification must be current or have been issued within the previous five years.
If you are unsure whether your identification qualifies, please contact me before your appointment.
Does every signer need to be present?
Yes. A signer whose signature is being notarized generally must personally appear before the notary at the time of the notarial act.
Sending a signed document to a notary is not a substitute for personal appearance.
Can I sign my document before the notary arrives?
It depends on the type of notarization.
For an acknowledgment, a document may already have been signed, but the signer must personally appear before the notary and acknowledge having executed it.
For a jurat, the signer must sign the document in the notary's presence and take the required oath or affirmation.
If you don't know which type of notarization your document requires, contact the person or organization requesting the document.
What is the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat?
An acknowledgment confirms that the signer personally appeared before the notary, was satisfactorily identified, and acknowledged executing the document.
A jurat requires the signer to personally appear, sign in the notary's presence, and swear or affirm that the statements in the document are true.
A California notary cannot decide which one your document needs. The document itself or the person or organization receiving it should provide that instruction.
Can you tell me which type of notarization I need?
No. California notaries are prohibited from selecting or determining the type of legal document or notarial act a client needs and cannot provide legal advice.
If your document does not contain notarial instructions, please contact the document's preparer or recipient before your appointment.
Can a mobile notary come to a hospital or assisted-living facility?
Yes. Mobile notary appointments are available at hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, assisted-living communities, senior-care facilities, and private homes throughout the Los Angeles area.
Please include the facility name, room number if available, parking information, visitor procedures, and any relevant access instructions when booking.
The appointment can proceed only when the requirements for the requested California notarial act can be satisfied.
Can you notarize a Power of Attorney?
Yes. A California notary may perform the appropriate requested notarial act for a power of attorney when all legal requirements are met.
California notaries are also authorized to certify copies of powers of attorney under specified circumstances.
I cannot draft a power of attorney, advise you on its contents, or determine which notarial act it requires.
Can you notarize trust and estate-planning documents?
I can perform lawful California notarial acts on trust, estate-planning, healthcare, and related documents when notarization is requested and all requirements are met.
Because different documents have different legal requirements, I cannot advise whether a particular document should be notarized or how it should be completed.
Can you notarize real estate documents?
I can perform lawful notarial acts on many deeds and other property-related documents.
I do not currently offer full mortgage loan-signing or real estate closing packages. Those services may be added in the future.
Can you notarize an incomplete document?
No. California law prohibits a notary from notarizing a document that is incomplete.
Please review your document before the appointment and complete all applicable information other than any signature that must be made in the notary's presence.
Can you certify a copy of my birth certificate, diploma, or other document?
California notaries generally do not have authority to simply certify copies of ordinary documents.
California law does permit notaries to certify copies of powers of attorney under specified circumstances. Other procedures may be available for particular documents, so check with the agency or organization requesting the copy to find out what it requires.
What if I don't have acceptable identification?
Please contact me before booking.
California law allows identity to be established through credible witnesses in certain limited circumstances, but specific requirements apply. We can determine before the appointment whether that procedure may be available.
Do you offer online or remote notarization?
Not at this time.
You can book and pay for your appointment online, but the notarization itself is performed in person.
Online booking. In-person notarization.
What should I have ready for my appointment?
Please have:
• The complete document requiring notarization
• Acceptable identification
• Every person whose signature must be notarized
• Any witnesses your document requires, unless arrangements have been confirmed in advance
• Instructions identifying the type of notarization required, if it is not already stated in the document
Do not leave required sections of the document incomplete.
How long does a mobile notary appointment take?
Many straightforward appointments can be completed within 15 to 30 minutes, but timing depends on the number of signers, documents, signatures, identification requirements, and notarial acts involved.
If you have a large set of documents or multiple signers, please include that information when booking.
Do you provide legal advice?
No.
A California Notary Public is not acting as an attorney and cannot draft legal documents, explain their legal effect, advise you how to complete them, or determine which document or notarial act you need.
For legal advice, please consult a qualified attorney.
Still Have a Question?
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SEO title: Los Angeles Mobile Notary FAQ | Fees, ID & Appointments
Meta description: Answers to common California mobile notary questions about ID, fees, acknowledgments, jurats, hospital visits, powers of attorney and appointments.
The ID, acknowledgment, jurat, incomplete-document, and legal-advice language above tracks the current California Secretary of State handbook.