Getting Ready

Before requesting your appointment, it's important to have a few things prepared for a smooth notarization.

Have the documents you need and be informed.

As a Notary Public, I am not licensed to practice law and wouldn't be qualified to provide legal documents directly. The only exceptions to this would be standard documents provided by an established authority, such as: the Advance Healthcare Directive provided by the Oregon Health Authority, or forms from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Even then, you'd have to request that document by name and I'd ask you to thoroughly review them to verify that they meet your needs.

I can point you towards reputable resources, such as the Oregon State Bar, for further research and understanding. I can provide links to websites that provide legal documents. I can provide referrals to local professionals, such as Estate Planning professionals or Elder Law attorneys. If you send me links or files to the documents you want to use, I can print them for your appointment.

I cannot tell you what documents you need, whether the documents you have meet that need, or how to fill them out apart from notarial best practices.

Review the document(s).

A lot of questions surrounding completing documents and notarization are answered by the document itself, in how it's worded or formatted. Does it need initials, signatures, or witnesses? Who is named, and who needs to sign? Does it need witnesses AND notarization, or just one or the other? What information will need to be filled in? You don't have to fill it in now, sometimes it's best to wait until you're in the presence of the notary, but make note of what you'll need to be ready for.

Check the notarial certificate(s).

A document can have multiple signers or witnesses, but sometimes not everyone will be named on the notarial certificate. What's asked for by the notarial certificate is what constitutes a notarial act.

For example, a Power of Attorney document might require a principal signer and two witnesses to sign the document, but if the principal is the only person mentioned on the notarial certificate that would be ONE notarial act. If all individuals, the principal and witnesses, are mentioned on the notarial certificate, or if there are multiple notarial certificates, that would mean there are more notarial acts.

Have valid government ID.

To complete a notarial act, folks named on the notarial certificate will need proof of ID. State IDs, Driver's Licenses, or Passports are the most common, but some other government-issues IDs are okay too. If the ID is recently expired, it can often still be accepted. When in doubt, ask your notary what the options are.

A common alternative is called using a Credible Witness. A Credible Witness cannot be a family member or a party of the document in question. This person would swear to the identity of the participating person and provide their own ID instead. This is a separate notarial act (and thus may add to your total of notary fees).

Understand informed consent.

All participants of a notarial transaction must be able to give informed consent. They need to be cognizant, familiar with the document, understand its intent, and agree without influence.

This frequently comes up when working with elder clients who may have altered or declining cognition or memory. When folks are not able to give informed consent, the next step would be to consult with an Elder Law attorney to discuss alternatives.

Consider physical barriers to signing.

There can be a variety of factors that impact an individual's ability to hold a pen and legibly sign their name. That's okay! The State of Oregon allows for signature stamps, signature by mark, or signature by third party. Give your notary a heads up before the appointment so they can brush up on the requirements of each and present the options to see which would best suit.

Prepare your availability.

If your notarial appointment requires more than just yourself, such as other signers or witnesses, get an idea of when everyone will be available. Have a few windows of time prepared for scheduling with your notary.