Frequently Asked Questions

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Call / Text (415) 318-0163
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Fortunately, there are many ways to book appointments with us! You can book appointments online, Call or Text us at 415-318-0163, or you can send a message request via Email.

  1. Please review all documents for the correct spelling of names and correct dates.
  2. All forms must be completed except where Notarial wording appears and of course signature lines.
  3. A Valid form of ID must be present at the time of signing.

Every signer must be identified through one of the identification documents or other methods listed in California Code 1185[b]:

  1. A California driver’s license or nondriver’s ID
  2. A U.S. passport (or passport card)
  3. An inmate identification card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation if the inmate is in prison or any form of inmate identification issued by a sheriff’s department if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility)
  4. A driver’s license or official nondriver’s ID issued by a U.S. state
  5. A Canadian or Mexican driver’s license issued by an appropriate public agency
  6. A U.S. military ID
  7. A valid foreign passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship
  8. An employee ID issued by an agency or office of a California city, county, or city and county
  9. An identification card issued by a federally-recognized tribal government
  10. A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship that meets specific requirements (see #3 below).
  11. The oath or affirmation of one or two credible witnesses
  • Powers of Attorney
  • DMV Documents
  • Personal Legal documents
  • Parental Consent Letters for Travel
  • Financial Documents
  • Acknowledgements / Affirmations
  • Wills & Trusts
  • Guardianships
  • Domestic Partnerships
  • Health Care Directives
  • San Francisco International Airport Notary
  • Passport & Visa Applications
  • Adoption Documents
  • Contracts
  • Corporate Documents
  • Vehicle Title Transfers
  • Mylar Maps
  • Condo Conversion
  • Health Care Directives
  • Estate Planning Documents
  • Wealth Management documents
  • Real Estate Documents
  • Proof of Residency
  • Advance Health Care Directives
  • Agreements
  • Affidavits
  • Copy Certifications
  • Deeds
  • Divorce Settlements
  • Investment Paperwork
  • Prenuptial Agreements
  • Settlements
  • SNDA and Estoppels
  • Stipulations
  • VitalChek Applications
  • Banking Documents

A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by state government —typically by the secretary of state — to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents. These official acts are called notarizations, or notarial acts. Notaries are publicly commissioned as “ministerial” officials, meaning that they are expected to follow written rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion, as would otherwise be the case with a “judicial” official.

A Notary’s duty is to screen the signers of important documents — such as property deeds, wills and powers of attorney — for their true identity, their willingness to sign without duress or intimidation, and their awareness of the contents of the document or transaction. Some notarizations also require the Notary to put the signer under an oath, declaring under penalty of perjury that the information contained in a document is true and correct.

Impartiality is the foundation of the Notary’s public trust. They are duty-bound not to act in situations where they have a personal interest. The public trusts that the Notary’s screening tasks have not been corrupted by self-interest. And impartiality dictates that a Notary never refuse to serve a person due to race, nationality, religion, politics, sexual orientation or status as a non-customer.

​As official representatives of the state, Notaries Public certify the proper execution of many of the life-changing documents of private citizens — whether those diverse transactions convey real estate, grant powers of attorney, establish a prenuptial agreement, or perform the multitude of other activities that enable our civil society to function.

Yes! All of our Notary’s must go through yearly background tests, pass the California mandated Notary exam and of course have current bonds and E&O insurance through the State of California.

As a Mobile Notary service, we specialize in bringing our services to you. This might be your home or office, a restaurant, nursing facility, hospital, airport, federal, state or county correctional building….you name it and we can be there. We primarily offer this extensive coverage in and around the San Francisco County area. However, we also commonly service surrounding Bay Area Cities and Counties as well including San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano just to name a few. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

We accept all major Credit/Debit Cards, Company Checks, Venmo, and of course Cash. We can also provide invoicing upon request.

Our normal business hours are as follows:

  • Monday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Tuesday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Wednesday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Thursday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Friday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Sat: 10am-4pm (weekend/holiday rates may be subject to additional mobile fees)
  • Sun: 10am-4pm (weekend/holiday rates may be subject to additional mobile fees)

Acknowledgments

The purpose of an acknowledgment is to ensure that the signer of a document is who they claim to be and has voluntarily signed the document. Acknowledgments often are needed for documents concerning valuable assets, such as deeds, mortgages and deeds of trust. To perform an acknowledgment, the signer must personally appear before you at the time of notarization to be positively identified and to declare — or “acknowledge” — that the signature on the document is their own and that they signed willingly. While it is common practice for your client to sign the document in front of you at the time of the notarization, it is not necessary. Your client may sign the document before bringing it to you and declare — or acknowledge — to you that the signature on the document is theirs.


Jurats

The purpose of a jurat is for a signer to swear or affirm that the contents of a document are true. Depending on the jurisdiction, it also can be known as an affidavit or a verification on oath or affirmation.
For a jurat, the signer must personally appear before you and sign the document in your presence. You must then administer an oath or affirmation and have the signer speak aloud his or her promise that the statements in the document are true. The choice between an oath or affirmation should be made by the signer.
Administering the oath or affirmation is a vital part of performing a jurat or verification because the signer is affirming that the contents of the document are true, and he or she may be prosecuted for perjury if the contents are not true.

Oaths/Affirmations

In some cases, a client may simply need you to administer an oath or affirmation orally, rather than as part of a jurat, affidavit or other written document. The purpose of administering a verbal oath or affirmation is, again, to compel a client to truthfulness.
An oath is a solemn pledge to a supreme being. An affirmation is a solemn pledge on the individual’s personal honor. Again, the choice should be made by the signer.

Copy Certification

A copy certification confirms that a reproduction of an original document is a “full, true, and accurate transcription or reproduction” of the original.
Documents requiring copy certification may include: diplomas, driver’s licenses, leases, contracts, vehicle titles, Social Security cards, medical records and bills of sale.

To perform a copy certification, the person in possession of an original document (known also as the “document custodian”) takes the original document to a Notary. The Notary typically will make a photocopy of the document and complete a certificate for the copy certification to confirm that the photocopy is a true, accurate and complete copy of the original.

While copy certifications are considered a common notarial act, nearly half of the U.S. states bar Notaries from performing this type of notarization. Make sure to check your state’s guidelines to see if you may certify copies.

Of the states that do authorize this act, some stipulate that you may only certify copies of documents, not images, or other items. Other states allow Notaries to certify copies of both “records” and “items,” such as graphs, maps or images.

Many states also forbid the copy certification of vital, public documents, such as birth and death certificates, marriage licenses and deeds. And as a general practice, the Model Notary Act (section 2-4) recommends against certifying copies of these types of documents. Certified copies of these documents may be obtained from the agency that holds the originals.

Each Notarized signature usually take about 5-7 minutes.

Since we are a mobile notary service, we do not offer an on-site service at this time. With that being said however, we do have a mailing address which is: 150 Sutter St. # 717, San Francisco, CA 94104.

A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by state government —typically by the secretary of state — to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents. These official acts are called notarizations, or notarial acts. Notaries are publicly commissioned as “ministerial” officials, meaning that they are expected to follow written rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion, as would otherwise be the case with a “judicial” official.

A Notary’s duty is to screen the signers of important documents — such as property deeds, wills and powers of attorney — for their true identity, their willingness to sign without duress or intimidation, and their awareness of the contents of the document or transaction. Some notarizations also require the Notary to put the signer under an oath, declaring under penalty of perjury that the information contained in a document is true and correct.

Impartiality is the foundation of the Notary’s public trust. They are duty-bound not to act in situations where they have a personal interest. The public trusts that the Notary’s screening tasks have not been corrupted by self-interest. And impartiality dictates that a Notary never refuse to serve a person due to race, nationality, religion, politics, sexual orientation or status as a non-customer.

As official representatives of the state, Notaries Public certify the proper execution of many of the life-changing documents of private citizens — whether those diverse transactions convey real estate, grant powers of attorney, establish a prenuptial agreement, or perform the multitude of other activities that enable our civil society to function.

A Notary Signing Agent is a Notary who has special expertise to handle and notarize loan papers. For lenders, Notary Signing Agents are the critical final link to complete the loan. A Notary Signing Agent is hired as an independent contractor to ensure that real estate loan documents are executed by the borrower, notarized and returned for processing on time. Completing this critical part of the loan process enables the loan to be properly closed/funded before reaching Title/Escrow.

  1. Please review all documents for the correct spelling of names and correct dates.
  2. Please complete all forms except signatures and notarized areas.
  3. Make sure to bring a valid identification for the signing

Every signer must be identified through one of the identification documents or other methods listed in California Code 1185[b]:

  1. A California driver’s license or nondriver’s ID
  2. A U.S. passport (or passport card)
  3. An inmate identification card issued by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation if the inmate is in prison or any form of inmate identification issued by a sheriff’s department if the inmate is in custody in a local detention facility)
  4. A driver’s license or official nondriver’s ID issued by a U.S. state
  5. A Canadian or Mexican driver’s license issued by an appropriate public agency
  6. A U.S. military ID
  7. A valid foreign passport from the applicant’s country of citizenship
  8. An employee ID issued by an agency or office of a California city, county, or city and county
  9. An identification card issued by a federally-recognized tribal government
  10. A valid consular identification document issued by a consulate from the applicant’s country of citizenship that meets specific requirements (see #3 below).
  11. The oath or affirmation of one or two credible witnesses

Yes! All of our Notary’s must go through yearly background tests, pass the California mandated Notary exam and of course have current bonds and E&O insurance through the State of California.

As a Mobile Notary service, we specialize in bringing our services to you. This might be your home or office, a restaurant, nursing facility, hospital, airport, federal, state or county correctional building….you name it and we can be there. We primarily offer this extensive coverage in and around the San Francisco County area. However, we also commonly service surrounding Bay Area Cities and Counties as well including San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano just to name a few. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

We accept all major Credit/Debit Cards, Checks, Paypal, Venmo, ApplePay, Squar​eCash and of course Cash. We can also provide invoicing upon request.

  1. Please review all documents for the correct spelling of names and correct dates.
  2. All forms must be completed except where Notarial wording appears and of course signature lines.
  3. A Valid form of ID must be present at the time of signing.

Fortunately, there are many ways to book appointments with us! You can book appointments online, Call or Text us at 415-318-0163, or you can send a message request via Email.

Since we are a mobile notary service, we do not offer an on-site service at this time. With that being said however, we do have a mailing address which is: 150 Sutter St. # 717, San Francisco, CA 94104.

An Apostille (pronounced “ah-po-steel”) is a French word meaning certification.

An Apostille is simply the name for a specialized certificate, issued by the California Secretary of State. The Apostille, which contains a stamped red seal, is attached to your original document to verify it is legitimate and authentic so it will accepted in one of the other countries who are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

In 1961, many countries joined together to create a simplified method of “legalizing” documents for universal recognition. Members of the conference, referred to as the Hague Convention, adopted a document referred to as an Apostille that would be recognized by all member countries.

Since October 15, 1981, the United States has been part of the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.

The Apostille Convention provides for the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Documents destined for use in participating countries and their territories should be certified by one of the officials in the jurisdiction in which the document has been executed.

The Apostille Convention requires that all Apostille’s be numbered consecutively, with individual numbers applied to each Apostille issued. The recognized standard Apostille contains a seal and 10 mandatory references: name of country from which the document emanates, name of person signing the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, in the case of unsigned documents, the name of the authority that has affixed the seal or stamp, place of certification date of certification, the authority issuing the certificate, number of certificate, seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate and signature of authority issuing certificate.

In order for a document from the United States to be used in another country, the document must be authenticated or “legalized”. This is done by having the document notarized and then having official seals from US government bodies as well as the Consulate or Embassy of the destination country placed on the document so that they can be recognized as a legal document outside the US. The procedures can vary, depending on the country where the document will be used.​
  • Agreements
  • Patent Applications
  • Bills of Articles of Incorporation
  • Power of Attorney
  • Birth Certificates
  • Articles of Organization
  • Proof of Ownership
  • Death Certificate
  • Certificate of Good Standing
  • References and Job Certifications
  • Deeds, Titles, Assignments
  • Free Sale Certificate
  • Trademark
  • Divorce Degree
  • Distributor Agreement
  • Adoption Documents
  • Marriage Certificate
  • General Corporate Agreements
  • Affidavits
  • Police Records
  • GMP Certificate
  • Identity Document / Passports
  • Private Documents
  • Letter of Invitation
  • Identity Document / Passports
  • Proof of Citizenship/Residency
  • Certificate of Analysis
  • Background Checks
  • School Diploma(s) / Transcript(s)

Yes! We regularly get these requests and accept documents from customers all around the world. If you are not in the area and would like us to take care of the Apostille processing for you, we would be more then happy to help. We will take care of things like getting your documents Authenticated, Apostilled, obtaining Signature Certifications, Verifications and/or Legalizing your documents at the Consulate if needed. If you choose to mail your documents to us, please fill out this order form and mail your document into us for processing. If you are opting to use any of our expedited options, feel free to Call or Email us and request that we send you a pre-paid shipping label free of charge.

Should you have any questions or concerns at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time!

We accept all major Credit/Debit Cards, Checks, Paypal, Venmo, ApplePay, Squar​eCash and of course Cash. We can also provide invoicing upon request.

California Apostille

Expedited Service

  • 3-5 Day (1st doc) – $150
    ($90/each additional doc)
  • 1-2 Day (1st doc) – $180
    ($90/each additional doc)

Federal Department of State Apostille/Authentication

Economy Service

  • 7-10 Day – $160

Expedited Service

  • 5-7 Day – $180

Embassy/Consulate Legalization

  • 2-7 Day (Fees Levied by Country) – $125+
An Apostille only certifies the origin of the public document to which it relates: it certifies the authenticity of the signature or seal of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document and the capacity in which this was done. An Apostille does not certify the content of the public document to which it relates. Apostilles are not grants of authority and do not give any additional weight to the content of underlying documents. An Apostille may never be used for the recognition of a document in the country where that document was issued – Apostilles are strictly for use of public documents abroad. It is up to the country where the Apostille is to be used to decide how much weight to give to the underlying public document. An Apostille only certifies the origin of the public document to which it relates, never the content of that document.
No. An Apostille issued by the relevant Competent Authority is all that is required to establish that a signature or seal on a public document is genuine and to establish the capacity of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document. If the Convention applies, an Apostille is the only formality that is required to establish the origin of the public document – no additional requirement may be imposed to authenticate the origin of the public document. With that being said however, if the destination Country is not part of the Hague Convention, then additional processing may be needed.

Visit this link: http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/apostille-search/

We absolutely do process Federal Authentications/Apostille. Federal Apostille’s a little bit more involved then State issued Apostille’s, so we would ask that you contact us prior to scheduling an appointment or mailing your documents in. Federal Apostilles typically take anywhere from 5-7 days to process.

Apostilles issued in accordance with the requirements of the Convention must be recognized in the country where they are to be used. Apostilles may only be rejected if and when:

  • their origin cannot be verified (i.e., if and when the particulars on the Apostille do not correspond with those in the register kept by the Competent Authority that allegedly issued the Apostille); or
  • their formal elements differ radically from the Model Certificate annexed to the Convention. While an Apostille should conform as closely as possible to the Model Certificate annexed to the Convention, in practice Apostilles issued by different Competent Authorities vary in design, size and colour as well as in any additional elements that may be included on the Certificate.

Such variations in appearance are not a basis for refusal of an Apostille. Failure to affix an Apostille to the public document Apostille. The mere fact that an Apostille has been affixed by a method that differs from the method(s) employed by the country where it is to be used is not a reason for the rejection of the Apostille. Additional text on an Apostille outside the box with the 10 numbered standard informational items is not a basis for rejection of an Apostille. ‘Apostille Certificates’ issued by countries that are not party to the Convention must be rejected in all other States as being contrary to the Convention.

We can only accept documents which are of California origin. This means California-issued Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce documents, as well as documents which have been notarized by a California Notary Public. If your document is from another state or country, we cannot accept it.
The California Secretary of State authenticates signatures only on documents issued in the State of California signed by a notary public or the following public officials and their deputies:

  • County Clerks or Recorders
  • Court Administrators of the Superior Court
  • Executive Clerks of the Superior Court
  • Officers whose authority is not limited to any particular county
  • Executive Officers of the Superior Court
  • Judges of the Superior Court
  • State Officials

Yes, you can scan or take pictures of your documents in question and email them to us prior to processing for us to review free of charge.

Visa/ImmigrationCalifornia law allows you to request a record clearance from the DOJ for Visa/Immigration purposes. The following are the basic steps to complete your request for a background check. Failure to follow these procedures may result in a delay or the rejection of your application for a DOJ response under Penal Code Section 11105(c)(9). If you currently reside in California, with limited exceptions, you must submit your fingerprints electronically from a Live Scan site. If you reside outside of California, you will need to submit a manual fingerprint card or “hard card.”

ELECTRONIC (Live Scan) SUBMISSIONS:

  1. Print out a copy of the Request Form:
    Request Visa/Immigration – Form BCIA 8016 VISA (Live Scan), pdf
  2. Follow the instructions for completing your Request Form:
    Instructions for Visa/Immigration Request Form, pdf
    Instrucciones en Español, pdf
  3. Get fingerprinted. Fingerprint services are usually available from your local police or sheriff’s department, or from private vendors engaged in the fingerprinting business. To find the site nearest to you and a listing of fees, see Public Live Scan Sites. Your total costs will be $32 plus the fingerprint rolling fee charged by the Live-Scan agency. Since the fingerprint-rolling fee varies widely among locations, you will want to review the cost along with the accepted methods of payment before going to the fingerprinting site.
  4. Once the submission is received and processed, the DOJ will mail the response via U.S, mail to the applicant only. It is the applicant’s responsibility to forward the information to their legal counsel or assistance agency.

MANUAL FINGERPRINT CARD SUBMISSIONS

  1. Print out and follow the:
    Instructions – Visa/Immigration, pdf (Manual)
    Instrucciones en Español, pdf
  2. Obtain a blank FD 258 fingerprint card from your local law enforcement agency and fill it out according to the instructions. If you are having difficulty in obtaining a blank FD 258 fingerprint card, please contact the Applicant Program at visa-immigration@doj.ca.gov.
  3. Get fingerprinted. Fingerprint services are usually available from your local police or sheriff’s department or from private vendors engaged in the fingerprinting business. To find the site nearest you and a listing of fees, see Public Live Scan Sites. Your total costs will be $32 plus the fingerprint rolling fee charged by the Live Scan Agency. Since the fingerprint-rolling fee varies widely among locations, you will want to review the cost along with the accepted methods of payment before going to the fingerprinting site.
  4. Mail the FD 258 fingerprint card.
    Submissions must be accompanied by either a personal check drawn on a U.S. bank, money order, or certified check. The check or money order must be in the amount of $32 and made payable to the California Department of Justice. Mail your FD 258 fingerprint card and processing fee to:
    California Department of Justice
    Applicant Program
    ATTN: Visa-Immigration
    P.O. Box 903387
    Sacramento, CA 94203-3870
    Once the submission is received and processed, the DOJ will mail the response via U.S. mail to the applicant only. It is the applicant’s responsibility to forward the information to their legal counsel or assistance agency.

NOTE: An “Apostille” or a “Certification” is frequently required by foreign governments before the background check will be accepted. The document you receive from the DOJ is not the actual Apostille. As such, if you need this additional service, you will need to contact the DOJ at visa-immigration@doj.ca.gov AFTER you receive the DOJ response in the mail.

SITE LINKS

COVERAGE

CONTACT

HOURS

  • Monday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Tuesday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Wednesday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Thursday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Friday: 9am-5:30pm
  • Sat: 10am-4:00pm
  • Sun: Closed

PAYMENTS

Payments Can Be Made via All Major Credit Cards
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