Olano Driving Notary

This section is for individuals who are looking to get my non-loan-signing services.  However, some of the information may apply to loans as well.

To ensure a smooth and error-free notarization, please read the following answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) before our appointment or before contacting me.

What do I need for the appointment?

• The document(s) to notarize or the copy(ies) of Power of Attorney (POA) to certify

• A valid ID or two credible witnesses (please refer to later questions)

• Cash for the payment (please see Fees)

• If any of the documents to be notarized contains:

your age or date of birth

AND

your photo or thumbprint or fingerprint

unless you are presenting an ID or Driver's License issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), you will also need a certified copy of your birth certificate.

What are the valid IDs?

Lifted verbatim (and reformatted) from the California Notary Public Handbook:

Identity of the signer can be established by the notary public’s reasonable reliance on the presentation of any one of the following documents, provided that the identification document is current or has been issued within five years (Civil Code section 1185(c)(3) & (4)):

1. An identification card or driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles;

2. A United States passport;

3. Other State-approved identification card, consisting of any one of the following, provided that it also contains a photograph, description of the person, signature of the person, and an identifying number –

1. A passport issued by a foreign government, provided that it has been stamped by the U.S. Immigration or Naturalization Service or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;

2. A driver’s license issued by another state or by a Canadian or Mexican public agency authorized to issue drivers’ licenses;

3. An identification card issued by another state;

4. A military identification card;

5. An inmate identification card issued by California Department of Corrections, if the inmate is in custody.

What if my name on the document is different than the name on my ID?

As long as the name on the ID has at least the name that's on the document, then it can be used.  For example, if the name on the document is John D. Smith, the ID can say John Denver Smith.  In that case, it contains the required John D. Smith and more.

What if I do not have any of the above IDs?

If it is practically impossible to obtain any of the above IDs, you will need to bring in two credible witnesses who possess valid IDs as described above.  These witnesses must personally know you, must not be named in any of the documents to be notarized, and must not have any financial or beneficial interest.

I want a certified copy of my Power of Attorney.  However, I forgot to make a copy.  Can you copy it for me?

I do have a personal copier that I carry with me.  My preference is to make the copy myself just so I'm 100% sure that it is the exact same copy.  I would not have to compare the copy with the original word for word.  However, just in case my copier acts up or runs out of ink or there is no available electrical outlet to plug it into, please try as much as possible to make and present your own copy for backup purposes.  If you don't, there is a chance we will not be able to proceed with the copy certification.

What else can you certify?  What about photographs or a copy of my essay or musical composition, for example?

Apart from a copy of a Power of Attorney and copies of my journal entries, we, California Notaries Public, cannot certify anything else.

I cannot certify photographs.  However, I can notarize your personal statements that certify your ownership of the photographs, for example. 

I cannot notarize essays or musical compositions or the like.  If you have copies that you need to be certified, you can certify them yourself using a document called Copy Certification by Document Custodian.  I would then notarize said document.  If you want to fill out said document in advance, let me know and I will email you a copy.  Please note that you cannot use this document for vital records such as birth, death, and marriage certificates.  For those, you would need to go to the issuing agency to get a certified copy.

Can I sign the document(s) before I see you?

The short answer is no.  The long answer is, it depends whether the notarial wording on the document is that of an acknowledgment or a jurat.  To be safe, please hold off on signing the document(s) until our appointment.  But if you have signed them and cannot get any more unsigned copies, don't worry.  I would just have you resign as necessary.

Can I fill out the document(s) before I see you?

Yes, definitely.  In fact, you're better off doing that before our appointment so you'll have time to dig up information that the document(s) require.  As a non-attorney Notary Public, I am not allowed to assist you in filling out your documents.  I will not be of help there.

Do you offer legal advice?

I am not an attorney and so, cannot offer legal advice.  Sorry. :(

Can I get a discount on the travel fee?

Yes :).  I offer discounts for certain cases.  Please refer to the Fees page for details.