Notary Public Services

Notary public services are specified by the state government and have maximum fees that can be charged for each service performed. There are some limitations as to what the pricing structure covers where national notary websites should be referred to in order to obtain competitive pricing information. To find a listing of what services can be provided you can visit your state's website or contact a local notary public.

What to Have Notarized

A notary public seal reveals that the document is genuine, all parties agreed to the terms and that the identity of all persons signing was verified. Important documents such as mortgage papers, affidavits or other court documents related to name change or bankruptcy filing should all be notarized in order to establish their authenticity. Other notary public services such as review of birth certificates or identification cards provide assurance that the papers are genuine.

Notary publics have become specialized in dealing with real estate transactions because of the number of purchases and sales that occur each year. By being knowledgeable about all the documents involved in the loan process, a notary is able to point out important parts of the agreement and refer clients to the certain sections. While they cannot provide legal assistance or advice on the subject, their knowledge is another valued resource at any loan closing or refinancing.

Fees for Notary Public Services

It is important to realize that when you are looking for a notary public that you will not be able to compare rates to save money because fees are standard for each service. The one area where there may be variances is if one notary charges for travel time or for faxing documents. The Secretary's department of the state government can provide a listing of fees and each notary public should also carry a fixed schedule of their costs.