In 1974 Notary Public Day was created to acknowledge Notaries for their service to the public and their continuing contributions to national and international commerce. November 7^th was chosen as Notary Public Day because it was on November 7^th 1639 that the first Notary Public was appointed in America.

There are about 5 million notaries that server as trusted public officials in theUnited States. Their services, skill and attention to detail have become an essential function of out everyday lives

Today’s notaries are indispensable to the free flow of commerce and to the many personal transactions that transpire in daily life. Just consider the broad range of sensitive activities that require a notary’s services:

•Purchasing a Home or Vehicle

•Adopting a child

•Granting Power of attorney

•Business deals

•Administering oath

Times have changed since 1639. Technology has changed. The indispensable roll of the notary as an impartial witness, the significance of a Notarial seal on a document and the confirmation of the document singers identity continues to be an important factor in preventing fraud.

In last month news letter we sent you an article titled “Appellate Court Again Holds Notary And Employer To Higher Standards”.

In response to these recent court decisions, and in our ongoing effort to improve the integrity of our service for our customers N3 Notary has implemented new standards for all of our notaries that go beyond what the state requires for record keeping of Notarial acts.

N3 Notary now requires that all of our Notaries:

•Keep a record/Journal of all Notarial Acts

•Allow N3 to randomly inspect Notarial journals for compliance

•Adhere to the 10 Guiding Principles set forth by the National Notary Association

More and more we are seeing requests for mobile notary public service that are going beyond the normal roll a notary plays.  From loan closing services, Power of Attorney signings, trust documents signings, medical record retrieval and serving of subpoenas.  The notaries roll in the United States just keeps expanding.

To meet this demand a notary public needs to expand there service offering, get creative with there pricing and thing outside of the typical notary box. A not so easy task for some notaries.

As a nation wide provider of services we get asked to do some very odd things and have helped some very odd people.  The two most importation thing we ask of our notaries is to follow though on instructions provided and maintain good communication.

What was the strangest thing you have been asked to do as a notary?

Starting your own mobile notary service can be a very stressful experience.When you’re a newbie notary public there are so many questions, so few answers, and very little help from your mobile notary peers.

Q & A with a Mobile Notary is a monthly article where we answer questions as asked by you, the mobile notary. This month’s questions are brought to you by Felise Robinson, a newly commissioned Notary Public and Marc Greco, Founder of N3 – Mobile Notary Service.

The Newbie Mobile Notary Office.

Q: I’m setting up a home office for my mobile notary public business and I’m looking for guidance on what I will need. Can you tell me what equipment I should have in my new notary public office?

A: When setting up your mobile notary office you will need the following equipment:

•Computer (either a laptop or desktop)

•2 line phone system with Voice Mail

•Dual tray laser printer

•Fax machine, or if you’re using an internet fax service, a scanner

•Cell Phone

•File cabinet

Q: I understand that as a notary public signing agent, I will receive large documents, mostly over the Internet by email or IP fax. I’ve never used IP faxing; will I still need a fax machine?

A: If you’re going to be using an internet fax service as part of your mobile notary business you will not need an additional fax machine, however you will need a scanner so that you can scan the documents you want to fax.

Q: How about for returning signed documentation? Is it better to send by mail or fax? For faxing, is it more efficient and economical to fax directly or by IP fax?

A: For returning documents most companies will require that you return the signed documents via an overnight shipping service such as FedEx or UPS.

In addition to shipping the documents some companies like N3 will require that you fax documents to them for quality review purposes. In these cases check with the company and see if you can scan and email them directly rather then faxing as this is the most economical way to go.

Q: I have an all-in-one inkjet printer. Is this good enough or do I need a laser printer?

A: You can get by as a notary public signing agent with an inkjet printer, but I strongly recommend investing in a laser printer. Laser printers print faster, they last longer, and have a lower cost per printed page then an inkjet printer.

Q: Am I better off buying an all-in-one/MFC laser printer, fax, copier, and scanner than buying the components separately?

A: You are much better off investing in a Multi function laser component rather then purchasing the components separately, there are smaller units that combine all the equipment you will need and can be a valuable asset to you as a mobile notary.

Q: Are all-in-ones reliable enough?

A: Absolutely.

Q: What should notary public signing agents look for in an all-in-one?

A: Look for brand name MFC’s with a solid reputation like Brother or Xerox, then determine the cost per printed page for the machine, and finally check with your local office supply store and make sure they regularly carry the ink/toner for the machine you are considering purchasing.

Q: Do I need a personal one or one for a workgroup?

A: Get one for a workgroup as it’s a printer you can grow into and will save you the expense of having to buy an additional printer as your business grows.

Q: What is the minimum resolution that the scanner and printer need to have?

A: 600dpi will be fine.

Q: I plan to work as a notary public signing agent part-time, about 15 hours per week, and I’m considering a MFC that is supposed to print 7000 pages per toner cartridge. Is this sufficient or is it overkill?

A: It’s not over kill. An MFC laser is the right decision to make and 7000 per toner cartridge is perfectly respectable.

Q: The MFC printer I’m looking at has a 250-sheet paper tray, but no second tray. Is this enough?

A: I recommend getting yourself a dual tray MFC or at least one that you can add an additional tray to and here is why: when you’re printing email loan documents, some companies will require that you print out the documents on both letter and legal size paper. If you don’t have a dual tray for the job you will need to manually change the paper size and this can be a frustration experience when you realize that page 1 will need to be printed on letter size paper while pages 2 – 5 will need to be printed on Legal size paper only to realize that page 6 -10 will need to be printed on letter size paper. On and on this process can go.

Q: I will need to have the printer set up on my home network. In your experience do all-in-ones work well over networks?

A: In most cases yes, they will work well on a home network set up. If you have trouble setting up the printer on your network, call the tech support line for the printer manufacturer and they should be able to walk you though the steps to get everything up and running for you.

Q: How much should I expect to pay for a MFC?

A: Between $300 and $700.

Q: I have Yahoo mail and Gmail and I’ve noticed that I don’t receive some of the email with large attachments. This can’t happen with business documents. How do I avoid this problem? Do I need a different email service and can you make any recommendations?

A: This is a problem many mobile notaries face all the time. I would stay away from using Yahoo mail although Gmail is a great way to go. What I recommend for you in the future is getting a web hosting account set up with Earthlink to avoid the problem all together.

Q: Given that I mostly plan to use IP faxing, do I really need to have a second phone line dedicated to my notary public business?

A: Only if you want to give the phone company more of your money. So no, it’s not necessary…

Q: As a notary public signing agent, is it acceptable to ask companies to send me documentation by email instead of fax?

A: No it’s not. Your job as a mobile notary service provider is to be able to work with the companies that contract with you. If the company needs to send documents to you via fax, you better be able to accept them. Nothing will cause you to lose business quicker than not being able to receive documents in the format they are sent to you in.

Q: What other equipment do I need?

A: A car, tons of pens, extra ink for your notary stamp, backup cell phone battery, maps, GPS, a scheduling system, backup toner, and some sort of bag or brief case to carry your stamp and documents in.

Q: Is there anything else I should know?

A: Lots. Just take it a step at a time. At first, it may seem like all you’re doing is spinning your wheels and going nowhere slowly. But building a client base as a mobile notary takes time and resilience. Just keep at it. In time it will start to come together for you.

That concludes this month’s Q & A with a mobile notary.

Aurora, Mo. —

The state health department has adopted new guidelines for obtaining copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce records to help protect Missourians from identity theft.

Beginning March 1, identification will be required when requesting vital records from the state health department in Jefferson City and local health departments throughout Missouri.

To obtain a copy of a birth or death certificate at the state health department or a local health department, a person must present a document containing a photo. If an applicant does not have a photo ID, at least two alternate forms of identification must be presented. The documents must include the applicant’s name and the name of the company or organization issuing the document.

Requests for vital records submitted by mail must be notarized by a notary public. An application form available on the state health department’s website or a written request containing the required information must be notarized before it is mailed to the health department. Payment for mailed requests must be made by personal check or money order. Online requests for records can be made through a link on the state health department’s website and are required to be paid with a credit card. This service is offered through a third-party provider and additional fees apply.

The new identification requirements also apply to requests for copies of marriage and divorce statements from the state health department.

The fees for vital records will remain the same. The fee for a birth, marriage or divorce record is $15 per record. A death record is $13 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time.

The application for obtaining a copy of a vital record requires applicants to explain their relationship to the person named on the record. Obtaining a vital record illegally is a class D felony.

Birth and death certificates can be obtained at most local health departments in Missouri.  In St. Louis City, birth and death records can be obtained from the recorder of deeds office at the St. Louis City Hall.

Copies of marriage licenses are available from the recorder of deeds in the county where the license was obtained. Copies of divorce decrees are available from the circuit clerk in the county where the decree was granted.

More information about obtaining vital records can be found at www.dhss.mo.gov/data/vitalrecords/index.php.

A Mobile Notary Public can assist companies with verifying I9 documents by acting as a representative on their behalf at the time of hire. This has proven to be beneficial when employees are working on an off site or remote location where the employer cannot be present. An employer has the right to approve qualified individuals to act as agent on their behalf and complete the I-9 forms. Notary Signing Agents are the most common individuals selected to do this, however others can include Attorneys and Public Officers.

An I-9 form is a U.S. citizenship and immigration form that is used by employers to prove identity and verify that the employee is eligible for work in the United States of The united states. The immigration reform and control act (IRCA) was established on November 6th, 1986 and requires employers to have any employees hired after that date to fill out an I-9 form. This document is more commonly known as an employment verification form and is provided to all employers by the government.

Section 1 must be done by the employee on or before the date of hire. Section 2 must be done by the employer within 3 days of the hire date of any new employee, except for volunteers or contract workers.

Sure documents must be provided in order to complete the I-9 verification form. Employees are necessary to supply two document that confirms identity and two for employment eligibility. If the employee provides a document that is on List A, that will verify both citizenship and identity and no other document is needed.

List A includes:

•U.S. Passport

•U.S. Passport Card

•An unexpired foreign passport with an I-551 stamp, or with Form I-94 attached which indicates an unexpired employment authorization

•A Permanent Resident Card (often called a “green card”) or Alien Registration Receipt Card with photograph

•An Unexpired Temporary Resident Card

•An Unexpired Employment Authorization Card

•An Unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by the Dept. of Homeland Security that includes a photograph (Form I-766)

Employees may also provide two document from list B that confirms employee identity AND two document from list C which proves citizenship.

List B and C include:

List B

•Driver’s license or I.D. card issued by a U.S. state or outlying possession of the U.S., provided it contains a photograph or identifying information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color and address.

•Federal or state I.D. card provided it contains a photograph or identifying information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color and address.

•School I.D. with photograph

•Voter’s registration card

•U.S. Armed Services identification card or draft record

•U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card

•Native American tribal document

•Driver’s license issued by a Canadian government authority

List C

•A U.S. Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration (Note: cards that specify “not valid for employment” are not acceptable.)

•A birth certificate issued by the U.S. State Department (Form FS-545 or Form DS-1350) Original or certified copy of a birth certificate from the U.S. or an outlying possession of the U.S., bearing an official seal

•Native American tribal document

•U.S. Citizen I.D. Card (Form I-197)

•An I.D. Card for the use of a Resident Citizen in the United States(Form I-179)

•An unexpired employment authorization card issued by the Dept. of Homeland Security (other than those included on List A)

U.S. citizens who have lost their social security card can apply for a duplicate at the Social Security Administration.

Mortgage and Lending professionals now have access to our online order management system.  Customers can order, track, and manger their mobile notary loan signing requests from any computer with web access.  To activate you account call us at 800.455.1146

How do you determine what to charge for an mobile notary appointment?

Do you set your fee’s based on what you feel your time is worth?  Are your fees based on what every one else is charging?  More importantly, do you know how much you spend out of pocket per appointment?

Choosing the right fee for your mobile notary public service can be one of the most important decisions you make.  But how do you know what the right fee is, and what strategy should you choose when setting your fee structure?

Below are three tips on setting your fees for you mobile notary publicservice.

Know your market

How many mobile notaries are in your area competing for the same clients?  What makes you different from all of the other notaries in the area?  What compelling reason is there to use your service over another mobile notary?

Conduct an analysis of your competitors, find out what they charge, what their business hours are, how far they travel, and anything else that will give your mobile notary public service the edge over your competition.

Know your costs

How much money do you spend to run an appointment?  And I don’t mean the gas it takes to get from point A to point B.  Here is a simple formula you can use to determine your cost per appointment.

Total your monthly spending for last month on travel, marketing, rent, supplies, insurance, and utilities.  Then divide that number by the total number of appointments you conducted and presto you have your cost per mobile notary appointment.

Remain consistent

Once you decide on a fee schedule for your mobile notary public service it’s a good idea to stick with it and only make adjustments when absolutely necessary.  Inconsistent pricing will lead to client confusion and frustration, which really means less work for you.

Keep in mind that pricing is more of an art rather then a science.  Be sure to follow the above tips and remember to always track your progress.

INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita announced today that his Business Services Division has launched a new online Notary portal to reduce the cost of government and to increase the speed of customer service for Indiana Notaries public. Now in Indiana, Notary commissions and revisions will occur exclusively online.

“With over 80,000 currently in service, Notaries public make up the largest single group of public officials in Indiana,” said Secretary Rokita. “My office has used innovation and technology to develop an online home for Notaries to conduct their transactions with the state. Now, it is easier and more cost-efficient than ever for Hoosiers to file Notary applications and revisions.”

A Notary public is a public officer of the state, authorized by law to certify documents, take affidavits, and administer oaths. A Notary public is appointed for an eight year term after being commissioned by the State of Indiana.

The online Notary service will allow a current notary to update contact information in just a few moments. The online service will also accept new Notary applications and renewals. The Business Services Division will be able to expedite the Notary commission process with the online system.

To increase aptitude among Notaries public, the online portal also includes a new training module which Notaries are required to complete to receive their commissions. This training module can also be reviewed by current Notaries interested in advancing their knowledge of Notary guidelines and rules.

To access the new online Notary service, visit www.in.gov/sos/business.

Online Notary is the latest in a series of technology improvements made by Secretary Rokita’s office this year in order to reduce the cost of government and increase customer service. Recent improvements also include the Dealer Services Division’s Plates On-Demand online program as well as the Indiana Election Division’s “Who’s on Your Ballot?” and Indiana Campaign Finance online tools.

Source: Office of Indiana Secretary of State

Getting Prepared for your Mobile Notary Service Appointment

Lets face it, as a customer of a mobile notary service you don’t want any surprise problems to pop up during your appointment.   Especially when it involves issues that could of easily been resolved prior to the mobile notary appointment.

Little things like not having proper ID, can lead to a Notarization being refused.

So being prepared for you appointment means your trusting your service provider to give all the information you will need to have a successful and enjoyable mobile notary appointment.

Once you have decided on which mobile notary is right for you.  It’s time to get prepared.  A few things you will need for a successful notarization are;

1An unexpired photo ID that includes the name, physical description, signature and unique identifying number issues by A state or federal agency,

2The physical appearance of the document signer.

3The document that requires the Notary Public seal

4The person appearing before the Notary Public must be able to read and understand the contents of the document.

5There must be no undue influence on the individual signing the document.

No form time to time photo ID will not be possible, this is true in cases of seniors, stolen ID, and hospital patients.  In these cases there is some flexibility in the Identification process that the mobile notary public can work with in.  An example of this is that 2 creditable witnesses can be used to ID the signer.  The witnesses must provide proper ID, have personal knowledge of who the individual is appearing before the notary public, be willing to swear to the identity of the individual and not benefit from the transition in any way.  Every state have their own rules and laws governing Notaries and the notarization process.  Be sure to check with your secretary of stats office Notary division for more information.

The more you know abut the requirement of your notarization the more likely you are to have a successful outcome.  The next time you ask a mobile notary to come to your home or schedule mobile notary service, ask them what you will need to have a successful notarization.

Please do not consider this article to be legal advice.