FAQ

A notary public is a public servant with statewide jurisdiction who is authorized to take acknowledgments, protest instruments permitted by law to be protested (primarily negotiable instruments and bills and notes), administer oaths, take depositions, and certify copies of documents not recordable in the public records. 

A notary signing agent (NSA) is a notary public who has been trained to handle loan documents. Lenders and title companies hire NSAs as independent contractors to assist in the last step of the loan process. 

A remote online notary public is a commissioned notary public who has the authority to perform a remote online notarization (RON) using an audio-visual conference rather than having the individual physically appear before the notary at the time of the notarization. 

Generally speaking, you should not sign documents prior to meeting with a notary. Also, proper identification of the signer is required. Acceptable identification must be issued by a federal or state government agency and contain a photograph and signature. Examples: State Driver’s License, State I.D. card, US Military I.D., current US Passport, or an Alien Registration Card. More information can be found here: https://www.nationalnotary.org/resources-for/public/how-to-prepare-for-notarization.  

No. A notary public who is not an attorney should only complete a notarial certificate which is already on the document, or type or attach a certificate of the signer’s choosing. If a notary public were presented with a document that did not contain a certificate and decided which certificate to attach, that notary public would be “practicing law.” Instead, the notary may allow the signer to choose among the sample certificates provided to the notary with the notary’s commission. 

Yes. There a certain requirements that must be met before a document can be notarized. The notary public must be able to verify the signer's identity and understanding of what is happening at the appointment. The document must have a certificate. A notary public may not notarize a document in which he or she has a financial interest.

In Latin American countries, notarios publicos are highly trained legal professionals akin to attorneys who provide legal advice and draft legal documents. In the United States, however, notaries are state-commissioned officials with narrow witnessing duties and much less discretion. Many unethical individuals exploit the confusion over these different roles.

In Texas, the Secretary of State determines fees for general services. You may find them listed here: https://notarytraining.sos.texas.gov/notaryfees

For loan signings and remote online notarizations, fees depend on the contracting company and/or the online platform.