FAQs

The most common ID is a Government-issued Driver’s License, State ID or Passport.  I will request signed and/or pictured, government-issued ID before performing a notarization. In Montana, acceptable forms of identification include a passport, driver's license or state ID that is current or expired less than three years, a military or student ID, or other government issued ID. The name on the ID must support the name that appears on the document. 

The ID can have more of your name than the document, but not less.  We can discuss ID vs. document names, or exceptions, when you contact me.  If, when we meet, the ID name does not support the name on the document, and the notarization is not performed because of that, the travel fee is still due. 

Each notary public commissioned in the State of Montana is required to take a 4-hour class, pass an exam, and obtain a surety bond in the amount of $25,000.00 prior to receiving the Secretary of State of Montana appointment as a notary public. That’s simply as far as many notaries go. Most don’t go on to complete advanced trainings regarding explaining loan documents, estate planning presentations, apostille & authentication services for use abroad, and most do not receive advanced certifications.

Essentially, notaries are there to verify identities and witness signatures while signing agents are certified to walk borrowers through specific loan-signing documents. All signing agents are notary publics, however, not all notary publics are signing agents. There are over 4.4Million notaries in the United States, 1% or less are loan signing agents.

A Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent (CTDA) is a credentialed notary that has undergone advanced training and testing to better serve the public and estate planning professionals in the skillful presentation and execution of trust documents.

I am a mobile notary, which means I come to you!  We can meet in the comfort and privacy of your own home, or at a mutually agreed upon public place. Please note that I work by APPOINTMENT ONLY, but same day appointments are possible, upon availability. 

As a mobile notary, I do not have a brick & mortar office. I have a home office and I’m on the road much of the time, this is why an appointment is necessary. The vast majority of my clients choose to meet at their homes.

For a direct quote for your particular document, and travel, please call or text me at:  (406) 871-9266.  If I am at an appointment when you reach out, I will get back with you as soon as possible — that may be a few minutes, or a couple of hours, depending on the type of service that I am providing to my existing client. 

For general notary work such as vehicle titles, there is typically a travel fee starting at $15.00 plus $10 for each notarial act per the MT Secretary of State guidelines.

Trust delivery or mortgage loan signings are bundled services. Call for a quote.

Payment is due at the time of your appointment. I accept cash, credit/debit cards, PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Cash.

When we talk about "notarizing a document" most of the time we really mean notarizing, or authenticating, a signature in some way. So let's break down the steps that you'll take whenever you are asked to perform a notarization involving a signature:

Require personal appearance (aka Rule #1)

Review the document

Identify the signer(s)

Determine competency and willingness

Create the journal record

Complete the notarial certificate

A notary acts as an official, unbiased witness to the identity, the comprehension, the intent, and the signature of the person who comes before the notary for a specific purpose. The person may be taking an oath, giving oral or written testimony, or signing or acknowledging a signature on a legal document. In each instance the notary attests that certain formalities have been observed. In most cases, notaries are proving that the person that is named in the document, is the person that actually signed the document.  In other cases, a notary is certifying that the person physically signed the document in front of the notary, made a statement about the document and took an oath to its truthfulness.  A notary can also administer oaths or affirmations.  A notary is a public official, appointed by the Secretary of State of Montana to be an impartial witness. Since the notary's primary function is to be a witness to the identity, the comprehension, and the intent of a person who is signing a document, taking an oath, or acknowledging a signature, it automatically follows that one of the notary's greatest responsibilities is to be able to truthfully testify that the notary did in fact witness the act he or she claimed to have notarized. In other words, the person whose signature, oath, or acknowledgment is being notarized MUST personally appear to the notary at the time the act takes place.

**There are no exceptions to this requirement. It is impossible to be a witness to an event if it does not take place in your presence. "Notarizing" without the personal appearance of the signer at the time of the notarial act is de facto negligence and can be just cause for revocation of a notarial commission.