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Notes from the desk.
Short notes on identification, appointments, and keeping a notary record. These notes describe how I work. They are not legal advice.
What identification I will accept
A current government photo ID, with a signature. An expired card, a damaged card, or a name that does not match the document is not enough.
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Already signed, or signed in front of me
An acknowledgment and a jurat are not the same act. The certificate on the page tells me which one it is. I do not choose a different one for you.
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A hospital or a nursing home
I come to the room. The signer still has to be present and willing. The location fee is $25, separate from the notarial act and the travel.
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A jail or a detention center
I come to the facility. Entry takes time, and the signer cannot meet me outside. The location fee is $50, separate from the notarial act and the travel.
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A witness is not the notary
If the document has witness lines, those people have to be in the room. I do not bring a witness, and I do not decide whether your document needs one.
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A blank stays blank
Bring the document filled out. I do not complete a blank, and I do not tell you what to write. An incomplete document is not notarized.
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How the bill is put together
The notarial act is one charge. Travel, time of day, location, waiting, and printing are separate, and they are billed only when the act is performed.
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If the act is not performed, there is no charge
A cancellation, a missed appointment, or a session that cannot be finished is not a notarial act. Texas law does not allow a fee for an act that did not happen.
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A notary for a car title in Lubbock
I notarize a vehicle title in Lubbock and within 60 miles of my house. The signer appears in person, with the title and a current photo ID.
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A power of attorney, notarized near you
I come to the signer in Lubbock and within 60 miles. A power of attorney is notarized as an acknowledgment. I do not draft it.
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Can this be notarized online in Texas?
Some acts can be done on a live video session. Some cannot. The document, Texas law, and the party who will receive it decide.
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A visit, or a remote session
Some acts I can do at your location. Some I can do on camera. The document, the signers, and Texas law decide which one is available.
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What to have ready before I arrive
A current government photo ID, the complete document, and every signer in the room. If one of those is missing, I cannot perform the act.
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What goes in the journal, and what does not
The journal records the act. It does not take an identification number or a fingerprint. The entry keeps its number for ten years.
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Texas Notary Record Book — built for Texas law, not adapted from it
The entries required by Government Code § 406.014 are already laid out. Fill in the prompted fields at the time of the act, and keep the record under your control for the full retention period.
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How a remote session works
We meet on a Texas-approved video platform. You are identified on camera, the session is recorded, and the notarial act is completed only if Texas law allows it online.
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I am not an attorney, and I do not give legal advice
A notarization is not a legal opinion. I can perform the notarial act. I cannot tell you what a document means, whether you should sign it, or how to write it.
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