Let’s dive right in to a list of what a notary public should carry with them when attending a signing appointment
*It is important to note that this article was written in January of 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Having been performing many signings per day since the start of the pandemic, my personal experience with what a notary public should bring to a signing appointment stems from months of trial & error and plenty of CDC guideline changes
Items to bring to a signing appointment as a notary public
A briefcase or lockable satchel. Why must it be lockable? Many states require a notary journal to be stored in a locked and secure location, so carrying it in a bag that can not be locked presents opportunity for the notary journal to be stolen or lost. My preference is a briefcase since it has a built in locking mechanism and exudes professionalism (I can’t tell you how many times people make comments like “wow I haven’t seen a briefcase in years!” and “you must take your job seriously!”. Which is absolutely true, my job is very important and the information contained within the documents is highly sensitive)
Your notary stamp. This is obviously a no-brainer. You usually have the option to purchase your notary stamp when you are originally commissioned, and receive a special document (usually from your Secretary of State) that permits the purchase of a notary stamp. If you lose your stamp or need a new one for any reason, you typically need to provide this certificate to the manufacturer of the stamp in order for them to make it.
Black and blue pens - lot of them. Most often we are told (by escrow or the lenders) to use blue. Make sure to buy cheap ones in bulk as one-time use pens for people to keep after they sign, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. Most people don’t like the idea of using a pen that has been used by someone else, so telling them that this is their pen to keep and that no one else has used it is a great thing.
Cleaning supplies to wipe down any shared objects or surfaces. Any kind of sanitization wipes will suffice (name brand wipes are still hard to find in certain areas). Also bring hand sanitizer for people to use before and after the signing appointment. These small touches go a long way in building rapport and making both yourselves and the lenders/escrow officers your may be representing look good.
A cloth or surgical mask (Covid-19 related guidelines)
Your notary journal, of course! Since the dawn of time, we have used the hard bound journals which have been lugged around with all of our other supplies, adding extra weight and taking up valuable real estate in your briefcase or satchel. These days I recommend the Notary eJournal, a safe and secure digital notary journal app on your phone that also happens to be California compliant and allow for the capture of digital thumbprints.
Extra notary acknowledgements and jurats. Your state may have specific notarial documents (CA has special verbiage on theirs that MUST be affixed) so make sure you have the most up to date copies and bring plenty of spares. I can’t tell you how many times i’ve been saved by having these with me - either because an out-of-state loan package didn’t have the correct CA verbiage on the acknowledgement or because there were more people signing than expected and I needed to attach a second or third.
A method of accepting debit/credit card payments (optional, but recommended). In this day & age, it pays to be able to accept just about every form of payment out there. Have an account set up with a debit/credit card payment processor like Square makes accepting these forms of payments easier than every. Sure, there may be a few small fees per transaction, but giving your client the flexibility to use their plastic is invaluable, and it also opens the door for accepting tips. Services like Square have debit/credit card readers that connect to your phone and app, making it seamless.