Finding a Notary

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I am having a devil of a time finding a notary. I remember every Tom, Dick and Harriet used to be a notary - now no one is and those that are don't want to notarize. I never had a problem with this 5 or so years ago.

I have a lease agreement for a new store for my husband that I have to sign as well - it is supposed to be notarized. I checked around my office - only one person is a notary and she will not notarize it unless it has to do with my company's business. I checked my bank and they will notarize unless it is bank business. Besides taking time off work and going to the lawyers office and being charged $200 bucks - any thoughts on how or where I can get a notary?

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Notary locator

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Kinkos and mail box places usually have notaries.

I can't believe your bank won't do it. That's where I have always gone to get things notarized.

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$200 dollars!?

That's insane.

I'm a notary, I became one just to have one available for the occassion one is needed at work. I've also notarized a few items for co-workers, friends, etc.

Maybe I'm dense, but I never understood what the big deal was. As soon as I became a notary I started getting junk mail and emails about being a notary and classes and so on.

All I'm doing is notarizing the person signing is who they say they are. What's the big deal?

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boomerang wrote:

Kinkos and mail box places usually have notaries.

I can't believe your bank won't do it. That's where I have always gone to get things notarized.

I called a general number and they told me they have a notary at each branch, but they typically don't notarize anything non-bank related although some will - I figured I will just drop in rather than call as I would be more likely to get some one to help me.

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I only just noticed that a notary in the US is quite different to that position in others countries.

(For instance, here in Germany, a notary is a solicitor who must have practioned quite some years. (In a few states, you can study notary at law school.) She/he is kind of public servant, dealing with property law, land charge certification, law of succession, family law and corporate law.)

Just certifying somethimng with a seal (e.g. saying that the copy here is exactly the same as the original there) can be done by anyone having the allowance to use a certified, official seal that is an institution governed by public law.

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Chai wrote:

$200 dollars!?

That's insane.

I'm a notary, I became one just to have one available for the occassion one is needed at work. I've also notarized a few items for co-workers, friends, etc.

Maybe I'm dense, but I never understood what the big deal was. As soon as I became a notary I started getting junk mail and emails about being a notary and classes and so on.

All I'm doing is notarizing the person signing is who they say they are. What's the big deal?

That's what I thought too. I remember in high school I needed to get my financial aide application notarized. One of the teachers was a notary. He charged .50 to help cover his fees and was also available for this. I never thought it would be so hard.

It may not be $200 for the lawyer - it is just he charges $250 an hour so whatever he would proportion for this type of signing and then I would have to take time off work because he isn't close enough (as he is used for my husband's business) for me simply to drive over during lunch. I tried to use that tactic to get this woman to sign as it is helping the business if I don't have to time to do this errand, but no go.

The bank, kinkos or similar I could simply go to during my lunch break. I don't even mind paying a small fee - just I can only imagine how much the lawyer will charge and to try to fit in his schedule.

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Pennsylvania is loaded with businesses that specialize in dealing with Motor Vehicle paperwork for Harrisburg. They all have notaries.

Car dealers might also have notaries.

Have you checked the Yellow Pages?

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Funny, just last night my wife and I had to get something notarized. The bank we went to was the only one still open, but the guy wouldn't notarize for my wife because she didn't have an account. The fact that I did meant nothing except that they would notarize for me, which they did, for free. Now my wife has to find someone else to notarize her sig.

Stupid.

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Noddy24 wrote:

Pennsylvania is loaded with businesses that specialize in dealing with Motor Vehicle paperwork for Harrisburg. They all have notaries.

Car dealers might also have notaries.

Have you checked the Yellow Pages?

I just tried the yellow pages - duh never thought of that - just figured there are tons of people that have this capability so it should be easy just to ask around.

I did get a little scared when I started seeing open 24/7 and they were in shady areas.

Then hurrah - I found a UPS store that shouldn't too far that notary services.

thanks all.

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cjhsa wrote:

Funny, just last night my wife and I had to get something notarized. The bank we went to was the only one still open, but the guy wouldn't notarize for my wife because she didn't have an account. The fact that I did meant nothing except that they would notarize for me, which they did, for free. Now my wife has to find someone else to notarize her sig.

Stupid.

Well we have a personal and business account with our bank and my names on both as I am Treasurer of my husband's business - which basically means I can write checks yeah!

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You can also check with the Secretary of State for your sttate.

I'll be a notary in a couple of months, as an added service for residents. It's just a 6 hour class.

$200! Pffft! I'll do it for half that! Can you wait? Laughing

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squinney wrote:

You can also check with the Secretary of State for your sttate.

I'll be a notary in a couple of months, as an added service for residents. It's just a 6 hour class.

$200! Pffft! I'll do it for half that! Can you wait?

Sorry can't wait! And besides mailbox etc will do it for $15.

Well I was downtown for some work stuff and decided to stop in at a small branch of my bank. The customer service rep asked if I needed my help. I explained we had both a personal and business account with them and I needed something notarized for the business. She said no problem - 5 minutes later my paperwork was notarized and I was out the door with no charge.

Nice!

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Wow, what a difference to the situation here: you have to make a date with the notary (state-appointed officials, who have to be experienced lawyers with additionally studies), and that takes some time (9500 notaries all over Germany).
And then have to pay for it: a certain percentage (regulated by laws) of the total amount what is notarised.

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Linkat, you're in Mass., right? I am a Mass. notary. My stuff is at my office, I can send you the info if you send a PM. And yeah, I'll do it for free.

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jespah wrote:

Linkat, you're in Mass., right? I am a Mass. notary. My stuff is at my office, I can send you the info if you send a PM. And yeah, I'll do it for free.

Thank you! That was very thoughtful of you - however, luckily my bank did do it for free with no questions asked.

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Okay then, next time if you need it. Smile

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HEY, JESPAH! Knock on your own set of doors. You're messin' with my business!

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So, you're a Massachusetts notary?

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I checked the site that Walter mentioned, and boy, I must really be in the sticks. The closest notary was 5+ miles away, the rest 15+. I wonder what the hell happened. Years ago, there was a notary on every block. Stores had signs in the windows announcing a Notary Public.

I wonder if the addresses given are the notary's home address, and there are still some floating around in places like banks.

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