A mobile appointment is the same notarial act performed somewhere more convenient. What changes is the logistics, and the fee structure that goes with them.
Where we meet
Offices, libraries, hospitals, skilled nursing and memory care facilities, hospice, coffee shops, and the occasional car park when a signer cannot easily get out. What matters is a firm surface, enough light to read by, and somewhere the signer can speak freely.
That last point matters more than it sounds. Part of the job is confirming the signer is acting willingly, which is difficult in a room where someone else is answering for them.
How the fee works
There are two numbers, and Washington treats them very differently. The notarial fee is capped by the state at $15 per act, not per document, per act. The travel fee is ours, and the rule attaches conditions to it: it has to be agreed with you in advance of the travel, and we have to tell you it is in addition to the notarial fee and not required by law.
So a travel fee should never be a surprise at your kitchen table, and it should never appear for the first time on an invoice. If a mobile notary will not quote travel before setting out, ask why.
Two fees, one rule: The $15 notarial fee is set by the state. The travel fee is not, and Washington requires it to be agreed before the travel and explained as separate and not required by law.
What happens when we arrive
Identification first, for every signer. Then a short conversation to confirm each person knows what they are signing and is signing freely. Then the signature, the certificate, and the journal entry. For a single document with one signer, the whole thing is usually a few minutes.
Where a document needs witnesses, they should already be there. Finding them after we arrive is how disqualified witnesses end up signing.
Preparing so it takes minutes
- Current photo ID for every signer, names supporting the document
- The complete document, unsigned, with no blank spaces left open
- All signers present at the same time
- Witnesses arranged in advance, none of them benefiting under the document
- A table, a chair, and reasonable light
When a mobile visit is the wrong choice
If every signer is comfortable with a screen, the document is going somewhere that accepts electronic notarization, and speed matters, remote online notarization is usually faster and cheaper overall, $25 per act with nobody travelling. Mobile earns its keep when a signer cannot travel, cannot manage identity proofing, or when the receiving party insists on wet ink on paper.
Our service area
Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place, Puyallup, Fife, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Bonney Lake, and Sumner, with travel quoted by distance. Evenings and weekends are normal. Tell us the document, the number of signers, the address, and when you need it, and we will confirm the appointment and the exact total before anyone gets in a car.