Almost every refused notarization we see was avoidable, and almost all of them were discovered at the table rather than the day before. Here is the list, in rough order of frequency.
1. The identification has expired
Comfortably the most common. A license that expired last month is not current identification, however obviously it is you in the photograph. Check the date before you book, not on the day.
2. The name does not match
The document says Elizabeth; the ID says Beth. The document carries a maiden name; the ID carries a married one. Where there is a difference, bring the paperwork that bridges it, and tell the receiving party in advance how you intend to sign.
3. The document is already signed
For most notarial acts the signature has to happen in front of the notary. Arriving with it signed usually means signing again, and occasionally means printing a fresh copy. Do not sign in advance unless you were specifically told to.
4. A signer is missing
Every signer appears before the notary. A spouse cannot stand in for a spouse, and a family member cannot sign for a parent unless they hold a power of attorney and are signing in that capacity. If a document needs two signatures, we need two people.
The pattern: Almost every item on this list is discoverable the day before. Tell us the document, the signers, and the location when you book, and we will flag problems before anyone travels.
5. There are blank spaces
Gaps in a document before it is notarized are a real risk, anything could be written there afterwards. Complete the document, or strike through the spaces that genuinely do not apply, before the appointment.
6. The signer cannot say what they are signing
Awareness is a requirement, not a formality. If a signer cannot indicate what the document is and what it does, the act cannot proceed. This comes up most often at bedside appointments. It is not a judgment about anybody: a notarization that fails later helps nobody.
7. Somebody else is answering
If a signer is being prompted, corrected, or spoken for, we will ask to speak with them alone. Where that is refused, or where the answers only arrive through someone else, we stop.
8. The certificate is missing and nobody knows which one is needed
If a document has no notarial wording, someone has to decide whether it needs an acknowledgment or a jurat, and Washington law prohibits a notary from making that choice for you. Ask the drafter or the receiving party first. We can explain the difference; we cannot select.
9. Required witnesses are not there
Witnesses picked on the day from whoever is nearby are how disqualified witnesses end up signing. Line them up in advance, and leave out anyone who benefits under the document.
The version worth keeping
- Current photo ID for every signer, names matching the document
- Complete document, unsigned, no blank spaces
- All signers present, each able to explain what they are signing
- Notarial certificate present, or confirmed with the receiving party
- Witnesses confirmed in advance, none of them benefiting
Tell us the document type, the number of signers, and the location when you book, and we will flag anything on this list before we travel.