A mobile notary travels to your location. Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis therefore it is often necessary and/or convenient to have a mobile notary come to you. If a person is immobile i.e. in a hospital, rehabilitation or convalescent home, they cannot travel to a notarial location. In addition, on some occasions multiple people need to meet at one particular place or a person may wish to have a document notarized in the privacy of their home. A mobile notary can assist in these situations. If you do not need a mobile notary, you may visit a bank or a local mailing store.

The responsibilities of a notary are limited. For example, a notary is not allowed to prepare legal documents or offer legal advice about a particular document (unless he or she is also an attorney). A notary public in most of the United States and Canada has limited powers than those of civil-law or other common-law notaries, both of whom are qualified lawyers admitted to the bar: such notaries may be referred to as notaries-at-law or lawyer notaries. In common law, notarial service is distinct from the practice of law, and giving legal advice and preparing legal instruments is forbidden to notaries such as those appointed throughout most of the United States of America.

A notary public is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters typically concerned with powers-of-attorney, estates, foreign and international business and deeds. A notary’s primary duties are to administer oaths and affirmations, take affidavits and statutory declarations, witness and authenticate the execution of certain classes of documents and take acknowledgments of deeds and other conveyances. The term notary public only refers to common-law notaries and should not be confused with civil-law notaries.

The main purpose of a notary public is to verify identity and reduce the probability of fraud. The primary role of a notary public is to serve the public as an impartial witness when important documents are signed. In the United States, a notary public is appointed by a state government. In California’s case this is the Secretary of State. The California Secretary of State, Notary Public & Special Filings Section, is responsible for appointing and commissioning qualified persons as notaries public for four-year terms. You can find out more information on the Secretary of State’s website: http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/