Hospital Notary Services For

• Patients should always be coherent and willing to sign the documents when the Notary arrives.

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• As a notary, my primary responsibility is to confirm the identity of the person signing the documents. This means the patient must have valid identification, like a driver's license or passport. If they don’t have an ID, there might be other ways to verify their identity, but proper identification is crucial.

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• You should always try to contact the patient prior to the Notary's visit to the care facility to discuss the reason you are sending a Notary to them and to explain what the document entails. Notaries are not responsible for going over documents with patients, as Notaries are not attorneys and can't offer legal advice.

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• If your document calls for a witness, please note that many facilities do not permit their staff members to act as document witnesses. You should pose this question to the facility staff prior to booking your Notary appointment. If they do not allow their staff members to act as witnesses, you may request that the notary arrange for them; an additional fee may be charged.

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• Notaries are not allowed to create documents for the patient, such as advance healthcare directives, affidavits, wills, etc., unless they are also a licensed document preparer or an attorney. You should always be prepared with your document when requesting a Notary.

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• Hospitals can be stressful environments, so choosing the right time to notarize is important. Typically, mid-morning or early afternoon are the best times. These are usually when patients are more alert, rested, and not yet too fatigued from the day. It’s best to avoid notarizing early in the morning, late at night, or right after a patient has had a medical procedure or taken medication that could affect their cognitive abilities.