Aardvark Mobile Notary and Apostille Service Has a New Website!

Good Afternoon!

Some of my clients may know that my son, Devon Gailey, is also a mobile notary. He has been a Aardvark Mobile Notary and Apostille Service. Please check out his new website.  His old website was hijacked, so we scraped trying to get that back and created a new Mobile Notary site for him.
notary since 2007 and works around his college class schedule.  His mobile notary business is

Aardvark Mobile Notary and Apostille Service
805.906.0894

He is studying in college to become an archeologist.  This coming spring he will graduate with his Bachelors degree.  He will likely take a year off college before entering graduate school.  He is also considering doing a term in the Peace Corps, which is a great opportunity to see the world and other cultures.

In the meantime, Devon's Aardvark Mobile Notary business provides service to Chatsworth and surrounding cities of Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Northridge, West Hills, Porter Ranch, Encino, Studio City and beyond.  He also helps clients with Apostille authentication.  He has six years of experience with mobile notary public and apostille service.  He is a sweety and his clients always love him and the efficient service he provides.

Give Aardvark Mobile Notary and Apostille Service a call if you are needing mobile notary or apostille authentication within the San Fernando Valley.  His number is 805.906.0894.  His rates are great and his notarizations are perfect - no rejected documents will happen with Devon.

Thanks for your comments. If you leave an email address and need a response, I will be glad to reply. Enjoy!

Notary Public Service

My Mobile Notary offers full notary public service throughout this holiday season at our regular rates. We DO NOT charge holiday rates.

If we are not involved in family activities, holiday shopping, or egg nog, we will be available and at your service:

24 Hours - Monday through Saturday and Sunday.

Happy Holidays!

California Notary Law Changes January 1, 2008

As an update to previous posts concerning the California Notary law changes for 2008, I am providing further information. This is due to the widespread confusion that appears to be occuring in the notary community.

Although the secretary of state's website clearly shows the changes to the new laws, it appears that many notary supply vendors are capitalizing on the changes and offering workshops, etc., effectively making simple changes into rocket science which creates a new market for their wares. Not necessary.

In a phone call to the secretary of state's office, the clerks were giggling over the phone calls and frenzy created by certain notary associations making this into rocket science in order to market to notaries. We can remain calm. The secretary of state's office indicated that they will post acknowledgment and jurat forms on their website mid December for notaries that would like to use them.

11-29-07 Update: In an email response from the Secretary of State's Office (Marcia Murphey), the following was received:
"As to your question about crossing out "personal knowledge" on the form, the law states that 'Any certificate of acknowledgment taken within this state shall be in the following form' (Civil Code section 1189). It would be in your best interest to use the form as set forth in the law. Additionally, effective January 1, 2008, the certificate of acknowledgment must include the language "I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing paragraph is true and correct." The new laws affecting notaries public do not take effect until January 1, 2008. Continue to use the current Certificate of Acknowledgment and Jurat forms through December 31, 2007. Our office will post the new forms on January 1, 2008. We also expect to have the 2008 Notary Public Handbook available on our website in January. A hard-copy version will also be available upon request at no charge. Please check our website periodically for any new information. "

The words "Penalty of Perjury" must be on the form. Her response about personal knowledge on the form still appears unclear to me.

In the meantime, I have found notaryclasses.com has posted wonderful pdf's of forms that are probably acceptable. Bless their hearts. Thanks much to NotaryClasses.com.

• 2008 California Notary Acknowledgment
• 2008 California Notary Jurat

My Mobile Notary

Jake The Notary Navigator

Some of my clients may recognize this guy as waiting from the explorer's center console while his boss is working. This is Jake. He is the official notary navigator and explorer guardian. He loves his job. He also loves to frequent Office Depot, Home Depot, Best Buy, patio restaurants, and the city and beaches of Carmel.

His special talents include pushing chairs to get to places normally out of reach, saying "hubba hubba", stealing entire steaks within a nano second, finding an open Guinness within 500 ft, herding other animals, monitoring all household activity, scaring the gas man and DHL driver (not the Fedex and UPS drivers - they are too professional for any nonsense), and the usual give paw, sit up, play dead, roll over, etc.

Everyone always asks what kind of dog he is. Well......he was acquired from the local dog shelter so it's all a guess. But the vets that have seen him are guessing part bassett hound and part english bull dog. He is certainly eye catching. He has big light brown eyes and can use them quite well when there is food involved in the transaction.

Another interesting tidbit about Jake is his cost. Although adopted from the shelter, Jake is quite an expensive dog. His health is insured to 100% with an initial deductible of $50. This was a good move, as Jake frequently gets himself in trouble. On one occasion, he got into the pantry and ate an entire bag of Ghirradelli's Chocolate Brownie Mix. This was quite an emergency when it was discovered and almost cost Jake his life. He was rushed to the vet to have his stomach pumped and other delightful interventions. The cost of that adventure was well over $1000, however he is here today to tell about it. There have been other such adventures which have left us so grateful for the day we decided to insure his health. Actually in comparing our health policy to Jake's. It appears he has the better coverage. In fact the insurance company that insures Jake, no longer offers 100% coverage, and I suspect it has something to do with Jake. Since his policy was grandfathered in, you could say he's locked and loaded for all future adventures. He's kind of the Evil Knieval of dogs. What a guy..

This post is categorized under "Notary". I guess you could say he is an employee. He has daily hours and duties and health benefits. Which makes me wonder if he is a possible tax deduction for my corporation. I'll have to check in with the accountant.

Aardvark Mobile Notary

Aardvark Mobile Notary

California Notary Law Changes January 1, 2008

Notary Public law in the state of California has changed yet again.....The new changes appear reasonable in that they tighten the belt on identifying the signer, include the use of thumb print on power of attorney forms, and increase penalties for notaries that do not follow the law. For the legislation, please see the original text from the California Secretary of State. The latest updates to California Notary Law include:

• Due to new procedures required of the Department of Justice and Secretary of State in commissioning new notary applicants, the Department of Justice has been granted the right to pass their increased costs to the applicants. ( I guess this will also help cover the cost of their $5.00 meatballs. Joke. I still can't get over the audit of their expense accounts and what tax payers are contributing to.)


• Notary applicants must now submit a photograph of their person for their commission.


• Notaries can not use a post office box or commercial mail receiving agency as their principal place of business unless they also provide a physical street address.


• All notary acts must now demand the signer show proof of identity or two credible witnesses claiming knowledge of their identity. "Personal knowledge" of the signer is no longer acceptable.


• Any credible witnesses used to identify an individual signer must show proof of their identity. (see above)


• Notary wording on notarized documents must not contain the words "personally known to me" to comply with the change in identification requirement.


• All power of attorney notarizations must include a thumb print of the signer in the notary journal.


• Law enforcement now has the right to seize a notary's journal if there is reasonable suspicion that the journal contains evidence of a crime.


• Penalties for notaries performing illegal notarizations include higher fines and potential removal of commission.

That about covers the important changes. The changes appear reasonable for this day and age. Using "personal knowledge" of an individual previously has always seemed kind of goofy when you consider the importance of some of the types of documents that require notarization - family trusts, wills, power of attorney, etc.

This is a dry topic, but it is important to stay abreast of legal changes for both the notary and the individual that depends on the notary to do their job flawlessly. This will ensure that the signed document will have its full forth and effect.

I promise the next post will be more fun. In the meantime, if this post has really choked you for dryness, you can scroll down and view the youtube video of John Pinette and laugh yourself back to life again.

Enjoy!

Notary Public and Identification Required

When requesting a notary public to notarize a document for you, it is important to understand that you must show proper identification to the notary. Within the state of California, the law is explicit in identification requirements.

Identification must be one of the following:

• Driver's License of nondriver's ID card issued by a U.S. state.
• U.S. passport (physical description not required).
• U.S. Military Identification Card that contains all required elements stated above, (The Common Access Card, CAC, is not acceptable).
• Driver's License issued in Mexico or Canada.
• Foreign passport that has been stamped by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• Inmate ID Issued by the California Department of Corrections.

*These identification sources must have be issued within the last 5 years to be acceptable.

Unacceptable forms of Identification include:

• Matricula Consular Card
• Social Security Cards
• Temporary Driver's Licenses
• Driver's Licenses without photographs

For those without proper identification, as listed above, there is another way to "prove" identification. To do this, you would have to produce two witnesses that can swear to your identity under oath. The two witnesses must have current identification, as outlined above, and sign the notary journal.

In the past, it has been possible for the notary to state "personal knowledge" of the signer as adequate for identification. However, on January 1st of 2008, this will no longer be legal.

If you have any questions about these rules, please contact me for further information.

Notary Public

Notary Rates

Did you know that our rates are the most reasonable in the Ventura and Los Angeles area? They are! Just call around and ask for a rate quote. Not only will you find that we are the most affordable, but you will also notice that we are the most experienced in our area. We are also a private service company with the California Secretary of State. Because of this, our apostille service is quite successful and fast. That's the reason we have so many corporate clients. Next time you need a notary or apostille for an international document give our Notary Service a call.

California Notary Law Change January 1, 2008

Beginning January 1, 2008, notaries will no longer be able to use "personal knowledge" of an individual's identification as sufficient to perform notarizations. What this means is that friends, neighbors, repeat business clients, family, will have to provide current acceptable identification to obtain a notarization. This must occur even when the notary is familiar with the signers identity.

As an alternative, the use of two credible witnesses that can swear to the individuals identity will still be a possibility. However, the two credible witnesses will have to provide their current identification, take an oath, and sign the notary journal. Both witnesses wil be acting as the signer's human identification cards.

To avoid difficultues in obtaining notarizations when identifiying witnesses may not be available, this would be a good time to apply for a California Identification Card. This can be obtained through the local DMV office.

It is good for seniors that are no longer driving to obtain a California ID Card, and the ID Card if available for all individuals at any age. I have noticed, extended care facilities are frequently reluctant to act as witnesses for their clients due to the mistaken belief that if they are involved in the notarization, they could be financially responsible. In fact, most employees in extended care facilities and nursing homes refuse to state the identity of the individual that is requesting a notarization. And if families members are somehow named in the document, or stand to benefit by the document, they can not be used as identifying witnesses.

For these reasons, if you have a senior in your family that no longer has a current driver's license, I strongly recommended that you assist them in obtaining the California ID Card at this time. The card is good for ten years and will be helpful anytime the individual must sign legal, financial, or insurance documents. Here is a link to the Department of Motor Vehicles which will answer questions about obtaining the ID Card. Making an appointment at the local DMV, producing a acceptable identification such as a birth certificate, providing a social security number appears all that is necessary. For further information on this process, check with the DMV link above. The card is free for seniors 62 and older. There is a fee for all other individuals.

Karen
Notary Public

What is a Notarization?

I have seen many google, msn, and yahoo searches for an answer to "What is a notarization". I thought I would explain this in layman's terms for your convenience.

A notarization is an act performed by a public notary whereby the notary has either checked the identify of the signer of the document and verifies that the signer is, in fact, who they say they are OR it can also a circumstance where the public notary administers an oath to the signer, where the signer swears that the statement they have made in the document is true to the best of their knowledge. The first example is called an acknowledgment. That is when the notary verifies the identity of the signer. The second example is called a jurat. That is when the signer swears to the truth of some statement, such as is done in a court room.

A notary is actually a public official acting in the capacity of an uninvolved witness. When a document is notarized, such in the examples described above, the act of the notary checking the signer's identity, administering an oath to the signer to compel truthfulness, and signing and stamping the document lends credibility to the document so that it will have full force and effect. This is an important process that should be considered when entering into any written contract or written statement as it will confirm that the signer of the document was in fact the person they claimed to be.

I hope this explains notarization more clearly. If you have any further questions about this process, please send us an email. You can also check our Notary Public website for further information about public notary terms.

Russian Adoption

Today we finished the last document for a family adopting a three year old Russian girl. Needless to say, an international adoption dossier is quite an endeavor for a family to go through. This has been going on for many months and today the last document was completed. I feel like part of the family and the long focused process of bringing this child home to her new family. What a joy this has been, it is probably my favorite notary activity. This particular family has been my favorite.

The new parents have already visited Russia once to meet with the child. They expect to have a Russian court hearing within the next few weeks to make the adoption final and take their new family member home with them. The picture that was displayed to me showed a very cute blonde-headed darling.

To travel back and forth, the family has had to purchase open ended plane tickets that would allow them to change dates at the last minute depending on any circumstances with the court. At any time in this process, anything can go wrong. The amount of money and the uncertainty that a family must go through with an international adoption is quite staggering. Seeing this come to a successful close has been quite a joy.

We have performed notarizations for many adoptions, but it is really a special treat to do the entire dossier with the family. Today I'm feeling like I want to be waiting at LAX when she arrives just to take a peek and smile. I wish them the best.

Notary Fees for Service

What a beautiful day it is today! This seems like the perfect weather for hiking near the beach.

I wanted to take a moment to discuss an important topic when ordering notary services. When you need a notary to come to your location to sign documents, you call for an appointment and a rate quote. It is good to understand that the notary gives you a rate quote based on what you tell them you need. For instance, my associate was called for a one document signing to someone's location in Encino. Based on signing one document and travel charge, an appropriate rate was quoted. However, when the notary arrived, instead of one document, the signer had a large loan package. The result was that the signing, which would have been 15 minutes for one document, ended in 90 minutes of loan documents with many pages needing notarizations. Needless to say the client was disappointed about their previous rate quote, but appropriately informed before the notary started the signing and the rate was agreed upon at that time.

When you need notary service and are interested in a realistic rate quote, be prepared to inform the notary on the phone whether it is a loan package or a single document. The difference in rate quote can be quite large. Singe notarizations in the state of California are $10 per signature, plus a travel charge to your specific location. These types of notarizations are usually quick and your fee will be quite low for the convenience of having this done at your location without interrupting the rest of your day. However, if you have a loan to sign, understand that this can include sometimes up to 16 actual notarizations ore more. The time and attention to minute detail taken is important on such a transaction. This is the reason for the larger fee. Also, if you are needing service at a detention facility, you will likely pay a much higher fee as the time spent to go through security and waiting for the prisoner can be quite long, at times, taking several hours.

The most important thing to remember, however, is to be clear on what you are needing before calling the notary so the fee that you are quoted is realistic to your actual needs. This will ensure there is no miscommunication or disappointment. If you have any questions or need an idea of a realistic quote for your specific job, please call Karen at 805.444.7064 or visit our notary services website. I hope this helps.

Welcome to My Mobile Notary blogsite

This blog was created for fun and a means to connect with our local community. We will see what develops over time. We hope to include news about notary services and local events and issues. My Mobile Notary provides notary and apostille services to the residents and businesses of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. We welcome you to our main Notary Public website for service and rate details.



By the way, you may see this guy around town with me:

Jake is my navigator, and he's also in control of the electric windows.