A notary public is an official of the State and is responsible for duties that help prevent fraud. A notary verifies the identity of a signer, ensures that the signer is signing with free will, not under duress, and is coherent and aware of what they are signing. Depending on the document, the notary may or may not be required to see you sign the document and they may or may not administer an oath to confirm that what you are signing is true. The notary completes their section on the document, known as a "notary certificate" or attaches one, signs it, and places their notary stamp or seal on the document.

Notaries are not allowed to practice law. As such, they cannot give you a document that you need, complete a document for you, or tell you if the document will do what you want it to do. A notary is not allowed to place their signature or stamp on a document that does not have a notary certificate. If you have questions about this topic, please give us a call at (951) 394-2366.

A notary public is allowed to charge $15 per notarized signature. This is the fee that you would be charged if you were to walk into an office to get a document notarized. The fee is for the signature that is being verified, not the notary's signature. If you have two people signing one document that is being notarized, the notary can charge $15 per signature for a total of $30.

A mobile notary that travels to your location will also charge a travel fee. This covers the cost of mileage to your location as well as the time spent traveling. Castillo Mobile Notary Services charges a minimum travel fee of $50 when we travel to your desired location. We do not have a brick-and-mortar office that you can visit. Discounts are available if you are willing to travel to a location close to me.

Document packages such as purchase or loan documents, seller's packages, and estate planning documents may be charged at a flat rate that includes travel, signatures, and review of all documents in the package not just the ones that need to be notarized. As a notary signing agent, Notary Cheryl Castillo is knowledgeable about these document packages and will ensure that all documents are signed and notarized at industry standard. Please visit our Notary Services & Fees page for more information on notary fees or give us a call at (951) 394-2366.

California-commissioned notaries are not able to conduct remote online notary or do notarizations online without meeting the signer in person. This topic is currently under review at the State level.

However, notaries in other states are allowed to conduct remote online notarizations. Castillo Mobile Notary Services can refer or link you to an out-of-state remote online notary or RON. This is a good option for people who are not able to meet in person with a notary. Before using a remote online notary, you will want to check with the receiving party of your documents to make sure they will accept an electronically notarized document. You will also want to feel comfortable using your phone or computer to complete the notary process. If you would like to be connected to an online notary or have additional questions, please give us a call at (951) 394-2366.