What Needs to Be Filled Out Before vs. During a Notary Appointment?

May 6

One of the most common questions I get from clients is simple: "Should I fill this out before you arrive, or wait until you're here?

Here's everything you need to know. If you're ready to get started, you can book your appointment here .

This part confuses a lot of people, so let’s make it super simple:

Your name, address, and any parts of the form that ask for basic personal details.
Other non-signature sections like checkboxes or attachments.

BUT—don’t sign it yet!

Your signature
Any initials
Any part that says “Signed before a notary” or mentions a jurat or acknowledgment

These are your clearest signal that this particular document should be signed in front of the notary.

Not sure what a jurat is or whether your document has the right notarial language? Check out this post on whether your document has the correct notarial certificate wording .

Notaries are required by law to witness you sign the document. If it's already signed, they may not be able to proceed.

Some documents require additional witnesses. More on that in our companion post “Does This Document Require Witnesses in addition to Notarization?”

Common Documents That Require Notarization

Wondering what kind of paperwork you might need a mobile notary for?

Here’s a quick list of documents we commonly notarize:

If you're using a mobile notary service (like us!), we’ll come to your home, office, hospital, or another meeting spot.

Here’s what to do before we arrive:

Bringing the right ID and knowing when to sign your document makes the notarization process fast, smooth, and legally valid.

Need help or have questions?

We’re here to make notarizing simple. Call or text 415-680-3275.