Hospital Notary Services: What Families Should Know

When a loved one is in the hospital, important paperwork can sometimes come up unexpectedly. Finding a notary shouldn’t add another complicated errand to an already stressful day.

Lisa’s Notary Co. provides mobile hospital notary services throughout Ventura County, traveling directly to the hospital so the patient and family don’t have to find an outside notary office.

What documents may need a notary at the hospital?

Every situation is different, but hospital notary appointments may involve documents such as:

• Powers of attorney
• Financial documents
• Real estate documents
• Trust-related documents
• Affidavits
• Other personal or legal documents requiring notarization

A notary cannot select or prepare legal documents or advise you about which document you need. If you’re unsure, an attorney or the organization requesting the document can provide guidance.

What should we have ready?

Before Lisa arrives, it’s helpful to have:

• The document complete and ready for notarization
• Acceptable identification for the signer
• Any witnesses required by the document
• Instructions from your attorney or the organization that provided the document, if applicable

Please don’t assume hospital employees will be available to serve as witnesses. If your document requires witnesses, it’s best to arrange them ahead of time.

The patient must personally participate

Being in a hospital does not by itself prevent someone from having a document notarized. For acknowledgments and jurats, the signer must physically appear before the notary. Lisa must also be able to communicate directly with the signer and complete the requirements of the requested notarial act.

Family members are welcome to help coordinate the appointment, but they cannot substitute for the signer’s personal appearance or direct communication with the notary.

What if the patient doesn’t have a current ID?

This happens more often than families expect. If the patient’s driver’s license or identification card is expired—or no standard identification is available—please mention this when scheduling the appointment.

California provides specific methods for establishing a signer’s identity. Depending on the facts, certain identification issued within the previous five years or the use of qualifying credible witnesses may satisfy the requirements. Credible-witness rules are specific, so checking identification before Lisa travels to the hospital can help prevent an unnecessary trip.

Planning ahead can make a big difference

If you know an important document will need to be notarized, arranging the appointment while the signer can comfortably communicate and participate can make the process easier for everyone involved.