If you want to witness your legal document quickly, finding a notary public is essential. This might be tricky if you are on a tight deadline to get an affidavit signed but are on vacation. But did you know that many organizations and businesses offer free notary services? Thus, you won’t face any difficulty trying to find a notary. Please keep reading to learn about some places to get your affidavit notarized, whether at home or while traveling.
Where to Get Free or Cheapest Notary?
Bank
Banks don’t need a notary, but some might have one on staff. The notary fees and hours of operation might vary according to location. You can avail of the notary services by having a bank account. Some banks which offer this service for free are Citibank (at certain branches), S. Bank, TD Bank, Santander Bank, and Bank of America. Otherwise, you might have to pay a small fee. If you frequently require notary services, you can open a free checking account with the bank. Small community banks are more likely to provide free notary services than national chains.
Notary charges – Between $15-20 per document for non-account holders
Credit Union
Like banks, some credit unions offer this service for free to customers, whereas others have to pay a small fee. Some examples of credit unions offering notary services for free are Redwood Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, and Altra Federal Credit Union.
Notary charges – No charge if you have at least $100 in your account.
Local Government
Your city’s local court office or city hall is most likely to have a notary on staff who offer their services to the public. However, they usually provide this service in exchange for a small fee. It’s advisable to check with your local government office and find an exact price before driving there.
Notary charges – While the New York City County Clerk’s Office provides this service for free, $5 is charged by Hartford, Connecticut’s Town, and City Clerk’s Office.
Public Library
Public libraries offer various services, with a notary being one of them. You can head to PublicLibraries.com to find your nearest library and call them to check the availability of notary services alongside their price and hours.
Notary charges – While some libraries provide this service for free, others might charge around a dollar.
Hotels
If you require notary services on the go, you can enquire with your hotel’s business services center. These services are free to travelers who are members of a hotel’s rewards program. Otherwise, you might have to pay a small fee.
Notary charges – Walt Disney World offers notary services at their Lobby Concierge stations in exchange for $10 per seal.
Real estate agency
Many real estate agencies can guide you toward an affordable notary they regularly use for business purposes. For example, you can contact your real estate agent if you are trying to get your document notarized.
Notary charges – $0.25 to $20 per document
Insurance agency
Your insurance company might assist you in notarizing documents, as they always have notaries available.
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Mailbox companies
Companies like Mail Boxes Etc., Postal Annex, and UPS Store offer various services, including notary. You will have to carry a government-issued photo ID. This price might vary between states. Since the mailbox stores are usually open outside regular business hours, they might help if you are hurrying to get your documents notarized.
Notary charges – Fee starts from $1 per signature
Grocery delivery company – H-E-B
H-E-B operates in 340 Northeast Mexico and Texas locations, some offering a notary service.
Notary charges – Free
Police Station
Some policy stations offer notary services in exchange for a small fee. You can call your local police department to enquire about the availability of these services.
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Hospitals
Nursing facilities and hospitals often have notaries on hand. You can enquire with the front desk about the availability of such services. If you are trying to get the documents notarized for a hospital patient, you can avail of these services for free.
Notary charges – Free if you are a patient or a patient party.
Tax preparer or accountant
Accountants or tax preparers who help oversee your finances can notarize documents. If you don’t have one of your own, then you can search in your community.
Notary charges – $5 upward
Facebook groups
Local Facebook groups might contain information on a notary in your locality. For example, you can post a query asking about a notary and receive comments from people who are either notaries themselves or might recommend notaries.
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a great place to find various things in your community and neighborhood, including store openings, events, and other information. For example, you can publish a post on Nextdoor asking for help locating a notary.
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Newspaper
You can scan through the classifieds section of your local newspaper for notaries. While some newspapers offer a separate section for notary services, they might also be merged with other services.
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Organizations you belong to
If you are still looking for a notary open to everyone, you can enquire with the organization you belong to. For example, they might use low-cost or free notary services to attract more members or as a value addition to the membership. Let’s take a look at some examples of such organizations:
- Schools and universities might have free notaries on campus for students. This service needs to be advertised, and you need to enquire at the library desk or with the counselor to find out more about the notary offerings of your school. Notary charges – Free
- Military officers might be authorized to act as a notary for other military members and their dependents. There is always a notary available at military bases. But entering the base will require authorization. Notary charges – Free
- AAA branches often offer free notaries to their members. You can call your local branch and enquire about these services. Notary charges – Free
- Your workplace might have a notary who can help a fellow employee free of charge. Notary charges –$1 to $20 per document
Directory
You can search your local phone directory to look up the following sites online for notary services:
- 123notary.com
- Notary.net
- American Association of Notaries
- Search for “notary +your town/ city/ state/ zip code” on the internet
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Virtual Notaries
Online services like Notarize.com, NotaryCam, or OneNotary can help people get their documents notarized in some states within 15 minutes. They will email users a PDF version of their notarization in exchange for a fee. Unfortunately, many organizations don’t accept virtual notarization, so it is advisable to clear it out with the organization requesting notarization.
Notary charges – $1 to $20 per document
Finding a notary when traveling overseas:
It can be challenging to find a notary while traveling abroad. However, it isn’t impossible. Read on to learn about the different places from where you can get your documents notarized when on the move outside the United States:
- U.S. embassies and consulates offer notary services. However, these services are costly, and you must make an appointment beforehand.
- Military bases can help get your document notarized if you can obtain authorization to enter the camp.
- You can contact a lawyer dealing primarily with Americans to ask whether they provide notary services.
- Getting your documents notarized from a local municipal office or town hall is possible. But make sure to conduct background research about the questions you must ask in a foreign language.
Finding a notary on a cruise ship
On a cruise ship, you will be floating on international waters. As a result, notaries won’t be able to witness your documents. Nonetheless, you can try any of the options mentioned below when the ship has reached a port:
- Visit the military base if you are authorized to do so
- Visit a U.S. embassy or consulate
Conclusion
A notary can verify your identity and substantiate that you fully understand the documents you have signed and are signing them willingly. This is why we need to get our documents notarized while signing car title transfers, passport applications for minors, medical records, trusts, affidavits, and wills. If you are trying to get your signature notarized without shelling out a significant amount, then you can try the options listed above.