Signing paperwork while in the hospital is more common than most people realize. Sometimes this paperwork needs notarization, and it can be done while in the hospital, however it is more complicated than ordinary notarization. Can notarization occur in the emergency room or pre/post surgery? Are notaries allowed to notarize in the hospital? Mobile Notary Public’s are very practical in being able to notarize and sign paperwork while stuck at a medical facility.
We strive to make notarization convenient, efficient, and accessible for all of our clients, regardless of their location. The advantage of mobile notarization is the Notary Public travels to you, and can notarize throughout California wherever it is needed. Notarization does not need to occur in a certain specific place, the main requirement of notarization is the Notary needs to personally be in front of the signer.
There are a list of requirements and considerations that you should address before requesting that a notarization signing take place in a hospital or medical facility:
1. The Notary Public must be personally in front of the signer or patient. So there cannot be restrictions for access to the patient to which this would prevent this requirement. Such as the patient not being able to interact with the public due to risk of infection or anything of the sort.
2. The signer, or patient, must be able to fully communicate with the Notary Public and be lucid. They must understand what they are signing, and indicate to the Notary that they want to execute the document. They must not be heavily medicated and sedated to where they clearly do not understand what is occurring or are unable to interact with the notary and sign the paperwork on their own. Doctors can determine whether or not the patient is able to make legal decisions and can allow or prevent the signing. Notaries cannot go against the medical facilities determination of whether the person can sign or not, it is not up to the family members whether they think the signer is able and competent to sign or not.
3. The signers must be able to make their signature, and read the documents to be signed. They must not have someone assisting them in holding their hand or tracing their name by moving the patients arm. The signer must independently sign their own name. Even if the signer indicates that they want to sign, but are physically unable, notaries cannot notarize if someone else signs for them, the only person that can sign is the person being notarized.
4. Some signers are unable to sign their “usual legal signature”. Sometimes, they sign with an X or a mark and use signature by mark to be notarized. They would make an X or similar unique mark on each of the documents to be used as their signature. This method of signing has requirements for 2 witnesses and the witnesses must also subscribe their names.