Frequently asked questions

About me and my services

What is a mobile notary?

A mobile notary public is a commissioned notary who travels to your location to perform an authorized notarial act. You do not have to take time off work, drive across town, or sit in a lobby. I come to you.

Who are you?

I'm MzLeigh. I have served my community in many different capacities for more than 30 years, and I have been a commissioned Minnesota notary since 2022. I am also licensed by the Minnesota Department of Commerce as a closing agent and carry private professional insurance.

Notary Commission #1321140700031, expires January 31, 2027. Closing Agent License #40834715, expires June 30, 2028.

What areas do you serve?

Saint Paul and the surrounding Twin Cities metro. Travel is measured round trip from ZIP code 55102, and I may accept appointments beyond 50 round-trip miles when the assignment calls for it.

What types of documents and services do you handle?

Depending on the document, requested act, signer readiness, and recipient requirements, I may assist with:

• Affidavits and sworn statements
• Powers of attorney, wills, trusts, health care directives, and other client- or attorney-prepared estate documents
• Personal, financial, business, and selected DMV documents
• Correctional facility, jail, hospital, hospice, assisted living, and nursing facility appointments
• Eligible notarial copy certifications
• Apostille facilitation and courier service
• Consent letters for a minor traveling internationally
• Real estate purchases, refinances, HELOCs, reverse mortgages, and other loan signings
• Form I-9 authorized-representative service, which is an employment-verification service and not a notarial act

Some documents cannot be notarized as presented, and some recipients have their own acceptance rules. If you are unsure, call before booking. I would rather tell you no on the phone than after I arrive.

Can you explain my document or tell me which document I need?

No. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in Minnesota. I cannot interpret a document, select a form, tell you what legal document you need, advise you how to complete it, or predict its legal effect. Please direct questions about content or legal consequences to your attorney, document provider, title professional, lender, or other qualified advisor.

I am always happy to explain the notarization process and answer questions that stay within my lawful notarial role.

Fees and payment

How much does mobile notarization cost?

Minnesota sets the notarial act fee at $5 per act. My mobile fee covers travel, scheduling, and administration and starts at $35 within ten miles of Saint Paul, which includes your first notarial act. Distance is measured round trip from ZIP code 55102.

Every fee I charge is published in full on the Fees page, and you receive an itemized quote before your appointment is confirmed. If no notarial act is performed, the $5 act fee is not charged or is refunded.

What is the priority fee?

$50 for approved same-day appointments, evenings after 7:00 PM, and weekends. For loan signings, reverse mortgages, and RON loan signings, it is $75. Every priority request is reviewed and confirmed before acceptance.

Do you charge for witnesses?

$50 per witness for in-person signings and $15 per witness for remote sessions when an eligible remote witness can be arranged. Witness requirements vary by document and governing law. You may provide your own qualified witnesses, or request witness coordination in advance.

How do you accept payment?

Credit or debit card, Zelle, cash, cashier's check, and money order. I do not add a separate credit-card surcharge.

Payment is due before the notarization is performed unless a written agreement for a loan signing or business account provides otherwise.

Why is payment collected before the notarization?

Collecting the disclosed amount first means we both know the exact price before the act is completed. Your invoice separately identifies the notarial-act charge and the mobile or other service charges.

Booking, confirmation, and cancellation

How do I schedule an appointment?

Book online, or call or text 833-695-3444 (833-MZLEIGH).

Is my appointment confirmed when I submit the booking form?

Not yet. A booking request temporarily reserves the requested time while I review the details, availability, distance, document type, number of signers, and requested services. I then send the exact invoice. Your appointment is confirmed only after I accept the request and the required payment is received.

Can I get a same-day appointment?

Often, yes, when availability and document readiness allow. Same-day appointments carry the applicable priority fee and require my express confirmation.

Can I cancel or reschedule?

Yes. More than 24 hours before the appointment, you may cancel or reschedule at no charge. With less than 24 hours' notice, mobile, travel, priority, reserved-time, printing, courier, third-party, and other services already performed may be non-refundable. Fees for notarial acts that were not performed are not retained. See the Refund, Redo & Cancellation Policy for full details.

Preparing for the appointment

What identification do you require?

As a MzNotaryMN business policy, each signer must present an original, physical, unexpired government-issued photo identification that I can reasonably rely on. Examples may include:

• State driver's license or identification card
• U.S. passport book or passport card
• U.S. military identification
• Permanent Resident Card or another current government immigration identification containing the information needed to establish identity
• Another current federal, state, county, or local government identification with a photograph and identifying information acceptable for the requested act

Photocopies and phone images are not accepted as the signer's identification. An appointment involving unusual identification or a signer without acceptable identification requires advance review.

What if I do not have acceptable identification?

Minnesota law may allow identity to be established through one qualified credible witness. As a MzNotaryMN risk-management policy, I generally require two credible identity witnesses when a signer cannot present acceptable identification. The appointment must be approved in advance.

Each credible identity witness must:

• Personally know the signer well enough to identify the signer reliably
• Personally appear for the appointment
• Take an oath or affirmation concerning the signer's identity
• Present identification acceptable to MzNotaryMN
• Have no financial or beneficial interest in the document or transaction

A credible identity witness is different from a witness who signs the document itself. I do not act as the credible identity witness for a notarial act that I am performing. In limited situations, I may agree in advance to serve as a separate document witness when the document and applicable law allow it, there is no conflict, and my impartiality is not affected; however, I generally prefer an independent witness.

Should I sign before the appointment?

When in doubt, leave the document unsigned. A verification upon oath or affirmation and a signature-witnessing act generally require signing in my presence. A document requiring an acknowledgment may sometimes have been signed earlier, but the signer must personally appear and acknowledge that the signature is theirs. Contact me before the appointment if the document is already signed.

Does my document need to be complete?

Yes. Present a complete document, with only the signature or other portions that must be completed during the signing left blank. I do not notarize a signature on a document that is materially blank or incomplete. I may review the document only to identify the requested notarial certificate and operational requirements; I do not review it for legal sufficiency.

What if the name on the document differs from the ID?

The identification and surrounding circumstances must reasonably support the identity of the person named in the document. Initials, maiden names, hyphenated names, suffixes, shortened names, and recent legal-name changes require advance review and may require additional evidence. Contact me before booking rather than assuming the appointment can proceed.

What happens if you arrive and the appointment cannot proceed?

If the appointment cannot proceed because identification is unacceptable, the document is materially incomplete, required participants are absent, the signer is unwilling, or I cannot reasonably confirm identity, willingness, or capacity, the mobile, travel, reserved-time, priority, printing, and other service charges already earned remain due. A fee for a notarial act that was not performed is not charged or is refunded.

What if my loved one is asleep, sedated, or not lucid when you arrive?

Bedside conditions can change quickly. I will not notarize while the signer is asleep, sedated to the point that capacity or willingness cannot be assessed, or unable to communicate adequately. I do not automatically treat that situation as a no-show. I will discuss a reasonable rescheduling option, subject to availability and any costs already incurred.

Notarial acts explained

What is an acknowledgment?

The signer personally appears, is identified, and confirms that the signature on the document is theirs and was made for the purposes stated in the document. The signature may have been made before the appointment.

What is a verification upon oath or affirmation, commonly called a jurat?

The signer personally appears, is identified, signs in the notary's presence, and swears or affirms that the statements in the document are true. I administer the oath or affirmation; I do not independently verify the truth of the document's contents.

What is witnessing or attesting a signature?

The signer personally appears, is identified, and signs in my presence. No oath is administered unless the document separately requires one.

Can you certify a copy?

In appropriate cases, yes. Minnesota law authorizes a notarial officer to certify or attest that an eligible copy is a full, true, and accurate reproduction of the original record or item inspected.

I do not create agency-issued certified copies of birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, or other official records that must be obtained from the government agency or records custodian. Passports, driver's licenses, privately held records, and some other items may qualify, depending on the intended use and the recipient's requirements.

A notarial copy certification confirms only that the copy accurately reproduces the original item inspected. It does not establish that the information inside the original is true, valid, current, or legally effective.

What is a loan signing agent or closing agent?

A closing agent who is also a notary may facilitate the execution of mortgage and real estate documents according to the instructions of the hiring title company, lender, attorney, or settlement provider. My role is to identify signers, present documents, point out permitted information, obtain signatures and initials, complete notarial certificates, and return the package as instructed. I do not interpret loan terms or provide legal or financial advice.

When will you refuse or stop a notarization?

I may pause or decline when identification is inadequate, the document is materially incomplete, the requested act is unclear or unauthorized, the signer does not appear competent, the signer is not acting knowingly and voluntarily, someone is exerting pressure, the transaction appears unlawful, or continuing would violate law or professional standards.

Estate-planning appointments

What do your estate-planning appointment packages include and cost?

These are signing-coordination and notarization service packages for documents prepared or selected by you, your attorney, or your document provider. I do not draft estate documents, select forms, determine which documents you need, or advise whether a deed or other legal instrument is required.

Packages start at $149 for a single person and $249 for a couple, and a single estate document at a home or office is $99. Travel and $5 per applicable notarial act are added unless the written quote says otherwise. Every package and price is listed on the Fees page.

Can you come to a hospital, hospice, assisted living facility, or nursing home?

Yes. Facility visits start at $75 for assisted living, nursing home, or rehabilitation, and at $90 for hospital, hospice, or memory care. Both include the mobile fee within ten miles, facility coordination, and the first $5 notarial act.

For estate documents executed on site, the Facility Document Package starts at $250 plus travel and includes facility coordination, two witnesses provided, document completeness review, and real time on site. That fee is payable whether the documents are executed or not, because a facility appointment requires reserved time and coordination regardless of the outcome. All four package levels are listed on the Fees page.

Facility rules, signer readiness, and access restrictions may affect the appointment.

Does a will need to be notarized in Minnesota?

A Minnesota will generally does not have to be notarized to be valid, but it ordinarily must satisfy Minnesota's signing and witness requirements. A will may include a notarized self-proving affidavit involving the testator and witnesses, which can simplify later proof of proper execution in probate. I notarize the signatures and sworn statements presented; I do not determine whether the will is legally sufficient.

Can I complete estate-planning documents through RON with MzNotaryMN?

No. Although Minnesota law may permit remote notarization of certain estate-planning documents, I do not offer RON for estate-planning packages as a matter of company policy. I believe these high-stakes signings are better served in person, where identity, willingness, awareness, witness coordination, and the signing environment can receive careful attention.

Remote online notarization

What is RON?

Remote online notarization allows an eligible electronic document to be notarized through live audio-video communication, identity proofing, electronic signatures, and an electronic notarial seal. I must be physically located in Minnesota when I perform the act. Signers located outside Minnesota or outside the United States are accepted only when the transaction and location satisfy Minnesota law and platform requirements.

What does RON cost?

$45 per person in separate locations, which includes the first $5 notarial act when performed, plus the technology and convenience services. Additional signers, acts, and copies are priced on the Fees page. I review the documents and quote before confirmation.

What is included in a RON session?

Platform-based identity verification, knowledge-based authentication when required, live audio-video communication, an electronic signature and seal, an electronic journal, an audio-video recording, and electronic delivery through the Proof/Notarize platform or another approved provider.

What services do you not perform through RON?

Estate-planning appointment packages and reverse-mortgage applications or closings. This is a MzNotaryMN company policy, not a claim that every such transaction is prohibited from RON by Minnesota law.

Why are reverse mortgages handled in person?

Many reverse-mortgage clients are older adults who benefit from additional time, patience, and personal attention. I conduct these appointments in person as a service policy and courtesy so technology does not become an unnecessary barrier during an important financial transaction. I do not provide financial advice or recommend whether a reverse mortgage is appropriate.

Apostille and authentication

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a government certificate that authenticates the signature and official capacity of a public official for use in another country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention. It does not verify the truth of the document's contents. Documents for non-Hague countries may require a different authentication or legalization process.

What documents commonly require apostille or authentication service?

Examples include eligible birth, marriage, adoption, school, business, background-check, power-of-attorney, deed, diploma, and status documents. Requirements vary by document, issuing authority, destination country, and intended use.

What does apostille service cost?

There are two services. Courier service, where you bring documents that are already notarized, starts at $175. Full-service facilitation, where I notarize them first, starts at $275. Both are offered at three turnaround levels, and every tier and add-on is listed on the Fees page. Your written quote controls.

How long does it take?

Standard service is estimated at 12 to 15 business days, Rush at 7 to 10 business days, and Expedited at approximately 3 to 5 business days. Expedited means I hand-deliver eligible documents to the Minnesota Secretary of State and retrieve them as arranged.

These are estimates based on the State's published schedule, not guarantees. Government appointment availability, document eligibility, processing, shipping, foreign-country requirements, and third-party decisions are outside my control.

What if the Secretary of State or another authority rejects the document?

If rejection results from an issue outside my control, reprocessing is $75 per document, correction assistance is $50 when applicable, and additional government or third-party fees must be paid again. When reprocessed within seven days, no additional MzNotaryMN courier fee is charged. Service fees are non-refundable once courier or facilitation work begins, except to the extent required by law or caused by my error.

What if the rejection was caused by your mistake?

I correct my notarial error at no charge and cover my own reasonable redo and courier costs. My errors are my responsibility.

Loan signings and business services

What does a loan signing cost?

Standard signings generally run $175 to $225 for one or two signers in the Twin Cities metro, and buyer packages with multiple signers and funding documents generally run $225 to $275. Reverse mortgage and deed-only pricing is listed on the Fees page. The written quote and hiring agreement control.

What is included in the loan-signing fee?

Printing up to 300 pages when required, up to 90 round-trip miles of travel, professional signing facilitation, and local courier drop-off as instructed.

For appointments during regular business hours, documents go out the same day. I am fourteen minutes from the FedEx airport location, which closes at 8:30 PM, and I work to drop by 8:15 PM. For a late-evening signing, the package goes out the following morning. I do not guarantee a particular carrier cutoff or next-day delivery.

Travel past 90 round-trip miles is $0.76 per mile under my business rate.

Do you provide corporate and I-9 services?

Yes. Corporate notarization starts at $75, with package pricing for multiple documents and on-site executive sessions listed on the Fees page.

Form I-9 authorized-representative service starts at $55 per employee, with group rates available. I-9 verification is not a notarial act, and I do not act as the employer or determine work authorization.

Do you offer a business retainer?

The Business Partner Retainer is $250 per month and is designed for law firms, title companies, HR departments, staffing agencies, and other recurring clients. It may include up to five appointments, priority scheduling, and monthly invoicing, subject to the written retainer agreement. Travel, statutory notarial-act charges, witnesses, printing, courier, priority, and third-party costs are included or excluded only as the agreement states.

Privacy and records

What do you do with the documents I send?

I use them to evaluate the requested service, quote accurately, prepare for the appointment, perform the work, and satisfy legal or contractual recordkeeping. I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Active working copies are deleted when no longer reasonably needed, generally within 30 days after completion, subject to backups, provider retention, disputes, legal requirements, and the Privacy Policy.

Do you keep a notary journal?

Yes. Minnesota does not generally require a traditional journal for every in-person notarization, but I voluntarily maintain a secure journal as a professional risk-management practice. Completed entries are preserved under my internal record-integrity policy.

For RON, Minnesota law requires a secure electronic journal and an audio-video recording. Those records are retained for at least ten years through the approved RON platform or designated repository.

Fees are current as of July 25, 2026 and may change. The written quote and policies in effect when the appointment is confirmed control, except where applicable law requires otherwise.