Frequently Asked Questions

No — please do not sign beforehand. Ohio law requires the notary to witness your signature in person. If a document is already signed when we arrive, we can’t notarize it, and it will need to be reprinted and signed in our presence.

A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or state ID), the complete unsigned document, and any other signers or witnesses the document requires. If you’re not sure whether your document needs witnesses, let us know when you book and we’ll help you confirm.

Wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, real estate deeds, affidavits, title transfers, personal loan agreements, and virtually any document that requires a notary’s signature. If you’re unsure whether yours qualifies, contact us and we’ll let you know.

Yes. We regularly perform bedside and facility notarizations at hospitals, assisted living, and senior care facilities throughout Cuyahoga County. Medical situations don’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Evenings and weekends included.

Absolutely. Bringing the notarization to someone who can’t travel is one of the most common things we do. We come to the home, facility, or bedside and work patiently at the signer’s pace.

Ohio law allows certain accommodations, such as signing by mark or directing another person to sign on the signer’s behalf under specific conditions. The signer must still be aware, willing, and able to communicate their intent. Tell us the situation when you book and we’ll explain what’s possible for your specific document.

Most appointments take 10–30 minutes, depending on the number of documents and signers. Multi-signer or estate-planning sessions may run a bit longer.

Yes. Estate planning and family paperwork often involve multiple signers and documents that should be signed together. We coordinate the entire signing in one appointment so nothing is missed.

Yes — printing is available as an add-on. Let us know when you book so we bring printed copies and you’re not scrambling beforehand.

Yes. We’re available weekday evenings until 9:30pm and weekends 11:00am–6:00pm, and we can often arrange to meet during the downtime in your shift. Flexible scheduling around non-traditional hours is one of the reasons clients choose us.

Federal law requires that an employee’s identity and work authorization documents be physically examined in person. When a company hires someone remotely, they can designate an authorized representative to meet the employee, inspect the original documents, and complete Section 2 of Form I-9 on the employer’s behalf. That’s the service we provide.

Yes — this is exactly who this service is for. If your company is headquartered elsewhere and your new hire is in Northeast Ohio, we meet the employee locally, complete the in-person document inspection, and return the completed form to you.

Yes. Many employers use online I-9 platforms, and we work within them, uploading authorized representative credentials, employee identification, and meeting the platform’s specific requirements.

Yes, and it saves you money. We can complete multiple employees’ I-9 verifications at the same location on the same visit — one trip, multiple hires — which eliminates repeat travel fees. This is ideal for staffing pushes, seasonal hiring, and onboarding events.

Original, unexpired documents from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents: either one document from List A, or one from List B plus one from List C. We inspect originals only; photocopies are not accepted, as required by law.

Ohio construction employers are now required to complete both Form I-9 and E-Verify for all new nonresidential construction hires. We’re familiar with these obligations and coordinate directly with your HR team so compliance is handled correctly the first time.

Form I-9 Section 2 must be completed within three business days of the employee’s start date, so timing matters. We prioritize I-9 appointments and offer evening and weekend availability to help you stay within that window.

The employee completes Section 1. We, acting as your authorized representative, complete Section 2 after physically examining the documents. We return the completed form to your organization for your records.

About 15–30 minutes on-site per employee. Group sessions are scheduled efficiently so multiple employees move through smoothly.

We return the completed Form I-9 to your organization. Employers are responsible for retaining I-9s under federal recordkeeping rules; we complete the in-person verification step and hand the documentation back to you.

An apostille is an official authentication that makes a document legally valid for use in another country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention. For Ohio-issued documents, the authentication is issued by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

Birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas and transcripts, powers of attorney, notarized affidavits, and corporate records, typically when they’ll be used abroad for things like dual citizenship, international adoption, overseas study, foreign residency, or international business.

We review your document to confirm it qualifies for an Ohio apostille, explain the process and realistic timelines honestly, submit the request to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, track it, and deliver the authenticated document back to you.

Typically 5–15 business days for standard processing, depending on current Ohio Secretary of State processing times. Expedited options may be available depending on state office capacity. We’ll give you a realistic timeline for your specific document.

An apostille is a single-step certification accepted by Hague Convention member countries. Authentication is a certification of an official’s signature issued by the U.S. Department of State, used when the destination is not a Hague member. Legalization is the final stamp provided by that country’s embassy or consulate. For non-Hague countries, all three steps happen in sequence: state certification then U.S. authentication then embassy legalization.

Documents going to non-Hague countries require a multi-step chain instead of an apostille. The Ohio Secretary of State certifies the notarial signature, the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications then certifies the Ohio seal, and finally the destination country’s embassy or consulate provides the legalization stamp. We confirm whether your country requires this chain and coordinate the full process so nothing is missed or done out of order.

It depends on the document. Some documents (like certified vital records) go straight to the state; others (like a power of attorney or affidavit) must first be notarized. We review your document up front so the right steps happen in the right order.

The destination country determines the correct process. If the country is a Hague Apostille Convention member, an apostille is the right path. If it is not a member, the full authentication and legalization chain applies. We confirm this for every document before any work begins — submitting through the wrong process wastes time and money and can delay critical deadlines.

The full chain takes longer because it moves through multiple government offices. An Ohio apostille typically takes 5–15 business days. The authentication and legalization chain can take several weeks depending on U.S. Department of State processing times and how quickly the destination country’s embassy schedules appointments. We give you a realistic estimate once we confirm what your destination country requires.

We facilitate the official Ohio apostille accurately and reliably, but the receiving authority in the destination country sets its own requirements. We make sure the Ohio authentication is done correctly and advise you honestly on anything we can see that might affect acceptance.

A loan signing agent is a notary with specialized training in real estate and loan document packages. We guide borrowers through each document in a mortgage, refinance, or home equity package, confirm signatures and initials on every page, notarize what’s required, and return the completed package to the title company or lender.

Yes. We are NNA Certified and Loan Signing System (LSS) certified, and insured. We bring familiarity with closing documents, lender requirements, and the expectations of title companies and escrow officers to every signing.

Yes. We travel to the borrower’s home, an attorney’s office, or any mutually agreed location across Cuyahoga County and Greater Cleveland, including evenings and weekends when closing schedules demand it.

We receive your document package electronically, print it, travel to the signing location, walk the borrower through every document professionally, notarize the applicable pages, and return the completed package promptly and securely.

About 60–90 minutes for a standard loan package. More complex packages may run longer. We never rush a signer through important documents.

A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID for every signer, and any items the title company or lender specifically requested (such as a cashier’s check or additional documentation). We’ll confirm details before the appointment.

Yes. Property transfers, construction loan draws, contractor agreements, and related multi-page packages are part of what we do. We handle complex document sets carefully. Pages in order, nothing missed, returned complete.

Yes — our courier add-on handles secure pickup and return delivery so you don’t have to coordinate drop-off separately. Ask about availability when booking.

Yes. We’re available weekday evenings until 9:30pm and weekends 11:00am–6:00pm — useful when a closing date lands outside normal business hours or a borrower can only meet after work.

We can identify each document and walk you through where to sign, initial, and date, but we are not attorneys and don’t provide legal or financial advice. Questions about the terms themselves should go to your lender, title company, or attorney.