To notarize a power of attorney, bring the completed but unsigned document, a valid government-issued photo ID, and any witnesses your state requires to a notary public, then sign the document in the notary’s presence so they can verify your identity and confirm you’re signing voluntarily. That’s the whole mechanism. The rest is knowing what counts as valid ID, whether your state wants witnesses, where to find a notary willing to handle a POA, and what to do with the document after the stamp goes on.
What to Bring to the Appointment
Three things: the document, your ID, and (sometimes) witnesses.
The power of attorney itself should be fully completed with no blank fields. Notaries are prohibited from helping you draft or fill in legal documents, so any gaps will stall the appointment. Do not sign the document ahead of time. A POA that arrives pre-signed cannot be notarized because the notary has to witness the actual act of signing.
Your ID must be government-issued and carry a photograph. Acceptable forms generally include a state driver’s license, a state ID card, a U.S. passport, or a military ID. Social Security cards, birth certificates, and credit cards don’t qualify because they lack a photo. Bring an unexpired ID. Some states technically allow expired credentials in narrow circumstances, but showing up with a lapsed license invites a refusal you can easily avoid.
Witness rules vary by state. Some states require one or two witnesses for every POA, some require them only for healthcare directives, and some treat witnesses as an alternative to notarization rather than an addition. Where witnesses are required, they must be adults with no stake in the document. That excludes the person you’re naming as agent, and most states also bar your relatives, anyone who stands to inherit from you, and your healthcare providers. Witnesses should bring their own photo ID. Confirm your state’s specific witness count before you go, because arriving short means rescheduling.
One drafting point worth checking before you leave the house: if you want the POA to remain effective if you later become incapacitated, it must contain explicit durability language, such as a clause stating the power “shall not be affected by my subsequent disability or incapacity.”1Legal Information Institute (LII) / Cornell Law School. Durable Power of Attorney Without that language, a standard POA terminates the moment you lose capacity. The notary won’t add it for you; that has to be in the document before you sit down.
Where to Find a Notary
Notaries work in more places than most people realize:
- Banks and credit unions, often free for account holders, though you may need an appointment.
- Shipping and mail service stores such as UPS Store locations.
- Law offices, particularly if an attorney drafted the POA.
- Local government offices, including some city halls, county clerks, and public libraries.
If the principal can’t travel because of illness, disability, or hospitalization, a mobile notary will come to a home, hospital, or care facility. Mobile notaries add a travel fee, commonly $25 to $75 or more depending on distance and time of day, on top of the standard per-signature charge.
Remote Online Notarization
Remote online notarization (RON) lets the whole appointment happen over a live video call, with the principal and notary in different locations. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia currently have laws permitting RON.2NASS. Remote Electronic Notarization It’s a practical option for principals who are homebound, live in rural areas, or are out of state.
RON identity checks are more involved than the in-person version. You’ll typically upload photos of the front and back of your government ID for automated credential analysis, then answer knowledge-based authentication questions drawn from your personal history, such as past addresses or mortgage balances. Many platforms require you to answer at least four out of five questions correctly within a two-minute window, with limited retakes before the notary must end the session. Once identity is verified, you join a recorded video call where the notary witnesses your electronic signature in real time.
What Happens During the Appointment
The appointment usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. The notary examines your photo ID, comparing the photo and physical description to you. Identity verification is the core of what the notary is certifying. As one state handbook puts it, the notary “verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document… and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document.”3California Secretary of State. 2025 California Notary Public Handbook They’re not reviewing the POA for legal correctness or giving you advice on its contents.
Once satisfied, the notary asks you to sign the POA while they watch. Then they perform the notarial act itself, which takes one of two forms. In an acknowledgment, the more common form for POAs, the notary asks you to confirm that you signed voluntarily and that the document reflects your intent. In a jurat, you sign in the notary’s presence and swear under oath that the contents are true.3California Secretary of State. 2025 California Notary Public Handbook Your state’s POA form specifies which is required.
The notary then completes a notarial certificate recording the date, location, and type of act performed, signs it, and affixes an official seal or stamp showing their name, commission number, and expiration date. Witnesses, if required, sign at this point. One firm restriction: the notary cannot be the person named as agent in the POA, since that creates a direct conflict of interest.
What It Costs
Most states cap what a notary can charge per signature, typically between $2 and $25 per notarial act, with $5 to $10 being the most common range. About ten states, including Alaska, Kentucky, and Louisiana, don’t set a statutory maximum, so fees there are market-driven. A single-principal POA might cost nothing at a bank that offers the service free to customers, or $10 to $15 at a retail location.
Mobile notaries add travel fees that commonly run $25 to $75, with after-hours or hospital visits often costing more. RON platforms typically charge $25 to $50 per session. These amounts are modest relative to the stakes of the document.
Mental Capacity and Why a Notary Can Refuse
The principal must have the mental capacity to understand what they’re signing. This isn’t a medical evaluation. The standard is functional awareness: you need to know what a power of attorney is, understand that you’re handing someone authority over your affairs, and recognize who you’re appointing.
Notaries are trained to screen for red flags. Expect brief conversation, a question or two about whether you understand the document, and quiet observation. If you appear disoriented, heavily medicated, or unable to communicate, the notary should decline. If someone else in the room is pressuring you or answering on your behalf, a responsible notary will either ask to speak with you privately or refuse to proceed. This is one of the most valuable protections notarization actually provides.
Timing matters. A POA signed by someone who arguably lacked capacity when they signed it can be invalidated in court later. If you’re setting up a POA for estate planning or ahead of a possible illness, do it while your capacity is clearly intact.
What to Do After Notarization
A notarized POA sitting in a drawer is not much use. Two things need to happen next.
First, distribute copies. Your agent needs one immediately. Some banks insist on seeing the original or a certified copy rather than a photocopy, so ask each institution what it requires. Give copies to your financial institutions, healthcare providers, and anyone else your agent may need to interact with. Providing copies proactively is far easier than having your agent show up unannounced with a document the institution has never seen.
Store the original in a secure but accessible location. A fireproof home safe works well. A safe deposit box is secure but can create a catch-22 if your agent needs the POA to get into the account that holds it. Tell your agent exactly where the document is.
Second, if the POA grants authority over real estate, record a copy with the county recorder’s office in every county where you own real property. Recording offices will not accept unnotarized documents, and title companies and county offices will refuse to process a sale, mortgage, or transfer without a recorded POA on file. Recording fees vary by county but are generally modest. Record right after notarization, not when a deal is already in motion.