Over the years, I have notarized many documents for signers with physical impairments and other special needs. Those experiences taught me that I need more than my Notary stamp and journal to accommodate the requirements of the notarization.
It’s always important to be familiar with your state’s requirements and guidelines for dealing with special needs signers. But without a few additional tools, the notarization might come to a halt. Here are a few items I keep with me to be prepared for signers with different needs.
Visually impaired signers
One of the more common challenges with visually impaired signers is helping them to sign in the right space — on the document and in your journal. A signature guide card will help with this. This card is about the size of a business card and has the bottom third open to expose the document signature area. This creates a small lip around the space for the signature that the signer can feel with their pen to help them stay in the space without assistance. A signature card can typically be obtained from a support group for the visually impaired.
Physically impaired signers
Those who cannot sign their names due to physical impairment may sign with a mark instead. For the Notary, the most important tool in these situations is your state Notary handbook or similar reference. Having the contact information for the NNA Hotline also can be very helpful. That’s because the requirements for signature by mark can be very specific. For example, how many witnesses are required to observe the signing? Are the witnesses required to sign the document or the Notary’s journal? What are the requirements for noting the signature by mark on the document? Is a signature by proxy allowed for signers who cannot make a mark?
If the signer is physically unable to make a mark with a pen, they still may use a thumbprint or fingerprint as their mark. So it would be helpful to have an ink pad ready.
If your state requires you to include a statement about how the document was signed, you can generally meet that requirement by purchasing a stamp with the necessary wording.
Hearing impaired
In notarizing for the hearing impaired, it is important to confirm I can communicate directly with my signer. If an interpreter is required then I am not the Notary for them. However, if they can write notes to me, then I can notarize their signature. So it’s a good idea to always carry a pen and notepad with you.
Elderly
Many seniors do not need extra accommodation just because they are older. But I keep these tools in my bag just in case they do:
- Extra-large-barrel pens and other ergonomically designed writing instruments, such as Penagains;
- Over-the-counter reading classes 2.0 and 3.0; and
- A clipboard, for those times when your signer cannot sit at a desk or table.
You may not need these tools when dealing with signers with special needs. But if you have them available, you’ll be able to handle most situations that arise.
Laura Biewer is founder of CoachmeLaura.com and owns At Your Service Mobile Notary in Modesto, California. She also teaches seminars for the National Notary Association and is a regular presenter at the NNA's annual Conferences.
Related Articles:
Ensuring successful notarizations for hospital and rehab patients
A Notary’s role in preventing elder financial exploitation
What Would You Do Answers: When a signer says she didn’t want to sign
Additional Resources:
NNA Webinars: Commonly Asked Questions
State Law Summaries
Notary Law Primer