Terms of Service

Golden Bear Notary
The Golden Choice

Effective Date: March 14, 2026

Golden Bear Notary provides mobile notary and loan signing services throughout Vista and North County San Diego. These Terms of Service outline the conditions under which notarial and related services are provided. By scheduling or requesting an appointment, you acknowledge and agree to the following terms and conditions.

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service govern the use of all notarial and mobile services provided by Golden Bear Notary. By scheduling, requesting, or participating in an appointment, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these terms.

2. Notarial Authority & Compliance

All notarizations are performed in strict accordance with California Government Code § 8200 et seq. and California Civil Code § 1185.

To perform a lawful notarization, the following conditions must be satisfied:

Personal Appearance
The signer must physically appear before the Notary at the time of the notarial act.

Satisfactory Evidence of Identity
The signer must present valid government-issued identification as required by California law.

Willingness & Awareness
The Notary must determine that the signer is acting voluntarily and appears to understand the nature of the document being signed.

3. Document Integrity

Golden Bear Notary does not prepare, draft, or modify legal documents.

Clients are responsible for ensuring that:

• Documents are complete and contain no blank spaces prior to the Notary’s arrival
• All required pages of the document are present
• The correct notarial certificate is included if required

Non-Attorney Status

Golden Bear Notary is a commissioned California Notary Public and is not an attorney. The Notary cannot interpret legal documents, explain their legal effect, or advise clients on which documents they should sign.

Clients with legal questions should consult a qualified attorney licensed in the State of California.

4. Identification Requirements

Pursuant to California Civil Code § 1185, all signers must present a current identification document (or one issued within the past five years) that contains:

• A photograph
• Physical description
• Signature
• Unique serial or identifying number

Acceptable forms of identification may include:

• California Driver’s License or California Identification Card
• United States Passport or Passport Card
• Foreign Passport stamped by USCIS
• Other government-issued identification permitted under California law

Note: Social Security cards, birth certificates, or photocopies of identification are not acceptable forms of ID for notarization.

5. Fees & Payments

Notarial Fees

Fees for notarial acts are charged per signature in accordance with California Government Code § 8211. The current statutory maximum fee for most notarial acts is $15.00 per signature, unless otherwise limited by law.

Travel & Service Fees

Mobile travel and service fees are separate from statutory notarization fees and compensate the Notary for travel time, fuel, scheduling, and administrative preparation. These fees are disclosed and agreed upon at the time the appointment is scheduled.

6. Cancellation & No-Show Policy

To respect the Notary’s schedule and ensure availability for all clients, the following policy applies to all appointments.

Cancellation Notice

Clients are requested to provide at least 2 hours notice when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment whenever possible, to void a cancellation fee.

Travel Fee Responsibility

If the Notary has already departed for the appointment or has arrived at the scheduled location, the agreed-upon Travel Fee remains due and payable, even if the notarization cannot be completed due to circumstances including but not limited to:

• The signer is absent (No-Show)
• The signer lacks valid statutory identification
• The signer appears unwilling, unaware, or incapacitated
• Required witnesses are not present
• Documents are incomplete or contain blank spaces

Wait Time Policy

If the Notary is required to wait more than 15 minutes past the scheduled appointment time, an additional Waiting Fee may be applied.

7. Refusal of Service

Golden Bear Notary reserves the right to refuse notarization if any legal requirement is not satisfied or if circumstances raise concern regarding the validity of the transaction.

Service may be refused if:

• Statutory identification requirements are not met
• The signer appears coerced, incapacitated, or confused
• The document contains blank spaces or appears fraudulent
• The Notary has a financial interest in the transaction or is a named party in the document

Appointment Environment

For safety and professionalism, Golden Bear Notary reserves the right to discontinue or decline an appointment if the location or environment presents a safety concern, unlawful activity, or conditions that prevent the proper performance of a notarial act.

8. Limitation of Liability

Golden Bear Notary performs services in good faith and in compliance with California law. However, Golden Bear Notary is not responsible for the legality, validity, or enforceability of documents presented for notarization.

Liability for any claim related to notarial services is limited to the extent of the Notary’s Errors & Omissions insurance coverage.