I’m certified by the state to issue RON. When I receive requests for RON from signing services, do I need to use the platform I’m affiliated with, or would they prefer me to use their preferred platform?

We've noticed an interesting pattern over the years. If an order is assigned as a Deed but turns out to be a Seller Package, many notaries immediately reach out to let us know the assignment doesn't match the scope of work. But when the opposite happens, an order is assigned as a Seller Package and it turns out to be just a Deed, it's much less common for anyone to mention it. Professionalism isn't just about speaking up when something benefits us. It's also about being consistent, even when it doesn't. Integrity is doing the right thing regardless of the outcome.

Let us talk about the ID check, the part of the job that gets rushed the most and matters the most. Two questions for the community: 1. What is your exact routine for checking an ID? Walk us through what you actually look at, step by step. 2. Have you ever had an ID that was expired, did not match, or just felt off? What did you do, and how did you handle the moment without making it tense? Drop your answers below. The more we share the real routines and the real save stories, the sharper everyone gets.

Hi Everyone! I'm Mariangel, a scheduler at TCSS, and I would like to share this with you. I had a tough one today: a remote order in Maine with very limited notary coverage, only 10 notaries within 25 miles! Instead of struggling to find a notary who could travel or bring a witness, I pivoted and asked if the signer could provide their own witness. It made the process so much smoother and helped us secure a notary much faster. Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best way to keep the file moving! To all the notaries out there: In situations like this, do you prefer when we ask the signer to provide a witness beforehand, or do you find it easier to handle those arrangements yourselves? I'd love to hear your take!

Has anyone else noticed that title companies seem to be rushing through borrower communication lately? More frequently, when I call to confirm appointments, signers either aren’t aware that they need to provide a witness or have never been told they need to have banking information available. By the time I mention it, they’re often stressed because they’re scrambling to make arrangements at the last minute. I’m always happy to help and make the signing process as smooth as possible, but shouldn’t this information be communicated to the signer by the title company well before the appointment? Curious to hear if other notaries are experiencing the same thing.