-Passport copies
-Banks statements
-401k statements
-Birth Certificates
-Other things

Wells
Chase
Bank of the West

I hear non of them do it but I will walk into the branch later this week and ask in person

Begs why? They notarise your signature, check it against your ID.

Just a comment... notaries do not attest to the validity or authenticity of a document. They merely witness your signature and/or that a copy is a true copy of an original document. If your intent in getting the documents notarized is to say, "This is a real, official, unaltered document", a notary is not what you want.

I have to send these to Sydney. If I were there, I would go to a JD. Since I am overseas the requirement is to get it notarized. So I plan to go to the notary and get either 'signature' or 'copy of original' notarized

Take a walk around any corporate park and ask at any reception if there is a notary public around and they will probably direct you to someone.

We have a receptionist in one of the suites in our building who does it for free, she enjoys the opportunity for a chat.

Yep, I'm a notary, and pretty much everyone in our office building (not just the company I work for) comes around to get something notarized every so often. I don't charge anything, it's free.

I have, in the past, notarized a photocopy, saying that it's a true photocopy of the original. Never had to do that many all at once, though...just maybe 3 pages at the most.

Rene

I hope I can find someone here!

I needed to send certified copies of my passport OH's passport and a few other documents to our solicitor in the UK last year. I went into our local Chase branch where we set up our account 8+ yrs ago and are regular customers. The manager refused to do it, quoting company policy on not notarizing or certifying official government issued ID's. She suggested I go to the issuing government office or try the DMV to get a certified copy of my drivers licence .....duh I tried to explain it was the UK passport that I needed and I wasn't planning to fly back to the UK to get a certified copy.

Ended up getting my daughters HS principle to do it for me and he didn't charge.

Practically anyone can be a notary - I think the licence/fee is around $400, not sure what training is needed? OP could DIY perhaps.

Part of my job is reviewing mortgages. We receive "true and certified" copies, which can be certified by whoever makes the copy from the original. There is usually one stamp on first page, initialed by whoever copied it. Sometimes they stamp every page, or just the signature page, but not often. (most pages are just pro forma text).

Of course the original signatures had to be notarized. Quite often the notary screws up. Did not acknowledge both signers, put wrong date, and occasionally their commission expiry date has expired etc. (More often than not it is Attorneys that are less diligent, than the usual closing agent ) all of which brings me to suggest, OP try a Title Company to find a helpful notary!

Also given it is for Australia, check the terminology - it may not mean the same thing there as in US - as, in UK passport applications ask for a doctor or similar to endorse things.

Just remembered - I went to my Bank of America to get my divorce papers notarized - they wouldn't do it. "No legal documents" or words to that effect. I got it done at UPS. Same for a quit claim deed when we split.

Depends on the state I think.

The missus had to read a largish booklet, pay $150 odd I think to do a test, which was multi choice and not to long, then another $50 for the certificate and stamp thingy...and it meant going from one floor to another at the town hall type office in Boston and hours of waiting around in between. Can't remember exam sums as her employer paid.

Wasn't hard, but was a hassle.

I'm a notary in Virginia. I can't notarize birth/death/divorce certificates as true copies because those are already certified copies -- the originals are held by the government. Not sure if it's the same in other states, though.

The $10/page or signature fee sounded high to me, so I googled California notary guidelines and found the following:

8211. Fees charged by a notary public for the following services
shall not exceed the fees prescribed by this section.
(a) For taking an acknowledgment or proof of a deed, or other
instrument, to include the seal and the writing of the certificate,
the sum of ten dollars ($10) for each signature taken.
(b) For administering an oath or affirmation to one person and
executing the jurat, including the seal, the sum of ten dollars
($10).
(c) For all services rendered in connection with the taking of any
deposition, the sum of twenty dollars ($20), and in addition
thereto, the sum of five dollars ($5) for administering the oath to
the witness and the sum of five dollars ($5) for the certificate to
the deposition.
(d) No fee may be charged to notarize signatures on vote by mail
ballot identification envelopes or other voting materials.
(e) For certifying a copy of a power of attorney under Section
4307 of the Probate Code the sum of ten dollars ($10).
(f) In accordance with Section 6107, no fee may be charged to a
United States military veteran for notarization of an application or
a claim for a pension, allotment, allowance, compensation, insurance,
or any other veteran's benefit.

If the OP becomes a Notary, he cannot notarized his own documents/signature, or those of family members.

Here in AZ, the cost of becoming a Notary was $133.

Rene

That's what I was going to suggest. Even just asking round your employer. There doesn't seem to be any real criteria job wise for being a notary and you will be surprised at how many people are one.

Just go to a UPS store, they charge a few dollars per document. We used a UPS-notarized copy of our passport for my son's birth registration and had no problems.