Swift Pens Notary

A notary public is an official commissioned by the State of New Jersey to act as an impartial witness. When you sign a document in front of me, I confirm who you are, confirm that you are signing willingly and appear to understand what you are signing, record the act in my notary journal, and complete the notarial certificate with my signature and seal.

A notary verifies the signer, not the document. Notarization does not make a document legal, true, or enforceable. It shows that the right person signed it.

• Acknowledgments: you declare that you signed the document for its stated purpose. Common on deeds, powers of attorney and trust documents.
• Jurats: you sign in front of me and swear or affirm that the contents are true. Common on affidavits.
• Oaths and affirmations: a spoken promise of truthfulness, with or without a document.
• Signature witnessing: I watch you sign and confirm your identity.
• Copy certifications: I confirm a copy is a full, true and accurate reproduction of an original you present.

Look for the certificate wording already printed on your document. Phrases like “acknowledged before me” point to an acknowledgment; “subscribed and sworn to before me” points to a jurat. If there is no wording, the person or agency that asked for the notarization (your attorney, lender, school or the receiving office) must tell you which act is required.

New Jersey notaries are not allowed to choose the type of notarization for you, because that decision can have legal consequences.

No. Swift Pens Notary is not a law firm. I cannot prepare legal documents, explain what a document means, tell you which form to use, or advise you on whether to sign. For those questions please contact an attorney, or the lender, title company or agency that issued the document.

Yes. I am a New Jersey commissioned notary public, a certified Notary Signing Agent, background-screened through the National Notary Association (NNA), and I carry Errors and Omissions insurance.

Yes. Under New Jersey rules, a notary may decline when they are not satisfied that the signer is competent to sign, is signing knowingly and voluntarily, or matches the signature and photo on their ID. I may also decline if a document has blank spaces, if a signer appears pressured, or if a required signer is not present. These rules protect you from fraud.

• The complete document, every page, not only the signature page.
• A valid government-issued photo ID for every person signing.
• Every person who needs to sign. Each signer must appear in person (or by live video for online notarization).
• Any witnesses your document requires. I can witness signatures, but I cannot serve as both notary and witness on the same document.
• Your attorney’s or agency’s instructions, if they gave you any.

No. Please leave the signature lines blank. For most notarial acts you must sign in my presence. You may fill in other information (names, addresses, dates) ahead of time, but do not sign or date the signature lines. If you already signed, you may need to sign again on a new copy.

Swift Pens Notary asks every signer to bring a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID, such as:

• A state driver’s license or state non-driver ID card
• A U.S. or foreign passport
• A U.S. military ID
• Another government-issued ID with your photo and signature

The name on your ID should match the name on your document. If they differ (for example after marriage), call before booking so we can talk through options.

Please call before booking. New Jersey rules allow certain IDs that expired within the past three years, and they also allow identification through a credible witness: someone who knows you personally, appears with you, swears to your identity, and can present their own acceptable ID. Whether these options work depends on your situation and on what the receiving party will accept, so it is best to sort this out ahead of time.

Often, yes. New Jersey has a procedure for signers who are physically unable to sign, which may involve signing by mark or having another person sign on their behalf in their presence. Let me know when you book so I can plan for it and any required witnesses.

Yes, I regularly visit hospitals, rehab centers and senior living facilities. The signer must be alert, able to communicate with me directly, understand what they are signing, and sign willingly. If the signer is heavily medicated or confused, I will not be able to proceed. Please check with facility staff about visiting hours and make sure the signer has their ID available, since IDs are often stored away during a hospital stay.

New Jersey sets the maximum fee for the notarial act itself:

The state fee covers the notarial act only. Mobile service adds a separate travel and convenience fee for driving to you, scheduling evenings, weekends or same-day, and time spent at the appointment. Online notarization may include a separate technology fee. I always quote the full price before your appointment is confirmed, so there are no surprises.

Loan signings are usually arranged and paid by the title company, lender, signing service or attorney handling the closing. If you are a borrower and were told to arrange your own notary, contact me for a quote.

Please give as much notice as you can. If I have already traveled to your location and the appointment can’t go forward (for example, a signer is missing or doesn’t have acceptable ID), a travel fee may still apply. Cancellation terms are confirmed when you book.

Anywhere convenient within my service area: your home, office, a hospital, a senior living facility, or a public place such as a library or coffee shop. I serve Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Ocean and Salem counties.

Yes, based on availability. For urgent same-day requests, calling is the fastest way to reach me: 856-425-1302.

Call or email, or use the contact form on the homepage. To give you an accurate quote, please share:

• The type of document and number of pages to be notarized
• How many people are signing
• The meeting address and your preferred date and time
• Whether any signer has an expired ID, a name mismatch, or needs special accommodations

A single general notarization usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. A mortgage closing or refinance usually takes about an hour, depending on the size of the loan package and how many questions you have for your lender.

RON lets you have a document notarized over a live, two-way audio and video session instead of meeting in person. New Jersey made remote notarization permanent in a law that took effect on October 20, 2021.

• A computer, tablet or smartphone with a working camera, microphone and stable internet connection
• Your document in electronic form (typically a PDF)
• A valid government-issued photo ID
• A quiet, well-lit place where you can be clearly seen and heard

Your identity is verified during the session, which may include identity-proofing questions and a scan of your ID.

Yes. New Jersey requires the notary to verify your identity, confirm the document is the same one you signed, and make an audio-visual recording of the session. That recording must be kept for at least 10 years, which provides a strong record if the notarization is ever questioned.

No. Some documents need wet-ink signatures, physical witnesses, or have recipients that won’t accept electronic notarizations. Wills, for example, still require witnesses. Some county recording offices, courts and foreign governments have their own rules. Check with whoever will receive your document before booking a RON session.

Often, yes, including signers outside the U.S., but additional conditions may apply and the receiving party must accept it. Contact me with details about where you are and where the document is going.

A Notary Signing Agent is a notary specially trained to guide borrowers through a loan package: presenting each document, pointing out where to sign, initial and date, notarizing the documents that require it, and returning the package to the title company or lender. I am an NNA-certified, background-screened Signing Agent.

• Purchase and refinance closings
• HELOCs and second mortgages
• Reverse mortgages
• FHA, VA and conventional loans
• Loan modifications and construction loans
• Commercial real estate and seller-side signings

No. As a signing agent I can tell you what each document is called and where to sign, but I cannot explain terms, interest rates, fees or legal effects. Please review your Closing Disclosure ahead of time and direct questions to your loan officer, lender or title company. If something doesn’t look right at the table, we can pause and call them together.

• Valid photo ID for every borrower (some lenders ask for two forms)
• Any items your lender asked for, such as a cashier’s check or voided check
• About an hour of uninterrupted time at a table with good light

I review each loan package for completeness before and after the signing, catching missed signatures, initials, dates and pages before the documents leave the table. Packages are returned promptly per the title company’s instructions.

Yes. I can serve as your authorized representative, meeting your new hire anywhere in my South Jersey service area, examining their original documents in person, and completing Section 2 of Form I-9 on your behalf.

No. For Form I-9, I act as your authorized representative, not as a notary. No notary stamp or seal is used or required. The employer remains responsible for the accuracy of the form.

Section 2 must be completed within 3 business days of the employee’s first day of work. The employee should bring original, unexpired documents from the Form I-9 Lists of Acceptable Documents: either one document from List A, or one from List B plus one from List C. Photocopies cannot be accepted. The employee chooses which acceptable documents to present.

• Real estate: deeds, closing documents, real estate powers of attorney, lien releases, property affidavits
• Legal and estate: powers of attorney, living wills and advance directives, trust documents, affidavits, guardianship documents
• Financial and business: contracts, loan documents, financial affidavits, corporate resolutions, bills of sale for vehicles and boats
• Personal and family: travel consent letters for minors, name change documents, medical records releases, school and enrollment forms
• Identity: identity affidavits and passport-related documents where notarization applies

Please confirm with the receiving party that your specific document needs notarization before your appointment.

I can notarize a self-proving affidavit attached to a will, but New Jersey wills also require two witnesses to watch the signing. You will need to arrange those witnesses, and I recommend having your attorney confirm the requirements before the appointment.

No. Certified copies of vital records (birth, death and marriage certificates) must come from the issuing agency, such as the NJ Department of Health or the local registrar. I can certify copies of many other documents when you present the original.

Possibly. An apostille is a certificate issued by the State of New Jersey that confirms a New Jersey notary’s or official’s authority so the document is recognized abroad. In New Jersey, apostilles are issued by the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), not by notaries.

• Countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention receive an apostille. Other countries receive a certification and may need further authentication.
• Documents must carry the original inked signatures of the notary and the signer.
• Check the current fee, forms and processing times on the NJ DORES apostille page before you submit.

I can notarize your document correctly so it is ready to submit for an apostille.

I do not read your document for content or keep a copy of it. I scan it to identify the document type, check for blank spaces, and confirm the notarial certificate is complete. Your journal entry records the date, type of notarization, document type and your identification, as New Jersey requires.