Meeting signer in Arkansas (my state), signer’s address is listed as Oklahoma and property is in Arizona. Is that a problem for me as an Arkansas notary?
Several years back, I was casually walking through the French Quarter in New Orleans when a man came up to me and bet 20 dollars that I wouldn’t be able to identify the exact spot where my shoes were. I won that bet easily because, as a notary, it’s crucial to always know where a document is being signed. Remember to always be mindful of where your shoes are located.
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So as long as the notarization is being done in the state I am licensed I am good?
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No. Notaries work by the physical location they are in. If a trucker is on the road - that would be a common occurrence.
@dalejones.notary As a 'general rule,’ yes; however, as I often express Please check the Notary Handbook for your own State to verify the specifics. 
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That is correct yes.
@dalejones.notary As noted above . . .
Please check the Notary Handbook for your own State to verify the specifics.
OR . . .
Ask @Arichter - who is in your State for a definitive accurate response to your query.
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Like Joe said–it’s where YOUR feet are that matters. As long as they’re in Arkansas when you notarize, you’re good.
This is referred to as the venue. State of _______
County of _________. For you notaries that hold dual commissions that still applies.
Others have explained that the notary laws of your state apply, and you should use the county you are standing in as the venue. The notarial certificate must conform to the laws of your state.
But the laws of the place where the property is located apply to some things. For example, there may be requirements about what ink color is used in the notarial certificate, if witnesses are needed, and how wide the margins of the document have to be.
Acknowledging a signature is something that is requested you do because you are a notary. I would think of it as being able to do something because you are who you are and where you are according to the notary laws of the state you as a notary are commissioned. For example: I, as a NY notary can live anywhere and notarize, BUT, I must retain an office in this state. Doing this fulfills the requirements of what it takes to be a NYS commissioned notary. If someone comes to me from out of state, and I am in my state, at the time of the request, I notarize the signature because I am commissioned to do so. And my commission says I must input the venue at the time of the signing. If I were to do this in any other state I must have an office in NYS at that time and write the venue of where I am during that acknowledgment. Hope this helps.
Yes jyst change the locations county and state on notarial paragraph..initial both and date it has to natch your commission and YOU MUST BE IN THAT ( YOUR) STATE
It’s incorrect to say the county must match the notary’s commission. The county must be the county in which the signing took place. I once did a signing at the signers’ home. They told me the county line passed through their driveway, so I had to be sure to use the county the living room was in.
You’re in the clear! 
As an Arkansas notary, your authority is based on your commission and location—not the signer’s address or the property’s location.
Here’s how it breaks down:
What Matters for You as an Arkansas Notary
- Signer’s Physical Presence: The signer must be physically present before you in Arkansas at the time of notarization.
- Your Commission: You must be commissioned in Arkansas and perform the notarization within the state.
- Document Origin or Property Location: It doesn’t matter if the document is about property in Arizona or if the signer lives in Oklahoma. You can notarize documents for use in other states.
What Doesn’t Matter
- The signer’s out-of-state address (Oklahoma)
- The property’s location (Arizona)
- The document’s intended use in another state
As long as the signer appears before you in Arkansas and you follow proper identification and notarial procedures, you’re good to go.
I appreciate everyone’s response. The only reason I was concerned with this signing was because it was a deed signing (I’m also a bit more cautious with quit claims) and the signer’s address is just next door in OK. Why would he come to Arkansas to sign? Well of course he is a truck driver and this was just where he would be stopped overnight so it was convenient. I’ve completed signings for truck drivers before and have no idea why I didn’t realize that was the most likely situation.
I prequalify quit claim requests before agreeing to meet with the client. Not as many red flag shady ones since I stopped advertising in the San Diego/La Jolla area. What’s a red flag shady one? A “nephew” on the east coast with an aunt in a nursing home in La Jolla. Shady.