Wha color ink cartridge do I need for these notary docs? Can I just get black or do I need to get color?
The most common reason for a mobile notary to print documents is for a real estate transaction, such as a refinance. The usual procedure is to make two copies, one for the signer to keep, and one to send back. The total pages tends to be 150 to 200 pages. Ink jet printers generally not up to the job.
In the past, even the best ink jets were utterly incapable of this kind of work, so they are still looked down upon. If you use ink jet, the documents may be rejected. Another reason to reject ink jet is that if the documents get wet, the ink may run. Laser toner won’t run if it gets wet.
The only toner a notary would be expected to have is black. In the rare case the signer needs something else, it would be up to the signer to get it printed.
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Laser printer is the industry standard.
What is the Ideal printer for car? I have also seen many Scanners available. What is the best choice?
Hello Beth,
I’d say you have to ask yourself several questions.
- What type of work are you geared to do? Are you doing notarial work whereby you are only printing 1-10 pages at a shot, or are you doing the work whereby you are printing in upwards of of 200 pages for a refi, but…you have to print it twice, one to leave with them and one to return?
- What is your power source? Can you power only the smaller printer, or can you handle a larger, more power-hungry printer?
- Do you need only a single tray printer, or will you be doing home loans whereby you may be required to print out letter and legal sized documents?
- What size “car” are you driving. You must think about the security of the printer, and your safety. Will it be tied down in the front seat with straps, or bolted in some other location?
- For the scanner, are you scanning small or large files? If large, do you have to break them up in batches or are you able to send a 200 page document in one fail swoop?
- Do your devices have to be connected to a computer to work, or are they able to be connected to Wi-Fi? If Wi-Fi only, keep in mind that in some places you may go, not even a MiFi will work.
I have a Jackery 1000 Plus for my power source (which powers all of my equipment without worry), in my F150. I have my Brother dual tray printer and Brother scanner. My scanner is super fast, and although the specs indicates it scans 60 pages rapidly, I’ve scanned 200 pages into one file in 1 minute 34 seconds time. I’d say that’s super fast!
I’d say to shop around, compare and get what you can afford and are comfortable with for the work you plan to do. Please do not allow yourself to get the most expensive equipment out there. It isn’t necessary. Many notaries are selling their barely used equipment because they’ve decided this isn’t what they want to do.
BK
How do you get your scanner to work? I have my cell phone, with a hotspot, but I have to be connected to WiFi out on the road. Can’t do that from a coffee shop, not safe. Please let me know how you do it. I bought a printer for my car and a Jackery. Thank you for your info.
I doubt we could help without a complete rundown of your equipment, including brand and model number of the scanner. Even then, it might not be the sort of question that can be answered in a forum.
Also, it would be better to start a new topic since your subject isn’t exactly “Ink Cartridge”.
I was piggy backing off of the response that BK left on this thread for Beth. That’s what I asked in here, hoping BK would see it. Can you please help me though? I have an Epson WF-2930. Very inexpensive, but crisp clean copies! Works as well as my bigger office Epson WF printer!
Sorry, I’ve never used Epson equipment.
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@bk1 did you see the query to your attention by @NotaryLadyBre ?
Hello NotaryLadyBre! Thanks for asking. I use my MiFi when I’m on the road. It works for my computer, scanner and my printer. I find that my scanner works best however, if I connect it directly to my computer though. Never an issue when I do it that way. It’s smoother and faster, although when I initially set up my equipment, I did try it both ways just in case. It only works slower working from the MiFi. Working it from the computer allows me to scan directly into the computer, then send immediately to the destination without incident.
I would recommend setting up your equipment at home first the way you intend to use it on the road with your home’s MiFi. Once you have it working the way you want it there, disconnect your home’s MiFi from your equipment and use your mobile hotspot. Make sure it is what you are actually using. Get it working at home. Once you have it working at home using your mobile hotspot, I recommend you shut everything down and put it in your vehicle. Set it up while still home and use the hotspot before departing your property. Get it working in your vehicle first. Once working, shut it down. Depart your property say about 5-10 miles away from home. Make sure you are in an area where you are not picking up someone else’s WiFi. Check your connections and make sure you are not connected to anything but your mobile hotspot. Once you are connected to that, check your equipment. If it was working at home, it should work away from home, however you may not have that strong of a signal depending on where you are. That could be the case depending on some of the places you have to travel to for a job. If it does work however, you are golden and you know what to do from this point forward! I know there are a lot of steps, but you don’t want to venture out without knowing if it works closer to home first. I hope this helps. BK
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Yes, I’ve replied. Thanks for checking!
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Ohhhh, ok. Thank you so much. I will surely try that. Anything that will make it work!
Thank you for taking the time.
I am in a desert region and would never print in my car the sandy wind would ruin a printer in no time. But that’s just me.
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Anytime! Again, I know I provided a lot of steps, but there are a lot of steps in troubleshooting. I simply provided them here. Some would simply hook their equipment up and go for the gusto and it will work for them. They didn’t have to go through this. I also use a separate MiFi for my setup than use my phone for a hotspot. Please let me know if it works for you. I’d love to know what steps you’ve taken to get it functional. Thanks. BK
While I do not “live” in the desert, I do consider myself a fully functional “mobile notary”. As such, I have my equipment with me. I am often called to go deep into the different areas of the Mojave Desert and I have experienced the winds, but never the winds blowing sand into my printer. I also have had to do jobs in the rain in various locations and have never had water from the rain ruin my printer. The same applies for snow in the mountainous regions. I’ve never had the winds blowing snow or sleet for that matter into my truck and into my printer, scanner, computer, generator etc. and ruining any of the equipment and I’ve been doing it a while. And as the triple digit sun beats down, I don’t have equipment warp or ink dryout issues either. Maybe there are notaries out there who have, but I have yet to meet one. I would think that they value their work and equipment too much to not take the necesary precautions to protect their assets. Not throwing shade, but there are a lot of negative people in these forums and it’s utterly shameful.
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I was not negative in any way. It is my choice to not use a printer in my car. It is not negative or shameful to find my office the best place for me to print and prepare.
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I agree with you. It’s not that I can’t do it or can’t afford to buy equipment compatible with mobile printing and scanning. It’s just more trouble than it’s worth…for me. For some others, it may not be. I just don’t see where it would increase my income dramatically to be able to do printing and scanning from the road. Are there times when it would come in handy? Sure…but not enough to make me want to do it.
I once got reimbursed for printing at an OfficeMax because I was on the road and was asked to do a 2nd contract in the same town which was almost two hours from home. But in 2021 I was doing five or six a day. It’s only 3 now and i can keep on top of three a day. If it picks back up and gets that crazy again - never say never. But 6 a day was insanity. Not sure I want to be that busy again. As it is, I spend about $110 a week on a cartridge. So for now it’s all good. Don’t fix what’s not broken.
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