I have done a few split signing questions and each time I have done it differently. As the first Notary assigned to the closing… would you prefer me to add my Notarial Certificate to the document and leave the preprinted one on the document for you to fill out? OR would you prefer me to use the one on the form and YOU add your certificate? On each of the assignments, I asked the title company and they said they didn’t care either way as long as the correct certificate was used and the documents were notarized correctly.
I have done it both ways and wanted to know what my other experienced Notaries would prefer?
I was told if you are first, to add you own loose cert, out of curtesy to the next notary in the split to use the one included and if the second notary messes up at least yours is correct. I was told if you are second and a certificate is already attached, if they did not use the one in the packet, make the necessary corrections and notarize the document, but if there is not enough space, or just to stay consistent add a certificate. I get the feeling it’s at the notaries discretion, as long as the notarization is correct based on your state laws. Don’t cross out any signature lines in the packet that pertain to the second signer, only what on what you are notarizing. Is that correct?
Don’t really care which EXCEPT when TC has been on the ball enough to provide a Cert. for each notary with the one correct signer’s name on it (on the same page) fergoshsakes DON’T cross out ’ (or fill in your signer’s name again & sign/stamp it) when it’s not your signer’.…leave it alone so the 2nd notary can use it for their signer!
If I’m the first notary, I notarize the documents, and if I’m the second signer, I use my certificate and I don’t touch anything that the first notary did. That’s just me.
I don’t have a preference regarding the notarial certificates. I do, however, have a preference for not receiving docs from the first notary thrown loosely into a FedEx bag with no clips, rubber bands, inside manila envelope, etc. to keep them together! I received one that looked as if it had been thrown around and stomped on…it also had all three of the RTCs inside! I was appalled! No wonder signing services feel the need to micromanage us. Just my 2¢.
I have no preference. I always check the package when I receive it to see what I may need to include for the closing. When I am the first notary, I automatically make two copies of the signature page(s) so that we each have one.
Mail away split signing: Always confirm with title how they want it done of course. Remember Split Signing means differently to each company.
This is just what I do with mail away split signing.
1: First Signing-notary will need to print extra Acknowledgement /Notarization page, this is a normal courtesy so that the second notary can just use that extra page/pages to notarize or can use his/her own APA for notarization if the cert verbiage is not comparable with his/her state. 1st notary always gets the print fee. The 2nd Notary don’t print, so no print fee.
First notary will complete the signing and ship the package off to the designated receiver, they may want it to go to the 2nd signer or sometimes to the 2nd notary. Just need to verify return label with title.
2: Second Signing-if the package returned to the 2nd signer, the 2nd notary just need to call to confirm that the client got the docs and tell client not to sign without a notary being present. Notary will show up on sign day to complete the signing and ship it off.
If the package returned to the 2nd notary, he/she just bring it to the signing location, complete the signing and ship it off.
Just need to pay attention to the date line by the signature! You hope that the signature date is blank so client can just put down the correct signing date. Some docs will have the 2nd signing date pre-printed on all docs. It’s easy for the 2nd signer to just sign but the 1st signer will need to work a little harder.
If the 1st signer’s date area is showing different date than the actual signing date, mostly likely because someone got lazy and pre-printed the same date for both the 1st signer and the 2nd signer.
For me, I’m not a fan of letting the signer sign any date other than their actual signing date. I just let the client put a clean line through each wrong date, initial and date, and then put in a nice and clean correct date.
Note
Also note, if it has NORTC the expiration will be counted from the 2nd signer’s signing date.
Also note that some split signing for some company means that both signings are happening on the same
day obviously at different locations! So both notaries will have to print all docs and take them to the signer/signers! Obviously both notaries will get prints fees.
I was told by one lender that the RTC goes by the first signer date… interesting. I guess that proves verification in this type of closing is required… good to know.
Heck no, always goes by the most recent date or the last signing date which is usually the 2nd signer’s date! But what do I know! I’m just a dumb notary. Lender knows best!
Listen I just do what I’m told… and get it in writing for confirmation. But thank you for the reminder on that. I only came across that once, thank goodness. For the last split signing I did I used my own certificate and left the one on the document for the second notary. I even typed her a nice friendly note letting her know what I did and why. The lender also has specific instructions on how to return the package and included the packing materials in the well-packaged document I sent her. I even paperclipped the individual pages and made extra copies of documents where the signer was required to print their names and sign… Heck, I pretty much prepped the document for her. All she had to do is open it and have them sign.
FYI: In my experience (always utilizing the hiring party specific instructions for RTC), the RTC expiration date is counted from the 2nd signer’s execution date. It’s always notated within the Signing Order Confirmation instructions.
