Find a Notary Near Me in Alabama

Alabama notaries are appointed and commissioned by the probate judges of their counties to serve the public as impartial witnesses to the signing of essential transactions. They perform the crucial role of verifying individual’s identities and witnessing document signings.

If you need to find a notary in Alabama—whether a stationary notary public, mobile notary public, remote online notary, or notary signing agent—it’s a good idea to search for one  using an Alabama notary locator.

First, however, you need to determine what kind of notarization and type of notary you need. 

Determining the Type of Notarization

If your document does not include a notarial certificate, you will need to know what type of notarization to get before you secure the services of an Alabama notary, because notaries (unless they are also licensed attorneys) are prohibited from telling you which type of notarization you need. 

There are two  primary types of notarizations allowed in Alabama:

1. Acknowledgments involve making a statement indicating that you voluntarily signed a document before the notarization occurred. You need to appear before the notary personally, but you don’t need to sign in front of the notary.
2. Jurats (such as depositions, affidavits, and interrogatories) are usually performed on evidentiary documents that are critical to the operation of Alabama’s civil and criminal justice system. You must appear in person at the time of notarization to sign the document and take an oath or affirm that the statements in the document are true. Oaths require you to vow to the truthfulness of a document using the word “swear” and invoking a deity. Affirmations are similar to oaths, except you do not use the word “swear” or invoke a deity.  When taking an oath or affirmation, you must physically appear before and sign in the notary’s presence.

If you are unsure what type of notarization you need, consult the institution that drafted your document, the agency that will receive it, or a lawyer.

Determining the Type of Notary

There are three main types of notaries in Alabama:

1. Traditional, stationary notaries: These notaries typically work in banks, packaging stores, and other such locations. If you wish to secure their services, you will need to travel to their place of work. This can be an inconvenience, as it will take extra time, not just because it requires you to travel but because you might have to wait for a notary to be available to serve you. One advantage of a traditional notary is lower cost. An Alabama notary is permitted to charge up to $5 per notarial act, but they can always charge you less than the maximum. Some traditional notaries, such as those employed by banks, may even provide free notarizations to loyal customers.
2. Mobile notaries: If you don’t have time to travel to a notary and wait in line at a bank or packaging store, you can choose a mobile notary public. Mobile notaries will travel to you to perform a notarization at your place of business, your home, or another agreed-upon location. A mobile notary will likely cost you more than a traditional notary because you will probably have to pay travel fees.  This may be a flat or per mile rate, and Alabama law does not specify how much a mobile notary can charge for travel.
3. Remote Notaries: Remote Alabama notaries perform notarizations by two-way audio-visual communication. This means you don’t have to be in the same room with the notary. Keep in mind that remote notarization may not be used to notarize an absentee ballot application or an absentee ballot affidavit, or for any purpose related to voting. When using an Alabama remote notary, you must apply an original wet signature directly onto the document and the Alabama notary public must verify your identity and maintain a recording of the communication for seven years. 
4. Notary signing agents (NSAs): Alabama notary signing agents, also known as loan signing agents, are notaries public who are trained to handle complex loan documents. Notary signing agents are employed to assist in the final stages of the loan process. An NSA will print out loan documents, meet you at  your house, direct you where to sign, and notarize multiple signatures. If your lender does not provide you with a notary signing agent, you will need to use an Alabama notary locator to find one on your own.

Performing a search for a notary near you

Once you have determined what type of notary you wish to employ and what kind of notarization you need, you can use a notary locator to find an Alabama notary near you. The American Association of Notaries (AAN) offers an Alabama Notary Locator that will assist you in finding a notary public, mobile notary, or notary signing agent.

AAN’s Alabama Notary Locator allows you to search by zip code, county, city and state, or the notary’s name. If you so desire, you can confine your search to only those notaries who have had their credentials and contact information verified by AAN.  You may even be able to see your notary before meeting them, as some notaries have provided photographs of themselves for the Alabama Notary Locator.

Click here to access the Alabama notary locator to search for a notary near you.

How to Become a notary in Alabama

If you’re interested in becoming a notary in Alabama yourself, AAN can help. We have been assisting individuals with the notary application process since 1994. We can guide you through the entire process from start to finish. Click here to learn how to become a notary in Alabama with the help of AAN.