The Notarization That Took Two Hours—Because Two Simple Steps Were Missed

She had the Power of Attorney, the notary, the witnesses... or so she thought. What was supposed to be a quick notarization turned into a two-hour lesson—for all of us.

Valerie was doing everything she could to help her grandmother, Maxine. Maxine was in a rehab facility and needed a Durable Power of Attorney notarized so Valerie could handle her financial and personal affairs.

We scheduled the appointment. Valerie confirmed Maxine had a valid ID. She also confirmed she needed two witnesses but didn’t have any, so I agreed to bring them for a fee.

What happened next was a powerful reminder of why preparation matters—and how much can go wrong when just one piece is missing.

The form wasn’t complete. When I arrived, we discovered that the POA form hadn’t been fully filled out. (A document should be completed but unsigned when the notary arrives.) Valerie consulted with someone at the facility to finish it correctly.

Then, as we prepared to sign, I asked for Maxine’s ID—and that’s when we realized no one had it. A relative who lived 20 minutes away had taken it home. Valerie had forgotten that I needed to see Maxine’s physical, valid government-issued ID before notarizing anything.

One of my witnesses, Dawn, hadn’t expected to be away so long and had to leave. Valerie was told that staff couldn’t serve as witnesses—but visitors could. Thankfully, she found Rosie, a woman visiting her husband, who graciously agreed to help.

Despite every hiccup, we got it done. Maxine’s Power of Attorney was successfully completed, witnessed, and notarized—but it didn’t have to take two hours.

Here’s how to avoid that kind of delay.

The 2 Mistakes That Delayed This Notarization:

- Bringing an incomplete document

- Forgetting to have the signer’s valid, physical ID on hand

If those two things had been in place, we would’ve finished in 15 minutes flat.

Whether you’re having a Power of Attorney, Healthcare Directive, or affidavit notarized, I can help you get it done right the first time.

📱 Call or text 813-239-4117. Text is best!

I’m Claudia Mitchell-McLeod with Notary Near Me Florida—making legal documents legal, and weddings joyful!