The Chicago skyline at night, seen across Lake Michigan

Chicago mobile notaryon the way to you.

I'm Alex G Koch, an Illinois notary public based in Oak Lawn. I drive to hospital rooms, jail visiting booths, nursing homes, funeral homes, offices and kitchen tables across Chicago and the suburbs, every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Photo: Max Bender on Unsplash

Who calls me

Eleven kinds of visits,
one notary who shows up.

Most calls come from families with someone in a hospital bed, a care home or a jail, and from people who just can't get to a notary. Every visit is in person, and I bring the stamp, the journal and the patience.

01 72

Hospital & bedside notary

Bedside notarizations at Christ, Little Company of Mary, Palos, Loyola and other hospitals.

From $150
02

Jail & detention notary

Notarizations for people in custody at Cook County Jail and county facilities, arranged with the facility.

From $150
03

Nursing home & senior care notary

Patient, unhurried signings for seniors in nursing homes, assisted living, memory care and rehab.

From $150
04

Funeral home & after-a-death paperwork

Notarized authorizations, affidavits and estate papers at the funeral home or the family's home.

From $150
05

Power of attorney, wills & estate documents

Powers of attorney, wills and trust signings at home, at the bedside or in a care facility.

From $150
06

Loan signings & real estate closings

Refinance, HELOC, purchase, seller and reverse mortgage signings at the borrower's home or office.

From $150
07

Same-day, evening & weekend notary

Need a notary today? Same-day, evening, weekend and holiday visits, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

From $125
08

Mobile notary for everyday documents

Affidavits, consent letters, school and vehicle forms, notarized at your home or office.

From $125
09

Notarization for apostilles

I notarize documents for use abroad so the Illinois Secretary of State can add the apostille.

From $125
10

Deeds & real estate documents

Quit claim deeds, transfer on death instruments and FSBO paperwork, notarized at your home.

From $125
11

Business & office notary

Lien waivers, corporate resolutions, bank and vendor forms, notarized at your office or jobsite.

From $150
12

Something else?

If it needs a notary and the signer can be there in person, call and ask.

Call (708) 787-8868

A mobile notary service built for Chicagoland

A mobile notary is a notary public who comes to you. You don't have to find a UPS Store with a notary on duty or get a patient out of bed. I meet the signer where they are, check their ID, watch them sign and complete the notarial certificate with my seal, the same way a notary at a bank would, just at your address.

The hospital and bedside notary visits and jail notarizations are the ones families struggle to arrange, so I've written out exactly how each works. Everyday work is just as welcome: powers of attorney and wills, deeds, loan signings, documents headed for an apostille, and affidavits and letters at home.

Calls I can usually take today

  • A parent in the hospital needs a power of attorney signed
  • Someone in Cook County Jail must sign for a family member
  • A funeral home needs a notarized authorization
  • A closing is moved up and the signer can't leave work
  • Grandma's deed transfer, signed at her kitchen table

Not sure it can be notarized? Here's what a notary can and can't do.

How a visit works

From your call to the seal

  1. Call

    Tell me who's signing, what the document is, and where they are. I'll ask a few questions so nothing stalls on site.

  2. Agree a time and price

    You get the full price before I drive: the travel and service fee plus $5 per notarized signature.

  3. I drive to you

    Home, hospital room, care home, jail or office. The southwest suburbs are minutes from my base in Oak Lawn, so same-day visits there are routine.

  4. Sign and seal

    I check ID, watch each signature, complete the notarial certificate, apply my seal and hand you an itemized receipt.

What it costs

Two prices, written down before I leave

A home visit starts at $125. Hospitals, nursing homes, jails, funeral homes, offices and other commercial buildings start at $150.

Illinois law caps the notary fee itself at $5 for each notarized signature, so that part of the price never changes. The rest is my travel and service fee: $120 for homes and $145 for facilities and commercial buildings, which take longer to get in and out of. Your receipt shows both, line by line, as the law requires.

  • Each additional notarized signature is $5, the most Illinois allows per notarial act.
  • The travel and service fee is agreed on the phone before I drive, and every client gets an itemized receipt.
  • Long trips, such as Aurora, far Will County or DeKalb, may add mileage. I quote it before I leave.

Home visit

Houses, apartments and condos

$125with one notarization

Travel & service$120.00
Notarial act × 1$5.00
Total$125.00

Each added signature: $5.00. IL max per act, 5 ILCS 312/3-104.

Facilities & commercial buildings

Hospitals, nursing homes, jails, funeral homes, offices, hotels

$150with one notarization

Travel & service$145.00
Notarial act × 1$5.00
Total$150.00

Each added signature: $5.00. IL max per act, 5 ILCS 312/3-104.

Illinois rules I work by

Three things most notary sites won't tell you

$5

The most any Illinois notary can charge per notarized signature. Travel is separate and must be agreed first. How the fee rules work.

In person

The signer has to be in front of me, with acceptable ID, willing and aware of what they're signing. What ID works in Illinois.

No advice

A notary isn't a lawyer, and in Illinois a notary can't be called a "notario." I won't pick forms or fill them in. What a notary can and can't do.

Alex G Koch, Illinois notary public

Who's coming

Alex G Koch, notary public

I started this service for the calls other notaries turn down: the late-afternoon hospital discharge, the jail visit that needs a week of planning, the widow who shouldn't have to drive downtown.

I'm commissioned by the State of Illinois, and I explain what I'm doing as I go. If something about a signing isn't right, such as an expired ID, a signer who's confused or someone pushing them to sign, I'll tell you plainly and stop rather than risk your document.

Commission
Illinois no. 1040610, verify
Based in
Oak Lawn, IL
Hours
7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Notarizations
In person only

Questions I hear every week

How much does a mobile notary cost?

Home visits start at $125 ($120 travel and service fee plus a $5 notarization). Hospitals, nursing homes, jails, funeral homes, offices, hotels and loan signings start at $150 ($145 plus $5). Each additional notarized signature is $5. See my pricing page for worked examples.

Do long trips cost more?

Trips to places like Aurora, DeKalb or far Will County may carry added mileage. I quote it before I leave, so you know the total ahead of time.

What are your hours?

7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., including weekends and holidays. I'm not a 24-hour service, but late-evening visits until 10 p.m. are common.

How fast can you get here?

Same-day visits are often possible, depending on where you are and what's already on my schedule. Call (708) 787-8868 and I'll give you the soonest time I can honestly make. More on same-day mobile notary visits.

What do I need to bring?

A current government-issued photo ID for every signer, and the complete document with the signature lines left blank. If the document needs witnesses, bring them too, with their own ID.

What areas do you cover?

Chicago and the suburbs from my base in Oak Lawn: the southwest suburbs, the west suburbs, Will and DuPage counties, and north to O'Hare. Kane and DeKalb counties are by arrangement. See all service areas.

Do you offer online or remote notarization?

No. Every notarization I do is in person. Illinois requires a separate electronic notary commission for electronic notarizations.

Can you give me legal advice?

No. Only a licensed attorney can give legal advice in Illinois. I verify identity, watch the signing and complete the notarial certificate. Read what a notary can and cannot do.

Read all 24 answers

Aerial view of Chicago's lakefront and skyline at dusk

Need a notary today?

(708) 787-8868

Calls answered 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tell me who's signing, what it is and where they are, and I'll give you a time and a price before I drive.

Photo: Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash

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