Park Ridge is the north edge of my service area, about 40 to 55 minutes from Oak Lawn, and most of my trips here are for one place: Advocate Lutheran General Hospital on Dempster Street. It's a large teaching hospital, and patients come from across the northwest suburbs and the city's far northwest side.
Lutheran General shares its campus with Advocate Children's Hospital. When a parent or grandparent needs a document notarized while a child is in treatment, I come to them there so nobody has to leave the floor.
Off the hospital campus, Park Ridge is a town of single-family homes and older residents who've lived here for decades. As a traveling notary public in Park Ridge, I do a steady amount of estate work around Uptown and the neighborhoods near the Metra line: powers of attorney, trust documents and deeds that an attorney has prepared.
Places I'm called to in Park Ridge
- Advocate Lutheran General HospitalOn Dempster Street. Bedside notarizations for patients, with directions from the unit when I check in.
- Advocate Children's Hospital, Park RidgeOn the Lutheran General campus. I come to parents and guardians who can't leave a child's bedside.
- Pickwick TheatreThe 1928 movie palace in Uptown Park Ridge. Uptown offices and homes nearby are easy for me to reach for a quick signing.
Hospital notary at Advocate Lutheran General
Most Park Ridge calls start with a patient at Lutheran General who needs to sign before surgery, before discharge to rehab, or because the family just learned nobody has authority to handle the patient's money. Call with the patient's name, room and a family contact. I'll ask a few questions to make sure the patient can take part, then give you an arrival time.
At the bedside I talk with the patient directly, check their photo ID, and watch them sign. The nurses may ask me to step out for care, and that's fine. See how a bedside hospital notary visit works from start to finish.
Before you call a hospital notary in Park Ridge
- Find the patient's ID. A current driver's license, state ID or passport works. If it's expired or missing, call me first.
- Print the document and leave the signature lines blank.
- If the document needs witnesses, arrange them. Hospital staff usually can't serve.
- Pick a time when the patient is usually most alert, and avoid scheduled procedures.
- Read the hospital notary checklist for the full list.
What it costs to bring a notary to Park Ridge
Park Ridge is a long drive from Oak Lawn, so added mileage may apply. You'll know the total before I leave. Here's how mobile notary fees work in Illinois.
| Visit | From |
|---|---|
| Home or condo in Park Ridge | $125 ($120 travel and service + $5 notarization) |
| Lutheran General, nursing home or office | $150 ($145 travel and service + $5 notarization) |
| Each extra notarized signature | $5 |
| Added mileage, if any | Quoted before I leave |
Estate signings at home in Park Ridge
Many Park Ridge homeowners have lived in the same house for decades, and a lot of my visits here are to sign estate papers an attorney has prepared: powers of attorney, trust documents, and deeds that move the house into a trust or to a family member. I bring my stamp and journal, check each signer's ID, and let everyone read at their own pace.
If a deed is part of the signing, the attorney or title company should prepare it. I can't pick the type of deed or fill it in. See real estate deed notarizations. If your parent has moved into senior living, I come there too; see nursing home notary visits.
Neighborhoods and streets
- Uptown Park Ridge
- Niles
- Edison Park
- Norwood Park
- Des Plaines (east side)
ZIP codes: 60068, 60714, 60631. Usual route from Oak Lawn: I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) north to Dempster Street, or Harlem Avenue north through the city's northwest side.
Popular visits in Park Ridge
Hospital & bedside notary
Yes, a notary can come to a hospital room.
From $150Power of attorney, wills & estate documents
An Illinois power of attorney for property must be signed in front of a notary and one qualified witness; a health care power of attorney needs only one witness, though many families notarize it too.
From $150Nursing home & senior care notary
A mobile notary can come to a nursing home, assisted living apartment, memory care unit or rehab center so an elderly parent can sign without leaving.
From $150Same-day, evening & weekend notary
Yes, you can usually get a notary today.
From $125Notary questions from Park Ridge
Do you charge extra to come to Park Ridge?
Sometimes. Park Ridge is 40 to 55 minutes from Oak Lawn, so I may add mileage to the standard $125 home or $150 hospital price. I always give you the full total on the phone before I leave.
Can you come to Lutheran General tonight?
Often, yes, if I can arrive before 10 p.m. Call as early as you can, because the drive from Oak Lawn is long and traffic on the Tri-State varies.
Do you go to Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge?
Yes. It's on the Lutheran General campus. I can notarize for a parent or guardian at the bedside so they don't have to leave.
Can you notarize a will in the hospital?
I can notarize signatures on documents your attorney prepared, including affidavits that go with a will. Illinois wills have their own witness rules, so the attorney should tell you who needs to be in the room.
Do you do remote online notarization?
No. Every notarization I do is in person, with the signer in front of me.
