How a jail notarization works
Call me
Tell me the facility, the person's full name and booking number, and what needs signing.
We check the facility's process
Each jail handles outside notaries differently. Some need an attorney's letter, approval in advance, or set visit hours.
The paperwork goes in ahead
Cook County Jail now requires paper to be scheduled ahead so staff can inspect it. Allow time for that.
I visit and notarize
I confirm identity, watch the signing and complete the notarial certificate. You get the documents back the same day.
What the signer needs
- Identification the facility and I can rely on. Ask the facility what ID the person has on file before booking.
- The willingness to sign. I can't notarize for someone who doesn't want to sign or doesn't understand the document.
- The complete, unsigned document. Pages can't be signed in advance.
Facilities I serve
Cook County Jail on California Avenue, the Metropolitan Correctional Center downtown, the Will County Adult Detention Facility in Joliet, and suburban police lockups, when the facility allows an outside notary. I can't promise access to any facility; no notary can.
What a notary can and can't do
I verify identity, make sure the signer is signing willingly, and complete the notarial certificate. I can't give legal advice, draft documents or tell you what to sign. For that, talk to an attorney.