Last updated: November 5, 2026

Yes, a notary can come to you anywhere in New York City. Under Executive Law §135, a New York notary’s commission covers the whole state. That means a mobile notary can meet you at home, in an office, a hotel or a hospital room.

A house call matters most when a signer can’t travel, like a parent in a Queens nursing home signing a power of attorney.

Quick answers

  • Every signer must appear in person and show ID; the Department of State calls phone notarizations illegal.
  • New York sets the notary fee at $2 per signer for each acknowledgment or oath (Executive Law §136) and sets no travel fee.
  • The travel fee comes from the notary, so get the total quoted before the visit.
  • A travel notary makes the most sense for hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living and after-hours deadlines.

On this page

Can a notary come to you at home in New York?

Yes. Executive Law §135 lets every commissioned New York notary act “within and throughout the State.” A kitchen table in Bay Ridge is as valid a place to sign as a bank counter in Midtown.

A mobile notary in NYC, also called a traveling notary, is an ordinary New York notary public who makes house calls. The rules and the $2 state fee stay the same, and you add a travel fee for the trip.

What the law requires wherever you meet

A notary can come to your house or your office, and these rules come along:

  • Every signer appears in person. The Department of State’s notary booklet says notarizing by phone, without the signer present, is illegal.
  • Each signer proves who they are, usually with a current government photo ID that carries a signature. New York’s notary rules (19 NYCRR 182.5) allow a few alternatives.
  • The signer understands the document and signs willingly. Under 19 NYCRR 182.3, a notary can refuse unless satisfied the signer is competent and acting freely.

How does a mobile notary work, step by step?

You book a time and place, the notary arrives and checks ID, and you sign or swear in front of them. The notary then fills in a certificate and logs the act.

  1. Book a time and give the address, the document type, how many people sign and your deadline.
  2. Ask for the travel fee and the full total before you confirm.
  3. Print every page and leave the signature lines blank unless the issuing office says otherwise. Our checklist of what to bring to a notary in New York covers the rest.
  4. When the notary arrives, each signer shows ID and the notary checks it against the name on the document.
  5. You sign, or confirm the signature is yours, which is called an acknowledgment. For an affidavit (a sworn written statement), you swear or affirm that it’s true, which is an oath.
  6. The certificate carries the details Executive Law §137 requires, including the notary’s name, county and commission expiry date. The Department of State says no seal or embosser is needed.
  7. The act goes into the notary journal, then you pay. Since January 25, 2023, that record holds each signer’s name, address and ID type, kept for at least 10 years (19 NYCRR 182.9).

NYC logistics to sort out first

In a Manhattan high-rise, getting upstairs can take longer than the signing. Sort these out when you book:

  • In a doorman or co-op building, give the front desk the notary’s name so nobody waits in the lobby.
  • At a hotel, agree on a meeting spot and share the name the room is booked under.
  • Leave a buffer before any deadline. A drive from the Upper West Side to Staten Island can outlast the signing itself.

How much does a mobile notary cost in New York?

Mobile notary fees come in two parts. New York sets the notary fee at $2 per signer for each acknowledgment or oath under Executive Law §136, and state law sets no travel fee.

What you pay for Amount Who sets it
Oath or affirmation, as on an affidavit $2 per oath Executive Law §136
Acknowledgment of a signature $2 for the first signer, plus $2 for each extra signer Executive Law §136
Swearing in a witness $2 per witness Executive Law §136
Travel to you Quoted before the visit Each notary; no state rate

The $2 fee, worked out

The fee is per act, and an acknowledgment is charged per signer. Two people acknowledging one deed pay $4, or $6 if one also swears to an affidavit.

Public Officers Law §67 bars a notary, as a public officer, from charging more than the law allows.

The travel fee: what to ask first

Neither Executive Law §136 nor the Department of State’s notary FAQ mentions a travel fee, so amounts vary by notary. Before anyone sets out, ask:

  • Is it one flat fee, or does it change with the borough or the hour?
  • Does one fee cover everyone signing at the same address?
  • Is there a charge for waiting or for cancelling?

Can a mobile notary come to a hospital, nursing home or assisted living?

Yes. The statewide commission reaches a hospital bed in the Bronx, a nursing home in Brooklyn or an assisted living residence on Staten Island.

The free-will rule matters most here. If the signer is heavily sedated, or a relative is pushing them to sign, the notary can refuse (19 NYCRR 182.3). The signing then waits for a better day.

Mobile notary for a hospital visit

Check visiting hours and the unit’s visitor rules, and allow time at the security desk. Our page on bedside notary visits at NYC hospitals covers the rest.

Nursing homes and assisted living

The notary signs in at the front desk like any visitor. Ask staff when the resident is usually most alert, and where you can meet privately.

If the document needs witnesses, line them up before the visit. Our page on notary visits to nursing homes and assisted living in NYC has more detail.

When should you hire a mobile notary in New York?

Hire one when getting the signer to a notary is harder than getting a notary to the signer. These are the usual cases:

Situation Why a visit helps
Several people signing One visit covers everyone at one address
A deadline after hours or on a weekend You don’t wait for an office to open
Limited mobility at home No stairs, subway or taxi for the signer
A signing at work Staff sign without leaving the building
A hotel stay in Manhattan No hunting for a notary in an unfamiliar city

When a walk-in notary is enough

If you’re the only signer, you can travel and the deadline isn’t tight, a walk-in notary is usually simpler. Our guide to where to get things notarized in NYC compares your walk-in options.

Can you get something notarized online in New York instead?

Sometimes. Since February 1, 2023, New York notaries can register with the Department of State to notarize over live audio and video. The law calls it electronic notarization; most people say remote online notarization.

Under Executive Law §135-c, the notary must be physically in New York, while you can be somewhere else. The fee is up to $25 per electronic act under 19 NYCRR 182.11(g).

Check first that the office receiving your document accepts electronic notarization. If the signer can’t manage a video call, an in-person visit is simpler.

Need a notary to come to you in NYC?

Tell us where the signer is and how many people are signing. We’ll quote the travel fee before we set out.

  • Homes, offices, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living residences in New York City
  • The $2 state fee per signer for each acknowledgment or oath, plus a travel fee quoted before the visit

Call (929) 570-6294  See our mobile notary service across NYC

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a notary to come to my house?

Yes. Under Executive Law §135, a New York notary can come to you anywhere in the state, including your home in any borough. You pay the $2 state fee per signer for each acknowledgment or oath, plus a travel fee agreed in advance.

How much are mobile notary fees in New York?

$2 per signer for each acknowledgment or oath is the fee New York law sets for an in-person notarization (Executive Law §136). The travel fee is separate, isn’t set by the state, and should be quoted before the visit. An electronic notarization costs up to $25 per act.

Can a mobile notary come to an assisted living facility?

Yes. Under Executive Law §135, a notary’s commission covers assisted living residences anywhere in the state, within each facility’s visitor rules. The resident must understand the document and sign willingly, or the notary can refuse (19 NYCRR 182.3).

Can a mobile notary give legal advice?

No. Under Department of State rules, a notary who isn’t a lawyer can’t advise you on the law, including which document you need. For that, ask a New York attorney or the office that asked for the document.

Sources

By Mehr Shahab, commissioned New York notary public at Priority NYC Mobile Notary. Updated November 2026. General information, not legal advice.

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