Seal, Sign, and Stay Safe: Real-World Tips for Mobile Notaries

Because your safety matters just as much as your signature.

Your personal safety is just as important as the job.

Look, we’re not just stamping papers and calling it a day. We’re mobile notaries—part road warrior, part document ninja. And while helping folks with life’s big moments (home purchases, legal affidavits, etc.), we’re also cruising through neighborhoods we’ve never been in, meeting total strangers, and sometimes doing it all after sunset. This job is rewarding, but it’s not without risks. So let’s talk safety—not the boring textbook kind, but the boots-on-the-ground kind you can use.

1. Trust Your Gut. Every Time.

If your stomach drops the moment you pull up, listen. If something feels sketchy, you don’t need a full CSI episode to confirm it. Cancel or reschedule. It’s a business decision, not a personal failure. Your instincts are survival tools—not optional features.

Pro Tip: Say, “Something came up and I need to reschedule per my safety protocols. I’ll be in touch.” Short, direct, no over-explaining.

2. Drop the Pin—Literally.

Always share your live location with a trusted friend, partner, or family member when heading to a signing. Have them expect a “Safe and Done” check-in text afterward.

Tech Tip: Apps like Life360, Find My (iOS), or even Google Maps location sharing can do this easily.

3. Control the Setting When Possible

Whenever you can, meet in public—a coffee shop, library, bank lobby, or UPS Store. No signing job requires you to walk into a backwoods barn at midnight with no signal and a faint whiff of doom in the air.

Reality Check: Sometimes you’ll still need to go to private homes. That’s fine—but you can choose to meet on the porch or just inside the front door, not deep inside the house.

4. Make a “Safety Sheet” (and Carry It Like a Pro)

This is your “just in case” paper with:

• Emergency contacts

• Vehicle make/model/license plate

• Medical info

• Local emergency services

• Your business license info

Stick it in your bag. Better to have it and not need it.

5. Pack Your Safety Kit

Don’t just carry pens and stamps. Carry:

• Pepper spray or personal alarm

• Flashlight (not just your phone light)

• A portable phone charger

• Small first aid kit

• Emergency cash

• Snacks/water (because getting hangry is also a threat)

Bonus: Consider a car camera and a dash-mounted GPS, if you’re doing frequent late-night jobs.

6. Know Who You’re Meeting

Ask for:

• Full name of the signer

• Their phone number

• Their relation to the document

• Whether others will be present

This does two things:

1. You seem legit and professional (not easy prey).

2. If someone hedges or refuses, red flag alert.

7. Schedule Smart

Avoid after-dark appointments if possible. If you must go:

• Park under streetlights

• Keep your keys in hand when approaching the door

• Know your escape route before you exit your car

You’re not being paranoid—you’re being prepared.

8. Have a “Get Out” Call Ready

Establish a code word or phrase with a trusted person. If you text or mention it during a call (for example, “Hey, did you feed Thud yet?”), they will know to contact 911 with your location.

I've created a half-page Safety Protocols Sheet to share because we're not alone.