If you're new to loan signings — or you've been doing them for years — you've probably heard a version of this question from borrowers: "Do I have to sign all of these?" Not all! but a good amount. Only a handful actually get notarized. Understanding which ones, and why, is foundational knowledge for every loan signing agent.
The Loan Package vs. the Notarized Documents
A standard loan package contains anywhere from 75 to 200 pages depending on the loan type, lender, and state. But of all those documents, typically only 5 to 10 require notarization. The rest are signed and initialed by the borrower — but they don't require a notarial act.
This distinction matters for your journal. You only record the documents that were actually notarized — not every page the borrower touched.
The Documents That Typically Get Notarized
While every loan package is different and lender requirements vary, these are the documents most commonly notarized in a real estate loan signing:
1. Deed of Trust (or Mortgage)
This is the core security instrument — the document that pledges the property as collateral for the loan. In most states, it must be notarized and recorded with the county. It's almost always the first document you'll notarize in a package, and in California, it's one of the documents that requires a thumbprint in your journal.
Deed of Trust Riders or Addendums may be noted in Journal Notes
Some loan packages include riders to the deed — adjustable rate riders, condominium riders, or planned unit development riders. When these are attached to the deed and recorded together, they may also require notarization depending on the lender and state.
2. Powers of Attorney or Limited POAs(if applicable)
When a borrower cannot attend the signing in person, a power of attorney may authorize another person to sign on their behalf. This document almost always requires notarization — and in California, it also requires a thumbprint. If you're notarizing a POA at a signing, document it carefully.
Limited powers of attorney may allow the bank to make clerical corrections that don't affect the terms of the loan.
3. Trust Certification (or Certification of Trust)
When a property is held in a living trust, the lender typically requires a trust certification — a document that confirms the trust exists, identifies the trustees, and outlines their authority to act. This is commonly notarized, especially in estate and refinance transactions.
4. Signature/Name Affidavit
This document confirms that the borrower is the same person who appears under various name variations in the loan documents — for example, "John A. Smith" and "John Smith" and "J. Smith." It's a sworn statement, which means it requires notarization as an acknowledgment or jurat depending on the lender's instructions.
6. Occupancy Affidavit (Owner-Occupancy Affidavit)
The borrower swears that they intend to occupy the property as their primary residence. Because it's a sworn statement, it typically requires notarization. This is especially common in purchase transactions and FHA or VA loans.
7. Compliance Agreement
Some lenders include a compliance agreement in which the borrower agrees to cooperate with corrections to the loan documents if errors are discovered after closing. Depending on the lender, this may or may not require notarization — check your instructions.
8. Other Affidavits
Depending on the loan type and lender, you may encounter additional affidavits — a first payment letter affidavit or a correction agreement limited power of attorney. When in doubt, follow the signing instructions provided by the title company or escrow officer.
What This Means for Your Notary Journal
Each notarized document gets its own entry — or in a well-designed journal, each signer gets one entry with space to list all the documents notarized for that signer in a single appointment. That's the approach the Notary in a Box Hardbound Journal takes: one entry per signer, with preprinted fields for up to 10 notarized documents, so you're not rewriting the borrower's ID information a dozen times.
The preprinted document list also serves as a prompt — a built-in reminder of the documents most commonly notarized in a loan package, so nothing gets missed at the table.
A Note on State Variation
Notarization requirements vary by state and by lender. What's required in California may differ from what's required in Texas or Florida. Always follow the signing instructions provided with the package, and when in doubt, contact the escrow or title officer before the appointment — not during it.
Before each signing, verify current notarization requirements with the title company or escrow officer. State laws and lender requirements are subject to change.
The Bottom Line
A loan package is large by design — it documents every aspect of the transaction. But your job as a notary is specific: verify identity, confirm willingness, and notarize the documents that require it. Knowing which ones those are, and recording them accurately, is what separates a professional signing agent from someone just getting through the stack.
Your journal is where that professionalism lives on the record. Make sure it's built for the job.