Notarized online, by document

How to get a gift letter notarized online

A gift letter tells a mortgage lender that money toward a down payment is a gift, not a loan. The relative giving the money often lives somewhere else, which is exactly when a video session helps, if the lender wants it notarized at all.

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Matthew Coleman, NJ Notary Public and NNA Certified Loan Signing Agent. Cranford, NJ. Fee confirmed before your session. Card charged only after it is complete. We aim to confirm within 15 minutes, 7am to 9pm.

Who signs, and which notarial act

The person giving the money signs. Some lender forms ask the buyer receiving the gift to sign as well; then book two signers.

Usually an acknowledgment, or a jurat if the lender's form is a sworn statement.

Ask the recipient first

Only the person or office receiving the gift letter can say whether an electronic notarization works for them. Ask:

The loan officer: does your gift letter need to be notarized, or is a plain signature enough? Many don't need a notary.
Do you have your own gift letter form? Use the lender's form if there is one.
Will you accept a letter notarized electronically?
What else do you need from the donor, such as bank statements or a transfer record? We don't handle those.

We notarize the letter, not the closing. The lender and title company run the loan closing and choose how those documents are signed.

Doing it online, step by step

Get the lender's form. Fill in the amount, the property address and the donor's relationship to the buyer.
Confirm notarization is needed. Ask the loan officer whether the letter must be notarized and whether electronic is fine.
Book for the donor. Add the buyer as a second signer only if the form asks the buyer to sign.
Sign on video. The donor shows ID and signs; the notary completes the certificate.
Send to the lender. Email or upload the notarized PDF to the loan officer.

Mistakes that stop the session

Notarizing when nobody asked. If the lender doesn't need a notary, you don't need this session.

A gift that is really a loan. If repayment is expected, a gift letter is the wrong document. That is between you, the lender and your attorney.

Amounts that don't match. The amount on the letter should match the transfer the lender sees. Fix it before signing.

The wrong form. A generic template may not have what the lender wants. Ask for theirs.

What it costs

$40 for the session, plus $10 for each extra signer. Any other fee shows in the booking form before you confirm. If a witness is needed, a video witness can be added in the booking form at $40 each.

Open 7 am to 9 pm ET, every day, by appointment. Have a current photo ID, a device with a camera, and the unsigned PDF.

Book an online session

Signing from outside the U.S.? New Jersey allows it only when the document is for a U.S. court, agency or other U.S. entity, involves property in the U.S., or relates to a transaction substantially connected with the U.S., and signing isn't prohibited where you are (N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.10). Check your document.

Gift letter: common questions

Do gift letters have to be notarized?

Not always. Many lenders accept a signed letter. Ask your loan officer.

Can the donor sign from another state?

Yes. A New Jersey notary can notarize for a donor anywhere in the U.S. on video.

Can the buyer and donor sign together?

Yes, from separate devices. Book two signers if both sign.

Will the lender accept it?

The lender decides. Ask before you book; we can't promise acceptance.

Can you prepare the gift letter?

No. We notarize; the lender usually provides the form.

Ready to sign? Book an online session.

Book online Call (908) 444-6373