What's the Difference Between A Mobile Notary and A Process Server?

Blog originally published on April 26, 2016. Updated on October 7, 2022.

Legal situations are tough situations. There are a ton of ins and outs to know, especially if you're not a licensed attorney or familiar with the law and who does what. One very important aspect of any legal situation the may come up for individuals closing mortgages or handling a court case is dealing with the legal documents. That's where it's best to know the differences between a mobile notary and process server. 

Both of these are neutral third parties that help people resolve court cases and conflicts in a legal manner. But what are the different responsibilities of process serving and notary services? Here's the difference between the two legal travelers: 

What Does A Mobile Notary Do? 

Notaries in general are people who are authorized to draw up or certify certain legal documents for other jurisdictions, including deeds and contracts for the local court system. As for a mobile notary, they are able to travel to meet with clients and individuals in need of on-site notarizing. This is something that is normally done multiple times per day for an individual notary and their services are crucial for a wide range of situations. It'll also cost a small, standard notary fee. 

What Does A Process Server Do? 

Process servers are most well known for traveling and serving individuals — normally defendants in a court case — with a legal document to alert the person of the case and the legal action taken against them. But this is not all that they handle. Process servers can also handle filing court papers (such as divorce papers and other documents), document retrieval, and even finding a client's location or current address with skip tracing or the help of a private investigator. As for the laws and regulations a server must abide by, they differ state-by-state. 

Where the two meet is when the process server needs to verify their delivery by having their affidavit of service notarized and given to the individual or company that required the serving. This is all part of the legal process, where proof is important every step of way!

Need Helping Notarizing or Serving Legal Documents? Call Same Day Process Now

If you're an individual or a company looking to serve legal documents or are in need of a legal formality to be notarized, contact the experts at Same Day Process today! Our mobile notaries and process servers have extensive experience.