6.6 Final Quality Checks & No-Sign / Halted Scenarios

Final Quality Checks & No-Sign / Halted Scenarios

The signing isn't over when the last signature is collected. A final quality check before you leave the table is what catches the errors that would otherwise send the package back, trigger a re-sign, or delay funding. Treat the quality check as a separate step, not as a casual flip-through.

The Post-Signing Review Checklist

Before you pack up:

• Review every page of every document for missing signatures, initials, and dates.
• Verify that every notarization has the seal, the journal entry, and the correct venue/county.
• Verify borrower copies are left with the borrower, including the two copies of the Right to Cancel.
• Verify package completeness — are all documents in the package present and signed?
• Correct errors before leaving when possible. If a signature is missing, ask the borrower to sign it now. If a seal is missing, apply it now. If a date is wrong, correct it now (with the borrower's confirmation). Leaving with a known defect creates a correction signing that costs time, money, and your rating.

What to Check on Each Notarized Document

• The notary certificate is complete — signer name, date, county/venue all filled in.
• The seal is applied, legible, and within commission.
• The journal entry is made with the required fields.
• The signer's signature on the document matches the signature in the journal.
• The notarial act matches the certificate (acknowledgment certificate = acknowledgment; jurat certificate = jurat with oath).

When to Halt the Signing

Some situations require you to stop the signing and contact the contracting company or lender. The NSA course is explicit about these halt triggers:

• No acceptable ID — if the borrower cannot produce ID that meets the current/valid/government-issued/photo/signature rule, you cannot notarize and should not proceed.
• Incomplete or missing package — if required documents are missing or the package is incomplete, halt and call.
• Signer not present or not competent — if the signer isn't physically present or appears not to understand what they're signing, halt.
• Signer refuses to sign — you cannot force a signing. Halt, document, and report.
• Name mismatch without affidavit — if the ID name and document name differ and no Name Affidavit is available, halt.
• Pressure or suspicion of fraud — if you suspect fraud, coercion, or anything improper, halt.

No-Sign Scenarios and the Correct Action

SPW Principle 5: Reporting Suspicious Activity

Signing Professionals Workgroup (SPW) Principle 5 requires NSAs to report suspicious activity to the contracting company. If you see signs of fraud — a borrower who seems coached, an ID that looks altered, pressure from a third party to rush the signing, a signer who cannot answer basic questions about the property — you stop, document what you observed, and report it to the contracting company. You are not the investigator and you are not the police; your job is to halt and report, not to confront.

What "Suspicious" Looks Like

• An ID with peeling lamination, mismatched fonts, or a photo that doesn't match the bearer.
• A third party (not on the loan) answering all the questions and directing the borrower when to sign.
• A borrower who is clearly confused about the property address, the loan amount, or the lender's name.
• Pressure to skip steps, skip the quality check, or back-date a document.
• A borrower who appears to be under the influence and not competent to sign.

Leaving Professionally — Even When Halted

Even when a signing halts, leave professionally:

• Thank the borrower for their time.
• Do not accuse anyone of anything — you observed facts, you did not reach a conclusion.
• Document the facts (what you observed, what was said, what was missing) in your notes, not in accusations.
• Contact the contracting company as soon as you're safely away.
• Do not abandon documents — secure the package and follow the company's return instructions.
• Do not discuss the halt with the borrower beyond what's necessary to end the appointment politely.

A halted signing is not a failure for the NSA. Forcing a signing that should have been halted — signing with no ID, notarizing a pre-signed jurat, or ignoring signs of fraud — is the failure. The certification exam tests whether you know the difference between halting (correct) and forcing through (wrong).

The Right to Cancel — A Closer Look

For most refinance loans on a borrower's primary residence, federal law gives the borrower a three-business-day right to rescind. Two copies of the Right to Cancel notice must be left with the borrower, and the rescission clock starts when both copies are delivered. If you leave only one copy, or forget the notice entirely, the rescission period can be extended — in some cases up to three years — which is a serious compliance failure for the lender. Always confirm two copies are in the borrower's hands before you leave, and note the delivery in your records.

What Counts as a "Business Day"

For Right to Cancel purposes, a business day is generally any day other than Sunday or a federal public holiday. Saturday counts. The three-business-day clock starts on the day after the signing (the day after the notice is delivered). If you sign on a Friday, the rescission period runs Saturday–Monday, with rescission effective by midnight Monday. Confirm the exact date with the borrower so there is no confusion about when the loan funds.

Reporting and Follow-Up After a Halt

After a halted signing, follow up with the contracting company in writing — email is best — summarizing what you observed, what you told the borrower, and what the borrower said. Keep a copy in your own records. Do not speculate about whether fraud occurred; report the facts and let the company investigate. If the company instructs you to return the unsigned package, do so promptly and secure it in transit. A clear, factual report protects you if the signing is later scrutinized.