Following the instructions
The sender specifies a carrier, a service level, an address and often a prepaid label. Using the wrong carrier or address can send documents to the wrong office. If the label seems wrong, call the sender before using it.
Check whether a recipient signature is needed. Some offices are closed on certain days, and a delivery that needs a signature will fail at a locked front door.
Cutoff times matter
Carriers have latest-acceptance times at each drop box or store. Miss them and the package goes out the next day, which may push funding back. When a signing ends late, an agent should plan the route to a staffed location before the cutoff.
For tight timelines, ask the sender about a pickup, a courier or a later hub drop.
Packaging
Use a sturdy envelope or box suited to the service. Keep documents flat and in order. Never staple through important pages unless asked. Put a clear cover sheet on top and include a return address. Avoid reusing old labels.
Place the signed originals in a way that guards against moisture and creasing.
Tracking and confirmation
After drop-off, send the tracking number to the title company or lender promptly. Keep a receipt or a photo of the label and the package. Check that the status shows pickup, not just label created.
Notify the sender as soon as delivery is confirmed, and record the shipping details in your own file for reference.
When something goes wrong
If a package is late, contact the carrier with the tracking number and notify the sender at once. They may need to schedule replacement signing if the originals are lost. This is one reason agents keep a clean scan and a careful record of what was shipped.
Never mail loan documents through ordinary postage when overnight service with tracking is requested.
Before you seal the envelope and records worth keeping
Do a last page count against the index. Check every signature, initial, date and notary stamp. Make sure the right set of loan documents is going to the right recipient, since some packages ask for separate shipments to the lender and the title company.
Include any check, original ID copies or extra forms the sender asked for, and nothing they did not request.
Save the label, the receipt, the tracking page and the date and time of drop-off. Note who accepted the package if the carrier gave a name. If a question comes up weeks later, these small records settle it quickly. Keep them with the signing file along with the journal entry.
Think about weather and holidays too. A storm in a carrier's hub city can delay overnight delivery by a day, and a holiday can close the recipient's office. When the closing date is firm, ask the title company whether an earlier drop-off, a courier, or a delivery to a different office would reduce the risk. A little planning is cheaper than a postponed funding date.
Mistakes that get documents rejected
Missing the carrier cutoff, using the wrong envelope and losing the tracking number cause delays. Check the instructions for the carrier and the drop-off deadline.
Checklist before you book
Know the cutoff time. Use the prepaid label. Confirm the page count. Save the tracking number and send it to the title company.
Common questions
Who pays for shipping?
Usually the title company or lender provides a prepaid label or reimburses the agent. The assignment details say which.
Can documents be left in a drop box?
Only if the carrier and the sender allow it and the cutoff time is met. Staffed locations provide better proof of acceptance.
What if the originals get lost?
The sender will tell you how to proceed, often by re-signing a new set. A prior scan and tracking record help.
More notary guides
- A Signing Agent's Workflow From Assignment to Drop-Off
- A Pre-Signing Call Script for Loan Signing Agents
- What Happens After a Loan Signing? The Path to Funding
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change; check with the office involved or an attorney for your situation.