I had a situation come up recently that really got me thinking about scan backs and where we are as an industry.

A client received a completed loan package back and discovered that two documents had not been notarized: the deed and the occupancy affidavit.

Obviously, the deed was needed for recording, so this was not something that could just sit. It needed to be corrected quickly and overnighted back.

My client reached out to the notary, copied me in, and asked her to please notarize the documents and send them back. We left a message and didn’t hear back. The next day, I followed up again and was finally able to speak with her. She said she had not seen the emails and would take care of it.

A few hours later, she responded that she had uploaded scans and waited 24 hours before dropping the package because no one had reached out to her with corrections.

But here’s the thing.

Scans were not required on this file.

It was just a drop.

And honestly, this is where I think the disconnect is happening.

Scan Backs Are a Tool, Not a Substitute for Quality Control

I know notaries are frustrated because scan backs are becoming more and more common. And I get it.

Scan backs were not always required on every file.

Traditionally, scan backs were usually reserved for certain types of transactions: same-day fundings, purchase closings, investment properties, complicated files, commercial loans, or anything where funding, recording, or timing was especially sensitive.

Over time, though, scan backs have become much more common.

And I think part of the reason is because too many packages are coming back with preventable errors.

Missed notarizations.

Missed signatures.

Missed initials.

Incomplete documents.

Documents that should have been caught before the package was ever dropped.

So now we are in this strange place where notaries don’t want to scan every package, which I completely understand, but title companies, lenders, and signing services also can’t have packages coming back incomplete, especially when funding or recording is on the line.

It becomes a vicious cycle.

Notaries don’t want more scan backs.

Companies don’t want to require more scan backs.

But if packages keep coming back with errors, companies are going to require more scan backs.

That is just the reality.

The Notary Is Still Responsible for the Package

Regardless of whether scans are required or not, the notary still has to check their work before dropping the package.

That part does not change.

Scan backs should be a backup. They should not be the only quality control process.

If scan backs are required, of course they need to be completed properly and submitted according to instructions. But if scan backs are not required, that does not mean the package can be dropped without being reviewed.

The notary still needs to go through the documents.

The notary still needs to make sure everything that needed to be signed was signed.

The notary still needs to make sure initials were completed where required.

The notary still needs to make sure notarizations were completed properly.

The notary still needs to make sure the package is ready to go before it leaves their hands.

That responsibility cannot be shifted to the receiving party.

Mistakes Happen, But the Response Matters

We are all human.

Mistakes happen.

I am not saying they don’t. I am not saying anyone is perfect. Anyone who has worked in this industry long enough knows that things can happen.

But when a mistake does happen, the response matters.

Own it.

Fix it quickly.

Communicate clearly.

Get the documents back where they need to go.

What does not help is blaming the receiving party for not reviewing scans that were never required in the first place.

If scans were requested and someone failed to review them, that is one conversation.

But if scans were not required, then the expectation is still that the notary is checking their own work before dropping the package.

This Is Why Scan Backs Keep Becoming More Common

I really believe this is one of the reasons scan backs have become such a hot topic.

It is not because anyone wants to create extra work.

It is not because companies enjoy making notaries scan large packages.

It is not because signing services want to add another step just for fun.

It is because errors create delays.

A missed notarization can delay recording.

A missed signature can delay funding.

A missed document can delay the entire closing process.

And when those things happen often enough, companies start building in additional safeguards.

That is how we end up with more scan backs.

So while I understand the frustration from notaries, I also think we have to be honest about why this is happening.

If the completed package is being carefully reviewed before it is dropped, scan backs become less necessary on files where they are not specifically required.

But if notaries are relying on the receiving party to catch mistakes, then companies are going to keep requiring scans.

Final Thought

At the end of the day, this comes down to professionalism and accountability.

Whether scans are required or not, check your work.

Then check it again.

Do not assume someone else is going to catch what you missed.

Do not rely on scans as your safety net.

Do not drop a package until you have reviewed it and confirmed that it is complete.

Because once that package leaves your hands, everyone else is depending on it being right.

Scan backs can be helpful. They can prevent delays. They can catch mistakes before a package is shipped.

But they should never replace the notary’s responsibility to check their own work.