Where should I go to get my document notarized?

There are lots of places you can get a document notarized—try your local bank, library, law office, or shipping company. If you don’t have access to any of these, notaries are also available online! For more tips on finding a notary near you, check out this resource.

Who needs to come to the appointment?

If the Builder will not be a legal adult (14- to 17-years-old) by the first day of their trip, a parent or guardian can get the document notarized without the Builder present.

If the Builder will be 18 or older on their trip, they will need to be present for the document notarization. This document requires a witness to the notarization, so you can either bring another legal adult with you to the appointment, or use a witness at the place you get the document notarized.

Which form should I be filling out?

Make sure you fill out the form based on how old you will be on the first day of your HXP trip. Your Builder Portal should automatically give you the correct form, but if it doesn’t, please reach out to us at info@hxp.org so we can figure out what is triggering that error. 

Some notaries will be hesitant to notarize a form for a minor that will be 18 by their trip date, so if you run into questions, explain to them the nature of the trip and that you won’t be using the form until the summer when you are a legal adult.

What is the best way to scan/upload my document?

You can scan your document with a traditional scanner or by taking a picture on your phone (make sure it’s not a live photo), but we suggest the Genius Scan app because it is simple to use and file sizes stay small! The iPhone has a similar feature in the Notes app, which you can access by creating a new note, clicking the camera icon, and selecting “scan documents”.

Why do I need this document? What am I agreeing to?

For minors: This document is a Power of Attorney. It gives Trip Leaders parental authority/guardianship over Builders throughout the duration of the trip. It allows Trip Leaders to make all decisions for you including (but not limited to) travel, personal care, and medical treatment/health care. It is essential that they have this power so minors can travel alone and stay safe throughout the trip.

For legal adults (participants 18 or older): This document is a Medical Power of Attorney. It gives Trip Leaders the ability to make medical treatment decisions if the Builder is unable to participate in them for any reason. 

If there are ever medical emergencies on a trip, parents at home will be notified and asked to advise in regards to next steps. For more information about the steps HXP takes to keep Builders safe on trips, click here.