An authorized representative is a person designated by the employer to complete Section 2 of Form I-9 by physically examining the employee's identity and employment authorization documents, verifying their authenticity, and certifying that the documents appear genuine and relate to the employee presenting them. The authorized representative can be any individual over 18 years old, including mobile notaries, HR professionals, third-party service providers, or even other employees within the organization—the employer determines who is authorized to act on their behalf. However, the employer retains full legal liability for any errors, omissions, or violations on I-9 forms completed by their authorized representative, making proper training and reliable service providers critical to compliance.

Federal law does not require authorized representatives to have special training, licensing, or certification, but employers must ensure their representatives understand I-9 requirements, acceptable document lists (List A, B, and C), fraud detection basics, and anti-discrimination rules that prohibit requesting specific documents or rejecting valid documentation based on national origin or citizenship status. Many employers use mobile notary services as authorized representatives because notaries are already trained in identity verification, document examination, and record-keeping practices that align with I-9 compliance standards. The authorized representative must be physically present with the employee during Section 2 completion—remote verification via video is only a temporary accommodation through December 2025 and still requires subsequent physical inspection.

Lake Mead Mobile Notary serves as a trusted authorized representative for I-9 verification throughout Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Boulder City, providing professional document examination services for employers with remote workers, multi-location operations, or limited HR staff. Our mobile notaries travel to employee locations—home offices, co-working spaces, or any convenient site—complete Section 2 verification with proper physical document inspection, and provide employers with compliant, audit-ready I-9 forms. This service eliminates the burden of coordinating internal authorized representatives, reduces employer liability through professional verification, and ensures every I-9 meets federal standards that withstand ICE audits.

Professional field inspection services provide significant cost advantages over internal REO assessment processes, with typical savings of $1,200-$3,500 per property when considering staff time, travel costs, liability protection, and documentation quality. Volume pricing structures for asset management companies offer 10-20% discounts for portfolio services, making professional assessment cost-effective for institutional REO management.

Internal vs. Professional Assessment Cost Analysis:

• Internal assessment: $185-$285 (staff time + travel + liability + documentation)
• Professional service: $55-$185 (comprehensive assessment with guaranteed quality)
• Average savings per property: $1,200-$3,500 including risk mitigation value
• Portfolio assessment savings: 15-25% additional discounts for multiple properties

Volume Pricing Structure Benefits:

Asset management companies coordinating 5-10 property assessments receive 10% portfolio discounts, while 15+ property portfolios qualify for 20% graduated pricing reductions. Las Vegas Convention Center area commercial REO properties and UNLV Campus investment properties benefit from coordinated assessment scheduling that reduces per-property costs through efficient routing and resource allocation.

Hidden Cost Elimination:

Professional services eliminate internal costs including staff training, liability insurance, legal compliance verification, and documentation standardization. Henderson area REO properties require specialized knowledge of master-planned community standards and HOA compliance, making professional assessment essential for avoiding costly regulatory violations.

Quality Assurance and Liability Protection:

Professional assessment services include $1M+ liability coverage, court testimony availability, and expert witness services that protect asset management companies from assessment errors and legal challenges. Internal assessment processes lack professional liability protection and expert witness qualification, creating significant institutional risk exposure.

Operational Efficiency Metrics:

Asset management companies utilizing professional services report 40% reduction in disposition timelines, 78% improvement in documentation quality, and 85% decrease in assessment-related legal challenges. Portfolio coordination services enable simultaneous multi-property assessment that accelerates asset management decision-making and disposition strategies.