Becoming a notary public usually involves submitting a notary application through your state’s Secretary of State notary office, but some states do it differently. Sometimes it’s the governor who appoints notaries and sometimes it’s done by the attorney general. The process can vary depending on state statutory laws. The National Notary Association maintains current information…
Note: this page contains affiliate links, which means we’ll make a small commission off of any purchases at no additional cost to you. If you’re a notary signing agent, then you know how important it is to have the right software to help you manage your business. There are a lot of different options out…
Notary errors and omissions insurance (E&O) is voluntary in every state, costs roughly $50 to $100 a year for $100,000 of coverage from notary-specialty insurers, and pays your legal defense and settlements if a claimant says you made a notarial mistake. It is the only coverage that protects you rather than the public, which is…
Notaries get asked this a lot: “Can you notarize this for me? I’m family.” The short answer: it depends on your state and on your stake in the document. Florida, Massachusetts, and Michigan ban notarizing for close relatives outright. Most states impose no flat family ban at all; their rule targets your interest in the…
A mobile notary public is a commissioned notary who travels to clients instead of requiring them to come to an office. Mobile notaries handle the same notarial acts as any other notary — acknowledgements, jurats, oaths, but they deliver the service at the client’s home, office, hospital, or any other location. What You Need to…
Key Takeaways Exam and 3-hour training course required: must retake both on every renewal $10,000 surety bond required (premium costs $40-$50) Application fee: $35 | Training course: $45 | Commission term: 4 years Processing time: 2-3 weeks Notary stamp and journal both required Maximum fee: $15 per acknowledgment/jurat, $7.50 per oath Must be 18+, a…
A loan signing agent (also called a notary signing agent or NSA) is a notary public who specializes in walking borrowers through real estate loan documents at closing. If you already have your notary commission, or are planning to get one: starting a signing agent business is one of the highest-earning paths available to notaries….
Key Takeaways No exam, no training course, no surety bond required Commission fee: $60 | Commission term: 7 years Must be 18+, a MA resident, and have no felony convictions One of the longest commission terms in the country Paper application only, mailed to the State House Massachusetts has one of the longest commission terms…
Finding title companies that need signing agents is the biggest hurdle for new notary signing agents. The work is out there. Title companies and escrow officers need notaries to handle loan closings every day. But they do not come to you. You have to find them. This ishow. The Three Levels of Signing Agent Work…
Key Takeaways Updated January 2024: Illinois now requires a 3-hour education course and exam (85% to pass) for all new and renewing notaries You must be 18+, live in Illinois or a border state for 30+ days, and be a US citizen or permanent resident $5,000 surety bond required ($25,000 additional for electronic/RON notaries) Application…
Signing agent jobs are assignments where you meet borrowers and walk them through their loan document packages. Most signing agents work as independent contractors, choosing which assignments to accept and setting their own hours. This iswhere to find work and what to expect. Where signing agent jobs come from Signing services Signing services are middlemen….
Key Takeaways New exam requirement: Since July 1, 2025, all new and renewing AZ notaries must pass a state exam $5,000 surety bond required No training course required (but recommended) Application fee: $43 | Commission term: 4 years Must be 18+, an AZ resident, and have no felony convictions RON (remote online notarization) available Arizona…
You become a remote online notary in four steps: hold a traditional notary commission, get your state’s online-notary authorization, buy a digital certificate, and register with an approved platform. Roughly 43 states allow it, startup costs run a few hundred dollars, and because the notarization is governed by your commissioning state, signers can be almost…
Signing agents carry a lot of gear. Between the stamp, journal, printer, scanner, and all the loan documents, your bag gets heavy fast. This isa list of every tool you need, what to look for in each one, and what you can skip. Notary Stamp / Notary Seal Notaries must put their stamp or seal…
Key Takeaways New for 2026 applications: SB693 requires an education course of up to two hours through the Secretary of State before appointment, plus continuing education at renewal You must be a Texas resident, at least 18 years old, with no felony or moral turpitude convictions Pay the $21 filing fee and post a $10,000…
A loan package typically contains 80 to 150 pages, but only a handful of its documents carry notarial certificates. Your job as the signing agent is to check ID, witness signatures, and complete those certificates correctly. The deed, several affidavits, and some trust and correction documents are the ones that get notarized; the note, settlement…
Key Takeaways Surety bond required (the SOS no longer prints the amount; it has customarily been $10,000, so confirm with your county clerk) Journal required for all notarial acts No exam for traditional notaries Application fee: $12-$17 (varies by county) | Commission term: 4 years New for 2026: Online notaries must complete a state-approved course…
Eight states require an attorney to conduct a real estate closing, and several more customarily use one. Everywhere else, closings run through escrow officers or title companies. Where that line falls decides what loan work you can pick up as a notary signing agent: in attorney states, local purchase closings belong to lawyers, while escrow…
Key Takeaways New for 2025: Georgia HB1292 (Act 549 of 2024) requires an approved training course before each appointment and renewal, and a journal for self-filer notarizations No exam, no bond, no insurance required Apply through your county’s Clerk of Superior Court Application fee: $40-$55 (varies by county) | Commission term: 4 years You must…
The NNA background check is the industry-standard criminal screening that title companies and signing services require before they will route loan signings to you. It is separate from your state commission’s background check, it renews annually, and without it most hiring platforms will not even show your profile. This iswhat it covers, what it costs,…