Notary Bond Cost by State: What You Actually Pay (2026)
A notary surety bond protects the public from notary misconduct, but it is one of the most misunderstood costs in the commissioning process. When a…
Category: Notary Public
Notary Fees by State: Maximum Charges for 2026
Every state regulates how much a notary public can charge for notarizations, and the differences are striking. In New York, the maximum fee is $2…
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Notary? (2026 State-by-State Guide)
The cost to become a notary public ranges from under $50 in states with minimal requirements to over $500 in states that mandate training courses,…
Loose Notarial Certificates: When and How to Use Them
A loose notarial certificate (also called a loose certificate or all-purpose certificate) is a separate sheet of paper that contains the notarial wording. You attach…
Creating a Strong Brand: How to Select the Best Name for Your Notary Business
Your notary business name appears on everything: your website, business cards, Google listing, stamp, email address, and voicemail greeting. Pick a bad one and you…
Notary Insurance Explained: Essential Tips for Notary Signing Agents
Notary insurance is not one thing. There are three types of coverage that protect different people from different risks. Here is what each one does,…
What Is an Apostille? How Notary Signing Agents Help
An apostille (pronounced “ah-po-steel”) is a certificate that authenticates a public document so it can be recognized in another country. If a document needs to…
Notary Identity Verification: How to Prevent Fraud
Identity fraud is the biggest risk in notarization. If you notarize a document for someone using a fake ID or pretending to be someone else,…
Common Notary Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Notary errors can cause real problems: rejected documents, delayed closings, legal liability, and damage to your reputation. Most mistakes come from rushing, not knowing your…
Common Mistakes with Notary Seals and How to Avoid Them
Your notary seal is what makes a notarization official. If the seal is wrong, blurry, placed badly, or missing required information, the document can be…
Handling Incomplete or Blank Documents as a Notary
Notaries encounter incomplete or blank documents regularly: loan packages with missing dates, powers of attorney with unfilled fields, affidavits with blank jurats. Handling these correctly…
What to Record in Your Notary Journal: Required Fields by State
Most states require notaries to keep a journal of all notarizations. Even in states where it is not mandatory, a journal is your best protection…
LLC Formation for Notaries: Is It the Right Move for Your Business?
Most notaries start as sole proprietors: you get your commission, buy your stamp, and start accepting work. No LLC needed. But once you are earning…
Navigating Notary Protests: Best Practices for Certified Signing Agents
A notary protest is a formal declaration that a financial instrument (usually a check or promissory note) was presented for payment and refused. It creates…
Notary Journal: What to Record and How to Keep It
Your notary journal is the single most important record you keep. If a notarization is ever challenged in court, your journal entry is the evidence…
How to Correct Notarization Errors: Step by Step
Mistakes happen. You write the wrong date on a notarial certificate, you stamp crooked and part of the seal is missing, or you forget to…
Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) for Remote Online Notarization
Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) is the identity-verification method most states require for Remote Online Notarization (RON). It proves the person on the other end of the…
The Role of Notaries in Copy Certification of Vital Records: Navigating State Regulations
People often ask a notary to certify that a photocopy of their birth certificate, marriage license, or death certificate is a true copy of the…
What Is a Mobile Notary? What They Do, What They Charge, and How to Become One
A mobile notary is a commissioned notary public who travels to the client’s location to perform notarizations, instead of requiring the client to come to…
The Essential Differences Between Apostille and Authentication Explained
When someone needs a notarized document for use in another country, they need it certified. The certification method depends on which country they are sending…