Field Inspection Services: A Lucrative Addition to Your Notary Business
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Field inspections are a natural add-on for mobile notaries who already drive to appointments for a living. Insurance companies, mortgage lenders, and property management firms hire field inspectors to verify property condition, confirm occupancy, and document damage. The work pays less per job than a loan signing ($30-$75 per inspection) but each inspection takes 10-20 minutes. Stack enough of them and it becomes real money.
Types of Field Inspections
- Drive-by property inspections: The most common type. Drive to a property, take photos of the exterior, note the condition (occupied, vacant, damaged), and submit a short report. Takes 10 minutes. Pays $20-$40.
- Occupancy verifications: Mortgage companies need to confirm a borrower still lives in the home. Knock on the door, ask if the person still resides there, take a photo, file the report. Pays $30-$50.
- Insurance inspections: After a claim, insurance companies send someone to photograph the damage and document the current condition. Sometimes interior access is required (the homeowner lets you in). Pays $50-$100.
- Commercial property inspections: Photograph and document the condition of a business property. More involved but pays better ($75-$150).
- Collateral inspections: Verify that equipment or vehicles financed by a lender actually exist and are in the expected condition. Pays $30-$75.
How to Get Started
You do not need any special license to do field inspections in most states. A smartphone with a good camera, reliable transportation, and internet access are enough. Some companies require you to pass a background check.
Sign up with field inspection companies and platforms. The major ones include:
- ISS (Inspection Support Services): One of the largest. Drive-by and interior inspections nationwide.
- Millennium Information Services: Insurance inspections and property condition reports.
- Safeguard Properties: Mortgage field services, property inspections, and preservation.
- Field Assets: Property inspections and REO services.
- National Mortgage Field Services: Occupancy checks and property condition reports.
Register with as many as you can. Work comes through their platforms based on your zip code. You get an order, accept it, drive to the property, complete the inspection, and submit the report through their app or website.
What the Report Involves
Most inspection reports ask for the same things:
- Exterior photos (front, back, sides, street view, address numbers)
- Property condition notes (grass maintained, visible damage, for sale sign, etc.)
- Occupancy status (occupied, vacant, unable to determine)
- Any hazards or code violations visible from the exterior
- Neighborhood condition notes
The report is submitted through the company’s app or portal. Most companies require same-day completion. Some allow 24-48 hours turnaround.
Field Inspection Earnings
Individual inspections pay $20-$100. The average drive-by pays $30-$40 and takes 10-15 minutes including driving. If you can batch inspections in the same area (5-10 properties within a few miles), you can earn $150-$400 in a few hours.
Most inspectors are independent contractors (1099). You will not get rich from field inspections alone, but combined with notary work, it fills the gaps between signings. A notary who does 3-4 inspections per day between signings can add $500-$1,000 per month.
Combining Inspections with Notary Work
The advantage of field inspections for notaries is that you are already driving. If you have a loan signing at 6 PM and a field inspection near the same address at 5:30, you just added $40 to your day without extra driving.
Check your inspection platform for orders near your notary appointments. Route your day to minimize driving. A notary doing 3 signings and 5 inspections in a day could earn $350-$500 in a single afternoon and evening.
Liability and Insurance
Field inspection companies typically carry their own insurance, but you should have E&O insurance that covers inspection work (some notary E&O policies exclude non-notary services). Check your policy. If it does not cover inspections, either get a rider or a separate general liability policy ($200-$400/year).
Never enter a property without the company’s explicit authorization and the occupant’s consent. Trespassing on a vacant property to get a closer photo is not worth the legal risk. Photograph from the sidewalk or public right-of-way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to do field inspections?
In most states, no. Field inspections (drive-by condition reports and occupancy checks) are not the same as home inspections, which do require licensing. If a company asks you to assess structural condition or building code compliance, that may cross into licensed home inspector territory.
How do I get paid?
Most companies pay once or twice a month via direct deposit. Some pay per inspection, others pay a batch rate. Expect to wait 2-4 weeks for your first payment.
Can I do inspections on foot or do I need a car?
You need a car for almost all field inspection work. The properties are spread across a geographic area and require driving between locations. Some urban areas may be walkable, but most assignments are suburban or rural.
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Updated May 2026.
