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What Is A Mobile Notary? Everything You Need To Know

June 16, 2023
12:26 pm

In the United States, there is a high and constantly increasing demand for mobile notaries.

These licensed individuals often act as witnesses during the signing of important documents, like property deeds and immigration forms.

Many of the services offered by mobile notaries—also called signing agents—are required to keep businesses and organizations running, making this a popular job.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the mobile notary position, what it entails, and how you can become a licensed agent with ease.

Summary

A mobile notary is a licensed individual who travels to clients needing their services and performs notarizations in different locations.
Although mobile notaries can travel to different places, they are still confined to doing business in the state where they have been licensed. If they want to practice somewhere else, they will have to obtain an additional license first.
Advantages of becoming a mobile notary include generating more income, having flexible working hours and locations, and providing a quick, efficient public service.
There are also a few negative aspects of becoming a mobile notary. These mainly include high upkeep costs and having to invest a lot of time into building a client base.

Firstly, What Is a Mobile Notary?

A mobile notary is a licensed individual who performs notarizations.

However, mobile notaries typically travel to individuals who require their services instead of seeing clients in an office.

They are allowed to meet clients anywhere, from their homes to restaurants.

However, similar to regular signing agents, mobile notaries are also confined to doing business in the state they are registered in. Their duties may also vary from state to state.

If mobile notaries wish to do business in other states, they have to obtain a license first.

What is the difference between a mobile notary and a regular notary public?

Although they offer the same services, there are a few key differences between a mobile notary and a regular notary signing agent.

The biggest difference between the two is that clients often meet signing agents in their offices, while mobile notaries travel to the person or business.

Mobile notaries might also have a wider client base because they’re not restricted to a certain location.

What services does a mobile notary offer?

As we’ve mentioned before, a mobile notary offers the same services as a notary signing agent.

This means that they can witness the signing of important documents like:

Property deeds.
Wills and testaments.
Real estate documents.
Powers of attorney.
Loan documents.

Another key part of any notary’s job is to verify the identity of a person signing a document and to check the authenticity of the papers.

They also have to ensure that no one is signing the documents under compulsion or threat.

Many mobile notaries specialize in real estate notarization, which means they can be present during the signing of leases, mortgage transactions, and home loans.

What Are the Advantages of Becoming a Mobile Notary?

Notarization is a service that is in high demand and offers many advantages to licensed individuals. Let’s take a closer look at what those are.

The chance to earn extra money

Whether you become a full-time mobile notary or use the opportunity to earn more income part-time, notarization is a great way to make money.

Entry-level signing agents can charge up to $25 per hour with an additional flat fee of around $200 per document that needs a notary stamp.

Your hourly rates will also increase as you gain more experience. In fact, experienced notaries can charge up to $70 per hour.

It’s important to note that your location and the number of services you offer may impact how much you can earn.

You might be able to earn more money if you specialize in a specific notarization service that isn’t common among your competitors, such as officiating weddings or specializing in immigration forms.

Some mobile notary services also offer remote online notarization from the comfort of their own home.

This allows them to provide mobile services to more people who need to get their documents notarized.

Mobile notaries are also usually self-employed, meaning that they can work longer hours and on weekends for a higher rate.

How much can I earn as a mobile notary?

The average yearly salary for a mobile notary in the United States is around $63,046 per year.

In some exceptional cases, mobile notaries have earned annual salaries as high as $179,500.

Your salary may also vary depending on the state you practice in and how many clients you choose to take on each month—especially if you’re a part-time notary.

Some states, like California and Nebraska, currently offer the best annual salaries for mobile notaries—around $78,907 and $75,759, respectively.

Offering quick and efficient services to businesses

Although notarizing documents is an important step that many general business owners must take to run their company, they often don’t have time to sit through the notarization process.

Mobile notary services allow business owners to choose when they want the notarization to take place.

Being able to offer this service also means that you’ll likely be in constant demand from companies requiring more flexibility.

A mobile notary might also be able to complete the process quicker and with more efficiency, ensuring greater client satisfaction.

Flexible working hours and location

One of the biggest advantages of becoming a mobile notary is that you can choose where you want to work and for how long.

Although it might also depend on the needs of the client, mobile notarization can give you the option to recommend places to meet clients, too.

You can also decide what your working hours and days will be, which gives you more control over how you spend your time.

This is why mobile notarization is a good option for people who want to do it part-time since the flexibility prevents it from interfering with another job.

Are There Any Disadvantages to Becoming a Mobile Notary?

While it offers a number of advantages, there are also some cons that come with being a mobile notary. Let’s take a closer look at these disadvantages.

State-specific requirements and restrictions

While most states don’t impose restrictions on notarization services, there are a few requirements to be aware of.

Failing to meet the requirements of these states can result in legal action. Your notarized documents will also not be valid and your services may be classified as fraudulent.

The next section will outline these restrictions and requirements in more detail.

Fee limitation

In some states, what you charge for your flat fee and hourly rate may be limited. This is usually reserved for fees involved with loan signings.

Some states also limit the services you can charge for.

For example, in Ohio, you may not charge per signature. Your rate has to be for the entire document or per the notarial act.

Georgia laws also state that notaries may not charge more than $4.00 per individual notarization act.

Attorney involvement

Some states are classified as “attorney-closing” or “attorney-only” states.

This means the law requires a licensed lawyer to supervise certain notarization services like real estate closing transactions.

A notary signing agent who isn’t an admitted attorney may not complete the notarization process without the presence of a licensed lawyer.

States that have this requirement are:

Connecticut.
Massachusetts.
Delaware.
Georgia.
North Carolina.
South Carolina.
West Virginia.
Vermont.

Some parts of Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio also require the presence of a licensed lawyer.

Might take time to build a reputable mobile notary business

When you first start out as a mobile notary, you might need to spend a lot of time selling your services to clients and getting the word out about your business.

Even once you’ve completed a few signings, it can still be a while before you’re recognized as a reputable business in your community.

There is no quick way to get around this, and all you can do is consistently deliver high-quality work.

You can also ask your clients to recommend you to others or to keep your card in their offices if they require notarization services again.

It might also be a good idea to start and market your own personal website.

Do I Need to Take an Exam Before Becoming a Licensed Notary?

It’s a requirement to complete a state-approved training course and pass the administered exam before you can become a licensed mobile notary.

The required course is necessary to help you understand the roles, responsibilities, and duties of mobile notary work. It also teaches you what to do during the notarization process.

When you take your licensing exam, you will be tested on your ability to perform notarization duties.

It’s important to pass this exam on the first try so that you can become a licensed mobile notary as soon as possible. If you fail, you’ll have to retake the exam which can become costly.

That’s why it’s essential to use a professional exam preparation service like Notary Learn.

Our certified coursework will help you to study for your exam and teach you everything you need to know about becoming a mobile notary.

What are the requirements for becoming a mobile notary?

Mobile notaries need to be licensed and appointed by the state that they want to do business in.

Each state may have specific requirements, but the general requirements for becoming a notary are:

Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
Applicants must complete a state-approved training course.
Passing an exam based on the training course they took.
Receiving additional training before an applicant can become licensed.
Applicants must submit their fingerprints to government agencies and pass a background check

Do I Need to Take an Exam Before Becoming a Licensed Notary?

At Notary Learn, we know how challenging it can be to get licensed as a mobile notary.

That’s why our certified coursework makes it easier than ever to become an appointed mobile notary.

With our straightforward educational content and user-friendly platform, you are close to being guaranteed a notary exam pass on your first try.

Enjoy hassle-free licensing with Notary Learn, today.

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