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Why You Should Become A Notary Public

June 16, 2023
1:26 pm

A notary is a licensed professional who acts as an impartial witness when important documents are signed. It can be a very rewarding job because of the essential public service it provides.

Becoming a notary is also popular among Americans with over four million licensed notaries in the United States alone.

The demand for notaries also makes it a good option if you want to earn extra income or start your own business.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly a notary public does and why you should consider becoming one.

We’ve also included a list of things to avoid so you can conduct your notary business easily.

Summary

Notaries are licensed professionals who act as impartial witnesses when important documents are being signed. They also verify a person’s identity to prevent fraud.
There are many reasons to become a notary, such as earning a steady income, having a flexible working environment, and helping people in your local community.
The process of becoming a notary is straightforward if you meet your state-specific regulations. You often only need to complete an approved training course and pass an exam before applying for a license.
There are, however, some negative aspects to becoming a notary, including high upkeep costs and an increased risk of being sued. However, these are easy to manage if you stay up to date with your training and state requirements.

What Is a Notary Public?

A notary is a person who has been appointed by the state government—like the secretary of state or local governor—to serve the public as an impartial witness.

Notaries are usually present when people sign important documents. Additionally, they must go through a verification process to confirm the person’s identity before they witness the signing of these documents.

The duties of a notary public can also vary from state to state, along with the business model you choose, such as being self-employed or working for a company.

Notaries are barred from performing notarization services outside of the state they have a registered business in, by law. If they want to practice outside of their state, they have to apply and be appointed in other localities

What Is a Mobile Notary Signing Agent?

A mobile notary is an appointed person that travels to specific locations on request.

Mobile notary services are typically used by real estate agents if they need a witness during the signing of rental agreements or mortgage transactions.

These notary signing agents also often work with escrow officers to ensure a smooth transaction process.

Although they can travel, mobile notaries are also only allowed to practice in their appointed state and won’t be allowed to perform their duties elsewhere.

If you want to become a mobile notary that specializes in property documents, you’ll need to undergo additional training to ensure that you understand the real estate transaction process.

What Are the Requirements to Become a Notary?

Notaries are licensed and appointed by the state that they want to do business in. Each state may have specific requirements, but the general conditions for becoming a notary are:

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

You can view the different state requirements on the National Notary Association website.

The Top Four Reasons Why You Should Become a Notary

Becoming a notary is more than just having an additional source of income. Not only does it teach you several new skills, but it also allows you to help people within your community.

Let’s take a look at some of these reasons in more detail.

You’ll be well compensated

Although you’ll have to put in some work to generate a steady stream of income, becoming a notary can be financially rewarding.

Entry-level notary loan signing agents charge between $19 and $25 per hour and often require a flat fee of around $100 to $200 per document.

As your experience and clients increase, you can charge anywhere from $150 per hour or more.

The income you make also depends on your location, skill level, and the number of notary services you offer.

For example, you might be able to charge a higher hourly rate if you specialize in a specific field.

Some states, like California, also allow notaries to charge a higher rate if clients use expedited delivery methods like UPS or FedEx.

If you are self-employed, you can also choose to work after-hours or on weekends for a higher fee.

How Can You Increase Your Income As a Notary Signing Agent?

The best way to earn more as a notary is to gain more experience. This might take some time, but you’ll be able to charge higher rates if you’re more knowledgeable about your field.

You can also further your education and do additional courses to diversify your skill set. This will allow you to offer more services than just being a legal witness.

Additional services you might want to specialize in may include:

Immigration forms specialist.
Notary loan signing agent.
Wedding officiant.
Apostilles specialist.
Form I-9 services.
Health care facilities specialist.

If you’re working for a company—usually at law firms—it might be a good idea to consider starting your own business.

This way, you won’t be acting on behalf of someone who is due a portion of your commission.

Getting started is an easy process

To get the notary licensing process started, you simply have to meet state requirements and complete the approved training program.

In some cases, you may also need to write an exam or complete additional coursework.

Although it might take time to work through and understand the training programs, the content is generally straightforward enough to understand quickly.

Once you’ve completed your training, you’ll have to go through your state’s licensing process before receiving the certificate you would need to start practicing.

At Notary Learn, we offer comprehensive training courses and educational material to help you get started on the right foot. We can also help you pass your state exams on the first try.

You’ll have a flexible working environment

Once you’ve obtained your license, you can choose to work for a company or run your own business.

Becoming self-employed gives you the opportunity to set your working hours and enjoy a bit more flexibility.

You might also be able to work from home and offer remote online notarization services—a process that has become more popular and accessible since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working from home can help you save on the costs involved in renting an office space and commuting there every day.

Being a self-employed notary also allows you to use notarization as a means to generate extra income alongside a full-time job.

You have an opportunity to help others

The need for notaries in the U.S. is high, which keeps the profession in constant demand.

Not only do businesses need notarization services to keep their operations running, but being a notary also means that you’ll be performing an important public service.

The notarization process means you can contribute to preventing fraud and protecting members of your community from identity theft.

As you gain more experience, build your skill set, and diversify your offerings, the impact that you have on the community will naturally increase.

Are There Any Cons of Becoming a Notary?

Although becoming a notary can be a positive career choice, there are also some negative aspects of the job to consider.

Let’s take a look at what those are.

Establishing a steady income stream can be difficult at first

When you’re just starting out as a notary, the rates you can charge are low, and you’ll need to work hard to generate a good income.

The set minimum that notaries can charge in certain states is quite low.

If the going rates are low, potential clients might not want to pay a higher commission rate, even if it’s the minimum in other localities.

There are also some states that don’t allow you to add additional charges to your fee, such as driving out to meet clients or using expedited delivery services.

These costs will be part of your personal expenses and may outweigh the income you bring in at first.

However, once you’ve started to gain more experience and built up your client base, you can charge more, and your income should become steadier.

You could get sued

One of the most important tasks of a notary is to verify the identity of the person signing the document. This protects the public against identity theft and fraud.

If you make a mistake, you can be held personally responsible for any financial losses or reputational damage caused by the fraudulent papers you’ve notarized.

To avoid these costly mistakes, make sure to diligently follow the notarization process before you apply your stamp.

It’s also a good idea to brush up on the different notarial certificates and take out an insurance policy to protect yourself.

Your startup and upkeep costs can be high

Applying to become a notary can be a time-consuming and expensive process. You’ll have to pay for the following:

Your application.
Educational courses.
Surety bond and other insurance policies.
Office supplies like stamps, journals, and files.

You will also have to renew your license according to state-specific regulations. This process often involves renewal fees and additional training courses.

How Can You Avoid the Cons of Becoming a Notary?

The negative aspects of becoming a notary can be easily managed and prevented if you know what to expect from the process.

This will help you stay on top of your paperwork, training, and education to ensure that you don’t make any mistakes.

Pay attention to detail

One of the biggest drawbacks of becoming a notary is that mistakes are costly and can damage your professional reputation.

However, you can avoid this by paying attention to detail and ensuring that you closely follow each step of the notarization process.

Make sure that you set enough time aside to do your paperwork properly and avoid leaving things to the last minute.

Stay up to date with your training

To avoid missing a step during the notarization process or misunderstanding rules and regulations, you must stay up to date with your training.

This prevents mistakes like incorrectly verifying a person’s identity and committing fraud.

You should also stay updated with any laws or regulations that may impact the field you specialize in.

Apart from staying up to date, you can enroll in additional training courses to expand your knowledge and skill set.

Protect yourself from lawsuits

Although you might not find yourself in this position, it’s always a good idea to put steps in place as protection against a potential lawsuit.

There are many different insurance options for notaries, including:

Notary errors and omissions insurance protects you from unintentional mistakes when performing your job.
Public liability insurance helps to protect your business from reputational damage due to claims made by the general public.
Professional and general liability insurance protects you from being held responsible for damages caused to the company you provided services to.

Take the Hassle Out of Becoming a Notary with Notary Learn

At Notary Learn, we know that it can be overwhelming to start a new career and become a licensed professional.

That’s why our certified coursework eliminates the hassle of becoming an appointed notary.

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

Take the first step to becoming a licensed notary with Notary Learn today.

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