Notary Publics are public officials appointed by the state to help deter fraud. Notaries perform a number of services, including administering oaths, witnessing the signing of important documents, verifying the identity of the signer(s), their willingness to sign the documents, and their awareness of the contents of the documents.
A Loan Signing Agent (LSA) or Notary Signing Agent (NSA) is a Notary Public that is trained and certified to facilitate loan closings for the mortgage finance industry. Loan Signing Agents are paid $75- $300 per signing to to ensure that closing documents are properly executed and notarized. The first step to becoming a Signing Agent is obtaining your notary commission.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
Each state has its own requirements for becoming a Notary Public, however, generally in most states to be commission an individual must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Have no criminal convictions or felonies
- Legally reside or maintain regular employment within the applying state
Once the basic eligibility requirements are met the next step is to submit your application and applicable fee to your Secretary of State. Most applications can be completed and submitted online. Application fees to become a notary also vary from state to state and can range from $10 to $120.
Additional Requirements
In most states it’s as simple as that. Once your application is submitted and fees are paid, you’re sworn in as a notary soon there after. But there are a few states that require a Notary surety bond, mandatory training and/ or testing.
States that currently have training and testing requirements are California, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Delaware, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and Utah.
Although training it’s not required in all states, it’s highly recommended to learn your state laws and obtain some type of training before completing any general notary work (GNW) and/or loan signings.
Select the applicable link below to verify all the necessary requirements to become a commissioned Notary Public in your state. Once you’ve met your state requirements and have been commission, you’re now ready to become a Certified Notary Signing Agent. Click here for the signing agent certification process.
