Notary Public Underwriters Blog
Notary Signing Agents – Creating Success, Conquering Challenges
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- Published: October 12, 2026
The word is out on Notary Signing Agent work. It’s a rewarding way for you, as a notary, with the right temperament and organizational skills to earn a satisfying income by leveraging your notary commission.
How Do Notaries Earn Income as “Signing Agents”?
In addition to any state-required training to obtain your notary commission, you'll need specialized training focused on handling the loan documents signed during a real estate closing.
As a Notary Signing Agent , you can conduct document signings can occur in any mutually agreeable location (within your state of commission or appointment) that gives you a quiet place to sit and guide the borrower(s) through each of the loan package documents that must be signed.
The format is so well-received by the public and lenders that you might earn between $45,000 and $75,000 per year in gross (before taxes) income.
While those figures are not guaranteed—it all depends on your personal skills and organizational discipline—Notary Signing Agents prove every day that earning a satisfying living wage is not only achievable and can be steady and rewarding.
What Are Typical Challenges for Notary Signing Agents?
While working for yourself as a Notary Signing Agent can be immensely satisfying to many, there are challenges… and some of them are significant.
It’s All You: As a sole proprietor, you’re personally responsible and liable for anything related to your signing agent business that doesn’t meet the requirements of applicable laws and administrative rules. You can’t say that your employer “made me do it”; you are the entire organization. That means you need to be knowledgeable about sole proprietor business and reporting requirements, meticulously follow your state’s notary public laws and rules, be prepared to step up and own any mistakes you make, and offer to correct them if you can.
Personal Safety: A pillar of your business model is your willingness to meet customers “where they are” or wherever you both agree to meet. But sometimes you’ll find those places feel less than ideal, perhaps even unsafe. You have to be your own best advocate. If a meet-up location makes you feel uneasy, it’s safest to trust your gut. Immediately contact your customer and candidly tell them you’d prefer another location, either now or at another agreed-upon time and place.
Challenging Customers: You’re in a “people” business, so expect that some customers will be less than a joy to work with. They might be demanding, pushy, unprepared or resentful of your insistence on doing everything in complete compliance with the law. Becoming rattled or rushed can cause you to commit avoidable errors. Stay calm and remember that you are managing each signing, not the customer. Politely assert yourself when you must. It’s also helpful to emphasize what you can do, rather than argue about what you can’t do... this helps to avoid words that might trigger a negative reaction from the customer.
Safeguarding Personal Information: As a Notary Signing Agents, you'll handle documents containing your customers’ most sensitive personal information. You must practice consistently safe handling of that information whether it’s in tangible (paper) or electronic form. The biggest challenge here is keeping up with the latest best practices because they are constantly evolving to address the newest threats.
An online search for the most basic steps you should take to protect private information produced this advice (and there’s loads more online):
- Password Security ― Create long passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Use a different password for every online account you own. Store your passwords in a trusted digital manager tool instead of writing them down.
- Account Protection ― Turn on two-factor authentication on your email, bank, and social media accounts. Check your account settings often to see what devices are logged in. Remove old apps and websites that you no longer use.
- Software Updates ― Turn on automatic updates for your phone, computer, and apps. Install security patches as soon as your device asks you to do so. Delete software and programs that no longer receive safety updates.
Getting Started as a Notary Signing Agent
Most encouraging of all, the steps to become a Notary Signing Agent are simple. You just need to put in the work on your specialized education, your business organization (including the requirements for all state and local reporting of your sole-proprietorship and your income) and of course, your advertising.
In addition, you will want to implement a simple but effective appointment-making and management system. Just enter that boldface text into an Internet search engine for all the inspiration and direction you need.
Training is key. If you haven’t taken notary training for your state in a while, you should do so. Notary Public Underwriters offers state-specific and “all-states” training… check out your options at www.npuonline.com.
Finally, whether you’re a current notary or thinking about becoming one, let Notary Public Underwriters help you. We’re a top choice in the notary space because of our long industry experience since 1985, all-in-one, state-specific application and bonding services, fast but expert production of high-quality stamps and seals, essential notary products like surety bonds and insurance, plus state-approved notary training courses and reference materials.
To learn more, contact us at 800.821.0831 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Our skilled customer service team will be pleased to help you!
How Do I Become a Notary Signing Agent So I Can Begin Earning Money?
It’s simple:
- Meet the qualifications to obtain a notary commission in your state. People of all (adult) ages routinely qualify for a notary commission.
- Apply online. The online application dynamically guides you through state-specific requirements and auto-populates key form data.
- While applying you can customize your notary package and add important safeguards like Errors and Omissions insurance.
- Take the required state notary training and/or exam (if applicable).
- Submit your training and/or exam proof of completion certificate… we’ll take it from there!
- Receive your active notary commission certificate and tools.
- Begin promoting your availability to perform “traditional” notarizations by listing yourself in a top “find-a-notary” online directory (try our trusted partner’s at asnnotary.org).
- Take our specialized Notary Signing Agent training to learn the additional skills needed to do this self-driven and rewarding work.
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