How To Become A Successful United States Notary Signing Agent
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A notary signing agent is a trained and certified professional who helps facilitate the signing of documents. Notaries play an important role in the legal system by witnessing signatures and verifying the identity of signers. Notary signing agents (NSAs) are specially trained notaries who work with loan documents and property documents like buying or selling a home, and mortgage refinance. They can even travel to the homes of borrowers to notarize documents and answer any questions the borrower may have.
In general, you must be at least 18 years old, have a spotless criminal record, and pass a background check and exam. However, the standards differ from state to state. If you’re unsure of the distinction between an NSA and a notary public. A notary public must charge fees determined by the state in which they are registered, whereas NSAs may set their own costs based on the value of the workload. Talk about leveraging an NSA title as a side gig or a full-time business to add to your list of talents.
Here are some tips for becoming a successful NSA:
1. Become a Notary— To become a notary signing agent, you must first become a notary public. You can become a notary public by submitting an application fee, taking a state-approved course, and passing the exam (if the state has one). Each state application fee varies but roughly it can be as low as $10 and as high as $165.
Additionally, each state or agency will set extra costs, such as vendor fees, bond fees (if necessary), journals, stamps, and supply purchases. Not all states demand these fees, they do have certain preliminary requirements that you must pay for and fulfill in each state. Knowing your state qualification is crucial. Visit NationalNotary.org and choose your state to do this.
2. Become an NSA — Once you are a notary public, you can then take training courses to become a notary signing agent. After completing the training, you will need to pass an exam to be a certified notary signing agent.
3. Join a professional organization — Joining organizations like the National Notary Association (NNA) will give you access to resources and support from other NSAs. It’s one great way to network to find new clients. Other ways some agents utilize Signing Services like Notary Rotary, Snapdocs, and Notary Cafe. Signing Services are huge databases that contact you when a person is looking to hire a Notary Signing Agent.
4. Stay up to date on industry news — Keeping up with changes in the loan industry will help you better serve your clients and stay ahead of the competition. Read industry publications, attend webinars, and join professional groups on social media. Subscribe to newsletters from National Notary Association or join forums like 123Notary, Notary Rotary, Notary, and Notary Cafe.
5. Offer superior customer service— As an NSA, your job is to make the loan process as smooth and stress-free as possible for borrowers. Offer them guidance and support every step of the way, and always be available to answer their questions.
6. Market yourself — Outside of having business cards and physical office locations you are going to want to market yourself online if you want to reach a wider range of clients. Having a website and using social media can help you reach more people. A website can be used for appointment scheduling and payment processing. Customers looking for Notary Signing Agents will feel more trustworthy if you have an online presence. Read the article “5 Website Builders That Let You Connect A Custom Domain For Free” to find out how to reduce website expenditures.
With these expert tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a notary signing agent.
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