How to Become a Notary in 2020 | How much does notary make?

Hi, I’m Tina. I’ve been a notary for more than 15 years and I’m here to help you learn the important steps it takes to become a notary public. Before we dive in, I thought it would be helpful to briefly go over what notaries actually do and to touch on why the state makes applicants go through all of the steps. I’ll walk you through during this article.

How to Become a Notary — The Complete Guide

Notaries are responsible for verifying a person’s identity, confirming they’re aware of what they plan to sign and that they’re not being pressured to sign on that dotted line because the purpose of all of this is to protect the public. You’ll need to meet a few requirements before you start the notary application process.

Do You Meet State Notary’s Requirements?

While some States have more requirements than others, most of them include being 18 or older, being a legal resident of the state and not having any felony convictions. If you meet all of your state’s requirements, you’re ready to get started.

The Application Process

First, you’ll need to submit a completed application form to your state’s notary regulating official and pay their application fee. This process is typically handled by the secretary of state’s office. If your state requires notaries to take a training course or pass an exam, you’ll need to complete those steps before you can receive a notary commission to find out if your state requires training or an exam, you can access each state’s specific guidelines in this post.

You’ll also be able to see if your state requires a surety bond or a background check. Once you get your commission certificate from the state, you may need to file a bond and take an oath of office.

After that, you’ll need to get your notary supplies, which typically includes an official stamp and a journal. These tools lend trust to the transaction. They help protect the public and they help protect you. If any of your notarizations are questioned.

There are a lot of optional supplies to help you carry out your day to day notary work to consider using a guide book that shows you the security features to look for when you check a signers ID and you might want to get a carry case that locks so you can keep your supplies secure.

Now let’s talk a little bit about notary errors and omissions insurance. This step is completely optional, but it’s one you should seriously consider taking. While notary should make every effort to avoid mistakes, if an error is made, having an Eno policy protects you as the notary. It’s a really inexpensive way to give yourself peace of mind.

FAQ