Notary Signing Agent - Start the New Year with a new career

It’s a scary thought, starting over, but many people do it every day out of necessity. Are you bummed out at your job? Do you even have a job? Well how would you like to start off the New Year with a new career? You can start this new career on a part time basis or as a sideline to your other career, or you can go full time. I’m going to tell you about how to become a Notary Signing Agent.

Before I go any further, I have to apologize to my international readers. As far as I know, this opportunity is only open to US residents, and not all US residents will be able to qualify for this type of career. There are 16 states that have restrictions for Notary Signing Agents. (See below)

What is a Notary Signing Agent? Good question. A Notary Signing Agent (NSA) is a fully commissioned notary public, in the state where they live, that is contracted by mortgage lenders to verify identity, witness the signing of mortgage documents, and notarize certain portions of the mortgage documents and sometimes collect monies which are then used to close a real estate transaction. The whole process can take less than an hour’s worth of work.

NSA’s are also called a Mortgage Signing Agents and are independent contractors with no official relationship with any lender or title company. NSA’s set their fees and hours, kind of. I say kind of because the fees are usually negotiated on a case by case situation and can range anywhere between $50 and $120, depending on experience and distance traveled. Also, the hours an NSA works are often dependent on the client. NSA’s are mobile workers, meaning they go to the client. Most of the time, signings are performed in the evening hours when the wife and husband are home together, but in the case of a single individual, signings are performed wherever and whenever the client and lender have agreed.

To become an NSA you must first become a notary public in your state. Check with your Secretary of State’s office for information on how to become a notary public. For most states you must meet certain eligibility requirements such as being at least 18 years of age, a resident of the state for a certain period of time prior to applying, read and write English, and have no felony convictions. Plus, most states require you be bonded and carry E&O insurance. Most state laws and requirements can be found at the National Notary Association website.

After completing any required notary public training, you will then want to become a member of the National Notary Association and take advantage of their training and certification opportunities for Notary Signing Agents. They have online and self-study training modules to prepare you for their own certification test. Now it’s not necessary to go through the NNA to become an NSA, there is, at this time, no official requirement for certification, though without the proper training or any credentials it will be unlikely that a lender will request your services.

There are many places where you can get the training you need, just do a Google search for “notary signing agent training” in your state. A benefit you get with the NNA, besides the professional association, is your access to other NSA’s. You can contact an active NSA and request that he or she mentor you as you begin your training and certification. You can offer to pay for the fuel or a meal or some other form of remuneration. As a tag along on a mortgage signing, you will not do anything except pay attention to what the other NSA is doing, not even ask questions during the signing.

NSA’s are not attorneys and can not answer any questions at the signing that pertain to the mortgage documents. Doing so is a violation of most state laws and is called Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL). Mortgage documents are legal documents and questions about them can only be answered by a licensed attorney. The NSA’s role in a mortgage signing is ministerial in nature and any questions that arise at the closing can be handled by the attorney over the telephone.

Becoming a Notary Signing Agent is not rocket science. In fact, most people that want to go this route can become an NSA with just a few weeks of training and in most cases for less than a $300 investment which will cover training and supplies. Part time NSA’s earn as much as $25,000 a year. Full time NSA’s earn 2 or 3 times that amount.

Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia require an attorney to be present at the closing. 

Indiana and Maryland require the individual to hold a title insurance license at all closings.

Nebraska, Nevada, and North Carolina all enforce the statutory maximum fees a Notary Public may charge.

South Dakota is still conflicted with whether an NSA can operate without an attorney present.

Texas NSA’s can not close Home Equity Lines of Credit; those must be performed in the office of the lender, attorney, or Title Company.

Utah and Virginia NSA’s can only do the signings, if they are to collect any money at the closing they have to have an escrow license.