Yes, you can make money as a notary. In the USA the salary of the Notary public is above the national average. There are many ways you can make money as a Notary. You can offer service, charge fees for services, administrate oaths, verify the signature, etc., and make money as a Notary.
Key Takeaways
- You can work as a full-time notary in a bank, office, financial institute, or Real Estate Company, or as a part-time or independent notary and make money.
- There are significant differences between a Notary and an Advocate
- In the USA, Notaries are considered publicly commissioned officials
- Depending on the state where you live, you might have to take state mandatory training and exam before you can become a notary
- The average salary of a full-time notary in the USA is $42,900 per year and it ranges from $33,737 – $146,250
What is a Notary?
According to Wikipedia –
“A notary is a person authorized to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems.”
So, a Notary is a legal professional but you should keep in mind that a Notary doesn’t act like an advocate. The working area of a Notary is different from the advocate and other types of legal professionals. One of the main job responsibilities of a Notary is to validate and authenticate various documents which might be used in different transactions and business deals. In the USA, Notaries are considered publicly commissioned officials. The working procedure of a notary is very simple. Usually, a Notary checks various documents, facts, etc. to verify a paper and then places a stamp or seal on the paper. Moreover, they also keep a record of the verification in their journals. There are many reasons, you might need a notary. Some of the common reasons for notaries are –
- Business deals and transactions
- Real estate transactions
- Trusts and wills
- Power of attorney
- Court documents
- Loan agreements, etc.
How to Make Money as a Notary?
Earning money as a notary is not very difficult. Basically, you will earn money from consultancy charges and notary fees. Moreover, you can also earn from various loan signings and business deals. You can also make money by offering upcharges based on conveniences. You can be a mobile notary and earn money. Many notaries offer home service and visit the client’s home for their convenience. This type of Notary is known as Mobile Notaries. You can also charge extra fees for offering home service. You can also consider teaming up with a real estate agent or loan agent to boost your income. In fact, this is an excellent way you can increase your experience and offer better service to your clients.
The fees and notary charges usually vary from one state to another. While charging fees you have to ensure that you will keep your fees competitive according to the area you are living. If you charge more than other notaries then you will lose potential customers. Similarly, if you charge less then you will lose your credential as an excellent Notary. Usually, the notary fees of various USA states fall within the below ranges –
| Type of Notary | Fees |
| Acknowledgments | $5-$15 |
| Jurats | $5-$15 |
| Verbal oaths or affirmations | $5-$20 |
| Remote Online Notarization (RON) | Up to $25 |
How to Become a Notary?
Becoming a Notary in the USA is an easy process. However, you should keep in mind that the process varies from one state to another. Depending on the state where you live, you have to be at least 18 years old to become a notary. Moreover, you have to complete other eligibility requirements. Then you have to fill up and submit the application form and required application fees. Then depending on the state where you live, you might have to complete training through specific companies. After that, you have to participate and pass the state exam. After passing the state exam, you will be able to collect your paperwork and certificate from your state. Finally, purchase stamps, seal, and supplies to become a notary.
State-wise Notary Requirements of the USA
| Name of the State | Notary Requirements | |
| State Mandated Course | State Mandated Test | |
| Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming | No No No No 6 Hour Course 3 Hour Course No No Yes, Free Course No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Optional Course No 3 Hour Course No No No No No No No No Yes eLearning No No No No No No No No No No No No No | No No No No 30 Question Test Online, Open Book 24 Question Test No Self-Assessment Test No Yes No No No No No Yes No No No No No No No Yes Take Home Exam Yes No No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No No No No No |
How much Money does a Notary Make a Year?
Well, the exact answer to this question depends on quite a few things like which state you are living, years of experience, how many hours you are working, and many more. The average salary of a Notary in the USA is $42,900 per year. Usually, the salary ranges from $33,737 – $146,250. You should keep in mind that the salary I have mentioned here is based on full-time Notaries who are working in banks, corporations, government agencies, etc.
Sate-wise Average Salary of a Notary in the USA
| Name of the State | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Hawaii Massachusetts Nevada Rhode Island Oregon Alaska North Dakota Washington New York South Dakota Maryland Virginia New Hampshire Nebraska Colorado California Delaware Idaho South Carolina Vermont Arkansas New Jersey Connecticut Kentucky Tennessee Oklahoma Michigan Arizona Maine Wyoming Minnesota Illinois Montana Indiana Missouri West Virginia Pennsylvania Texas Wisconsin Ohio Iowa Utah Kansas New Mexico Alabama North Carolina Mississippi Florida Georgia Louisiana | $62,188 $61,479 $61,056 $60,321 $59,425 $59,082 $58,598 $57,460 $56,034 $55,714 $54,913 $53,839 $52,855 $52,563 $52,534 $52,422 $52,302 $51,966 $51,707 $51,444 $51,257 $50,784 $49,927 $49,901 $49,776 $49,641 $49,604 $49,330 $49,057 $49,019 $48,786 $48,401 $48,309 $47,828 $47,696 $47,098 $46,233 $46,095 $46,067 $45,962 $45,518 $45,298 $44,107 $43,925 $43,660 $43,583 $42,989 $42,316 $39,453 $39,059 | $5,182 $5,123 $5,088 $5,026 $4,952 $4,923 $4,883 $4,788 $4,669 $4,642 $4,576 $4,486 $4,404 $4,380 $4,377 $4,368 $4,358 $4,330 $4,308 $4,287 $4,271 $4,232 $4,160 $4,158 $4,148 $4,136 $4,133 $4,110 $4,088 $4,084 $4,065 $4,033 $4,025 $3,985 $3,974 $3,924 $3,852 $3,841 $3,838 $3,830 $3,793 $3,774 $3,675 $3,660 $3,638 $3,631 $3,582 $3,526 $3,287 $3,254 | $1,195 $1,182 $1,174 $1,160 $1,142 $1,136 $1,126 $1,105 $1,077 $1,071 $1,056 $1,035 $1,016 $1,010 $1,010 $1,008 $1,005 $999 $994 $989 $985 $976 $960 $959 $957 $954 $953 $948 $943 $942 $938 $930 $929 $919 $917 $905 $889 $886 $885 $883 $875 $871 $848 $844 $839 $838 $826 $813 $758 $751 | $29.90 $29.56 $29.35 $29.00 $28.57 $28.40 $28.17 $27.63 $26.94 $26.79 $26.40 $25.88 $25.41 $25.27 $25.26 $25.20 $25.15 $24.98 $24.86 $24.73 $24.64 $24.42 $24.00 $23.99 $23.93 $23.87 $23.85 $23.72 $23.59 $23.57 $23.45 $23.27 $23.23 $22.99 $22.93 $22.64 $22.23 $22.16 $22.15 $22.10 $21.88 $21.78 $21.21 $21.12 $20.99 $20.95 $20.67 $20.34 $18.97 $18.78 |
References:
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/What-Is-the-Average-Notary-Public-Salary-by-State
https://www.themoneysnowball.com/become-a-notary/
Last Updated on December 25, 2023 by Magalie D.
Magalie D. is a Diploma holder in Public Administration & Management from McGill University of Canada. She shares management tips here in MGTBlog when she has nothing to do and gets some free time after working in a multinational company at Toronto.
