A notary public is a state-appointed official authorized to witness the signing of legal documents, administer oaths and affirmations, certify copies of documents, and perform other acts prescribed by state law. The primary function of a notary is to deter fraud — by verifying the identity of signers and witnessing their signatures, notaries provide a layer of authenticity to legal documents that protects parties from forgery and misrepresentation.
Notarization is required for a wide range of legal and financial documents: real estate deeds and mortgage documents, wills and trust documents, powers of attorney, affidavits, loan closing documents, vehicle title transfers, immigration documents, and many government forms. The notary's seal and signature on a document creates a legal presumption that the signer appeared before the notary, was properly identified, was competent to sign, and signed voluntarily.
In the United States, notary appointments are made at the state level — each state sets its own requirements, duration of commission, and scope of notarial acts. Most notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State's office or a similar state authority. Notaries are typically private individuals who are commissioned to perform notarial acts as a public service or professional adjunct — they are not government employees. Remote Online Notarization (RON) is an increasingly important category — many states have authorized notaries to perform notarizations via two-way video technology, allowing signers to be in different locations from the notary. RON capabilities have significantly expanded the reach and demand for notary services.
Notarial acts vary by state but most jurisdictions authorize notaries to perform the following core functions.
An acknowledgment is the most common notarial act. The signer appears before the notary and acknowledges (confirms) that they signed the document freely and voluntarily. The notary verifies the signer's identity, confirms the signer is aware of what they are signing, and completes a certificate stating the acknowledgment occurred. Acknowledgments are used for real estate documents, powers of attorney, and many corporate documents. The signer does not need to sign in front of the notary for an acknowledgment — they can sign in advance and then appear before the notary to acknowledge the signature.
A jurat requires the signer to sign the document in the notary's physical presence and swear or affirm that the contents of the document are true. The notary administers an oath or affirmation before the signer signs. Jurats are used for affidavits, depositions, and other documents where the truth of the content is being sworn to. Unlike acknowledgments, the document must be signed in front of the notary for a jurat.
A notary may administer oaths and affirmations without any document. An oath is a solemn commitment invoking a deity; an affirmation is a secular equivalent with the same legal force. Notaries administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and individuals making sworn statements. Either form is legally valid — the signer may choose an affirmation if they prefer not to swear a religious oath.
A certified copy notarization certifies that a copy of a document is a true and accurate reproduction of the original. Not all states authorize notaries to certify copies — check your state's law. Copy certifications are commonly requested for diplomas, transcripts, passports, and other documents where a certified copy is needed for official purposes. Some documents (birth certificates, vital records) must be certified by the issuing agency — notaries cannot certify these.
Notaries are not attorneys and may not provide legal advice — this is unauthorized practice of law. A notary may not explain the legal effect of a document, advise whether a person should sign, or recommend legal action. Notaries may not notarize documents in which they have a personal interest (such as notarizing their own documents or documents in which they are a party or beneficiary). Notaries may not notarize for signers who do not personally appear before them (with the exception of Remote Online Notarization where authorized by state law).
The process for becoming a notary public varies by state. Most states share the same general steps, though specific requirements differ significantly.
Step 1: Meet eligibility requirements — most states require applicants to be at least 18 years old, a legal resident of the state, able to read and write English, and have no disqualifying criminal convictions (particularly felonies involving fraud or dishonesty). Some states require U.S. citizenship; others accept legal permanent residency. Step 2: Complete any required training or education — some states require completion of a state-approved notary education course (typically 3 to 6 hours, available online) before applying or taking the exam. Step 3: Pass the notary exam if required — states including California, New York, and several others require a written examination before commissioning. Practice tests help candidates prepare for these exams. Step 4: Submit the application — apply to the Secretary of State or applicable state authority, pay the application fee (typically $10 to $100), and submit any required documentation (proof of training, background check). Step 5: Purchase a notary bond — most states require notaries to obtain a surety bond (typically $5,000 to $15,000 value, cost is approximately $25 to $100 for the bond premium) to protect the public from notary errors. Step 6: Receive commission — once approved, you receive your notary commission certificate, which you must typically file with the county clerk in some states. Step 7: Purchase notary supplies — a notary seal/stamp (most states require either a rubber stamp seal or embossing seal) and a notary journal (required in most states to record all notarizations).
While a complete state-by-state breakdown is beyond the scope of this guide, key differences exist between states that significantly affect how you become commissioned and how you practice.
California — requires completion of an approved 6-hour education course and passing a written exam for new and recommissioning notaries; California has some of the strictest notary requirements in the country. New York — requires completion of an approved training course and passing the New York State notary public examination, available at DMV offices. Florida — requires an online exam for new applicants. Other states requiring exams: Maine, New York, California, Oregon, Hawaii. Most states do NOT require an exam — check your specific state's Secretary of State website for current requirements.
Louisiana has a unique civil law notary system — Louisiana notaries can draft legal documents (a power not available to notaries in other states) but must pass a comprehensive examination and often hold a law degree. Louisiana notary practice is substantially different from common law notary practice in other states. Some states (Texas, Florida) have additional requirements for specific notarial acts or remote online notarization. Commission duration varies: most states grant 4-year commissions; some grant 2-year commissions; a few grant lifetime commissions with annual renewals.
Over 40 states have authorized Remote Online Notarization as of 2025, allowing notaries to serve signers located anywhere via two-way audio-visual technology. RON requires additional application and technology setup beyond standard notary commissioning — RON-authorized notaries use specific platforms that capture audio-video sessions and credential the signer's identity using knowledge-based authentication (KBA) questions and ID verification. The RON market is growing rapidly — mortgage lenders, title companies, and major institutions increasingly prefer RON-capable notaries for document closings.
Notary practice can range from a modest side income to a full-time career depending on how the notary structures their services.
State law limits the fees notaries can charge per notarial act. Fee limits vary by state but are typically $5 to $15 per notarization. In California, the limit is $15 per notarial act; in Florida, $10; in Texas, $6. These low per-act fees mean that income from traditional general notary work is modest unless volume is high. Travel fees — for mobile notary services — are typically set by the notary (not regulated) and can significantly increase per-appointment income.
Loan signing agents are notaries specially trained to handle mortgage loan document packages — the multi-page closing document sets used in real estate transactions. Loan signing agents earn $75 to $200+ per closing, significantly more than standard notarial act fees. Training for loan signing agents is provided by the Signing Agent Association (AAASE), NNA (National Notary Association), and similar organizations. Loan signing agents must be commissioned notaries AND complete loan signing specific training — understanding which documents require notarization, the order of presentation, and lender-specific requirements. The loan signing market fluctuates with mortgage volume — high interest rate environments reduce refinancing, reducing demand; rate drops drive signing volume significantly higher.
Many notaries offer mobile services — traveling to clients at homes, hospitals, offices, or care facilities. Travel fees are in addition to notarial act fees and are negotiable (not regulated by state law in most states). Mobile notary services are particularly in demand for hospital bedside notarizations (wills, powers of attorney for incapacitated individuals), real estate signing appointments, and business document signings. Building a mobile notary business requires networking with real estate agents, title companies, attorneys, and insurance professionals who regularly need notary services.