Get commissioned as a notary and complete your first paid signing
Your state notary commission certificate is in hand, your surety bond and errors-and-omissions policy are in force, your compliant journal and seal are ready, you are listed and background-screened on signing service platforms, and you have completed one paid loan signing appointment and invoiced the hiring company.
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Who it's for
People in the United States who want to start a low-capital licensed side income as a commissioned notary public and loan signing agent, including those referred by an employer or who saw notary-income content online. This guide is for complete beginners with no notary experience.
About this playbook
Learn how to become a commissioned notary public in your state and complete your first paid loan signing — no experience needed. This step-by-step guide walks you through eligibility checks, state-mandated education and testing, background clearance, bonding and insurance, and the application process with the Secretary of State. You will then equip your practice with a compliant seal, journal, and fee schedule, create profiles on signing platforms, and execute a real signing appointment from document review through invoicing. The guide covers requirements specific to California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, and tells you where to verify details for any other state. It does not cover remote online notarization, building a full-time notary business, or marketing at scale.
What you'll do, step by step
Free preview — these steps are open to read in full before you buy.
Phase 1: Fulfill your state’s prerequisites for a notary commission
0/4Confirm you meet your state’s eligibility criteria, complete any mandatory education, pass the required exam, and clear the background check. These steps establish your legal right to apply and produce the certificates and scores your application will need.
- 30 min
- Optional3 hours
- Optional1 hour 30 min
Phase 2: Purchase your surety bond and errors-and-omissions insurance
3 stepsPhase 3: Submit your application and receive your commission
4 stepsPhase 4: Equip your notary practice with supplies and procedures
4 stepsPhase 5: Get hired and complete your first paid loan signing
5 stepsDetails
What you need first
You must be at least 18, a legal resident of the state where you are applying, able to read and write English, and free of disqualifying criminal convictions. You need a computer with internet access, a printer, a valid government-issued photo ID, and the ability to pay application and bond costs upfront.
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I write about CVs, interviews and career moves for people who want a plan, not a list of tips.
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