Resources for new notaries
Start your notary career the right way
What the National Notary Association offers, how to become a loan signing agent, which insurance you need, what it all costs, why waiting is the most expensive choice, and how the Proof application works. Written by a working notary business, with the numbers in one place.
The National Notary Association
What the NNA is and what you actually need from it
The National Notary Association (NNA) is a private company that sells notary training, supplies, insurance and certifications. It is not the government and it does not issue your commission. New Jersey's State Treasury does that.
- Not required to be a notary. Your commission comes from the state. You can buy your seal, journal and insurance from any provider.
- Useful for loan signing work. The NNA's Notary Signing Agent (NSA) certification bundles training, an exam and a background screening. Title companies and signing services commonly ask for it, so it is the most recognized way to show you are screened.
- Good free learning. The NNA's Notary Bulletin blog and its state reference pages explain notary law in plain language. Use them to learn, then confirm rules with the State Treasury.
- Membership is optional. You can buy individual items without a membership. Compare prices before you bundle.
Other providers sell similar training, supplies and insurance. We link to the NNA because it is the most widely recognized, not because you must use it.
Loan signing agent
How to become a loan signing agent (LSA)
A loan signing agent is a notary who handles a borrower's mortgage closing documents. There is no separate state license for it. You are a commissioned notary who takes loan signing work, and the industry expects a few things on top of the commission.
Get your New Jersey notary commission
Apply through the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Plan on 6 to 8 weeks, mostly waiting. Then take your oath at the county clerk within 90 days. Full detail is in our how to qualify guide.
Buy errors and omissions (E&O) insurance
Covered in the next section. Title companies and signing services expect it before they send work.
Get a background screening
Signing services and title companies expect one dated within the last year. The NSA package below includes it.
Complete signing agent training and the exam
Learn how a loan package is organized (note, deed of trust or mortgage, closing disclosure, the signature pages) and what you may and may not say. You are a notary, not a lender or a lawyer, and you never explain loan terms.
Set up your equipment
A dual-tray laser printer, a scanner, a reliable car and a phone with email. Loan signings need clean, correctly ordered paper copies.
Get on lists and build relationships
Sign up with signing services, introduce yourself directly to local title agents and attorneys, and apply to networks like ours. Work reaches the notaries who are known and reachable.
Insurance
Insurance requirements: E&O, and what you do not need
- E&O (errors and omissions). Pays defense costs and claims if a mistake in your notarial work leads to a loss. It protects you, not the signer. It does not cover fraud or knowingly improper acts.
- No bond required in New Jersey. Some states require a surety bond. New Jersey does not, so E&O is the main protection you buy.
- What we require. At least $100,000 of E&O, active, before you take assignments with MCC. Title companies and lenders commonly ask for this level.
- What Proof requires. Proof's help center says coverage must be at least $25,000 to use its platform. That is lower than our requirement, so buy for the work you want, not the minimum of one platform.
- Check that it covers loan signing. Ask the provider directly. Some policies are written for general notary acts only.
- Know the policy type. Many E&O policies cover claims made while the policy is active. Do not let it lapse, and ask what happens to a claim about work you did last year.
- Typical price. About $100 to $175 a year for $100,000 of coverage, per the NNA's estimate (updated March 2025). Quotes vary by provider.
General liability or auto policies are separate products. Ask an insurance professional about them if you will drive to signings as a business. This is not insurance advice.
Costs
What it costs to start
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NJ notary application | $25 + $5 online fee | Filed with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. A legislator endorsement is required. |
| County clerk oath filing | About $17.50 | Per the NNA. Do it within 90 days of approval. |
| Seal (stamp) | About $30 | Must show your name, Notary Public State of New Jersey, and expiration. |
| Journal | $30 to $55 | Keep a record of every notarization. |
| E&O insurance ($100,000) | $100 to $175 a year | NNA estimate. Renews every year. |
| NSA certification | $199 | NNA price for training, exam and background screening together. |
| Standalone background screening | $89 (NNA) | Skip it if you buy the NSA package, which includes it. |
| Printer and scanner (loan work) | Up to about $520 | Dual-tray laser printer under about $400, scanner about $70 to $120. |
| Proof (remote notarization) | Per transaction fees | Proof's help center does not list amounts. See Proof's current pricing before you rely on a number. |
Rough total to be commissioned, insured and screened: about $405 to $510, before the course (if you need one) and before any printer or scanner. The NNA estimates a full loan signing startup including a laptop and printer at roughly $1,200 to $3,800.
Annual costs to keep going: E&O renewal, yearly exam and screening renewal if you keep the NSA certification, supplies, and fuel and printing. Fees change, so confirm each amount with the provider.
Mindset
Why being passive is a bad idea
The most common way new notaries fail is not a mistake at a signing. It is getting commissioned and then waiting for work to arrive. Here is why that costs you.
- Your costs run whether or not you work. Insurance, certification renewals and supplies are due on a calendar. A notary with no assignments pays them anyway and quits at the first renewal.
- Credentials expire while you wait. Many companies want a background screening within 12 months and a commission with time left on it. If you buy everything and sit, you may need to buy parts of it again before your first job.
- Work goes to notaries who are visible. Title agents, attorneys and signing services keep short lists of people they know can show up and do it right. Being on a list is not the same as being the first call.
- No platform guarantees volume. We do not either. We are a young company, there are no minimums, and our early notaries get work as our marketing grows. The notaries who also market themselves do best.
- Skills fade. A notary who has not done a loan package in months is slower and more likely to miss something. Do practice runs, read the NNA's free material, and take the small jobs first.
What active looks like
- Finish your commission, E&O and screening in one stretch so none of it expires before you start.
- Apply to several networks, ours included, the same week.
- Set up a Google Business Profile and a simple page with your phone number and service area.
- Introduce yourself in person or by email to five local title agents and five attorneys. Offer to do a practice package with them.
- Say yes to early, low-paying jobs that build your name and reviews.
- Keep your availability current so offers reach you.
Remote notarization
The Proof application process
Proof (formerly Notarize) is a platform for remote online notarization (RON). Its help center was checked on October 11, 2026. Rules change, so confirm on Proof's site before you apply.
Before you start
- Your state's online notarization approval. Proof does not grant it. You are responsible for it. For New Jersey, that means filing the remote notarization notice with the State Treasurer before your first remote act.
- Your commission as a PDF, your E&O policy, a phone that receives texts, and a primary photo ID. Your name and email must match your commission and ID exactly.
The steps, in order
Sign up and verify your email
Create the notary-sourced account and confirm your email.
Set up multi-factor authentication
Required for every notary account.
Enter your notary profile
Personal details, commission number and expiration, and your insurance (provider, amount, expiration, and a copy of the policy).
Create your signature, initials and seal
Signatures must be handwritten, not typed. The seal is built from your profile.
Add a payment method and payouts
A card or bank account for Proof's transaction fees, and a Stripe connection for payouts.
Finish platform training and the assessment
Required before identity verification.
Verify your identity and generate your digital certificate
Use one primary ID. Your name on the certificate must match your commission exactly.
Wait for profile review
Proof says review can take up to 3 business days. You get an email with the result.
Proof's help center does not state per-transaction fee amounts, so check its current pricing. If you join our network and want remote work, we can help you get set up. Proof's rules are Proof's, and this page is not legal advice.
Next
When you are ready
Once you have your commission, $100,000 of E&O and a background screening, apply to our network. It is free to join and your pay is shown before you accept each job.
Go to the application How to qualify, step by step Earnings calculator
Prices, fees and rules come from the NNA, the New Jersey State Treasury and Proof's help center and change over time. Confirm amounts before you pay. If something here is out of date, tell us.