This might be a basic question but I am a brand new notary and took the notary signing agent class for NNA certification. One main question that hasn’t been answered for me in all the materials I read was if notaries are only allowed to charge a maximum of $6.00 then how are they charging $75-$300 for signings?
Because you’re charging for other services above and beyond notarizing; time, travel, supplies, expertise, advertising and marketing materials, wear and tear on printer and vehicle - cell phone use; all added value and services you have to be paid for.
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What a signing agent company offers as a fee for service is different from you notarizing a POA or something. ( in that case, then you can include travel time, gas, etc.) The fee for service does not need to comply because the Title companies have given the assignment to the Notary companies. This will make more sense once you start getting offers. Best of Luck!!!
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FWIW: Never less than $100. Always more for travel time/mileage, large pkgs (over 125 pgs, imo), Always have a PROFIT!
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Many loan package will require anywhere from 5 - 10 Notarizations based on the loan documents and number of signers on the loan. In California the legal maxim rate is $15.00 per Notarization; so 2 signers on a loan with 4 Notarizations would be 8 x $15 = $120. Then you can add in printing fee, mileage based on a reasonable amount. I have done many Loan Signings for $175 - $250 and never had an issue substantiating the amount paid. For tax purposes anything above and beyond the $15.00 per Notarization is subject to Self Employment Tax.
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In New Jersey is $2.50 per notarization… it should be more!
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what lindaH said… also… if you count how many notarizations you do for lender and TITLE (omg)… sometimes that $6 per signature adds up to about $360 for a $100 signing!
again…like lindaH said… time, travel and other services…you are a CLOSER… not “JUST A NOTARY” like we get called alot. LOL
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Yeah, that’s ridiculous. Unless I work in an office and can have someone come right to me and it takes 5 minutes of my time, why even do it? You can only make it profitable if you travel and charge a trip fee. Most people don’t want to pay it unless they are desperate, then I feel like I’m taking advantage. That’s why I like to LSA part of this job.
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I wondered the same when I had just started. Like others said, you get to charge for your travel, printing, and admin costs. However, if you are a new signing agent, you will get assignments through signing companies like Snapdocs, Signing Order or more that you sign up for. Those assignments will already have a predetermined fee they will offer. You will only be calculating your fees for general notary work if you chose to do that as a filler between assignments. Feel free to follow my YouTube channel ‘Financially Free Spirit’ which is dedicated to building your notary singing agent business from scratch. Good luck.
Sorry but this is not true - each notary/nsa has to have a business plan in place and a pre-determined fee they need to sustain their business and their personal life, which will take into account ALL expenses for that business plus the minimum “salary” (if you will) that they need; then hone their negotiating skills and work only for companies who will meet their fee. Each notary/nsa will be calculating their fees for ALL work they do, not just general notary work - for loan signings, you do NOT have to accept the “predetermined” fees pushed by the platforms - remember, the platforms you mentioned (Snapdocs and Signingorder.com) are not the hiring and paying party - the companies that use their platform are the ones that pay…and the key is negotiate.
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You are correct. However in my experience, when I was new, I did not feel comfortable ‘negotiating’ or countering the few offers I was getting. I learned the fees for most kind of assignments as I did more work. As my ranking grew and I got more signings, I was able to cherry pick the ones that paid more or needed less driving, etc. Now I get lost of work so negotiating a fee is less of a risk to me. Knowing what fees you will accept and having is business plan is smart and a good suggestion but my point here was that it will all fall in place.
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Illinois: One whole dollar! Woo hoo! 
Well yeah, That’s ridiculous b/c the ink on your stamp is more than that. Maybe it’s time to ask your SOS for IL to up that to $6 like the national average. Your review of document is worth that! I announce my price per stamp so people understand but I tell people travel is .44/mi (AZ) & I have my $ supply costs noted down per stamp also so I know what to add on. My person to person notary work is cheaper but company to company is where you make money.
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