I’ve just been approved this month as Notary in the state of Connecticut. I’m very anxious to begin signing agent training. However, I’ve read from so many different sources that you need to become a good notary first with many general notary signings under my belt. How would some of you more experienced Notaries here handle that? Start loan agent training immediately? Or, if you think I should wait, how long?
First, doing mobile General Notary Work in CT will put you in the poorhouse faster than any other state due to their LAWS. Which you need to know inside out & upside down before you push that stamp the first time or you run the potential of rapidly getting yourself in a world of hurt as GNW in many ways is actually harder than NSA work because, well, you get a lot of questionable requests, so you really have to KNOW YOUR LAWS. Not just the handbook, but statutes, codes… FORUMS! Also, many NSA companies will ask you to do something illegal as it’s not on them, it’s ON YOU!
Second, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE check Directories (this is an excellent one) for how much competition you will have, how much business there is and the fees being made. That ought to open your starry eyes a bit. (Do NOT for 1 second think that undercutting NSA fees to get work will get you started in anything but forevermore putting yourself in the bargain bin & broke.) It’s not easy to get started, but it IS one of the few jobs that you can ‘earn while you learn’ as long as you’re willing to follow all advice I’ve given here…and read forums for other good advice.
Third, the BEST education you can get is ‘free for the doing’. READ this and other popular forums 'til your eyes bleed. You’ll eventually get a ‘feel’ for the different types of signings offered, an overview of fees you should be charging, what companies to always decline or experience is what you’ll get when you don’t get paid.
Last, but most important thing you can do is figure out just how far you are willing to travel AND WHAT IT COSTS IN EXPENSES & TIME to each & every town, county, zip in ‘your service area’ (and realize that work will only provide you with a fairly good ‘guesstimate’ of what fee will be PROFITABLE as with far too many ‘offers’, your hard costs will exceed the fee. Know when to say NO! Ditto all other expenses involved…equipment required, paper, toner, annual background checks, E&O insurance, cell phone, AUTO, tolls, taxes…and a ton of other expenses I’ve not mentioned.
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Only one word of advice here for you - check Notary Rotary forum - it was recently posted (recently being I’d say within the past month) by a veteran CT Signing Agent and confirmed by a very knowledgeable veteran CT Paralegal/Notary/Signing Agent, that CT has legislation I believe on the Governor’s desk for his signature making CT an attorney-only state - meaning you won’t be able to do loan closings or will be strictly limited in doing them.
Save yourself some time and a lot of money for training and research this first so you don’t go through all that for nothing.
Good catch, Linda…just wish you’d posted this earlier so I wouldn’t have gone into chapter & verse. Oh, well, everything is still true for most other states…except the low GNW fees allowed in CT. Attorney-only…ouch.
Thanks so much for this information…the Notary business in Connecticut mostly dead because of this?
I appreciate both you and Linda weighing in on this with such important details. The passage of the legislation here in the state seems to be a real game changer. In your estimation, is the idea of eventually going full time with a notary business here no longer viable? If so, I could still to general notary work on the side–and I imagine I could do that without going through the expense of buying a dual tray laser printer or a loan signing agent training course.
Linda’s in Fl & I’m in AR, so we aren’t up to CT speed and it’s always best to rely on your state’s authorities and laws…and keep an eye out for game changers like attorney-only/Full Stop. But if memory serves (& it hasn’t changed) the per notarization fee is quite low…$2??? and I know the travel fee is just a no-starter…something like 35 cents a mile…which might pay for gas used but surely won’t compensate you for drive TIME or your actual car expenses, if mobile.
And, right, no big whoop printer needed, no NNA background check, no E&O/but some is good protection, no special training. But you really have a very hard row to hoe if you expect this to be full time, particularly with your state’s financial limits on fee & travel. Do banks in your state offer free notarizations to customers? If so, you might make $150 a YEAR notarizing for people with no bank accounts. The almost non-existent travel & stamp fee allowed is a real killer when looking for some niche market for GNW.
Second about reading into forums. The Notary Cafe forum alone has helped me tremendously throughout my experience. I’m operating as an NSA better than ever, and fully know that I will always have much more to learn and earn. Grateful.
Can’t find the post on NotRot but here’s the info:
As for GNW - my understanding is town clerks will notarize for no charge - may be a difficult market to rely on for full-time income unless you do some serious marketing to hospitals, nursing homes, etc and find a niche you can fill. Not sure what CT allows for fees right now but if they limit your fee for travel and time, it’s gonna be rough.
And please - do not trust some organizations out there who make their profit selling certifications and background checks to be honest with you…trust the law, like the link I posted. I recall another poster here who spent all the money on certification, equipment and everything (no small piece of change) only to find out his state require he have a Title Producers’ License - something a certain organization failed to tell him…they just gladly took his money to certify him in an area he cannot do in his state.
Good luck to you.