I haven’t seen any recent posts on this. Any Notaries work exclusively on evenings and weekends? If you do. Have you found those times to be prime and are you getting considerable assignments?
I’m thinking about switching exclusively to evenings and weekends.
Thanks for any feedback in advance.
I work 7 days a week - weekends are the busiest at the end of the month for me. I don’t like rush hour times, and I travel from SC to NC regularly - It just depends.
Thanks for sharing, that was my thoughts, trying to cut down on commuting. I’d prefer off-peak hours for the next couple months.
I used to work 7 days a week and long days. I’ve stopped working Sunday and I’ve stopped driving at night. There’s definitely a niche for working evenings. But in the winter - it can get grueling when the sun goes down so early.
You should probably look into jail signings. Lots of those are evening.
@rainatu.mansaray Awesome 
that you’re creating a niche!
I rarely see opportunities past 7 pm. Weekends are hit and miss but some out there
When I first started this biz (back in 2006), most assignments were for evening and weekends – when most folks were off work. Nowadays, a lot of folks work from home (or remote) especially after C-19. In my most recent experience, most assignments are for Monday through Friday, during regular business hours. Of course, that could just be regional. If you’re dealing with agricultural areas (which are usually hands-on), those signers may want to sign after they’re done with their day’s work.
Just a thought … 
I don’t mind working on weekends. I’ve done it all my life. What I don’t like, though, is working after dark. When the sun goes down, so do I. I rarely accept a signing that has a start time after dark…especially if the signing location is not within a few miles. I just hate trying to find addresses in the dark, especially in areas that are not familiar to me.
I am a notary who is on call 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, including holidays. However, most of my assignments or notary requests do not happen on evenings or weekends.
Most happen during normal business hours, but I do many of them in the evenings since I am a lot more flexible during that time. Oftentimes whenever a client requests a time where I am not available, and they can’t find anybody else on short notice, I would tell them that I can accommodate them in the evening time if they are available.
But to be honest, you may not get as many traditional assignments if you switch exclusively to evenings or weekends (especially for business/corporate clients). As long as you are aware of that, and that schedule works for you, it’ll be fine.
If you are commissioned electronic notary performing RONs, that would be good for evenings and weekends as well, since that can be more convenient for some clients.
The true beauty of operating as an independent notary is the complete autonomy we possess to define our own professional boundaries and craft a schedule that aligns with our lifestyle. However, it is vital to remain deeply mindful that every strategic decision we make—especially regarding our operating hours—directly impacts our business growth and long-term results. By choosing to set rigid or limited availability, we naturally narrow the pool of potential clients we are able to serve, which is a trade-off that every entrepreneur must consider carefully.
I have personally navigated this evolution in my own career; I used to be the type of notary who would accept late-night signings, occasionally finishing at residential properties as late as midnight. Over time, I have shifted my perspective and now enforce a strict 6:00 PM cutoff. While there is undeniably a robust market demand for after-hours and weekend services, you must conduct a thorough analysis of your specific geography, the level of local competition, and the specific needs of your target market to determine if that high-availability business model truly aligns with your personal goals.
To put this into perspective, I recently required a household appliance repair and was met with a technician who insisted on incredibly inflexible scheduling terms that simply did not accommodate my professional availability. Because his hours were so rigid, I had no choice but to move on and find another professional who could work within the parameters I required. The exact same logic applies to our notary business: if our availability does not prioritize the convenience of the client, they will, without hesitation, seek out a competitor who is more than willing to accommodate their specific time constraints. Ultimately, we must all strike a thoughtful, deliberate balance between the freedom of our chosen schedule and the potential trade-off in client volume that comes with setting limits.
Good call on the evening winter commute. That is no fun. I once had a signing schedule on a snow day and the client couldn’t change the date/time and i drove in the snow in the evening!
Thanks! all great tips
Yes, i’m in the DC/Maryland area. most folks work from home or hybrid. I’m noticing more last minute signing requests popping up more too.
makes sense. I wouldn’t want to do that either. I have a few times. and it’s almost always in a more rural area which is harder to navigate.
good call! you hit the nail on the head
I am not exclusive to time of day, but I have seen more in my area for later appointments. I definitely have seen the shift over the last 18 months or so as more of our local workforce is returning to the office - my 5-9pm slots fill up quickly. We have pretty decent manufacturing and regional shipping hubs here so later evenings or early early mornings can be big opportunities. My availability is pretty broad, but I am pretty consistent if I schedule a 10pm appointment. I will not be taking the 8 or 9am appointments. Am I busy enough to stay exclusive to one time of a day or another. Yes… but with the market being what it is, I am leary of commiting to updating my website lol.
I work almost exclusively nights and weekends, as I have a regular full-time job. I don’t accept late signings in remote areas. This does limit the number of signings I can do, as I am not driving an hour to a signing after working a full day. I also have a 35-40 minute commute each way to work, which further limits me. I average 2-3 signings a week, and it does feel draining
I guess that many of us wonder what “24/7” really means. If someone calls you at 2:00am and says they need a notary “right now”, are you available for that? Would you even answer the phone? They couldn’t (or at least wouldn’t) pay me enough to do that.
@steves11 - I’ve always advertised 24/7. Yes, I’ve had calls in the middle of the night.
I recall one in particular. It was a young man who called at around midnight on a Sunday/Monday. He needed his signature on his employment app notarized. He was applying for the police department and had failed to read the instructions carefully any earlier. His house was close by and he told me if I could come right over, he’d pay $100. I accommodated and he paid what he promised even though I tried to lower it to my usual fee. He insisted that he’d promised and I’d helped him out tremendously and he even added a $20 tip. App was due to be turned in early that morning. 
BTW, he’s called me other times for notarizations (not in the middle of the night).
I was a 24/7 notary for the first few years of my business. I defined a 24/7 notary as willing to notarize 24/7 if the appointment was prearranged. In other words, if a customer requested an 11pm notarization, they made that appointment well in advance rather than call at 10pm and request we meet at 11pm.