I desperately need some input. I paid what I thought was a two year subscription Jan. 2025, to NNA in the amount of $240.00. I assumed this covered the NNA, Find A Notary, and NSA Continuing Education along with the Notary Cafe. I’m being told I owe another $179.00 this year, Jan. 2026, to continue the Find A Notary, NSA Continuing Education and access to Notary Cafe. Can anyone help me figure out what the $240 was for last year? Sounds like I should have paid the annual $179.00 and left it at that! There is $61.00 here I’m seeing just disappeared. I’ll be signing off here at least for a while until I get a reasonable explanation. Yes, I’ve called and got the run around. VERY disgusted with the cost associated here. Subscription expires on 1/23 and I need a good reason to care about renewal.
Hi @cryman.notary ,
I am sorry for an misunderstanding. It sounds like you renewed your NNA membership in 01/2025. Notary Cafe is separate entity that is not associated with a membership at the NNA. We are a Notary directory that can help you attract clients, but our memberships are not related to the NNA. The fees paid the NNA do not include any Notary Cafe services.
Notary Cafe’s yearly Pro memberships are $36, and our monthly memberships are $5. Pro memberships give you the ability to add additional zip codes to your profile (increasing the number of searches you are featured in), as well as optionally allowing your listing to be found on the NOTARY CAFE Find A Notary page. [Edited to add clarification]
Notary Cafe’s free, Basic memberships allow your profile to be viewed by our signing service partners for consideration of assignments around your home zip code.
If you have questions or concerns about your Notary Cafe membership status, please visit Notary Cafe | Contact Us for Responsive Support or send an email to support at notary.cafe com and we will be happy to discuss your specific account.
Thanks,
NC_Mike
Notary Cafe Administrator
Thanks Mike! I have renewed the $36.00 Pro Membership but I’m still having a problem with understanding. Apparently NNA also collects on the membership to Find A Notary. I think that’s where the confusion is. I have the receipt from last year for NNA and it does have listed a 1 year subscription for Find A Notary for $99.00. (Which is ridiculous with what I just paid for with Notary Cafe of $36.00) Is Find A Notary strictly a Notary Cafe platform? If it is, this conversation will be taken to NNA. Thanks again!
FYI NNA sends out various advertisesments for renewal. Best to call them and ask them for best affordable renewal price if you and to continue the relationship. I receive ads via USmail, email, and text and all different prices. Notary business since 2015 and not renewing this year. My NNA information has been shared with so many other entities not necessary. Will only use them for background check. E&O insurand and bond by others. Notary stamp by legal supply firm. Good luck!
As Mike said… not the same thing. 2 different sites/entities:
NNA Link: FindaNotary
Notary Café Link: Notary Cafe | Find a Notary
FWIW: Notary Cafe’s find-a-notary has been around for decades longer than NNA’s findanotary. I can understand your confusion but it’s not Notary Cafe that’s working you over. Quite the contrary.
Agree with ARichter. Just about every notary online directory has a “Find a Notary” section/tab.
The NNA recently (in the past 2-3 years) started their new version of “Find a Notary”. It used to be all hiring parties had to do with NNA was go to signingagent.com. Notaries get listed on that automatically when you get the NNA background check or their training or their membership. No additional cost. Their “new” Find a Notary program is available for a fee (dunno what that is). Besides the fact the signingagent.com is free and Find A Notary has a subscription fee, the “alleged” only difference is that the first is geared for signing agents (you know, real estate transactions) whereas the latter is “allegedly” geared for general notary work.
In my opinion, the NNA Find a Notary is just another NNA money funnel. 
Also note that NNA’s directory is randomized. You most likely will NOT have the same placement in the list from one minute to the next.
HI @cryman.notary ,
I apologize for the misunderstanding. I have edited my previous post to indicate that a Notary Cafe Pro membership grants listing ability on the Notary Cafe Find a Notary page.
Findanotary.com is owned and operated solely by the NNA, with no relationship to us.
Thanks,
NC_Mike
Thank you so much! I had gotten so confused, I can just imagine the newer notaries. I’m sticking with Notary Cafe Find A Notary. Are the “yearly” things such as background check and signing agent certification necessarily needed? I feel like my state background check is enough and the fact that I am a registered notary in my state. And the certification…I’m actually at a place in my life where I can work with my regular clients and be perfectly content. They know I am qualified. I’m just glad I stuck with Notary Cafe but am still a little confused about NNA. I’m guessing that I associated them with an actual notary requirement in order to do this business. Now I think they were giving me the business! 
I’ve got a little bit more understanding of it all now. Lord help the new notaries with wading through the mucky water. I renewed my Notary Cafe yesterday. My thoughts go to bidding farewell to NNA next year when the subscription expires. UNLESS someone can tell me something beneficial for what they charge. Thanks for your help!
Unless someone can give me reason to stay with them, I say goodbye when the current subscription expires! Thank you!
Thanks for the clarification. That helps as well! I’m sure it will help even newer notaries.
Don’t apologize! You have been more transparent than anyone/anything to do with NNA! I appreciate you guys immensely!
That’s all I needed to hear! Thank you!
I’ll jump in here and say no, it’s not necessary to be listed on any site. That requirement is completely dependent upon the TC/SS requirements - to work with most of them, yes, the yearly cert and BGC is required….why? Because NNA said so.
When I first started about 5 years ago, the NNA had what they called a top-tier listing and it was optional if you wanted to be found for an “upsell” or additional fee. I did do that for the first 3 years, but then they switched to the FindaNotary listing the last couple years. I am not on it because I feel like I have enough signings to keep me busy now. Grateful .