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How to Become a Notary?

Notary positions are the official government offices. Notaries are documents approving state officials answering to the home state’s secretary of the government. So, a notary job involves recording the official records and approval of the key public documents. Such documents include; deeds, mortgage documents, will contracts, prenuptial, and power of attorney.

Steps of Becoming a Notary

Although the levels differ from one state to another, the following are the most basic steps:

Ensure You Qualify

For one to qualify for a notary, particularly in most U.S. states; you are required to be 18 years and above. Also, you should be a legal occupant of the country you live in. Additionally, to qualify for a notary, you should not do not have any criminal record. Most states require the applicant to be fluent in speaking English.

Submit Your Application

Depending on the state, the applicant must give information about criminal history, identity information, and previous notary commissions. Also, the applicant would be requested to include the oath of office. He or she is sworn and notarized under the punishment of perjury. Some states ask the applicant to complete a notary training before applying.

Complete the Application Fee

The applicant is required to pay the required notary state filing fee. The notary application fee is available at the secretary state’s office and website. This is where applicants can download the application. Prices are not the same, but it is almost $10 to $60 depending on your state.

Attend Training

A notary applicant is supposed to complete training. Training usually covers the duties of the office and legal requirements. The exercise’s importance is to help the state officeholder understand the law governing his official duties.

Online classes are offered by some states, while in other countries, the applicant is required to attend the exercise in person. The applicant is prepared for a notary public exam through these training programs.

Take a Notary Test

Applicants are required to take a notary exam in person in some states to test their understanding of new duties. But in other countries, testing is done online. In a given time frame, the nation tells the applicants if they have passed or not. When you pass the test, the state provides a notary commission certificate for filing an oath of office.

Buy Notary Materials

Once you pass the exam, you are supposed to buy a record book or a journal to record official acts. These include the actions that you will do and the notary public seals. The state provides a list of legal vendors.

Most of the states allow office supply stores to sell notary seals. But store employees might want a notary to give their notary commission certificate.

The official seals given by the vendor must match with the state requirements. So before you pay for a seal, you should verify everything correctly. And make sure that everything is written as per the legal conditions.

You must also purchase the approved journal. Journal should have a page that can’t be toned without leaving evidence that the page was detached.

Take an Oath

To become a notary, you must take an oath of office. The county clerk’s office usually runs a pledge, and the notary is required to appear in person. After receiving a promise, you are required to produce your surety bond to the county clerk’s office. When the oath of office is filed, the notary begins executing the official roles of their office.

The applicant must complete these steps within a given time frame, or the commission is considered invalid. Therefore, the deadline must be met. The process may take about six weeks to complete.

The notary post duration may differ from state to state. Most states have notary terms of up to ten years, while others have shorter times of four years.

Notify your Employer about Notary Certification

When you acquire a notary commission, the employer is notified. Then you can start performing the assigned duty. But when a notary is not a requirement, including the certification to an individual’s resume and informing the current boss of the new ability can lead to more opportunity or career advancement.

Critical of Becoming a Notary

The following are some of the importance of becoming a notary:

You get decent pay. Most states set their notary pay schedule, but some notaries charge up to $10 per signature, without counting the travel and business supplies expenses.
Being a notary increases gleam to your resumes.
Notaries are in high demand in cash industries like law, banking, healthcare, and other government institutions. So being a notary, you are in top order.
When you are a notary, you can work when you want. Either at night or during the day. Mostly, notaries can conduct business online.

Conclusion

To begin performing the office’s approved functions, you are required to complete training, submit your request, pass a notary test, buy notary supplies, and take an oath.

There is no specific degree required for one to be a notary. But an associate degree in criminal justice, paralegal studies, or political science may be helpful for professional advancement. The experience might be necessary, depending on one’s employer.

The salary of a notary differs based on employment. For example, a paralegal who has a notary certification can earn up to $41,000, while a financial controller can earn around $73,000.

Amit Kumar

FreeEducator.com blog is managed by Amit Kumar. He and his team come from the Oxford, Stanford and Harvard. At FreeEducator, we strive to create the best admission platform so that international students can go to the best universities - regardless of financial circumstances. By applying with us, international students get unlimited support and unbiased advice to secure the best college offers overseas.