Notary Public vs. Notary Signing Agent: Understanding the Difference

Notary publics and notary signing agents (NSAs) both have a notary commission and are required to pass a background check, but they have different areas of expertise and levels of involvement with documents:

Notary Publics:

Handle a wide range of documents, including wills, trusts, deeds, affidavits, legal, title and escrow, real estate, and personal documents. They typically witness and notarize simpler documents, such as identity confirmation, and generally provide limited explanations of documents.

Notary Signing Agents:

Are trained to do everything that a Notary Public can do but they typically specialize in home loan documents, especially mortgages, and are more involved with document execution. They undergo additional training in topics such as real estate documents, industry terminology, and loan signing protocols. NSAs are responsible for ensuring that documents are executed correctly, submitted accurately and on time, and that no fraud has taken place. They also guide signers through the final steps of a loan closing.

I do recommend continuing education, especially ones that apply to your state.

State law knowledge is necessary in order to run a successful notary business.