Frequently Asked Questions

In Washington, a Notary Signing Agent is a commissioned notary public who has also received training to present loan documents. Not every notary public is a notary signing agent, but every notary signing agent in Washington must first be a commissioned notary public. (Check the rules for your state. Some states are much more highly regulated than Washington.) A notary signing agent is typically self-employed and is hired as an independent contractor to present loan documents to borrowers/signers as instructed. A notary signing agent is prohibited from discussing specific details of the loan or rendering any advice or opinions regarding the loan documents. The notary signing agent's role is limited to reading the title of the loan document, stating the loan document's general purpose, locating the signature lines and any places for dates or initials by the borrowers, pointing out questions that must be answered or choices that must be made by the signers, and of course notarizing loan documents as necessary. The notary signing agent is a neutral third-party who verifies that the signers are indeed who they say they are, that they are signing willingly and knowingly, truthfully, and that their signatures are authentic on the loan documents. Afterward the loan signing is complete, the notary signing agent returns the executed documents as instructed in the contract with the hiring company.  

YOUR DUTIES AS A NOTARY SIGNING AGENT:

Communication is key. After negotiating your assignment fee and entering into a contract with your hiring company, YOU, the Notary Signing Agent, are responsible to 

1. CONFIRM the signing appointment with borrowers/signers and follow instructions of the hiring company

2. RECEIVE and CORRECTLY PRINT loan documents from hiring company; resolve any document issues/questions you have with hiring company before meeting with their borrowers 

3. TRANSPORT loan docs to/from signing location safely and on time 

4. EXECUTE loan docs with borrowers: verify IDs, make notary journal entries, explain your role in the process, present loan each loan doc to borrowers & state general purpose, indicate where signatures/initials are required, watch borrowers sign; perform necessary notarizations, collect any stipulations; perform quality control check before departing the signing table 

5. RETURN the executed loan documents as instructed by hiring company such as scanback and/or shipping ASAP; perform any post-signing instructions - such as notifying hiring company when signing is complete and reporting issues that may have occurred. Communication is key!

Because hiring companies expect you to know what you are doing. When a company hires you to present their loan documents to their borrowers, they assume you are qualified as a notary signing agent when you accept their assignment request. You should know what to say, what to do, (also what not to say, what not to do) as a signing agent. You should know how to present loan documents to their borrowers-- otherwise you should not accept their assignment in the first place.

Do you need NSA 101?  If you are brand new, quite possibly. Everyone comes into the notary signing agent business with different work experience, different knowledge, and different skill sets.  So maybe you need NSA 101 training to help you learn how to present loan documents, and maybe you don't.   

• Do you already know how to present loan documents as a signing agent? Do you already know what to say, what to do at the signing appointment when you sit down with the signers? If your answer to either question is NO, then my NSA 101 training can help.   
• Did you successfully complete NNA signing agent certification online but you feel uncertain how to present loan documents or what to say or do at a loan signing? If your answer is YES, then my NSA 101 training can help.  

I began NSA 101 as a practical hands-on training workshop to help other notaries bridge the gap between any online training (or self-study) they may have received and their first real loan signing with real loan documents, real borrowers. I wanted to help remove the stress and mystery about what to anticipate at a typical refinance loan signing here in Washington. Take a look around. Watch my sample videos. If you like my approach, choose an NSA 101 training method that makes the most sense for you -- whether it is an in-person group workshop or personalized private training, training video, or maybe you only want a sample refinance loan package to practice with.  Please don't take unnecessary risks by just "winging it".  Regardless of whether you choose to take notary signing agent training from me, it is important for prospective notary signing agents to get their training from somewhere and to read, study, and practice before jumping into the loan signing business. Listen to more NSA 101 Q&A on SoundCloud

First, if you haven't already done so, obtain your state notary commission, read the laws/rules, and get some notary public basic training so that you know your responsibilities as a notary and how to perform notarial acts. There is no official certifying body in Washington because it is not a state mandated requirement; however, your hiring company may have very specific training (and insurance) requirements. 

Second, most hiring companies expect you to have a "certified" credential such as from National Notary Association as a notary signing agent. Several companies offer online signing agent "certification", but NNA certification (based in California) has become the gold standard for most hiring companies throughout the USA.  

Third, if you do not know how to present loan documents, you should get some practical hands-on training on HOW TO  PRESENT LOAN DOCUMENTS such as I offer with NSA 101 before you blindly start accepting loan signings. I can help you understand what to say, what to do, and how to conduct a loan signing.  (Check laws and requirements for the state you reside if you are not in Washington.)

NO, absolutely not. There is no job shadowing or live on-the-job-training for notary signing agents. This isn't Starbucks and you aren't a barista. State and federal privacy laws strictly prohibit sharing the borrowers/signers Non-Public Personal Information (name, drivers license, passport, address, income, finance, banking, social security number, or job information, etc.). Any signing agent who agrees to let you tag along as an observer at a loan signing is breaking the law, violating ethics, and setting themselves up for potential civil and criminal liabilities.

When you become a notary signing agent, you now know what to say when someone asks if they can tag along. Do not risk ethics complaints or losing your notary commission, fines, or worse.

See PRE-WORKSHOP DOCS  "Some Federal Laws/Regulations that pertain to YOU,  as the Notary Signing Agent"

See also https://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Technically, NO it is not. Formal training/testing/certification is currently not mandated by the state of Washington for notary public or for notary signing agent. Washington is currently unregulated in that regard. (Check the laws for the state where you reside.) Basically, anyone who meets Washington's notary public qualifications and who successfully completes its application process and passes the criminal background check receives a notary commission. However the absence of state-mandated training/testing does not absolve signing agents of their solemn responsibility to perform their duties correctly. Knowing our role as a notary public or as a notary signing agent, following rules/laws/best practices, and being able to perform our duties correctly is still absolutely required. And hiring companies (lenders, title companies, and signing companies) may have their own requirements before they are willing to hire you or add you to their signing agent vendor list. It is the notary's responsibility to follow the law of the state and it behooves all notaries to seek/obtain any necessary training in order to do our jobs correctly no matter what that job is. There are very real consequences (civil and criminal penalties) when notaries fail to do their jobs correctly. Notaries can be held responsible for misconduct and errors and omissions, even if it is unintentional. #commonsense  

Periodically, I hold a practical hands-on group training workshop to help Washington notaries who want to learn about working as a notary signing agent. The workshops allow commissioned notaries to gain some valuable hands-on practice with a sample loan package before sitting down at the signing table with real clients and real loan documents. You should get a better understanding of your role as Notary Signing Agent and know where the NSA fits in the typical loan process. Learn what to say, what to do. (Also what NOT to say, what NOT to do!) Workshops are a great way to practice in a friendly, safe environment with sample loan documents. You can ask questions, and increase your skills and confidence: This is the goal. I recommend using the sample loan package to practice your signing agent presentation skills on your own later. 

(My next workshop date is currently set for Oct 29th. But if you are unable to attend, please choose another training method or contact me to arrange private 1-on-1 training.  

The NSA 101 Recorded On-Demand Webinar is a much abbreviated version of the live NSA 101 hands-on group training workshop. The NSA 101 On-Demand Webinar is available for sale in the store and does not offer live roleplay or Q&A. Using a stationary document camera, this webinar focuses only on my approach in presenting a mock refinance loan package to Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Signer.  I demonstrate how I present loan documents, what I say, and why. It should have broad appeal to any beginning notary signing agents, no matter where you reside in the USA.  But if you are not an experienced notary public, and especially if you are a commissioned notary residing in Washington, I recommend you book my live, in-person loan documents training so that you may ask your questions in real time.

In person training is the best option, and a pre-recorded Zoom training is available in the store which you could watch multiple times. But YES, a live 1-on-1 training/coaching session via Zoom can be arranged. Training via Zoom is only a good idea if you are already an experienced notary public, in my opinion. You must have a reliable high speed internet connection and a PC or laptop with a webcam. (Smartphone screens are far too small to view the loan documents.) Send me a training request or contact me directly to arrange.  

Being a notary signing agent is not something you should enter into lightly. YES, I do consider the training assignment necessary and I'll tell you why. First of all, it is to your benefit to complete the assignment. The main purpose is to help you learn and to help maximize your investment. If you are booking 1-on-1 coaching/training, you are paying according to the amount of time you need with me -- 2 to 3 hours, typically.  So completing the assignment ahead of time maximizes our time together.  There is no way we can reasonably cram all the things you need to read and know as a brand new notary signing agent into the short time we have together. Without your prior preparation, much of what we discuss is going to go straight over your head. 

Second, the assignment establishes your foundation of understanding. So yes, it is a lot of reading rules and laws and best practices. With the NSA 101 YouTube videos you get to listen and observe. But the HANDS-ON act of actually printing, reviewing, and preparing a sample refinance loan package yourself is the really practical part of the training. You aren't just clicking through a hypothetical document online via computer, you are physically going through an entire sample loan package that we can review together when we meet.

Third, my hope is that completing this assignment will help prompt questions as a brand new notary signing agent. Write down your questions as they come up and we can address together if we are meeting in person for training. If you don't do the assignment, you won't even know what to ask.

Once you pay for your training session, you will receive the sample loan package from me via email. If you have already read the notary training materials listed, then watch the NSA 101 training videos. If you have already watched the NSA 101 videos, then work on printing/preparing the sample refinance loan package, tabbing the critical documents and applying the blank colored flags.  You can also watch the videos and pause/re-play while you read the materials. 

Do the assignment in whatever order makes the most sense to you, so long as you complete it before we meet.  Be sure to write down your signing agent questions as they arise so we can address them.

The expectation is that you will complete your assignment before we meet. But if you do not, I will not be mad at you, just very concerned. Why? Because again, there is no way we can reasonably cram all the things you need to read and know as a brand new notary signing agent into the short time we have together. Without your prior preparation, you may end up feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with my NSA 101 training. Frustration on both of our parts, really. So please do your best to follow instructions and complete the assignment before we meet. Otherwise the material may not make any sense to you until you do finally complete your assignment. If you must reschedule 1-on-1 training so that you will be sufficiently prepared, you must give me at least 24 hours notice so we can make other arrangements. In other words, you cannot wait until the night before  your scheduled training or the day of to ask me for a last-second reschedule.  24 hours notice is a minimum requirement, please.  If you cannot attend a group training workshop which you have purchased, you must give me 24-hours notice and request to convert/reschedule as private 1-on-1 training at Cutters Point Coffee in Olympia. And if I must travel to your local coffee shop to provide training, an additional travel fee shall apply.

NO.  NSA 101 is not intended as a notary public basic training course. NSA 101 training is more advanced. NSA 101 assumes three things: First, that you are a commissioned and trained notary public with experience performing basic notarizations. Second, that you have a basic understanding of the loan process. And third, that you have successfully completed the pre-workshop assignment before we meet.  My practical training helps notaries to bridge the gap between any online training or self-study they may have had and their first real notary signing agent assignment with real people, real loan documents. 

Attending a NSA 101 workshop or webinar does not automatically make you a notary public or a notary signing agent. In Washington, notary public commissions are only granted by its Department of Licensing. You must first successfully complete the Washington notary application process. If you are not a commissioned/trained notary in Washington but you still wish to attend NSA 101 training, you are certainly welcome with the understanding this is beyond basic notary and you may likely require further study, training, or practice.   

Washingtonians should get the ball rolling on their notary commission application ASAP. It takes time to for the state to process applications. You can even apply online. Read/study the Washington Department of Licensing notary website https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/notary/ in its entirety. Basically everything you want to know about being a notary public in Washington is there. Washington offers a free notary manual and even has a "how to" video.  After you obtain your commission (notary license), I suggest you gain some practical experience performing basic notarizations before attempting to work as a notary signing agent conducting loan signings. If you don't know how to correctly notarize documents for general notary work,  you cannot reasonably expect to be able to conduct a loan signing correctly. And you would be putting yourself, borrowers, and hiring company at risk.  If you do not reside in Washington, check the notary and signing agent training requirements for your state. #commonsense

I highly recommend Rebecca Jacobs at Attorney & Notary Supply, Inc. https://www.ans-inc.net/ for notary public basic training in Washington. If you do not know how to perform basic notarizations, Rebecca's seminars  and webinars will show you how to do it according to Washington state notary rules/laws. If you are a brand new notary and if you are the type of learner who learns better in person with live training and if you like to be able to ask questions, Rebecca's training will help you. Her office can assist with notary supplies and signing agent E&O insurance as well. 

ATTORNEY & NOTARY SUPPLY, INC.
14401 Issaquah-Hobart Rd
SE Ste 201, Issaquah WA 98027
www.ans-inc.net 

Phone: 425-271-6353

Fax:  425-271-6396 

See also HOW TO BE A NOTARY PUBLIC IN WASHINGTON; How to perform notary acts.

Yes, absolutely. In the sample refinance loan package we train with, there are a number of documents requiring notarization. I will show you how I approach it, what I look for. And you will have the opportunity to practice notarizing sample loan documents as a notary signing agent.

Notary signing agents are usually hired as independent 1099 contractors -- which means we are not actual employees of the hiring company and thus we are responsible for our own taxes and expenses. You could be hired to conduct a loan signing by a lender (bank), title or escrow company, a private individual, an attorney, or a signing service.  A "signing service" is a company who acts as a third party broker (middleman) who contracts with (hires) a notary signing agent on behalf of lenders and title/escrow companies. ​

YES. Recall that in order to obtain your notary commission in Washington state, you first had to purchase a $10k notary bond. A bond protects the public; insurance protects the notary.  And if you decide to work as a NOTARY SIGNING AGENT in Washington, hiring companies such as lenders and title companies will likely not hire you unless you have first purchased Errors and Omissions insurance as a NOTARY SIGNING AGENT. This is to protect them and their borrowers in case you make a mistake during the loan signing or you fail to return documents in a timely fashion.  At least $100k E&O policy for Notary Signing Agent is typically what is expected and is what I would recommend. (FYI, I pay $366 annually for $125k Signing Agent E&O).  

Notary public bond or insurance typically covers the term of your notary public commission, whereas Signing Agent insurance is renewed annually -- every year. Understand that the insurance/bond you get as a notary public is quite different from that of a notary signing agent. And if you do not know what you are covered for, or what you need,  take a look at your insurance policy, if you already have one. If it says "notary public" is a notary public policy. If it says "Signing Agent" it is a signing agent policy. Contact your insurance provider to ask questions. Ask your insurance provider to explain to you the differences between bonds and Errors and Omissions insurance policies for notary public vs. notary signing agent. Find out what exactly you have. Know what you are covered to do, what you are not covered to do. Make sure you are sufficiently covered (bond, insurance, etc.) before you accept a loan signing assignment. 

If you don't yet have notary signing agent insurance, I suggest you contact Rebecca Jacobs at  Attorney & Notary Supply, Inc. https://www.ans-inc.net/. Phone: 425-271-6353. She can answer all of your questions. And here is a link to her Signing Agent E&O pdf: https://www.ans-inc.net/pdf/SIGNING-AGENT-E&O.pdf

YES. Recall that you had to successfully pass a background check in order to obtain your 4-year notary public commission in Washington, AND that you signed an oath to inform the Washington state notary commission of any changes to your eligibility during those four years.

As a Notary Signing Agent, YES INDEED, you will be required to successfully pass annual background checks to maintain your status as a notary signing agent with the companies that hire you. They generally send out reminder notices 60 days prior to the expiration.  Annual background checks are expected by potential hiring companies, no matter which state you reside, but of course check with your state to see there are other requirements.

A hiring company may expect you to provide 

• copy of Notary Commission (never share copy of your notary stamp with anyone!)
• copy of Driver’s License
• copy of Notary Bond 
• copy of Notary Signing Agent Errors & Omissions Policy
• copy of Background Check
• W-9 (signed) -  The W-9 is an official form furnished by the IRS for employers or other entities to verify the name, address, and tax identification number of an individual receiving income. The information taken from a W-9 form is often used to generate a 1099 tax form, which is required for income tax filing purposes. 
• proof of Signing Agent certification or training

I recommend you keep these documents organized in a special folder so that you have quick easy access. Each company who hires you will expect to receive these documents so they may hire you as a contractor (vendor) and in order to pay you.  I recommend scanning these documents as PDFs. Create a special file folder. Name your file folder and each file so that you (and your hiring company) can identify precisely what it is at a glance.

A hiring company may expect you to print, read, and sign a Vendor Agreement and/or a Vendor Code of Conduct before they will hire you. I recommend that you always vet the hiring company to make sure they are legitimate. Read contracts/agreements thoroughly and make sure you agree to terms before signing. Contact the hiring company directly if you have any questions or issues. 

Sometimes a hiring company will ask you to use their online appointment calendar or scheduling platform. They may also demand to be able to automatically assign loan signings to you and to accept their fees/rates automatically.  Remember YOU are the boss of your own business. Just because they want this (because it is more convenient and more cost effective for them), doesn't mean you are automatically required to comply with their requests.

In my own business, I make it clear to hiring companies that I can never auto-accept their assignments nor automatically accept their rates. I manage my own calendar; I manage my own rates. If an offer does not match what my rate, then I must be able to negotiate or decline. If a time does not match my schedule, I must be able to offer an alternate time. In my business, I have full control of my own calendar and I have the ability to negotiate my own rates for each assignment. 

When you start working as a notary signing agent, YOU may choose to do things differently and that is perfectly OK. You must do what you feel is best for your business. But always follow the law. No matter who is asking or how nicely they ask you to do it, always, always follow the law for the state you reside. What they are asking you to do may be legal in the state that they are in, but not legal for Washington. This is why you must know the notary laws for the state you are in and pay particular attention to what is prohibited. 

If anyone asks you to send them a copy of your notary stamp, that should be a red flag! No one should be asking for a copy of your stamp. If you provide it to them, they can use it to commit fraud in your name. Never share copy of your notary stamp with anyone. If someone requires proof that you are a licensed notary, they can either refer to the copy of your state notary commission or instruct them to search your name online: https://professions.dol.wa.gov/s/license-lookup

Keep in mind that the hiring company considers us as their VENDOR (an independent contractor responsible for our own taxes, insurance, licensing, etc.) not as their employee. Keep vendor agreements separate, so that you don't accidentally send to the wrong hiring company.  

NO. Not at all.  I do not provide any eNotary or RON training. My NSA 101 training focuses on "wet" signings only -- that is, pen to paper, face-to-face IN PERSON loan signings with the signers right there in front of you.  

I believe it is unwise for brand new notaries or signing agents to jump into electronic or Remote Online Notarizations prematurely. It is a recipe for disaster. You should master how to present printed loan documents in person and how to perform notarizations on paper in person before you attempt to do it electronically or remotely. 

Great questions. It is important to understand the notary public lexicon. "eDocs" or "Electronic Documents" simply refers to a notary signing agent's ability to receive loan documents from their hiring company electronically via email or via digital download. No special licensing is required in Washington (other than your notary public commission). To accept eDocs as a notary signing agent in Washington, you simply need a computer and an email address. When potential hiring companies ask you whether you can "accept eDocs", they are just asking whether they can email their loan package to you. Or some hiring companies may need you to login to their secure platform to download the loan package for printing. If you tell potential hiring companies that you do not accept eDocs, you are severely crippling chances of getting hired. How else do you expect them to get a loan package into your hands? Mail it to you like it's 1990? So when you are ready to accept assignments, make sure your online notary signing agent profile at SigningAgent.com is set to YES for eDocs!

"iPEN" stands for in-person electronic notarization. With "eNotarization" or "electronic notarization", there are no printed loan documents. The signers are still physically present in front of you, but the loan documents are reviewed and signed and notarized on an approved electronic device. Loan documents are signed electronically by all parties using the device and notarized by you using an electronic notarization stamp. This requires you to use approved notarization software on an electronic device, such as a tablet or laptop. In Washington, performing an electronic notarization requires a special endorsement on your notary public license. Check the requirements for the state you reside.

With "Remote Online Notarization" or "RON", there are no printed loan documents and the signers are not physically in front of you, they are remote -- in a different location than you. You and the signers communicate remotely via computers with cameras and microphones. Special approved RON software is needed as well as a special electronic notarization stamp. In Washington, performing Remote Online Notarization (RON) requires a special RON endorsement in addition to the eNotary endorsement. Notaries with an electronic endorsement can apply to add the remote endorsement to their existing license. Check the requirements for the state you reside. 

Once you start researching, you'll see there are many, many electronic and RON software providers and platforms. You will discover COST and FUNCTION are going to vary wildly. Make sure whatever software or device you use meets the security standards and requirements of your state. Ask your state if they can provide you a list of approved vendors so you can determine for yourself which one will work best for you. 

If you are a brand new notary signing agent, I do not recommend going down the "electronic" notary rabbit hole until you master wet signings first. That is, learn how to present loan documents printed on paper with the signers physically in front of you. Don't make your learning process unnecessarily confusing or difficult by trying to learn absolutely everything (wet signing, electronic signing, remote signing) all at once. You may become overwhelmed/discouraged and give up before you've even started and increases the odds of making mistakes. TAKE IT ONE STEP AT A TIME, is my advice. 

A hybrid loan closing means part of the documents are to be signed by the borrowers electronically, and part of the documents are printed, and presented to the borrowers in person to be signed in ink and signed/notarized by you with your regular notary stamp. 

When you receive an assignment that specifies HYBRID CLOSING,  contact your hiring company and ask questions to make sure you understand what exactly the assignment entails. Make sure you are qualified to conduct the type of signing requested.

The following documents are generally accepted as critical documents in a loan package. But "critical" can be subjective. Any document your hiring company considers critical, you should also consider critical. 

CLOSING DISCLOSURE  (CD)

NOTE 

DEED OF TRUST/MORTGAGE 

NOTICE OF RIGHT TO CANCEL 

FIRST PAYMENT LETTER

•Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA/1003) 

•Occupancy Affidavit 

•Initial Escrow Account Disclosure Statement 

•Initial Amortization Schedule

It can be overwhelming when you are brand new, especially when you are training for the first time. So much reading and memorization, that it can feel like information overload. So I urge my new notary signing agent students to focus on memorizing the first five critical documents in the list above, then move on to the others bit by bit. The Signing Professional Workgroup (SPW) identifies 27 different loan terms with suggestions for each. Keep building and adding to your loan document repertoire until you have them all memorized, and can state the document's general purpose in any order. Read the title of the loan document, note how many pages it is, succinctly state its general purpose, identify precisely where the signer is being asked to sign, date, or initial, and then notarize as needed. If the loan document is asking the signer a question, or to make a choice, or for information, it is our job to point out what requires their attention in that document.  This is why hiring companies HIRE US for the loan signing in the first place. It is the handling and presentation of loan documents that sets signing agent work apart from general notary public work. Watch my NSA 101 training videos on YouTube, read the training materials, and book 1-on-1 loan documents training with me when you are ready.

For me, the most important aspects of a training venue is a large clean workspace, sufficient lighting, and access to clean bathrooms -- as we are meeting for up to 3 hours. I live in Olympia. So if you travel to my area (I-5, exit 111) for training, I chose my favorite coffee shop Cutters Point Coffee at 1340 Marvin Rd, Lacey for several reasons. Cutters Point is very easy to find. It is a nice standalone drive-thru coffee shop that sits across from Costco, Home Depot, Ulta, PetCo, Ross, etc. Cutters Point offers free parking, large tables, inviting decor, clean bathrooms, friendly staff, and excellent coffee/snack options. Cutters Point ticks nearly every box for my training purposes. 

There are times I can justify renting meeting space for group training sessions. But when mortgage interest rates are too high and training demand is too low, renting meeting space is cost prohibitive.  

If you need me to travel to your area for 1-on-1 training, we can make arrangements to meet at a friendly sit-down coffee shop that is most convenient to you. Travel fee depends on location. 

If you follow my assignment instructions, the 3 hours of workshop or 1-on-1 training/coaching should be sufficient. But everyone learns differently.  So yes, of course if you need me I am available for longer 1-on-1 training. I recommend first doing the 3-hour training as instructed and then gauge your comfort level. If you feel like you need another 3 hours, then you can contact me to book more time and we will find date/time that works for both of us.

If you have gone through the entire FAQ and you still have questions, by all means write them down so we can discuss during our initial phone chat. No strings attached. I’ll give you this time for free. Honestly, I want to help you whether you hire me for NSA 101 training or not. Call me at 360-280-0888. I always answer my phone if I am available. If it goes to VM, leave me a detailed message. Please speak clearly so that I may return your call.  (If you left me a voice message but did not hear back from me fairly quickly, it means I could not decipher your phone number so please call me back or send a NSA 101 training request.)