Notary Public Job Description Information

A notary public is a licensed public servant of a state who can administer oaths and affirmations and can be delegated as an official witness during the signing of important documents to prevent fraud. Institutions such as banks and law offices, which deal in financial or real estate transactions, often employ notaries public. Duties vary according to jurisdiction; however, all notaries public must pass a background check and state examination.

 

Witness

• A notary public serves as the official witness during the signing of important legal documents.

Authenticity

• A notary public must verify the names and identities of the parties involved in signing a document and attests to those identities in his presence. A driver's license, birth certificate or passport are acceptable forms of identification.

Records

• Notaries must keep a record of the documents he has certified in a public registry.

Seal

• An embossed seal or stamp is used by the notary public to verify his presence at the time the documents were signed. Most notaries public are issued a unique identifying number in order to prevent fraudulent use of the seal.

Misconceptions

• The witnessed signing of a document by a notary public does not automatically make a document legal and true. The document may still be fraudulent. A notary public is not allowed to prepare legal documents or dispense legal advice, unless he is also a licensed attorney.

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Notary Public Salary Information

A notary public is a public officer, constituted by law, who administers oaths, takes affidavits, authenticates the execution of certain documents, and takes acknowledgments of deeds and other conveyances. Public notaries are employed by a variety of industries, including real estate, where every transaction requires a cost-effective method of verifying information.

 

Salary and Benefits

• Public notaries earn between $24,716 and $49,158 on average, according to PayScale November 2010 data. Bonuses make up a very minor portion of the total salary, between $101 and $1,500. Health benefits are not very common among public notaries, with 52 percent having no coverage. For those that do have coverage, the most common is medical, followed by dental and, to a lesser degree, vision.

Experience

• Experience has an impact on a notary public's income, with peak earnings occurring early in the career. Entry-level notary publics, with less than one year of experience, earn between $23,583 and $37,642, according to PayScale November 2010 data. A substantial increase occurs for those with one to four years' experience; they earn between $26,880 and $51,048. At five to nine years' experience, earnings reach their peak at $30,521 to $94,333.

Employer Type

• Notary publics wishing to increase their income should think twice before becoming self-employed. In this profession, individuals employed by a company earn between $31,440 and $73,600, according to PayScale November 2010 data. This contrasts greatly with self-employed notary publics, who earn only $25,200 to $50,000.

Industry

• Notary publics can find work in a variety of industries, including real estate, insurance, government, title insurance, and escrow and title services. Industry can account for up to a 15 percent difference in earnings. Government offers the greatest earnings potential for notary publics, ranging from $38,108 to $64,622, according to PayScale November 2010 data. Public notaries working in escrow and title services earn the least, between $32,976 and $56,089.

Location

• The earnings potential of a notary public can vary greatly within individual states. Notary publics in the state of California earn the highest, with the range of $29,277 to $82,200, according to PayScale November 2010 data. Notary publics in Pennsylvania can earn almost as much as those in California, between $17,290 and $73,700. Though notary publics in Louisiana earn far less, the range is substantially smaller as well, between $35,000 and $47,168.

Company Size

• Notary publics working in small companies have the potential to earn more income, though the earnings range varies widely. Notary publics working in companies with one to nine employees earn between $24,308 and $79,000, according to PayScale November 2010 data. Their counterparts working in larger companies of 10 or more employees earn between $31,440 and $55,000.

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How to Become a Notary Public

A notary public witnesses a person's signature on different types of documents, thereby verifying that the individual did indeed sign the paper of his or her own free will. For this service, the notary receives a fee set by the state.

1. Be at least 18 years old and an official resident of the state in which you want to be a notary.
2. Obtain the application for a notary commission from your state or from the nonprofit National Notary Association (NNA). Note that each state has different eligibility criteria for its notaries. Visit the NNA Web site at nationalnotary.org.
3. Be prepared to pay a filing fee and, in most states, to post a bond before assuming the office. Go to the NNA Web site for the individual state fees and bond requirements. Also check the site for your state's requirements on written examinations and the fingerprinting of notaries.
4. Attend a workshop for prospective notaries to gain in-depth information about the law, ethics and special situations. The workshops are usually held in community colleges and universities, and, in some states, in hotels.
5. Send in your application after taking any required tests. Carefully follow instructions.
6. Take your oath of office in front of a notary public after you have been notified by the state that you have been approved to receive a notary commission.
7. Make certain you pay for your bond, if required, within the time specified by your state. Licensed insurance brokers obtain the bonds and help you file your final paperwork.
8. Purchase your official notary seal after you have taken your oath. Many states also require the use of an official inked rubber stamp on documents.
9. Give your business cards to neighborhood businesses, including banks, lawyers and insurance companies. Your notary fees are subject to federal and state income taxes, but not self-employment taxes.

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