Notary Public vs Notary Signing Agent: What's the Difference?
If you are buying a home, you will probably hear the terms “notary public” and “notary signing agent” used almost interchangeably. They are not the same thing. While every signing agent is a notary public, not every notary public is a signing agent. Understanding the difference helps you hire the right person and, if you are a notary, decide whether the signing agent path is right for your career.
What Is a Notary Public?
A notary public is a state-commissioned official authorized to perform notarial acts. These acts include witnessing signatures (acknowledgments), administering oaths and affirmations (jurats), certifying copies of certain documents, and taking depositions in some states.
Notaries serve as impartial witnesses whose primary job is to verify the identity of the person signing a document, confirm the signer is acting voluntarily, and deter fraud. They do not provide legal advice, review documents for accuracy, or explain the contents of what you are signing.
Any person who meets their state’s eligibility requirements can become a notary public. The requirements typically include being at least 18, passing a background check, completing an education course (in some states), and purchasing a surety bond. The process takes two to six weeks and costs $75 to $440 depending on the state. For the full process, see our guide to becoming a notary.
What a Notary Public Handles
A general notary public handles individual documents that need a notarial act. Common examples include powers of attorney, affidavits and sworn statements, vehicle title transfers, consent forms, immigration documents, wills and trust documents, contracts and agreements, and various legal declarations.
A typical notary appointment involves one to three documents and takes five to fifteen minutes. The fee is set by state law, usually between $2 and $15 per notarial act.
What Is a Notary Signing Agent?
A notary signing agent — also called a loan signing agent or closing agent — is a notary public who has received additional training and certification to handle real estate loan closings. They specialize in facilitating the signing of mortgage documents when someone buys a home, refinances a mortgage, or takes out a home equity loan.
The signing agent meets with the borrower (and seller, if applicable), walks them through the entire loan document package, ensures every page is signed and initialed correctly, notarizes the required signatures, and returns the completed package to the title company or signing service.
What a Signing Agent Handles
A real estate loan signing package is a very different animal from a single notarized affidavit. The typical package includes 100 to 200 pages containing the promissory note, deed of trust or mortgage, closing disclosure, right to cancel notices, regulatory disclosures and compliance documents, riders and addenda, tax forms, and insurance declarations.
A signing appointment takes 45 minutes to an hour. The signing agent is responsible for ensuring that every document is signed, initialed, and dated correctly, that all notarizations are properly completed, and that the package is returned to the title company promptly and completely.
Key Differences
Training and Certification
A notary public needs only the state-mandated training, which ranges from zero hours to six hours depending on the state. No additional certification is required.
A signing agent needs additional specialized training beyond the basic notary commission. The most widely recognized certification is the NNA Certified Signing Agent designation from the National Notary Association. This involves completing a training course on mortgage documents, passing a proctored exam, and passing a background check. Other training programs include the Loan Signing System (LSS) and courses from the American Society of Notaries.
While no state legally requires signing agent certification beyond a notary commission, the industry effectively requires it. Title companies and signing services will not hire uncertified agents.
Insurance Requirements
A standard notary public needs a surety bond (required by most states) and may optionally carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. For more on bond requirements, see our notary bond guide.
A signing agent needs both a bond and E&O insurance. Title companies and signing services require signing agents to carry minimum E&O coverage, typically $25,000 to $100,000. This is because a single error in a real estate closing can cause significant financial harm, and the signing agent bears responsibility for document accuracy.
Income
This is where the difference is most dramatic.
A standard notary earns the state-regulated fee per notarial act — $2 to $15 per signature. Even a busy notary handling ten appointments a day earns relatively modest income from standard notarizations alone.
A signing agent earns a flat fee per signing, paid by the title company or signing service. Fees range from $75 for a simple refinance to $200 or more for a complex purchase closing. A part-time signing agent handling five to ten signings per month earns $500 to $1,500. A full-time agent completing fifteen to thirty signings per month earns $2,000 to $5,000 or more. Top agents in active markets like California, Florida, and Texas can earn $6,000 to $8,000 per month during busy periods.
For a detailed income breakdown, see our notary earnings guide.
Who Pays
For a standard notarization, you — the consumer — pay the notary directly. The fee is whatever the state allows per act plus any travel fees if using a mobile notary.
For a loan signing, the title company, escrow company, or signing service pays the signing agent. The fee may appear as a line item in your closing costs, but you do not negotiate with or pay the signing agent directly. The title company handles it.
Scope of Work
A notary public handles one or two documents per appointment. They verify identity, witness the signature, and apply their seal. The entire process takes minutes.
A signing agent manages the entire closing document package. They guide the borrower through each document, explain what is being signed (without providing legal advice), ensure completeness and accuracy, and coordinate return of the package. The process takes 45 minutes to an hour.
When You Need a Notary Public
You need a standard notary public when you have a single document or small number of documents that require notarization. Common situations include getting a power of attorney notarized, signing an affidavit for a court case, transferring a vehicle title, notarizing a consent form for your child’s passport, authenticating a document before getting an apostille, and notarizing business or immigration documents.
For these situations, visit your bank (often free for account holders), a UPS Store or shipping center, or use a mobile notary for convenience.
When You Need a Signing Agent
You need a signing agent specifically for real estate loan closings — home purchases, refinances, and home equity loans. The title company or lender typically arranges for the signing agent, so you usually do not need to find one yourself. However, if you are asked to choose or if you want to verify the qualifications of the person coming to your closing, look for NNA Certified Signing Agents with E&O insurance and positive reviews.
Find certified signing agents in your area through our loan signing agent directory.
Can a Notary Public Do a Loan Signing?
Technically, any commissioned notary can notarize the signatures in a loan package. However, without signing agent training, a general notary is unlikely to know how to properly handle the documents, ensure the package is complete, or meet the title company’s standards. Title companies will not hire uncertified notaries for closings because the risk of errors is too high.
If a friend or family member asks you to notarize their closing documents as a favor, proceed with extreme caution. Real estate documents have specific requirements for how signatures, initials, and dates must be placed, and errors can delay or derail the entire transaction.
Becoming a Signing Agent
If you are already a notary and want to increase your income, becoming a signing agent is the most impactful step you can take. The process involves getting your NNA certification (course, exam, and background check for approximately $150 to $250), purchasing E&O insurance ($100 to $300 per year), signing up with signing services like Snapdocs and SigningOrder.com, and building direct relationships with local title companies.
For a complete roadmap, see our signing agent career guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a signing agent the same as a title agent?
No. A title agent works for a title company and handles the title search, insurance, and escrow process. A signing agent is a notary who handles the document signing portion of the closing. They are different roles, though they work together in the closing process.
Do I need a signing agent for a cash purchase (no mortgage)?
Typically no. Cash purchases still require notarization of the deed, but the document package is much smaller and does not include loan documents. A standard notary public can handle the deed notarization.
Can a signing agent give me legal advice about my loan documents?
No. Signing agents are not attorneys (unless they also hold a law license) and cannot provide legal advice, explain the financial terms of your loan, or recommend whether you should sign. If you have questions about your loan terms, ask your lender or consult an attorney before the signing appointment.
Need a notary or signing agent? Search FindNotary.io by your city to find the right professional. Browse our mobile notary directory for general notarization or our loan signing agent directory for real estate closings.