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A certified notary signing agent is a professional who went through the proper training to facilitate the signings of loan documents.
The government does not grant the certified status, but rather it is offered by a private notary organization. There could be different associations that offer such certification. This time, I’ll focus on talking about the certification program from the National Notary Association (NNA) since they are one of the most recognizable entities in the notary industry.
Yet, you are not required to obtain such a certification to become a notary loan signing agent. (Well, all you need is to register as a notary public at the Secretary of State.).
But being NNA certified indeed has some advantages to your loan signing business. For example, access to their training course materials, receive support, and industry updates. I’ll uncover them in more detail in this post.
Furthermore, I’ll walk you through the exact steps to become one. Most excitingly, I have interviewed an actual NNA Certified Notary Signing Agent, Melina Fuenmayor. She will share with you her thoughts and journey in obtaining the certified credential.
What is the National Notary Association (NNA)?
Before you invest your time and money into the certificate program, it is wise to find out which is the entity that offers you the certified credential.
The National Notary Association (NNA) is an organization that provides education, surety bonds, stamps, applications, industry updates, other notary related products and services.
They were found back in 1957, by Raymond C Rothman. Their headquarter office is at 9350 De Soto Avenue, Chatsworth, California.
To my understanding, the NNA should be one of the largest associations and most recognizable for Notaries.
Here are some reviews I found about the National Notary Association
Yet, everyone could say nice things about themselves. But what counts the most is the review from third-parties.
I found a page on Indeed with reviews of the NNA. It was given by former students where they provided ratings and feedback about the National Notary Association.
Out of the 158 reviews, NNA received an incredible rating of 4.7 out of 5. Many of them complimented with terms such as “Flexible class hours,” “Affordable,” “Helpful career services,” and “Good career preparation.”
Approximately 97% of reviewers said they would recommend NNA programs to their friends.
I also checked on their Facebook page. They have a similar rating to the above. Out of 252 reviewers, NNA received a high score of 4.6 out of 5. As I was reviewing the feedback, I repeatedly saw comments such as “Great professional resource,” “efficiency,” “fast response.”
But every company would have someone who dislikes their services. As I checked on the Better Business Bureau website, NNA received 6 customer complaints. Most of them were about an error in shipment. However, I did see NNA had either resolved the issue or had responded to the complaints.
What are the benefits of becoming an NNA Certified Notary Signing Agent?
When you become an NNA Certified Notary Signing Agent, you’ll get tremendous support from their expert. Whenever you have any questions, you could access to their hotline and email.
NNA will keep you up posted with industry updates through email alert, monthly member newsletter, and their National Notary magazine. This helps you to comply with the real estate industry regulations and continuously equipping you with the skills to grow your loan signing business.
On a separate note, I’m currently reading one of their issues. It provides great info about electronic seals and digital certificates for a remote notary public. This is such a practical discussion since many notaries are planning to include them as part of their services.
As the NNA member, you’ll also get access to networking opportunities, conferences, and discounts from the Partner Program.
Furthermore, I read through comments from several online forums. One of the loan signing agents said that after being listed in the NNA directory, the business calls she received already covered for the costs she paid. Therefore, she found it a good investment to become certified.
Later on in this post, Melina Fuenmayor will also share some of the things she likes about being a Certified Notary Signing Agent.
How much does a certified notary signing agent make?
The average income of Notary Loan Signing Agent is $50,426. The earning typically ranges between $30,000 to $61,000. Top earning loan signing agents makes over $91,000 per year. (+)
At this time, I’m unable to find any income data that is specifically for Certified Notary Signing Agents.
However, your income really depends on how much effort and time you are putting into the business. And whether you are getting the signing appointments directly from title companies or through signing services companies.
(+) Source: ZipRecruiter (March 14, 2022)
Would you like to learn how to make $75 to $200 per signing appointment? You must check out the Loan Signing System from Mark Wills. (**) This is one of the best training programs for loan signing agents. Many students have achieved remarkable business success after taking this program.
How to become a certified notary signing agent?
Step 1: Complete the Certified Notary Signing Agent training course and exam
After you enroll in the Certified Notary Signing Agent program, the NNA Training Center will send you an email. It will contain details for accessing to the training course and the NSA exam.
They are there to equip you with the necessary signing skills and improve your professionalism as a notary.
After you go through the training materials, you could begin writing the certification exam. Note that the required passing score is 80%.
Step 2: Go through the background check screening
This process is to ensure that all certificate applicants are trustworthy and do not have a history of severe offenses.
After you purchase out the package, NNA will email you with the background screening process details.
At the time I’m writing this post, their “Background Screening Standards” stated that they would review criminal records for at least ten years. They also have a scoring grid with the seriousness of each felony.
This way, applicants could have some idea of how likely they could be qualified. If the accumulated points are greater or equal to 25, then this would lead to disqualification.
The screening process typically takes around 2 weeks to complete. But in some complex scenarios, it could be as long as 30 days.
Step 3: Receive the certification and complete the signing agent profile
After you pass the NSA Certification exam and NSA background screening, then congratulations! You have earned the NNA Certified and Background Screened Certification.
If you want to achieve an even higher level of NSA certification, then you can complete the NSA Certification Training eLearning course. This way, you can obtain the NNA Trained, Certified, and Background Screened Certification.
The next step is to fill out your profile at SigningAgent.com. This is a database of professional notaries and allows more people to know about your notary services.
If you ever needed to make any changes or update, you simply log in to NationalNotary.org, and click the link “My Signing Agent Profile.”
Here’s an actual profile of a Certified Notary Signing Agent!
The above is only a partial screenshot of the profile as appear in the NNA directory. In there, members could input their contact info, service areas, hours of services, language, and E&O insurance coverage amount. You can also upload the notary public certificate, so others will know that they are dealing with a legit signing agent.
Exclusive Interview with an NNA Certified Notary Signing Agent, Melina Fuenmayor
Before we get into the interview, here are some interesting facts about Melina!
I came across Melina through listening to one of her other interviews with Mark Wills, a top-notch coach that teaches students how to be a successful notary signing agent.
Melina came from Venezuela and immigrated to the U.S. about two years ago. At the time, she was working at multiple jobs in supporting her family.
Although English is her second language, that challenge did not stop her from pursuing a career as a notary loan signing agent.
Through her courage, dedication, and persistence, she is now making over $10,000/month consistently as a loan signing agent. This incredible result allows her to quit other jobs and focus on the loan signing business.
Her journey truly inspires me, so I connected with Melina. Since I know that Melina is also an NNA Certified Signing Agent, I would like to pick her brain and see what does she think about this credential.
Here’s the exclusive interview you’ve been waiting for!
Can you please tell us more about your notary signing services?
I’m a certified mobile notary signing agent that can perform physical and remote online notarizations. I cover the areas of Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami – Dade Counties in Florida.
I can either assist signers in their houses or offices or perform the closing at the title company or lender office.
I am able to conduct the signing in English or Spanish, available 24/7, and can perform any kind of real estate transaction, such as purchases, sales, refinances, a home equity line of credit, and reverse mortgage.
You could already work on loan signing as a notary public. Why did you go through the Certification Program from the National Notary Association?
I decided to take the certification program from the National Notary Association to be more prepared and thoroughly explain loan documents. My ultimate goal is to offer outstanding service to my clients.
How long did it take you to complete the certified program?
It only took me a week to go through the program and pass the exam.
I know that you had to go through an NNA training course. Can you let us know what the course is about?
It’s an online course that provides an overview of the notary signing career. It covers the whole process, such as what to do before, during, and after the signing. The training also emphasizes the principles and practices, what you are allowed to do, and what you are prohibited from doing as a notary signing agent.
What are some key takeaways you got from the certified notary signing agent online training course?
Knowing what is permitted and prohibited in the industry is crucial. I also learned how to effectively contact signers to confirm appointments. Most importantly, I’m now more confident when explaining the main documents to signers.
I understand that you were required to pass the certification exam. May I know the format of the exam?
The test is online; it’s 45 multiple-choice questions. You can use the study guide that you get when purchasing the course.
Was the exam difficult? Did it take you a long time to prepare for it?
No, the exam is not difficult, and it took me a couple of days to prepare.
Besides having access to the notary course training, what are the most significant benefits of becoming NNA certified?
For me, the most valuable thing is to be recognized by title companies as a professional notary signing agent.
I have heard that some title/escrow offices are keen to give business to signing agents that held the NNA certification status, have you seen that in your practice?
Absolutely, that’s the first question an escrow officer asks.
After you obtained the certified notary signing agent designation, did it help you in the notary business? If so, how?
Well, I started my business after becoming an NNA certified notary signing agent. So, I didn’t experience this change.
Is there any specific requirement to maintain the certified status?
You can keep the status by renewing your background check report. However, the NNA offers continuing education courses and continuing education exam to keep the notary signing agent updated.
Would you recommend other loan signing agents to become certified asap, or should they wait until they have some signing experience?
Yes, I would recommend getting certified asap. This could equip you to become more knowledgeable and trustworthy for title companies.
What is one advice you could give to someone who is thinking of becoming a loan signing agent?
Be patience at the beginning, because this is not a business that is built overnight.
What is the best way to reach you if our readers want to know more about your notary loan signing services?
Everybody can find me on social media with my name Melina Fuenmayor. My email address is melinanotarysigningagent@gmail.com, and my phone number 786-860-0112.
Final words about being a Certified Notary Signing Agent
I agree with Melina that equipping yourself with professional knowledge is essential in the notary signing industry. Also, getting the recognition from title and escrow companies is another great reason to become NNA certified.
Do you want to hear more about Melina’s journey to becoming a loan signing agent? I also talked about her interview with Mark Wills in another article. Here’s the one: “How Much do Loan Signing Agents Make? (Full Analysis with a Case Study)“
Once again, I thank Melina for taking the time to give this interview and share her thought about the NNA certification program with us. I wish her all the best and continued success in the notary signing business.
I hope you like this post. If so, please share it with your friends and colleagues.
So what do you think of getting the Certified Notary Signing Agent credential? Is that something you would do? Please let me know in the comment session below.
If you want to succeed in the loan signing industry, you must check out this loan system training program. If you review the testimonials of his students, you’ll be amazed at how the notary career changes their life after they learned from Mark Wills. (**)
Disclaimer: The information in this post is for general information only, and not intend to provide any advice. They are subjected to change without any notice, and not guaranteed to be error-free. Make sure you comply with the state laws and regulatory rules.
(**) Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you. Our company, JCHQ Publishing will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking on the link. Please understand that we include them based on our experience or the research on these companies or products, and we recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something through the links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.
Reference:
- indeed – National Notary Association (Source)
- NNA – Certified Notary Signing Agent Information and Instructions (Source)
- Signing Professionals Workgroup – Notary Signing Agent Background Screening Standards (Source)
- SigningAgent.com – Melina Fuenmayor (Source)
- ZipRecruiter – Loan Signing Agent Salary (source)
Thank you for this article Jacob. I would love to get the credentials for notary signing agent. Do I also have to be a signing loan agent as well or are they same?
I’m glad you found it helpful, Diana.
I talked to many signing agents, and they said that most lenders do require them to have the certified status. I think not only do they need to ensure the signing agents are well equipped to do the job, but they also pass the background screening and have a valid E&O.
On a separate note, if you are just starting out, you may also want to check out the Loan Signing System (LSS) training from Mark Wills. I talked to many signing agents, and they highly rated this program. Here’s a review I wrote on the LSS.