As a Notary Signing Agent (NSA) you may wonder if it’s worth it to go a step further and become certified. When it comes to being a notary signing agent, the consensus is that obtaining your certification is a smart move. Let’s explore why one should become certified as a Notary Signing Agent.
Is certification required?
There is no requirement to become certified as a Notary Signing Agent. In fact, there aren’t even any training requirements. However, think about the jobs you have had throughout your life. Did you start those jobs without any sort of training? If so, how did that make you feel? Do you feel you would have benefited from training and/or performed better at the job if you received training? The answer more than likely is yes. The same goes for notary signing agents. Why would you not want training or to further your education and show your credentials by becoming certified?
Despite there being no legal requirement to get your certification, many title and signing companies that hire NSAs do prefer (and may even ask) you to in order to work with them. If you’re still asking yourself “should I become a certified notary signing agent”, keep reading.
The Certification Exam
There are many vendors who offer Signing Agent training courses and exams online.
With most certification exams you will need to pass with a certain score. This certification also is not a one-time thing. You will be required to take it on an annual basis. Most certification exams will have a series of questions that will test your knowledge on notary laws, mortgage loan closings, and transaction procedures. You will also be required to go through a background check.
The National Notary Association is one such company that offers the certification exam. The exam is made up of true and false and multiple-choice questions.
Another company that offers the certification exam is N2N. Their certification covers questions regarding general notary work, loan signings, E-Notary, and best practices.
Do your due diligence and research what vendors have to offer regarding their certification program. One may be better suited for you than the other and offer different things. For instance, your certification might expire after one year or two. The score to pass the exam may vary depending on who you take the exam from. The questions and the layout of the exam may be different as well.
Why Get Certified?
So, let’s go over the benefits of getting certified. For one, you will gain more knowledge. In turn, this helps notaries to be more comfortable and confident in doing loan signings.
Another benefit for certified notary signings agents is that the certification shows your expertise. Companies are more likely to hire a certified NSA over one who isn’t. The certified NSA also looks more professional and is likely to get more jobs.
Because a background check is performed when becoming certified, lenders, signing services, and title companies can feel better about ensuring that the NSA they hire knows the laws and aren’t practicing fraud.
As a signing agent, if you are on the fence about getting certified, I hope this article has helped you in your decision and answers the question about if you should become certified as a notary signing agent.
Happy notarizing!