Notary Income
Can a Notary Earn “Side Job” Income?
Published November 8, 2024
Lately, many people with full-time or primary jobs are exploring possible “side” jobs to earn additional income. They want or need more money in their pockets to cope with economic ups and downs, increases in their costs of living, and inflation.
One side job that was very popular before is now back on the radar screen: performing notarizations for the general public. Work hours are flexible, and appointment volume can be managed to produce as much or as little work as each notary wishes.
- Assess the start-up expense of earning income by performing notarizations… what will these must-haves cost: applying-for and maintaining a notary commission; tools such as an official stamp or seal and journal (recordbook); additional state-specific requirements such as mandatory notary training; and fees related to running a local business (see numbers 2 and 3).
- Weigh your start-up and expected ongoing expenses against the fee you are allowed to charge per notarial act, and assess whether you believe you can generate enough business to cover expenses and make a reasonable profit.
- Research and ensure you can meet all state and local requirements for operating as a corporation or sole proprietor.
- Take a training course or courses(s) on notary law and practices, including any available training on document types or business needs that typically involve notarization. (NOTE: many states require state-approved notary public training as a condition of obtaining a commission, and even experienced notaries need a periodic refresher course.)
- Thoroughly study your state’s notary law and best practices, including authoritative resources such as your state commissioning officer’s notary handbook (often provided online, free of charge).
- Obtain a notary commission and essential tools such as an official stamp and recordbook (journal).
- Use advertising, including social media and publicly accessible notary databases, to make your services known to the public. Realize that “advertising” can include low-cost options such as handing out flyers to your neighbors and local businesses. ALSO be very aware of any requirements your state has regarding advertising of notarial services—such as the prohibition against using the term “notario publico,” or any specific disclosures you must include in your advertising—and follow those requirements to the letter.
- Make availability a regular part of your daily schedule, and be sure your advertising specifies those times of the day for notarization appointments.
- Keep meticulous business records…your notary side-job income is taxable, and your records must align with the income that you report. Your fee-related practices and records must be thorough, so that you can accurately report your side-job income.
- This one is so important it deserves a second mention…record all your notarial acts in a journal (recordbook) designed for that purpose. Carefully note in each journal entry whether the notarial act was performed for your employer (if applicable), or performed for an after-hours customer.
The final consideration is really personal and requires total honesty…do you have the personality and organizational skills to take on a side job and all the responsibilities that come with it?
For example, because side-job income is reportable for taxation, you MUST diligently and accurately track this income. You must keep your records in a way that gives you complete confidence that you can substantiate every penny of what you report—and don’t report, if applicable—to state and federal authorities for purposes of paying taxes.
The best business recordkeeping occurs when you pay daily/weekly attention to it. You want and need your business expense records to substantiate any and all business expenses you’ve claimed.
The bottom line is, you must have the personality and organizational skills, in addition to the knowledge, to run a successful notary side-job business. If you believe you have the “right stuff,” then perhaps it won’t be long before you too join the growing ranks of notaries who gain personal satisfaction and extra income by notarizing as a side job.
Your data is safe with us! (read our privacy and security policy)