Becoming a Notary

[NawlinsGuy]

Hi all. I was wondering if anyone here can give me any insight into becoming a notary. I’ve read many things on the internet including local schools and sec. of state website.
Has anyone here taken any of the courses online?

And for those with notary exp. how hard is it to get a start in the business?

Thanks for any and all replies!

[Lex]

I’m going to send a message to someone who can answer your questions.

[EJC-LA]

I came back to La. to become a notary. I spent 2 semesters at UL taking the prep course. When tuition, books, exam fees, hotel room charges, etc. are all added up I spent roughly $10,000 to get my notary commission.

The notary exam is given twice a year: first Sat. of June and December. I failed the exam the first time I took it (by 1 question), but did manage to pass it the second time (the average is 4 times to pass). When I did pass it, 593 people statewide sat for that exam and 55 (including me) passed it.

Now 3 years later I’m going BACK to Orlando. For all my effort and all the cost, I’ve found that people want a notary to do everything for free. They will bring you something “I found online” which of course I WON’T touch. Or the famous “I just need you to notarize this; why are you charging me to do that?”

[Lex]

I just need you to notarize this; why are you charging me to do that?

Attorneys can get a Notary commission without taking the test. That, of course, makes sense. I have heard over the years that becoming a Notary is very difficult and was glad I didn’t have to go that extra step.

As a young and naive lawyer, I used to notarize things for clients for free –Big mistake.

First, they take advantage of you and you end up wasting a lot of time.

Second, they get the idea that your time has no value and when they need a lawyer, they go elsewhere.

I can understand why some people think it should be a “service”. That usually is the case for people who have moved to Louisiana from other states where every bank clerk is a notary and it is a free service.

But in those other states a notary does nothing but watch you sign. In Louisiana a Notary is a quasi-legal position as it is in France. Notaries here are trained to prepare legal documents, like wills. Just ask a bank teller in Atlanta to fix up a will for you.

I have a client who moved here from France after WWII. His father was a Notary in Nice and his ambition was to become a Notary and open his own office or take over his father’s office. So, it is a very big deal in France and it is somewhat the same here. Since almost all lawyers are also Notaries, I would guess it impacts the general Notary business negatively. I really never thought about that before.

Anyway, thanks for your insights and sorry to hear you are going to Orlando.

[NawlinsGuy]

Sorry it’s taken so long to update you Lex. I did decide to take an online class and take the test. Spent many nights and weekends studying!

Passed with an 87 my very first time! Been working part time as a notary for a year now and really enjoy it.

Thanks!

[Zocegy]

It’s not entirely clear what you wanted to find out then, if you already knew the answer

[Author]

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