When people first get into the notary business, they often hear about loan signings as the ultimate money-maker. And while it’s true that loan signings can be lucrative, I’ll be honest—I’d take general notary work all day, every day if I could get enough business. Here’s why.
General notary work is simple and straightforward. You show up, verify ID, watch someone sign a document, stamp it, and you’re done. No printing hundreds of pages. No scan backs. No racing to FedEx before the cut-off time. You’re not chasing down signatures or worrying if you initialed in the wrong spot, and you can charge a good fee for this. I often get paid more than signing companies want to pay for loan signings.
You also get paid on the spot. There’s no waiting 30 days for a check from a signing service. And there’s something really empowering about that—it makes you feel more in control of your business and your schedule. You’re not just a small cog in a larger loan process; you’re offering a direct service to your community.
Now don’t get me wrong—loan signings can pay well, and once a title company or signing service likes your work, they’ll usually keep sending you jobs. But loan signings come with a long list of responsibilities:
It’s a lot more involved.
The one catch with general notary work? You have to consistently market yourself. Unlike loan signing companies that put you on their list and keep calling, general notary clients don’t just find you on their own—you have to help them find you.
That means staying on top of:
It takes some hustle. But once you get that visibility, the work tends to flow in steadily. I love loan signings, but "general notary work" is so much more relaxing and pays better for the time you put into it.
At the end of the day, both general notary work and loan signings have their place in a notary business.
If you’re new to the notary world, I highly recommend giving both a try—but don’t underestimate the power (and profitability) of good, old-fashioned general notary work.
