Is Being a Notary a Good Side Hustle? Costs, Rules and Pay

Being a notary can be a good side hustle, but a modest one: states cap what you can charge per notarization, so most part-time notaries earn small, irregular amounts unless they add mobile or loan signing work. Whether being a notary is a good side hustle for you depends on your state's fee limits, local demand and how much travel you're willing to do.

This guide covers what it costs to get commissioned, what you're allowed to charge in four example states, where the real earning potential sits, and who should skip it.

Is being a notary a good side hustle?

It's a reasonable side hustle if you want low-risk, flexible extra work and accept that the fee per act is small. A notary public is a state-appointed official who verifies a signer's identity, witnesses signatures and administers oaths, and the state sets the maximum fee for each of those acts.

That makes it different from most side hustles, where you set your own price. A notary side hustle tends to work best for people who:

• Already deal with paperwork or the public, such as office managers, bank staff or real estate assistants.
• Can travel to signers in the evening or on weekends.
• Want to add loan signing work and are prepared for the extra screening and insurance.

It tends to disappoint people expecting meaningful income from walk-in notarizations alone. If you're still comparing options, our side hustles guide for beginners helps you weigh effort, startup costs and skills across different paths.

How do you become a notary?

You apply to your state, usually through the Secretary of State, and meet its education, background and bonding rules. The steps differ by state, but most follow a similar pattern:

1. Check eligibility: typically at least 18 and a resident of the state (some states also commission people who work there).
2. Complete any required course or exam.
3. Pass a background check where required.
4. Buy a surety bond if your state requires one.
5. File your application, oath and bond, then buy your stamp or seal and a journal if your state requires or recommends one.

California also charges a $20 fee at the exam site, Florida's statute lists a $25 application fee plus a $10 commission fee and a $4 surcharge, and New York charges a $60 application fee. Bond, stamp, journal and course costs come on top, and they vary by vendor.

How much can a notary charge?

Your state sets the ceiling, and in most states it's a few dollars to $15 per act. You can usually charge less than the maximum but not more.

Some acts must be free. California and Florida, for example, don't allow a fee for notarizing vote-by-mail ballot materials, and California sets $0 for certain veterans' benefit applications. Texas law also lets its Secretary of State adjust fees for inflation every five years, so check the current schedule.

Example (hypothetical): a California notary who performs 20 acknowledgments a month, one signature each, at the $15 maximum grosses $300 before costs. Spread over 12 months, that's useful extra money but not a second salary, and many beginners won't see that volume at first.

Where does the real money come from?

Mostly from services around the notarization: travel, convenience and loan signings. The capped fee is for the act itself, so earning more usually means adding value the signer pays for separately where your state allows it.

Mobile notary work

Hospitals, care homes, homebound clients and busy professionals often need a notary to come to them, frequently in the evening or on weekends. Rules on travel fees differ by state: some allow a separately agreed travel fee, some cap it, and California's handbook says travel fees should be identified in the journal entry. Check your state's handbook before quoting.

Loan signing agent work

A notary signing agent guides borrowers through a loan document package and notarizes the required pages for title companies, escrow firms, lenders or signing services. This is where many side-hustle notaries focus, but the requirements come from the industry rather than the state:

• Certification is not required by state law, but companies strongly expect signing agent training.
• A background screening is required by lenders and title or escrow companies, often renewed yearly.
• Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance covering notarial and signing agent work is expected.
• Some states restrict or limit signing agent work, so confirm your state allows it before paying for training.

Assignments depend on the local housing and refinance market, so volume can drop sharply when mortgage activity slows.

Remote online notarization

Many states now let commissioned notaries apply for an additional authorization to notarize online by audio-video, often with a separate fee schedule. It isn't available everywhere yet: California's handbook says its remote online notarization provisions take effect once the state finishes its system upgrade, or by January 1, 2030 at the latest. Check whether your state offers it and what extra registration, technology and fees it requires.

What are the risks and downsides?

Liability, slow demand and unpaid travel are the main ones. A notary who skips an identity check or notarizes for someone who isn't present can face civil penalties, loss of commission or lawsuits, and the surety bond protects the public, not you.

• Bond is not insurance: California's handbook notes that a notary stays personally liable and may have to reimburse the bonding company for claims it pays. E&O insurance is separate.
• Demand is irregular: walk-in requests may be rare unless you're visible locally.
• Travel time is unpaid unless you charge a permitted travel fee.
• Record-keeping takes time: journals, certificates and ID checks must be done correctly every time.
• Employer rules: if you notarize at your day job, ask who keeps the fees and whether your employer allows outside notary work.

Do notary fees count as self-employment income?

For US taxes, fees for notarial acts are taxable income but are not subject to self-employment tax. According to the IRS Schedule SE instructions, fees for services you provide as a notary public are excluded from self-employment tax, and you report that exclusion when you file.

Loan signing companies often pay one amount for a whole assignment, which can include document handling and printing as well as notarizations. How to split that income for tax purposes is a question for a tax professional, so keep records of what each payment covers. For how side-hustle taxes compare with a regular part-time job, see our breakdown of side hustle vs second job.

Who should become a notary on the side?

Detail-oriented people with flexible evenings, reliable transport and a local network get the most from it. It also suits people who already run a related business, such as tax preparation, real estate or a mailing and shipping shop, because notarizations bring in customers for other services. If real estate itself interests you, our guide to whether real estate is a good side hustle compares part-time agent work, investing and no-license options.

It's a weaker fit if you need money quickly, can't travel, or dislike paperwork. Our scorecard on how to choose a side hustle helps you compare it with other options using your real time, skills and budget.

Next steps

Being a notary is a good side hustle when you treat it as a low-cost, steady add-on, not a big earner. Start by reading your Secretary of State's notary page for current fees and steps, then decide whether mobile or loan signing work makes sense where you live. To compare it with other realistic paths, our step-by-step side hustles guide can help, and if weekends are your main free time, see weekend side hustles that fit a full-time job. For more ideas, read our guide to making money online.