Notary Public
Startup Costs: $10,000 - $50,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available?
No
Online Operation?
No
THE BRIEF
As a notary public, you will have the ability to draw up and certify contracts and other legal documents that require a notary’s seal and signature such as wills, mortgages, adoption papers, property deeds and financial transfers. For your work as a notary public, you can set up shop in a home or independent office or have a mobile operation. You also have the option of working with businesses such as a real estate brokerage or law firm that frequently use the services of a notary. Qualifications can vary state by state, but all require an application, training, an exam and background check before being certified.
ASK THE PROS:
How much money can you make?
The average salary for a notary public is $51,000 a year in the United States according to careers site PayScale.
What’s the most important thing to know about this business?
While in most states, the notary and the client have to be physically in the same place, as of 2018, there were four states that allowed the exchange to take place remotely, over video chat - Virginia, Montana, Texas and Nevada. As of 2016, 1 billion documents were notarized each year in the United States.