Most people think a notary commission as a simple side duty—something you use at the bank or law office, then forget after hours. But your commission is more than a stamp. It’s a credential granted by the Commonwealth that can become a platform for income, independence, and flexibility.
If you’re a PA notary (or thinking of becoming one), here are several ways to monetize your commission.
1. Mobile Notary Services
This is the fastest way to go beyond walk-ins. A mobile notary meets clients where they are—at their kitchen table, in a hospital, or at a coffee shop to sign a business deal. In exchange for the convenience, you charge a travel or convenience fee on top of the notarization.
Why it works: People pay for convenience. Clients facing deadlines or urgent situations (like medical decisions or last-minute real estate signings) don’t want to hunt down a notary. They’ll gladly pay you to come to them.
2. Loan Signings
Mortgage lenders, title companies, and signing services rely on trained notaries to conduct closings accurately and on time. Loan signings pay 3–5 times more than basic notarizations because you’re handling high-stakes paperwork.
Typical range: $125–$200 per signing.
This is also a powerful networking opportunity. Each signing connects you with lenders, title offices, and real estate pros—relationships that lead to repeat work.
3. Remote Online Notarization (RON)
Pennsylvania law allows RON under specific conditions. Using a state-compliant video platform, you can notarize documents online for PA residents or matters substantially related to the Commonwealth—even if your clients are overseas.
Think military personnel, out-of-state property buyers, or international students. RON lets you serve them all from your laptop.
Tip: Adding RON to your services isn’t just techy and trendy—it’s a way to multiply your reach without leaving your desk.
4. Apostille & International Document Services
Apostilles authenticate notarized documents for use abroad. Families adopting overseas, students studying abroad, and businesses opening foreign offices all need this service. Most have no idea where to start. You guide them, notarize the documents, and coordinate the apostille or consular legalization.
Why it’s lucrative: Low competition, high urgency, and premium pricing potential—often $150+ per transaction.
5. Healthcare & Estate Planning Documents
Life’s critical moments demand immediate action. Powers of attorney, living wills, HIPAA releases, and guardianship forms often must be notarized under time pressure. Hospitals, nursing homes, and families need someone who’s professional, compassionate, and discreet.
What you earn: Mobile notarizations for urgent healthcare and estate documents typically command $95–$175 or more per visit.
6. Auto Titles & Tag Services
Pennsylvania is one of the few states that allows private businesses to become authorized agents for PennDOT. Title transfers, registrations, lien releases, and in-transit tags are steady, predictable transactions—perfect for building a high-volume side business.
If you’re already a notary, you’re one step ahead: a commissioned notary is required on staff for an agency. Start small as a Card Agent (low overhead), then scale to Full Agent or Messenger status as demand grows.
7. Business-to-Business Partnerships
Dealerships, fleet owners, law offices, and tax preparers all need a reliable notary partner. You can create structured agreements to handle their volume work—VIN verifications, real estate packages, employee documents, and more.
This isn’t just income—it’s recurring income. Once they trust you, they’ll send work your way without constant marketing.
8. Package Your Services as a Business
Here’s what most PA notaries don’t realize: when you put your notary services under a business entity (like an LLC), you unlock a whole new level of opportunity.
- Your printer, paper, toner, training, and even mileage become business expenses instead of personal costs.
- You start building business credit, which can lead to financing for equipment or expansion.
- You project a professional brand that attracts higher-paying clients and partners.
This is how you move from “person with a stamp” to “professional service provider.”
9. Education & Specialty Certifications
You don’t need a law degree to level up. Short, targeted trainings in loan signings, apostilles, or title processes position you as a specialist. Specialists charge more, get referred more, and are first in line for premium assignments.
Look for reputable programs (especially ones built for Pennsylvania law) and treat them as investments, not expenses. They’ll pay for themselves quickly when you land higher-value work.
10. Combine Multiple Streams
The most successful PA notaries don’t pick just one path—they stack them. A single commission can support mobile work, RON, apostilles, and auto tag services all under one roof. Each service feeds the others, so you’re never reliant on one revenue stream.
Think of it as building your own small agency. You decide how big to grow it.
Bottom Line
A PA notary commission is more than permission to stamp documents. It’s a doorway into a variety of high-value, high-impact services.
You’ve now seen a glimpse of what’s possible: mobile notarizations, loan signings, RON, apostilles, healthcare documents, auto tags, business partnerships, and more. Each of these can stand alone or be combined into a powerhouse business model.
If you’re serious about turning your commission into a real income stream, you don’t have to figure it out piece by piece.
Our Commission to Cashflow Guide lays out the steps, tools, and strategies to move from $5 notarizations to $150+ signings, plus how to structure your notary services as a business to maximize tax benefits and build credit.
The PA Notary takes you from notary commission to cash-flowing career.
