How to Start a Notary Business
Setting up as a working notary, from your state's commissioning office to mobile appointments and your first invoice.
This page covers turning a notary commission into a business: the state steps to ask about, registering, tax IDs and insurance, taking appointments, and your first invoice. Billing travel and per-signature work is covered on the notary invoicing guide linked below.
For your commission, start with the office in your state that commissions notaries and ask what it requires, including any limits on what you may charge for each notarial act. On the business side, the SBA's launch guide (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says "If you conduct business as yourself using your legal name, you won’t need to register anywhere."
A first invoice with sample figures that leaves notarial-act fees to your state's rules: a mobile appointment for travel and time at 1 x $75.00 and 40 printed pages x $0.25 = $10.00 come to $75.00 + $10.00 = $85.00 before any tax.
Step-by-step startup guide
Follow these steps to launch your notary business on solid footing.
- 1
Ask your state's commissioning office
Find out what it requires to become and stay commissioned, and what it says about fees, journals and stamps.
- 2
Decide on your services
Walk-in signings, mobile appointments or loan signings each need a different schedule and setup.
- 3
Register the business
The SBA's launch guide (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says "If you conduct business as yourself using your legal name, you won’t need to register anywhere." It also says "most states require you to register your DBA if you use one."
- 4
Get an EIN
The IRS EIN page (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated October 16, 2026) says "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN." The SBA's launch guide (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says "Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is your business’s federal tax ID number."
- 5
Look into insurance
The SBA's launch guide (In the US, SBA, checked October 31, 2026) says "You also may be legally required to purchase certain types of business insurance." Ask your state office and a licensed agent which cover applies to notaries.
- 6
Book and bill the first appointment
Confirm the time, place and documents, then invoice the travel and any other charges your state allows.
Tips for starting your notary business
- Track your mileage for mobile work. The IRS recordkeeping page (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated May 1, 2026) says "You must keep your records as long as needed to prove the income or deductions on a tax return."
- Keep your state's fee rules next to your price list so every invoice follows them.
- Confirm the signer's documents and ID needs before you drive out.
- Plan for tax on what you earn. The IRS estimated taxes page (In the US, IRS, last reviewed or updated September 25, 2026) says "Estimated tax is used to pay not only income tax, but other taxes such as self-employment tax and alternative minimum tax."
How Billed helps you get started
Features to look at as you set up your business.
Record Offline Payments
Billed's features page says: "Record offline payments easily with Billed App payment management."
Client Dashboard
Billed's features page says: "See all the details related to a client in client dashboard."
Payments Report
Billed's features page says: "Get all the payment details in a specific period of time."
Due Dates
Billed's features page says: "Set due dates for payment on your invoices so your clients know when they have to pay you."
Frequently asked questions
More Startup Guides
Invoice Your First Signing
Create invoices, track payments and keep your clients' details in one place with Billed.
At a glance
| Step | What to check | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | Your state's commissioning office | State pointer |
| Fees | Your state's rules for notarial acts | State pointer |
| Tax ID | An EIN, at no fee | IRS (In the US, last reviewed or updated October 16, 2026) |
| First invoice | Travel and allowed charges | Notary invoicing guide |
When this isn't for you
If you notarize only as part of a job at a bank or law office, you don't need this setup guide.