| Are notaries training courses worth the time and | | | | you will want to keep around as you develop your |
| money? Well it depends on what state you live in. In | | | | notary skills. Though it is hated by many notaries |
| some cases training courses are required to receive | | | | (including me) it is a site that has all the resources at |
| your commission. I will list them later on in the article. | | | | the notary's disposal. They offer training as well. |
| However, if a notary does not live in one of those | | | | Required training for the required states is $99. They |
| cursed states should they take the course? I would | | | | beat NotaryClasses with their $169 signing agent |
| not sit on either side of the fence on this one | | | | training. These are the two biggest sites that offer |
| because the training course can be invaluable if you | | | | alternative training to the state required one which |
| have never done a signing or just starting out in the | | | | some (me) would say is all you need. |
| industry. But, I for one have never taken a course | | | | I am going to stop harassing the sites and say some |
| and no one that I have worked with ever set foot in | | | | good things about taking a training course. This may |
| the notary classroom. We pride ourselves on | | | | be difficult for me but I will do my best. There is a |
| knowledge of the industry and chalk it up to | | | | lot a notary gets with his or her money when they |
| experience not classes. | | | | go to training seminars and take alternative courses. |
| Another huge problem with notary training programs | | | | You can take a course called "How to escape costly |
| and classes is that there are a million out there. I | | | | mistakes", a great course to take if you are not to |
| can't believe some of them actually get people to | | | | sure liable wise what being a notary entails. If you |
| sign up and go to their training sessions, probably in | | | | take the NNA signing agent training course you also |
| their barn. "Now sit on your Haystack Mr. Jones, and | | | | get a live Training Seminar (select a location, date and |
| be quiet!" Notaries actually pay these people to give | | | | time convenient to you), opportunities for Q&A, |
| them a certificate that they printed out at Kinko's | | | | and demonstrations of loan document signings. A |
| once they have completed their training. I am not | | | | notary also gets a free 1-Year National Notary |
| being completely fair to all notaries or companies | | | | Association Membership (a $52 value). This could be |
| regarding courses. There are some large sites that | | | | good to begin advertising your new business. |
| offer training like NNA, though I hate saying that | | | | I still don't think it is worth it though. Most of it is a |
| name, where you can take training that is required | | | | scam to get more money out of you. The states |
| for training states, or for non-training states, just to | | | | that require exams are smart and I would have no |
| learn, get the certificate, and tell your grandma you | | | | problem if all of the 50 states did. Here are the |
| graduated from something other then cubbies. | | | | states the require course education before taking the |
| Prices vary, but here are some examples that we | | | | state exam to become a notary. |
| found in doing our research. Side Note: remember | | | | CA, CT, DofC., FL HI, LA, ME, MO, NEB, NEV, NY, |
| that these examples are the bigger sites and not a | | | | NC, OH, OR, PA, UT |
| single notary who has sparklers on his site offering | | | | There are a lot of them. If your state is on there I |
| training courses. is a pretty good site where you can | | | | would not fret about the required exam, it is much |
| do your state required courses and exam, and also | | | | simpler than people make it out to be. It is not like |
| training on becoming a signing agent and mobile | | | | the SAT's where you have to go through 10 cups of |
| notary. It is a site that I affirm to be credible and the | | | | coffee and a red bull just to get through it. Look into |
| owner is a nice guy as I spoke with him a few times | | | | it notaries! And don't let me be the judge on how |
| regarding the site. The classes or "seminars" as they | | | | well you want to know your stuff and how serious |
| like to call it are $125 to $199 depending on what | | | | you want to take your job. |
| package you want. Back to NNA, this is a resource | | | | |