So, what exactly is a notary? A notary public is a public officer who by law can validate signatures, administer oaths, and take affirmations.

When would you need to hire a notary? You would need a notary public to oversee any type of financial transaction, estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business. For example, when buying a home, putting together a will or submitting signed documents for a court case you would need to hire a notary to stamp the document and make it official.

Why would you want to become a notary public? Well first of all it’s a great side hustle. As a mobile notary secretary, you can have flexible hours and charge your clients directly. Most states regulate how much you can charge for an individual notarization ($10-$15), but most clients need more than one document notarized you can end up making a great hourly rate.

Being a notary can also really improve your resume. Whether you work in accounting, legal, banking or finance being able to notarize important documents can really make you more marketable when searching for a job.

So how do I become a notary public? In 32 states in the US, it is a simple process to become a notary public. As long as you don’t have a criminal record, simply fill out a form and pay a fee and then you can begin to notarize documents. However, in 18 states along with the District of Columbia you are required to take a course and possibly pass an exam. Find out how much it costs and what it takes in your state below:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

So now that you’re ready to become a notary public, what supplies will you need to get started? General supplies like stamps, seals and embossers are easy to find online and in store. Staples, Office Depot and W.B. Mason all offer a wide variety of notary supplies at great prices.

Another important factor of operating as a notary is security. Dri Mark offers a wide variety of counterfeit detection products that can help validate cash and any government issued ID. Products like the UV Pro, Dual Detector or Flash Test can all check hidden UV features and safeguard you from accepting a fake ID or phony bill. It is important to note that accepting a counterfeit bill can have obvious consequences to your bottom line but accepting a fake ID can get you hit with a lawsuit or even charged with a misdemeanor.

Protect yourself, and learn more about state driver license security features HERE

Shop Dri Mark’s Detection Solutions HERE