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May I Offer Notary Services Outside Of Work?

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I work as a Notary for a nursing home, but I would  like to offer notarial services outside of work. Am I allowed to perform outside of business hours? — A.N., Pennsylvania

Yes. You are allowed to notarize documents after working hours. Even if your employer paid the costs of your Notary commission, the commission belongs to you, not your employer.

There are a number of opportunities to become a mobile Notary or Notary Signing Agent. The Notary Bulletin includes several articles on building your Notary business that you may find helpful.

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

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4 Comments

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vicki Beaty

04 Apr 2016

Can l renew my notery on line its has expired

National Notary Association

04 Apr 2016

Hello Vicki. If you can tell us what state you are commissioned in, we can provide you with more information. Alternately, our Customer Care team can assist you with renewing your commission if you contact them at 1-800-876-6827.

Cyn

06 Apr 2016

However, if your employer specifically asked you not to perform notarial acts after hours, we are still not allowed - correct? Or does my employer not really have the right, even though they paid for my fees.

National Notary Association

06 Apr 2016

Hello. While many states may allow an employer to dictate when an employee-Notary may perform notarizations while on the job, a Notary may perform a notarization for any member of the public on their own time — including lunch breaks.Please see this article for more information: https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2014/08/notarizing-on-the-job-boss

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