How to Become a Notary Instructor: Requirements & Career Path

Every notary public starts somewhere  usually in a classroom, webinar, or state-approved course led by someone who’s already walked the path. That someone is a notary instructor: the person responsible for teaching new notaries the laws, procedures, and ethics of the role before they’re commissioned.

If you’re an experienced notary public thinking about the next step in your career, becoming an instructor can be a rewarding way to share your expertise while building a second income stream. Here’s what the role actually involves and how to get started.

What Does a Notary Instructor Do?

A notary instructor teaches state-mandated or voluntary training courses that prepare people to become commissioned notaries. Depending on the state and the organization they work with, this can include:

• Pre-commission training  covering state notary law, proper journal-keeping, and acknowledgment vs. jurat certificates
• Continuing education  refresher courses for notaries renewing their commission
• Specialized training  loan signing agent (LSA) certification, remote online notarization (RON) procedures, or e-notary onboarding
• Exam preparation  helping candidates pass state notary exams where required

Instructors may work for a state association, a private training company, a community college, or independently by building their own course.

Requirements to Become a Notary Instructor

Requirements vary by state, but most instructors share a common foundation:

1. Active notary commission. You typically need to be, or have been, a commissioned notary yourself  often with several years of hands-on experience.
2. State approval (where required). Some states, like Florida and Texas, require training providers and instructors to be formally approved by the Secretary of State or a similar regulatory body before their courses count toward commission requirements. Requirements differ significantly by state, so check with your state’s commissioning authority before designing a course.
3. Subject-matter depth. You need working knowledge of your state’s notary statutes, and ideally broader knowledge of remote online notarization (RON), since more states continue to authorize it and new notaries increasingly ask about it.
4. Teaching ability. Approval processes rarely test teaching skill directly, but course completion rates and student reviews matter if you’re building a training business.
5. Errors & omissions (E&O) insurance. Not always required to teach, but many instructors carry it, especially if they also review or sign off on student work.

Steps to Get Started

1. Get and maintain your own notary commission  several years of active practice builds the credibility and real-world scenarios you’ll need for teaching.
2. Check your state’s rules on training providers. Some states publish a formal application process for approved instructors or course providers.
3. Decide your specialty  general notary basics, loan signing agent training, or RON/e-notary certification each attract different audiences.
4. Build or license a curriculum  either develop your own course materials aligned with your state’s statutes, or partner with an existing training provider as a contract instructor.
5. Many new notaries find instructors through state notary associations, so getting listed there (and through word of mouth) is a common first step.

Why RON Knowledge Matters More Than Ever

As more states authorize remote online notarization, new notaries are increasingly asking their instructors how RON platforms actually work in practice, not just what the law says. Instructors who can speak to the practical side of platforms like BlueNotary  session recording, identity verification (KBA), and multi-state considerations  bring more value to their students than those teaching statute alone.

If you’re building out a training curriculum, it’s worth walking through BlueNotary’s step-by-step guide to becoming a notary  yourself first, so your course reflects how the process actually works for a first-time applicant today.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Do I need a special license to teach notary courses?
It depends on the state. Some states require training providers to be pre-approved before their courses satisfy commissioning requirements; others have no formal approval process at all. Always confirm directly with your state’s commissioning authority.

Can I teach notary courses in a state where I’m not commissioned?
Generally, most training providers require instructors to hold or have held a commission in the state whose laws they’re teaching, since requirements are state-specific.

Is loan signing agent (LSA) training different from general notary instruction?
Yes. LSA training is a specialized add-on focused on real estate closing documents and lender expectations, distinct from the general notary public course. Instructors sometimes teach both, but they’re separate credentials. For a closer look at what LSA training actually covers, see BlueNotary’s LSA course guide.

How do most new notaries find an instructor or course?
Through state notary associations, referrals from other notaries, or online searches for state-specific training. Reviewing a step-by-step guide to becoming a notary or a notary exam study guide is often the first stop before enrolling in a paid course.