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If you are a Signing Agent, you need to get certified. But, by whom, and when and why? Let me explain. There are tens of thousands of signing agents out there. Most of them don’t have a clue what they are doing. In order to stand out among the crowd as a competent signer, you need to distinguish yourself. So, how do the various certifications measure up?

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123notary Certification
We have had certification products since around 2002. Our standards for certification keep evolving and our courses keep getting updated to the standards of the day. As of 2017, 123notary cleaned up its certification by retesting everybody who had our certification. We reduced the number of certified members from 1600 to about 550, and now our certified members reflect a higher standard. We now require an 80% score on purely Notary knowledge. We also require 80% on loan document knowledge and an undefined score on handling unusual Notary situations and scenarios. No other certification has the depth of requirements as the 2018 123notary certification requirements.

Additionally, 123notary is now offering mentoring to those who want to be 123notary certified. We realize that mastering the art of being a great Notary and Signing Agent is hard, and a little help from Jeremy and Carmen goes a long way in helping Notaries pass hard tests.

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NNA Certification
NNA’s certification is the most famous and widely recognized. The test is open book and not timed. Notaries benefit from studying from NNA materials. However, since they are not put on the spot under time pressure to answer questions, they typically cannot perform under time duress. We recommend NNA certification as it is widely recognized, although we suggest you get other certifications as well.

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Notary2Pro Certification
Notary2Pro graduates previously represented the highest level of knowledge of any agency’s certification. Now that 123notary is offering mentoring, it is unclear how Notary2Pro graduates’ knowledge differential will compare to us in 2018. We will have to find out.

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NotaryClasses.com
I have heard good things about NotaryClasses.com but do not have specific commentary.

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Other
There are other Notary classes out there. People go into business and out of business. There are companies with long track records who are in the industry who sometimes start or stop offering a course. It is generally good to study from a variety of sources for best results. The more points of views you get, the better you will be.

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What do I recommend?
If you advertise with us I recommend first getting 123notary certified, and then NNA and Notary2Pro certified — in that order. We cannot give you a certification icon if you pass the NNA test and our icon will really help you attract business.
We accept Notary2Pro’s certification to temporarily certify you on 123notary. However, we retest everyone roughly once per year, so you will still have to pass our test in the long run. It does not hurt to get additional certifications, but I think that the three I recommend are good.

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Do 123notary Certified members make more money?
According to recent research, those who are 123notary certified get:

1. More clicks to their listing.
2. More recognition from title companies
3. Roughly $8 more per average signing than those who are not certified by us.
4. Discounts on upgrades on 123notary.
5. Definitive proof of your knowledge
6. A feeling of pride

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Additional Reading

Read about 123notary’s Certification
http://www.123notary.com/loan_signing_courses.html

Compilation of certification posts
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16264

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