How to Start a Mobile Notary Public Service in Tennessee

If you are looking for a part-time job in the state of Tennessee but want the flexibility of setting your own hours, consider starting a mobile notary service. The name offers just what it implies, mobility. Not only can you set your own hours, but, you can decide your place of operation. You would advertise that you will meet at the client's home or business or maybe a neutral location like a library.

What a Notary does is bare witness to signed legal documents and certify that the party or parties have the legal authority to sign the documents.

Now that you have decided to start your notary service, you need to meet the qualifications as prescribed by the State of Tennessee:

1. Be at least 18 years of age.

2. A resident of, or maintain a principal place of business in the county for which he/she is elected.

3. Not been convicted of a felony.

A complete list of qualifications and disqualifications can be found on page 8 of the Tennessee Notary Public Handbook.

No classes are required. However, being that the Notary Public is a public official, you will be required to take an oath of office and will be bound by certain legalities of office. There are minimal application fees. Yet, you will be required by law to acquire a $10,000 bond from an insurance agency. This bond lasts for the four year period of your commission as a Tennessee Notary Public and may run $50 and up, depending on the insurer. You will also have to acquire a stamp, which has the legal Tennessee Notary Design. You must also purchase a black or red ink pad. By law, you must require sufficient identification from clients and record each transaction in a bound record book. Don't allow these legal requirements to frighten you. Once you have met these requirements and/or committed to them, you pretty much have this service under control and are ready to start finding clients.

Now, where do you get clients and how much do you charge? One disheartening aspect of being a Notary is that the fees are very low in relationship to the service. Most documents cost $1.00 or $2.00 to notarize. However, because you have billed yourself as a mobile service, you can charge for the convenience of being mobile. You can also offer other services along with your Notary services. Often clients will need an agreement or contract typed up. You can charge a separate fee for this. Since, you're mobile, you may want to invest in a laptop and small printer. Make your service stand out from the rest. Keep a small storage container in your vehicle, filled with office supplies: staplers, envelopes, a hole punch, paper clips, U.S. stamps, etc. There will be nothing more satisfying than to see a client's face light up just because you have that much needed stamp and envelope. The key here is to stay organized and think ahead as to what a client might need.

But, still, where do you get these clients to impress with your well organized notary service? Begin with word of mouth. Tell your friends and family; ask them to spread the word. Then, create flyers and circulate them in the areas that you want to service. I have found that half page flyers work just as well as full page ones and are less costly. Hopefully, the potential client will find a half page less awkward and will fold it away and put it in his/her pocket instead of throwing it on the ground. Create tab flyers, with your name and cell phone number, to hang in Laundromats, grocery stores, and other high traffic public areas. Consider some online advertising - create a free webpage, Twitter your friends and family, post to your Facebook network and post to online classifieds like Craigslist or Backpage. There are thousands of online classifieds, and most are free. Try networking with business owners who may come across customers who are in need of your services. You can buy business cards online cheaper than some office supply companies in your city, for example, Vistaprint.

So, let's look at this. For a little over $100, you have set up a potentially lucrative business. As long as your service is dependable and your fees are competitive, you should make a pretty good part-time income.