What a Notary Signing Agent Is and What They Do

A notary signing agent (NSA) is a person that handles loan documents on behalf of an individual or company.  These agents are an essential part of closing services because they know all of the details of the documents and the nuances of the laws in their state. A notary signing agent ensures the documents being signed are valid, and one of their jobs is to ensure the person signing the dotted line is who they say they are.

As part of their duties, notary signing agents verify the IDs of the homebuyers while making sure the new changes to the property’s title are reflected accurately.  They’ll also be looking over the results from a title search to help make sure there aren’t issues as they are responsible for the loan documents and accuracy.  

The duties of a notary signing agent include:

• Verifying the identity of the people signing the loan
• Printing the loan documents
• Ensuring that the documents are in English and can be read
• Making sure that the signer understands what they are signing
• Checking to make sure that all of the documents are signed and initialed everywhere they need to be
• Notarizing the documents
• Returning the notarized documents for processing

You may also be wondering why you your transaction could have two people, a notary signing agent and a notary public.  Both serve a different role in the real estate closing process.  The main difference between a notary signing agent and a notary public is that notary publics just witness signatures while notary signing agents witness signatures but also can walk a borrower through the loan process.  Because notary signing agents go through more training than traditional public notaries, they know exactly where a borrower needs to sign, date, and initial on all of the loan documents and can explain them in detail. 

Pro-tip: Some notary signing agents may offer remote online notarizations using a secure, digital platform.  This saves time, paper, and makes closings more efficient because you’re not constrained to time or being physically present. 

A notary signing agent is an essential part of the closing process to get you into your new home faster.  Since there are 100-150 documents involved in a loan closing, a notary signing agent can walk you through them all, ensure your loan is completed correctly, and have your loan closing go smoothly.