How to Become a Notary Signing Agent in Virginia: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide
Virginia commissions notaries through the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the local circuit courts — no bond, no exam, no training. The catch is procedural: you take your oath in person at the courthouse. Here's the full process — then what turns a Virginia notary into a loan signing agent.
Step 1: Confirm you qualify
- At least 18 years old
- A legal resident of the United States
- Able to read and write English
- No felony conviction — unless pardoned, vacated, or your civil rights have been restored
- A Virginia resident, or regularly employed in Virginia (active-duty military stationed in Virginia also qualify)
Step 2: Apply to the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Send a completed application with the non-refundable $45 fee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office. The name on your application must exactly match your state-issued ID — your commission and stamp must match too.
Step 3: Claim your commission and take the oath at the circuit court
Your commission is mailed to the city or county circuit court where you elected to take the oath. It's your job to go claim it — a notice goes to the address on your application. At the courthouse you pay a $10 clerk fee and take the oath of office.
Don't sit on it: if you don't claim your commission within 60 days of issuance, it becomes invalid for any reason — including never receiving the notice — and you'd have to reapply and pay again. (Recommissioning notaries in good standing skip the courthouse trip.)
Commission term: 4 years.
Step 4: Get your seal — and start journaling
Order your stamp from an office-supply vendor once commissioned. Virginia now requires notaries to maintain a journal of their acts (2026 legislation) — get into the habit from day one; it's your best protection if an act is ever questioned.
Virginia caps fees per notarial act by statute — check the current schedule (Code of Virginia, Title 47.1) before setting your prices. Reasonable travel fees for mobile work are permitted when the signer agrees in advance.
From Virginia notary to signing agent
Virginia has no separate state signing-agent certification — the commission above is the legal credential. But the companies that hire signing agents (lenders, title companies, signing services) operate on industry credentials: training certification plus background screening.
To work as a signing agent in Virginia, add:
- Background screening (the NNA's screening is the industry standard; ~$60–$80/year)
- Signing agent training on loan documents — see the startup cost breakdown and our Loan Signing System review
- E&O insurance — not required by the state, but required by most hiring companies
- A dual-tray laser printer and the rest of the mobile notary kit
Virginia was the first state in the country to authorize remote online notarization (2012), so it's a mature RON market — a real second revenue channel once you're commissioned. Compare the two paths in our signing agent vs. general notary income guide.
Cost summary
| Item | Cost |
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| Application fee | $45 |
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| Circuit court clerk fee | $10 |
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| Seal + journal | ~$40–$75 |
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| Signing agent training + screening | $100–$500 |
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| Commission basics total | Roughly $95–$130 before training |
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Requirements from the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth (Code of Virginia, Title 47.1), verified September 2026. Confirm against commonwealth.virginia.gov before applying.