A Commission Proves Permission… Not Competence

When I first started my signing company (11 years ago), I made what felt like a logical assumption. I thought the notaries who had been commissioned the longest would be the best at what they did. More years… more experience… better work. Right?

I was wrong.

Dead wrong.

In fact, it often turned out to be the opposite. And that realization changed how I see this entire profession, because here’s the truth that doesn’t get talked about enough:

A notary commission gives you permission to act. 

It does not prove you’re prepared to do it well.

When I was building my database of notaries across the country, I relied heavily on directories. And like a lot of people, I used “years commissioned” as a proxy for quality.

It didn’t take long to see the cracks.

• Missed steps.

• Incorrect notarizations.

• Inconsistent practices.

• Unwillingness to learn (Not coachable)

And these weren’t always brand-new notaries. Some had been commissioned for decades. That’s when I started to understand something deeper.

This isn’t a people problem.

It’s a system problem.

Because in most states, it’s relatively easy to become a notary.

Minimal training requirements.Sometimes no test at all. And once you’re in… there’s often no requirement to keep learning.

• No continuing education.

• No structured feedback loop.

• No real quality control.

So what happens?

People do the best they can with what they know.

They learn from whoever trained them, often another notary who learned the same way. And if something was done incorrectly years ago…

It can be repeated for 10, 20, even 30 years without anyone realizing it. Until something goes wrong.

And here’s where it gets even more uncomfortable. Even certifications don’t automatically solve this. I’ve learned that the hard way, too.

A certification proves someone invested in training. It proves they can pass a test. But it doesn’t guarantee implementation. It doesn’t guarantee judgment. It doesn’t guarantee they understand the boundaries of what they can and cannot do in their state.

Competence lives in application of the knowledge, not just in the completion of a course and test.

Meanwhile, the public assumes something very different.

They assume the person sitting across the table (the notary) is trained. That there are standards. That there’s oversight. That someone has verified this person knows what they’re doing.

And in many cases…

That’s just not true.

So where does that leave us?

Right now, the responsibility to go beyond the minimum falls on the individual notary.

• Curiosity.

• Ownership.

• A willingness to get better.

That’s what separates someone who is simply commissioned from someone who is actually competent.

But I’ll tell you this, I don’t think that’s good enough anymore.

Not for the public.

Not for the professionals we serve.

And not for the future of this industry.

That’s why I’m paying very close attention to what’s being built with the American Guild of Notaries Public.

For the first time, I’m seeing a real effort to bridge this gap.

Where it’s not just about having permission to act…

But building a path toward credibility.

Not just access…

But standards.

Not just information…

But application and accountability.

We’ll see where it goes, but one thing is already clear to me:

Permission is easy to get. Competence is something you choose to work for.

You can learn more about the American Guild of Notaries Public and how they’re raising the bar through national credentialing here. 

And you can listen to my Sign & Thrive podcast interview with their executive director, Lori Hamm wherever you find your podcasts or on your browser here.