Short version
The National Notary Association’s signing agent certification is a private credential, not a state license. On October 27, 2026 the Standard package was $199 for the training, an exam (80% to pass) and a background screening. You need an active notary commission first. Commissioned notaries can expect to finish in about one to two weeks, mostly waiting on the screening, according to the NNA. Under the industry standard it cites, you renew the exam and background check every year.
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Key facts
- Required by law: your state notary commission. Even the NNA says certification “is not legally required.”
- Expected by many companies: a certification plus an annual background screening that meets the Signing Professionals Workgroup (SPW) standard.
- Price (Oct 27, 2026): Standard $199 · Professional $249 (adds NNA membership)
- Exam: 80% to pass; unlimited retakes during the 9-month course access window
- Screening: through Backgrounds Online; results “typically take 5-15 business days”
“NNA Cert – is it worth anything?” was the question on r/Notary in January 2026 (thread). A Notary Cafe poster put the frustration another way: “it seems there is a NNA vortex” (Getting a Background Check, Aug 2026). In practice it’s worth what the companies hiring you require. Below: what the certification involves, what it costs and what you redo each year, all from the National Notary Association’s own pages, checked October 27, 2026.
What is NNA signing agent certification?
It’s a package from the National Notary Association, a private organization, that bundles signing-agent training, an exam and a background screening. Pass both and you’re listed as certified on SigningAgent.com, which the NNA describes as “an online directory used by lenders, title companies, and signing services nationwide” (National Notary Association).
It isn’t a license. In its signing-agent guide, the NNA says: “A certification is not legally required, but it is preferred by mortgage finance companies to meet Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) compliance requirements” (National Notary Association). Only your state issues the commission you need to notarize. Texas, for example, says its Secretary of State “does not commission or register signing agents” (Texas SOS FAQ).
How much does NNA certification cost?
On October 27, 2026 the NNA’s training page listed two packages:
| Package | Price | What the NNA says it includes |
|---|---|---|
| NNA Certification Standard | $199 | “Required training, exam, and background screening for NNA Certification with SigningAgent.com listing” |
| NNA Certification Professional | $249 | “Everything in Standard plus Membership” (NNA Hotline, discounts, certificate forms and more) |
Not included: your state commission costs, notary supplies, E&O insurance and a printer. Those are separate startup costs in the NNA’s guide, which says the cost “starts at $199” and that “startup expenses include the background screening, training, exam, insurance and supplies.” For the insurance side, see notary E&O insurance vs. bond. For equipment, see the loan signing agent supplies list. If you’re weighing it against a video course, the Loan Signing System review sets out that course’s price and refund terms.
What’s in the training?
There are five online lessons, about four hours in total, on the NNA’s course page:
| Lesson | Length | Covers (per the NNA) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 min | How signing agents fit into real estate transactions; how assignments flow |
| 30 min | Receiving and confirming assignments; contacting borrowers |
| 90 min | Organizing and preparing a loan package; printers; flagging documents |
| 40 min | The appointment sequence; answering borrower questions “without crossing legal boundaries” |
| 50 min | Reporting status, shipping documents, invoicing |
How does the exam work?
The course “includes a built-in exam that you must pass with a score of 80% or higher. Retakes are unlimited during the 9-month course access window,” the NNA says, and it’s designed “for Notaries with an active commission”. So if you’re still waiting on your commission, the course access clock is the thing to watch. Buying before you’re commissioned eats into that 9-month window.
The current page doesn’t say how many questions the exam has. Older NNA study material gave a number, but we don’t repeat it here because the course was revised.
What does the background screening involve?
After you buy, the NNA says an email from its vendor Backgrounds Online arrives with instructions, and “results typically take 5-15 business days to return.” The NNA’s guide says “the mortgage industry expects Notary Signing Agents to pass an annual SPW-compliant background check”.
What gets searched and how records are scored (the SPW points system, look-back periods, and how to dispute an error) is covered in detail in signing agent background screening.
How long does NNA certification take?
Applicants “already commissioned as Notaries … can expect to become a certified Signing Agent within one to two weeks,” per the NNA’s signing agent page. “Most of this time will be spent waiting for your background screening results”. If you aren’t commissioned yet, that comes first, and your state sets that timeline. See how long it takes to become a loan signing agent.
Do you have to renew it?
Yes, under industry practice rather than law. In the words of the NNA’s guide: “The government does not define a renewal timeframe for Signing Agents within any state or federal law. However, the industry standard set by SPW requires Signing Agents renew their exam and background check every year”. There’s a separate NNA renewal course. Check its current price on the National Notary Association site before you budget for it, because we didn’t find it listed on the pages above.
Your state commission renews on its own schedule (four years in Texas and Florida). That’s separate from the yearly certification cycle.
Is NNA certification required, or will another one do?
No law requires it. Whether a company accepts another credential is the company’s call, so check the onboarding requirements of the signing services and title companies you’d actually apply to. For other options and their published terms, see loan signing agent certification.
Common slip-ups
- Buying before you’re commissioned. The course is designed for notaries with an active commission, and the 9-month access window starts when you buy.
- Treating certification as a license. It’s private. Your state commission is what lets you notarize.
- Forgetting the yearly cycle. The exam and screening are renewed annually under the SPW standard the NNA cites.
- Assuming the $199 covers everything. Supplies, E&O and your commission are separate costs.
- Implying an endorsement. If you link to the NNA from your own site, follow its linking policy (no logos, no implied endorsement).
Other NNA certification questions
How much is NNA certification?
$199 for the Standard package, or $249 for Professional with membership, as of October 27, 2026. Check the National Notary Association site for current prices.
What score do you need to pass the NNA signing agent exam?
80% or higher, with unlimited retakes during the 9-month course access window (per the NNA).
How long does the NNA background check take?
Typically 5-15 business days, per the NNA.
Does NNA certification expire?
The industry standard the NNA cites (SPW) is to renew the exam and background check every year.
Can I take the course before I’m commissioned?
Get commissioned first. The course is designed for notaries who already hold an active commission.
Where to go from here: Not commissioned yet? Start with how to become a loan signing agent, or the steps for becoming a loan signing agent in Texas or becoming a loan signing agent in Florida. Comparing options? See loan signing agent certification.
Where these details come from
This page draws on the National Notary Association’s own published pages, checked October 27, 2026. We haven’t taken this course. We describe what the NNA publishes, not our experience. We aren’t notaries or attorneys, and this isn’t legal advice. Prices and course details change, so confirm on the NNA’s pages before you buy. Spotted a problem? Contact us.
Sources
- National Notary Association, Notary Signing Agent Training (packages, lessons, exam, screening): https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-signing-agent-training
- National Notary Association, How to Become a Notary Signing Agent (cost, timeline, renewal, “not legally required”): https://www.nationalnotary.org/signing-agent/nsa
- Texas Secretary of State, Notary Public FAQs: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/faqs2300.shtml
- About the National Notary Association: “The National Notary Association is the nation’s professional Notary organization and serves the professional, educational, career and business needs of Notaries throughout the U.S. Since 1957, the NNA has helped Notaries to serve society responsibly and ethically.” Linking policy: https://www.nationalnotary.org/support/linking-policy
- Reader threads quoted (public forums): https://www.reddit.com/r/Notary/comments/1qpja0x/ · https://forum.notarycafe.com/t/getting-a-background-check/57766
General information, not legal advice.
