Is There a Shortage of Notaries?

Yes, in many places there is a real shortage of available notaries, especially ones who offer mobile or remote online service when and where people actually need them. The total number of commissioned notaries is large, but availability is the problem: not enough are reachable after hours, on short notice, or online. That gap is an opportunity if you are the notary who shows up. Here is the 2026 picture.

Quick navThe short answer 1. Is the shortage real 2. Why it happens 3. Demand keeps rising 4. The opportunity

There is not a shortage of notary commissions, there is a shortage of availability. Many businesses report that limited notary access slows their operations. The demand is strongest for mobile and remote online notaries who are available on short notice.

1 Is the shortage real

Yes, functionally. Plenty of people hold a commission, but far fewer actively offer service, keep flexible hours, or provide remote online notarization. A large share of businesses that rely on notarizations say limited notary availability affects their operations. So the shortage is about who is reachable, not the raw count.

2 Why it happens

Many commissions are dormant. People get commissioned and rarely notarize.
Limited hours. Bank and office notaries are unavailable nights and weekends, when many signers need them.
Uneven coverage. Some neighborhoods and rural areas have few active notaries nearby.
Slow RON adoption by individuals. Remote online notarization is legal in almost every state, but not every notary offers it.

3 Demand keeps rising

Real estate closings, estate documents, immigration paperwork, and business filings all keep notarization demand steady, and remote online notarization is growing quickly. Most title companies now use online notarization, and the RON market continues to expand. More documents, more remote signers, and limited active supply add up to real demand.

4 The opportunity

If you are an active notary who offers mobile service, flexible hours, and remote online notarization, you are filling exactly the gap the market has. Being reachable when others are not is the whole advantage. Our remote online notary and mobile notary services exist for that reason: availability where and when people need it.

The winners are not necessarily the cheapest notaries. They are the available ones. Show up on short notice and offer online options, and you stand out.

Is there a shortage of notaries?

Not of commissions, but of availability. Many notaries are inactive or keep limited hours, so reachable mobile and online notaries are in short supply relative to demand.

Where is demand strongest?

For mobile and remote online notaries available on short notice, nights, and weekends, and in areas with few active notaries.

Does this make it a good time to become a notary?

For someone willing to be actively available and offer online service, yes. Availability is the gap in the market.

This article is general information, not legal or career advice. Notary supply and demand vary by location and over time.