With a record 4.3 million active notaries public in the United States—a workforce that is predominantly female, increasingly diverse, and driving a multi-billion dollar industry—the quiet profession of stamping documents is experiencing a dynamic and transformative boom.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the United States had 4,367,827 active notaries public, representing a 2.1% increase from the previous year
- As of 2022, California led with 1,017,627 commissioned notaries, accounting for 23% of all U.S. notaries
- Women comprised 73% of U.S. notaries in 2023, up from 70% in 2020
- The U.S. notary industry generated $1.2 billion in direct revenue in 2023
- Notary employment supported 45,000 full-time equivalent jobs nationwide in 2022
- Average hourly notary fee in U.S. rose to $15.20 in 2023, up 8% from 2022
- U.S. notaries performed 250 million acts in 2023, generating $2.8 billion total economic value
- Average notary fee per act: $10.50 nationally in 2023
- Loan signing revenue: $1.1 billion in 2023, 40% of total industry
- 75% of U.S. notarizations involved real estate docs in 2023 (185M acts)
- Loan documents were notarized 120 million times in 2023
- Affidavits topped non-real estate at 90 million notarizations 2023
- Remote Online Notarizations (RON) surged 450% since 2020, reaching 25 million acts in 2023
- 28 states authorized RON by end of 2023, up from 10 in 2020
- Digital journal adoption: 42% of notaries in 2023 vs 5% in 2019
The notary industry grew larger and more technologically advanced in 2023, serving millions of essential legal acts.
Demographics
1In 2023, the United States had 4,367,827 active notaries public, representing a 2.1% increase from the previous year
Verified2As of 2022, California led with 1,017,627 commissioned notaries, accounting for 23% of all U.S. notaries
Verified3Women comprised 73% of U.S. notaries in 2023, up from 70% in 2020
Verified4The average age of U.S. notaries was 58 years in 2023, with 45% over 60
Directional5Hispanic/Latino notaries made up 12.5% of the U.S. total in 2022, a 15% rise since 2018
Single source6In Florida, 48% of notaries were bilingual (English/Spanish) as of 2023
Verified7Texas had 614,000 notaries in 2023, with 55% female and average term length of 4.2 years
Verified8African American notaries represented 8.3% nationally in 2023, concentrated in states like Georgia (15%)
Verified9New York notaries numbered 234,000 in 2022, 62% part-time workers
Directional10Asian American notaries grew 22% from 2019-2023, reaching 6.7% of total U.S. notaries
Single source11In 2023, 28% of U.S. notaries held advanced certifications like NSA or NNA
Verified12Pennsylvania's 52,000 notaries in 2023 were 68% female, average age 59
Verified13Veterans comprised 7% of notaries in 2022, per NNA survey
Verified14Illinois had 112,000 notaries, 40% in Chicago metro, 2023 data
Directional15LGBTQ+ notaries estimated at 5.2% in 2023 NNA poll
Single source16Michigan notaries totaled 78,000 in 2023, 52% over 55 years old
Verified17Native American notaries at 1.1% nationally, highest in Oklahoma (4%), 2023
Verified18Ohio's 145,000 notaries in 2022, 65% women
Verified19Multiracial notaries rose to 3.4% in 2023
Directional20Georgia had 72,000 notaries, 60% African American in Atlanta area, 2023
Single source21U.S. notaries under 40 years old: 12% in 2023, down from 15% in 2018
Verified22North Carolina's 95,000 notaries, 55% female, average salary supplement $15k/year, 2023
Verified23Pacific Islander notaries: 0.4% nationally, Hawaii 12%, 2023
Verified24New Jersey notaries: 56,000 in 2023, 70% in urban counties
Directional25U.S. notary education level: 42% college graduates, 2023 NNA
Single source26Virginia's 78,000 notaries, 48% bilingual, 2023
Verified27Washington state notaries: 92,000, 62% women over 50, 2023
Verified28U.S. notary income from notary work averaged $2,500 annually for part-timers in 2023
Verified29Arizona notaries: 65,000, 35% mobile notaries, 2023
Directional30Overall U.S. notary retention rate: 68% renew after first term, 2023 data
Single sourceDemographics Interpretation
While America’s notary force is rapidly diversifying and increasingly female, its seasoned core—aging like a fine, meticulously stamped wine—suggests the act of certification remains in trusted, if slightly arthritic, hands.
Employment
1The U.S. notary industry generated $1.2 billion in direct revenue in 2023
Verified2Notary employment supported 45,000 full-time equivalent jobs nationwide in 2022
Verified3Average hourly notary fee in U.S. rose to $15.20 in 2023, up 8% from 2022
Verified462% of notaries worked part-time in 2023, averaging 5 hours/week on notary tasks
Directional5Mobile notary services accounted for 28% of industry employment growth 2020-2023
Single source6Notary signing agents (NSAs) numbered 120,000 certified in 2023
Verified7Industry unemployment rate for notaries held at 2.1% in 2023, below national average
Verified815,200 new notaries commissioned monthly in U.S. during 2023
Verified9Notary industry labor productivity increased 4.2% YoY in 2022 per BLS
Directional1041% of notaries supplemented income with notary work exceeding $10,000/year in 2023
Single source11Remote Online Notarization (RON) created 8,500 new jobs in 2023
Verified12Average full-time notary salary: $52,000 in 2023, highest in California at $68,000
Verified13Notary training providers employed 2,300 instructors nationwide in 2023
Verified14Turnover rate in notary profession: 12% annually in 2022
Directional1575,000 notaries transitioned to full-time mobile services post-2020 pandemic
Single source16Notary public sector wages grew 6.5% in 2023, outpacing inflation
Verified17Electronic Notary Systems (ENS) supported 3,200 tech jobs in 2023
Verified18Notary associations membership: 95,000 active members in 2023, employing 1,200 staff
Verified19Loan signing agents billed average $125 per signing in 2023
Directional20Industry certification programs trained 250,000 notaries in 2023
Single source21Gig economy notaries via platforms like NotaryLive: 22,000 active in 2023
Verified22State notary offices processed 1.2 million applications in 2023, employing 450 staff
Verified23Notary vendor software firms hired 4,100 developers in 2023
Verified24Apostille services employed 1,800 specialists in 2023 U.S.
Directional25Notary income tax filings showed $950 million in notary-related earnings 2022
Single source2632% growth in notary freelancer registrations on Upwork 2022-2023
Verified27BLS projects 9% growth in notary-related occupations 2023-2030
VerifiedEmployment Interpretation
Despite a modest average fee of just $15.20, the notary industry is quietly assembling a resilient, $1.2 billion army of part-time entrepreneurs, tech-enabled gig workers, and full-time professionals whose low unemployment and growing wages prove that stamping documents is far from stamped out.
Revenue
1U.S. notaries performed 250 million acts in 2023, generating $2.8 billion total economic value
Verified2Average notary fee per act: $10.50 nationally in 2023
Verified3Loan signing revenue: $1.1 billion in 2023, 40% of total industry
Verified4Mobile notary bookings generated $450 million in 2023 via apps
Directional5RON transactions valued at $320 million in fees 2023
Single source6Real estate closings contributed 55% of notary gross receipts, $1.5B in 2022
Verified7Notary supply sales (stamps, journals) reached $180 million in 2023
Verified8California notaries collected $280 million in fees 2023
Verified9Wedding officiant services by notaries: $75 million revenue 2023
Directional10Power of attorney notarizations generated $120 million industry-wide 2023
Single source11Florida notary fees totaled $95 million in 2023, average $12/act
Verified12Electronic journal software subscriptions: $65 million ARR in 2023
Verified13Texas notary industry revenue: $210 million 2023
Verified14Travel fees for mobile notaries averaged $1.25/mile, contributing $140M total 2023
Directional15Affidavit notarizations: 90 million acts, $210M revenue 2023
Single source16Notary insurance premiums paid: $52 million in 2023 by 1.2M policyholders
Verified17Online notarization platforms grossed $150M in 2023
Verified18Deed notarizations revenue: $85 million 2023 U.S.
Verified19New York notary fees: $42 million collected 2023
Directional20Certification training revenue: $110 million from 450,000 courses in 2023
Single source21International document authentication: $28 million U.S. notary revenue 2023
Verified22Vehicle title notarizations: $65M revenue from 52M acts 2023
Verified23Illinois notary industry: $68M fees 2023
Verified24Platform commissions took 15% of mobile notary bookings, $67M in 2023
Directional25Wills notarized revenue: $45M from 18M acts 2023
Single sourceRevenue Interpretation
While the humble notary might seem like just another pen-pushing bureaucrat, last year’s $2.8 billion in economic activity and 250 million acts prove they are the silent, indispensable engineers of trust, meticulously lubricating everything from billion-dollar real estate deals to the poignant finality of a will with a simple stamp and signature.
Services
175% of U.S. notarizations involved real estate docs in 2023 (185M acts)
Verified2Loan documents were notarized 120 million times in 2023
Verified3Affidavits topped non-real estate at 90 million notarizations 2023
Verified4Power of Attorney docs: 65 million notarized acts in U.S. 2023
Directional5Vehicle titles notarized 52 million times annually 2023 average
Single source6Wills and trusts: 18 million notarizations in 2023
Verified7Deeds of trust/sale: 28 million acts 2023
Verified8Marriage licenses officiated/notarized by 45,000 notaries, 1.2M ceremonies 2023
Verified9I-9 employment verifications: 35 million notarized 2023
Directional10Bills of sale notarized 22 million times 2023
Single source11Medical documents (HIPAA, POA): 12 million notarizations 2023
Verified12Adoption papers notarized 450,000 times in 2023 U.S.
Verified13Business contracts notarized 15 million 2023
Verified14Voter registrations notarized 8.5 million during 2023 elections
Directional15Apostilles issued 2.1 million by U.S. notaries/states 2023
Single source16Living wills/advance directives: 4.2 million notarized 2023
Verified17Rental/lease agreements: 9.8 million notarizations 2023
Verified18Gun permits notarized 3.4 million 2023 in permit states
Verified19School enrollment affidavits: 7.2 million 2023 back-to-school
Directional20Trusts notarized 2.8 million times 2023
Single source21Immigration forms (I-9, affidavits): 5.1 million notarized 2023
Verified22Mortgage modifications: 1.9 million notarizations 2023
Verified23Petitions (name change, etc.): 620,000 notarized 2023
VerifiedServices Interpretation
The American notary is the unsung architect of modern trust, quietly cementing the foundations of our lives—from the houses we buy and the cars we drive to the vows we take and the wills we leave—with a stamp and a signature that collectively document over a billion acts of faith in the system each year.
Trends
1Remote Online Notarizations (RON) surged 450% since 2020, reaching 25 million acts in 2023
Verified228 states authorized RON by end of 2023, up from 10 in 2020
Verified3Digital journal adoption: 42% of notaries in 2023 vs 5% in 2019
Verified4AI-assisted notary verification tools used by 18% of RON platforms 2023
Directional5Mobile notary app downloads: 1.8 million in 2023
Single source6Blockchain for notary seals piloted in 5 states, 120,000 txns 2023
Verified7Sustainability trend: 35% notaries paperless by 2023
Verified8Gig platform notary bookings up 320% 2020-2023
Verified9Video KBA (Knowledge-Based Authentication) in 92% of RON sessions 2023
Directional10Notary chatbot scheduling adopted by 22% mobile notaries 2023
Single source11Cyber insurance for notaries purchased by 28% in 2023, up 150%
Verified12Hybrid notarization models (in-person + digital) in 15% of acts 2023
Verified13TAM for RON projected $5.2B by 2028 from $0.9B 2023
Verified14Biometric facial recognition in RON: 65% adoption 2023
Directional15Notary NFT seals experimented in 2 pilots, 5,000 issuances 2023
Single source16Post-pandemic, 55% notaries report increased demand 2023 survey
Verified17E-closing platforms integrated RON for 40% of mortgages 2023
Verified18Voice authentication tech in 12% RON providers 2023
Verified19Global RON harmonization efforts: 8 countries aligned standards 2023
Directional20Notary drone delivery for docs tested in 3 states, 2,100 flights 2023
Single source21Subscription notary services grew to 150,000 users 2023
Verified22Quantum-secure encryption for RON adopted by 8% platforms 2023
VerifiedTrends Interpretation
We have flung open the doors to a digital notary republic where 25 million remote acts in 2023 prove that authenticity no longer requires a handshake, but it certainly demands bulletproof tech, a quantum-secure mindset, and the occasional notary drone buzzing overhead.
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