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
- 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 average age of U.S. notaries was 58 years in 2023, with 45% over 60
- Hispanic/Latino notaries made up 12.5% of the U.S. total in 2022, a 15% rise since 2018
- In Florida, 48% of notaries were bilingual (English/Spanish) as of 2023
- Texas had 614,000 notaries in 2023, with 55% female and average term length of 4.2 years
- African American notaries represented 8.3% nationally in 2023, concentrated in states like Georgia (15%)
- New York notaries numbered 234,000 in 2022, 62% part-time workers
- Asian American notaries grew 22% from 2019-2023, reaching 6.7% of total U.S. notaries
- In 2023, 28% of U.S. notaries held advanced certifications like NSA or NNA
- Pennsylvania's 52,000 notaries in 2023 were 68% female, average age 59
- Veterans comprised 7% of notaries in 2022, per NNA survey
- Illinois had 112,000 notaries, 40% in Chicago metro, 2023 data
- LGBTQ+ notaries estimated at 5.2% in 2023 NNA poll
- Michigan notaries totaled 78,000 in 2023, 52% over 55 years old
- Native American notaries at 1.1% nationally, highest in Oklahoma (4%), 2023
- Ohio's 145,000 notaries in 2022, 65% women
- Multiracial notaries rose to 3.4% in 2023
- Georgia had 72,000 notaries, 60% African American in Atlanta area, 2023
- U.S. notaries under 40 years old: 12% in 2023, down from 15% in 2018
- North Carolina's 95,000 notaries, 55% female, average salary supplement $15k/year, 2023
- Pacific Islander notaries: 0.4% nationally, Hawaii 12%, 2023
- New Jersey notaries: 56,000 in 2023, 70% in urban counties
- U.S. notary education level: 42% college graduates, 2023 NNA
- Virginia's 78,000 notaries, 48% bilingual, 2023
- Washington state notaries: 92,000, 62% women over 50, 2023
- U.S. notary income from notary work averaged $2,500 annually for part-timers in 2023
- Arizona notaries: 65,000, 35% mobile notaries, 2023
- Overall U.S. notary retention rate: 68% renew after first term, 2023 data
Demographics 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
- 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
- 62% of notaries worked part-time in 2023, averaging 5 hours/week on notary tasks
- Mobile notary services accounted for 28% of industry employment growth 2020-2023
- Notary signing agents (NSAs) numbered 120,000 certified in 2023
- Industry unemployment rate for notaries held at 2.1% in 2023, below national average
- 15,200 new notaries commissioned monthly in U.S. during 2023
- Notary industry labor productivity increased 4.2% YoY in 2022 per BLS
- 41% of notaries supplemented income with notary work exceeding $10,000/year in 2023
- Remote Online Notarization (RON) created 8,500 new jobs in 2023
- Average full-time notary salary: $52,000 in 2023, highest in California at $68,000
- Notary training providers employed 2,300 instructors nationwide in 2023
- Turnover rate in notary profession: 12% annually in 2022
- 75,000 notaries transitioned to full-time mobile services post-2020 pandemic
- Notary public sector wages grew 6.5% in 2023, outpacing inflation
- Electronic Notary Systems (ENS) supported 3,200 tech jobs in 2023
- Notary associations membership: 95,000 active members in 2023, employing 1,200 staff
- Loan signing agents billed average $125 per signing in 2023
- Industry certification programs trained 250,000 notaries in 2023
- Gig economy notaries via platforms like NotaryLive: 22,000 active in 2023
- State notary offices processed 1.2 million applications in 2023, employing 450 staff
- Notary vendor software firms hired 4,100 developers in 2023
- Apostille services employed 1,800 specialists in 2023 U.S.
- Notary income tax filings showed $950 million in notary-related earnings 2022
- 32% growth in notary freelancer registrations on Upwork 2022-2023
- BLS projects 9% growth in notary-related occupations 2023-2030
Employment 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
- 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
- Mobile notary bookings generated $450 million in 2023 via apps
- RON transactions valued at $320 million in fees 2023
- Real estate closings contributed 55% of notary gross receipts, $1.5B in 2022
- Notary supply sales (stamps, journals) reached $180 million in 2023
- California notaries collected $280 million in fees 2023
- Wedding officiant services by notaries: $75 million revenue 2023
- Power of attorney notarizations generated $120 million industry-wide 2023
- Florida notary fees totaled $95 million in 2023, average $12/act
- Electronic journal software subscriptions: $65 million ARR in 2023
- Texas notary industry revenue: $210 million 2023
- Travel fees for mobile notaries averaged $1.25/mile, contributing $140M total 2023
- Affidavit notarizations: 90 million acts, $210M revenue 2023
- Notary insurance premiums paid: $52 million in 2023 by 1.2M policyholders
- Online notarization platforms grossed $150M in 2023
- Deed notarizations revenue: $85 million 2023 U.S.
- New York notary fees: $42 million collected 2023
- Certification training revenue: $110 million from 450,000 courses in 2023
- International document authentication: $28 million U.S. notary revenue 2023
- Vehicle title notarizations: $65M revenue from 52M acts 2023
- Illinois notary industry: $68M fees 2023
- Platform commissions took 15% of mobile notary bookings, $67M in 2023
- Wills notarized revenue: $45M from 18M acts 2023
Revenue 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
- 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
- Power of Attorney docs: 65 million notarized acts in U.S. 2023
- Vehicle titles notarized 52 million times annually 2023 average
- Wills and trusts: 18 million notarizations in 2023
- Deeds of trust/sale: 28 million acts 2023
- Marriage licenses officiated/notarized by 45,000 notaries, 1.2M ceremonies 2023
- I-9 employment verifications: 35 million notarized 2023
- Bills of sale notarized 22 million times 2023
- Medical documents (HIPAA, POA): 12 million notarizations 2023
- Adoption papers notarized 450,000 times in 2023 U.S.
- Business contracts notarized 15 million 2023
- Voter registrations notarized 8.5 million during 2023 elections
- Apostilles issued 2.1 million by U.S. notaries/states 2023
- Living wills/advance directives: 4.2 million notarized 2023
- Rental/lease agreements: 9.8 million notarizations 2023
- Gun permits notarized 3.4 million 2023 in permit states
- School enrollment affidavits: 7.2 million 2023 back-to-school
- Trusts notarized 2.8 million times 2023
- Immigration forms (I-9, affidavits): 5.1 million notarized 2023
- Mortgage modifications: 1.9 million notarizations 2023
- Petitions (name change, etc.): 620,000 notarized 2023
Services 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
- 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
- AI-assisted notary verification tools used by 18% of RON platforms 2023
- Mobile notary app downloads: 1.8 million in 2023
- Blockchain for notary seals piloted in 5 states, 120,000 txns 2023
- Sustainability trend: 35% notaries paperless by 2023
- Gig platform notary bookings up 320% 2020-2023
- Video KBA (Knowledge-Based Authentication) in 92% of RON sessions 2023
- Notary chatbot scheduling adopted by 22% mobile notaries 2023
- Cyber insurance for notaries purchased by 28% in 2023, up 150%
- Hybrid notarization models (in-person + digital) in 15% of acts 2023
- TAM for RON projected $5.2B by 2028 from $0.9B 2023
- Biometric facial recognition in RON: 65% adoption 2023
- Notary NFT seals experimented in 2 pilots, 5,000 issuances 2023
- Post-pandemic, 55% notaries report increased demand 2023 survey
- E-closing platforms integrated RON for 40% of mortgages 2023
- Voice authentication tech in 12% RON providers 2023
- Global RON harmonization efforts: 8 countries aligned standards 2023
- Notary drone delivery for docs tested in 3 states, 2,100 flights 2023
- Subscription notary services grew to 150,000 users 2023
- Quantum-secure encryption for RON adopted by 8% platforms 2023
Trends 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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