06/04/2026
Wow! What a wild ride it has been. I too was the office notary for almost 20 years. Trust me, it's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it was my introduction to international document services, specifically state and federal level apostilles and authentications. Lucky me!
Little did I know, when I considered resigning my commission at the end of 2019, when the company closed its regional corporate office of the Americas, here in Hollywood, Florida, that soon we would we be faced with a global pandemic that changed how we do what we do, with the introduction of Remote Online Notarization (RON), which was permanently authorized under state law on January 1, 2020, following the passage of House Bill 409 in 2019. Lucky me again! Talk about being in the right place at the right time! TRUEBLUE Signing Services, Inc. was born in August 2020 and will celebrate its 7th anniversary over the summer.
There are so many ways we can use our notary commission to grow a small business, if that is your goal. We offer mobile and online notary services and expedited, international document services to individuals and law firms around the world. Happy customers are one of the best marketing tools!
If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be this:
BE A GOOD NOTARY FIRST!
Dedicate time to know and understanding your states' laws as they pertain to Notaries Public. Florida has two parts,
General Provisions (Part I | CHAPTER 117_ 117.01-117.108) and Online Notarizations (Part II | CHAPTER 117_ 117.201-117.305) Learn what you can do and which are Prohibited Acts in our state (117.107) You can find it all here. https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html
And as a proud NNA Notary Ambassador® I would be remiss if I didn't mention the many resources that are available to the public, on their website and as a member. I still keep my International ID Checking Guide and Florida Notary Primer by my side at all times.
Did you know, as a member you also have access to the NNA hotline?? You can call anytime, see hours below, with state-specific notary related questions, Hotline Consultants are standing by Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time.) The number is: 1-888-876-0827.
So many tools and resources to help you succeed. Don't be afraid to ask for help! https://www.nationalnotary.org/
