I wanted to share this response we received from a notary after sending an availability request: “I need 24 hours + for signings.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding how much notice you personally need before accepting an appointment. Every notary runs their business differently. However, if you want to work consistently as a Notary Signing Agent, it’s important to understand that this industry often doesn’t operate with 24+ hours of notice. We receive many orders that need to be scheduled the same day or within just a few hours. Documents may be released late, closing times can change, another notary may cancel, a signer’s availability may suddenly change, or title may need someone quickly to keep a transaction moving. That is simply the nature of this business. You certainly don’t have to accept last-minute assignments. But if you require at least 24 hours for every signing, you should also understand that you may be eliminating yourself from a significant number of opportunities. One of the advantages of being prepared, having your printer ready, supplies stocked, credentials current, and schedule organized, is being able to say yes when an opportunity comes in unexpectedly. This business rewards preparation and flexibility. Sometimes the notary who gets the assignment isn’t the one who has been doing this the longest, it’s the one who is ready when the order needs to be filled. 💬 What’s the shortest notice you’ve ever received for a signing that you were still able to successfully complete?