Jeremy Rivera: Welcome to the Unscripted Small Business Podcast by Permacast Walls, Thanks for taking the time to talk about your experience becoming a notary. Can you walk me through how you got started?
Michelle: Sure! I decided to become a notary because I work in real estate, and it just made sense for my job. The first thing I did was call the Putnam County Clerk’s office to ask about the process. They were really helpful and told me I could download the application from their website.
Jeremy Rivera: What were the basic requirements you had to meet?
Michelle: Pretty straightforward stuff. You have to be at least eighteen, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and live in Putnam County or have your business here. They also do a background check to make sure you haven’t been convicted of certain crimes or had a notary commission revoked before.
Jeremy Rivera: And the application itself – was it complicated?
Michelle: Not at all. It’s basically just personal information – name, address, that kind of thing. The tricky part was that the application itself has to be notarized before you submit it, so I had to find a notary to notarize my notary application! Kind of ironic, right?
Jeremy Rivera: That is funny. What happened after you submitted it?
Michelle: I took it to the County Clerk’s office on South Dixie Avenue in Cookeville with a check for fifty-three fifty. Then my application went to the Putnam County Commission for approval. That’s the part where you just have to wait.
Jeremy Rivera: How long did you wait?
Michelle: About six weeks total. The county commission meets monthly, so timing matters. If you miss the cutoff for one meeting, you’re waiting another month. Once they approved me, the clerk’s office contacted me to let me know.
Jeremy Rivera: Then came the bond requirement, right?
Michelle: Exactly. After approval, I had to get a ten thousand dollar surety bond. That sounds expensive, but it’s really just insurance that protects the public if I mess up. It only cost me about seventy-five dollars for the four-year term.
Jeremy Rivera: Where did you get the bond?
Michelle: I just searched online for “Tennessee notary bond” and found several companies. You can also get it through local insurance agents. They mail it to you pretty quickly once you pay.
Jeremy Rivera: What was the final step?
Michelle: Taking the oath of office. I had to go back to the County Clerk’s office in person with my bond, show my ID, and they administered the oath right there. They filed my bond, and then handed me my commission certificate from the Secretary of State. That was it – I was officially a notary!
Jeremy Rivera: Did you need any special supplies?
Michelle: Yeah, you need two things by law. First is an official notary seal – it’s a round stamp with your name, commission number, and expiration date. Second is a notary journal where you record every single notarization you do. I bought both online as a package for about forty bucks.
Jeremy Rivera: Was there any training required?
Michelle: That’s one of the best parts about Tennessee – there’s no required training or test. Some states make you take classes, but Tennessee doesn’t. That said, I did read up on notary laws and best practices on my own because I wanted to make sure I was doing things right.
Jeremy Rivera: What surprised you most about the process?
Michelle: Honestly, how simple it was. I thought there’d be more hoops to jump through. The whole thing cost me less than one hundred fifty dollars total, and most of that time was just waiting for the commission to meet. The actual work on my part was maybe two hours spread over a couple months.
Jeremy Rivera: Any advice for someone thinking about becoming a notary in Cookeville?
Michelle: Yeah, don’t overthink it. Call the Putnam County Clerk’s office first – they’ll answer all your questions. Submit your application early in the month so you don’t miss the commission meeting. And shop around for your bond because prices vary. Oh, and make sure you understand what notaries can and can’t do. We authenticate signatures and administer oaths, but we’re not lawyers and can’t give legal advice.
Jeremy Rivera: What do you use your commission for now?
Michelle: Mostly real estate documents – deeds, mortgages, that kind of thing. But I also help neighbors and friends with affidavits, powers of attorney, and other paperwork. It’s nice to be able to help people out, and it definitely adds value to my professional credentials.
Jeremy Rivera: Would you recommend others become notaries?
Michelle: Absolutely, especially if you work in fields like real estate, banking, law, or healthcare where documents need notarization regularly. But even if you don’t, it’s a useful skill to have and it’s not a huge investment of time or money.