American Society of Notaries

American Society of Notaries
Name	American Society of Notaries
Caption	Logo of the American Society of Notaries
Formation	1964
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Location	Washington, D.C.
Membership	Notaries public, signing agents
Leader title	President

American Society of Notaries is a U.S.-based professional association for commissioned notaries public and signing agents that provides certification, education, and advocacy for notarization practices. The society engages with state legislatures, federal agencies, and industry partners to influence standards affecting notarial acts and remote notarization, while offering continuing education and credentialing programs. Its activities intersect with courts, banks, title companies, and real estate sectors across the United States.

History

The organization traces origins to mid-20th century efforts by regional notary groups, with founders drawing on networks associated with American Bar Association, National Notary Association, National League of Cities, United States Chamber of Commerce, and state-level entities such as the California Secretary of State and New York Department of State. Early milestones involved collaboration with legal scholars affiliated with Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and Columbia Law School, and policy advisors formerly at the Federal Reserve Board, Department of the Treasury (United States), and General Services Administration. The society expanded during the 1980s alongside shifts in banking and real estate overseen by institutions like Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Housing Administration, and Department of Housing and Urban Development. Debates over electronic notarization engaged stakeholders linked to Microsoft, Adobe Systems, National Association of Realtors, and American Land Title Association. Legislative engagement intensified following state actions in Florida, Texas, Virginia, California, and New York (state).

Organization and Structure

The society is governed by a board of directors modeled in part on boards at American Red Cross, American Medical Association, and American Bar Association, with committees reflecting practice areas similar to those at American Institute of Architects, Association of Corporate Counsel, and National Association of Secretaries of State. Headquarters functions interact with regulatory offices including the United States Postal Service and state offices like the Florida Department of State and Pennsylvania Department of State. Administrative operations have parallels to nonprofit management standards promoted by Independent Sector and accreditation practices of Council on Accreditation. Regional chapters coordinate through structures comparable to Chamber of Commerce (United States) chapters, and alliances have been formed with organizations such as National Association of Realtors, Mortgage Bankers Association, and American Land Title Association.

Membership and Certification

Membership categories mirror credentialing frameworks found at Project Management Institute, American Nurses Association, and American Institute of Certified Planners, offering basic notary commission guidance, advanced signing agent certification similar to programs by National Notary Association, and continuing education credits akin to those from State Bar of California and New York State Bar Association. Certification syllabi reference statutes and forms from the Uniform Law Commission, the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, and state statutes codified by offices like the Texas Secretary of State and Ohio Secretary of State. Background screening partnerships have involved vendors used by Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense contractors, and ethics standards reflect models from American Bar Association and Society for Human Resource Management.

Programs and Services

The society provides training workshops inspired by curricula at Harvard Law School, continuing education webinars similar to offerings by American Bar Association, and certification exams modeled on credentialing from Project Management Institute. Services include loan signing agent directories used by businesses in the Mortgage Bankers Association network, remote online notarization platforms influenced by technology from DocuSign, Notarize (company), and Adobe Sign, and compliance resources drawing on guidance from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, and state regulators such as the California Department of Business Oversight. Events are hosted in venues associated with National Association of Realtors conferences and trade shows like those organized by Inman News and Mortgage Bankers Association.

Advocacy and Legal Activities

Advocacy efforts involve testimony before state legislatures in California State Assembly, Texas Legislature, Florida Legislature, New York State Senate, and participation in rulemaking proceedings at agencies such as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The society has filed amicus briefs in matters heard by appellate courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and has interacted with state supreme courts such as the Supreme Court of California and New York Court of Appeals. Coalitions have been formed with National Association of Secretaries of State and National Association of Attorneys General on standards for remote notarization and fraud prevention. Litigation involving notarial standards has referenced precedents from cases argued at the United States Supreme Court and cited statutory interpretations from the Uniform Commercial Code.

Publications and Education

The society publishes a quarterly journal with analysis comparable to periodicals from American Bar Association, National Notary Association, and Journal of Legal Education, and produces white papers that cite research by institutions like Brookings Institution, Pew Research Center, and RAND Corporation. Educational partnerships have included continuing legal education providers such as Practising Law Institute and university extension programs at University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, and Georgetown University. Training materials reference model acts from the Uniform Law Commission and standards from technology firms such as Microsoft and Adobe Systems on electronic signatures and security.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques have arisen over certification practices and commercial endorsements, echoing disputes involving National Notary Association and regulatory scrutiny similar to controversies at Notarize (company) and DocuSign; critics include commentators from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and ProPublica. Concerns over remote notarization have drawn attention from privacy advocates associated with Electronic Frontier Foundation, consumer groups like AARP, and oversight bodies including Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission. Disputes over lobbying and industry influence have paralleled debates involving National Association of Realtors and Mortgage Bankers Association, with investigative reporting by outlets such as Reuters and Bloomberg.

Category:Professional associations based in the United States