Notary Loan Signing Service Best Practices: 8 Critical Fixes for Stress-Free, Error-Free Closings

In the modern mortgage and real-estate ecosystem, signing agents, title companies, and lenders all rely on precision, clarity, and efficiency. Yet many preventable inefficiencies inside signing services lead to avoidable errors, time loss, borrower frustration, and funding delays.

This guide outlines eight essential notary signing service best practices that dramatically improve workflow quality for everyone involved.

1. Notary Signing Service Best Practices for File Uploads — Stop Requiring 6–10 Separate Files

Requiring agents to upload documents into six, eight, or even ten separate buckets significantly increases the risk of:

• Misfiled uploads

• Missing scans

• Duplicate submissions

• Funding delays

Best Practice Recommendation

Reduce upload buckets to one consolidated scan-back file plus one optional supplemental file. Automation can handle splitting — the notary shouldn’t.

2. Streamline Instruction Sheets — Keep Them Within 1–2 Pages

Agents routinely receive instruction packets that are:

• Too long

• Filled with generic boilerplate

• Missing lender-specific details

This forces the agent to guess — never ideal.

Loan Signing Best Practices- Recommendation

Provide clear, 1–2 page instruction sheets containing only the relevant details for that specific assignment.

3. Eliminate Contradictory Instructions Between Lenders and Signing Services

Contradictions create unnecessary risk:

• Ink color mismatches

• Scan-back requirements vs. “drop immediately”

• Conflicting notarization rules

Best Practice Recommendation

Use dynamic, lender-specific instruction sheets, not canned templates.

4. Stop Sending Loan Packages with 3–4 Duplicate Copies

A major violation of loan signing service best practices is bundling multiple versions of the same loan package inside one PDF. This inflates page counts, wastes paper, and creates confusion for both the agent and the borrower.

This causes:

• Extra printing

• Extra scanning

• Extra time

• Extra opportunity for errors

Best Practice Recommendation

Provide only the borrower-execution copy. Internal copies should remain internal.

5. Align Compensation With Actual Costs and Page Count

A 17–20 mile radius often means:

• 30–45 minutes one way

• $22+ in gas

• 150–200 printed pages

• Additional fees for every 50 pages over 150

• 20–45 minutes of scanning depending on requirements

Low fees directly reduce quality, increase rush, and heighten the risk of errors.

Best Practice Recommendation

Compensation should always align with:

• Distance

• Page count

• Time of day

• Travel conditions

• Required scan-backs

• Urgency or same-day funding requirements

Experienced professional signing agents use these metrics as part of their daily evaluation process when determining whether a job is priced fairly. These factors help them assess:

• The true cost of completing the assignment

• The time commitment

• The workload intensity

• The level of care needed for complex loan packages

Sure — a signing service can always find a new, inexperienced agent who will accept any fee. But the real question is:

What does the signing service prefer? What’s better for their business in the long run?

A highly trained, seasoned professional who delivers flawless results consistently OR A lower-cost but inexperienced agent who may rush, ask fewer clarifying questions, or make preventable errors?

Fair, transparent compensation attracts the best notaries — the ones who protect your reputation, reduce redraws, and minimize borrower complaints. Ultimately, higher-quality signings reduce your internal workload and strengthen your relationships with title, escrow, and lender clients.

6. Direct Agent Communication Is a Core Notary Signing Service Best Practice

Most signing services rely solely on automation (emails, texts, portals). But a brief 60–90 second phone call immediately reveals:

• The agent’s experience

• Professionalism

• Communication skills

• Readiness and comprehension

You can’t get that from a portal notification.

Best Practice Recommendation

Include a quick verification call as part of agent assignment and quality control.

7. Upload Only Final, Proofed Loan Packages With Correct Dates and Page Counts

Many errors stem from un-proofed packages containing:

• Wrong dates

• Wrong years

• Old versions

• Duplicate pages

• Missing pages

Agents should not be forced to discover internal lender/title errors.

Best Practice Recommendation

• Upload only final, accurate, proofed packages

• Provide the total page count upfront

• Notify the agent immediately if a new version is uploaded

  
  

8. Do Not Send Large Packages (25+ Pages) at the Last Minute — Respect Prep Time

At eDocs Notary Pros, the average prep time for a signing is about one hour, including:

• Reviewing instructions

• Preparing the signer’s folder

• Calling/texting the signer

• Printing

• Marking all signature and initial locations

• Reviewing each page for lender/title requirements

Last-minute packages undermine quality and increase borrower confusion.

Best Practice Recommendation

• No packages larger than 25 pages within 1 hour of the appointment

• Adjust the appointment if needed

• Do not upload silent new versions

• Provide page count changes immediately

Bonus Best Practice

Notify agents who completed 3+ signings of any changes in policy or process. Even a simple “here’s what’s new” update prevents unnecessary errors.

Why These Notary Signing Service Best Practices Matter

Implementing these best practices:

Improves Borrower Experience Less confusion, fewer delays, more professionalism.

Enhances Agent Performance Agents can fully prepare, reducing errors and stress.

Protects Lenders & Title Companies Clean packages = faster funding.

Strengthens Signing Service Reputation Efficiency attracts the best agents — and retains clients.

Work With a Signing Service That Values Accuracy, Clarity, and Efficiency

eDocs Notary Pros follows a strict quality protocol to ensure flawless closings, including:

• Pre-call verification

• Proper page preparation

• Error-free scanning

• Accurate drop-off timing

• Clear communication throughout the entire process

Your clients deserve excellence — make sure your signing service delivers it.

Affiliate Disclosure:

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission—at no additional cost to you—if you choose to make a purchase through those links. I only recommend products and services that I personally use, trust, or believe will add value to my readers.