Posted by Mel on 6/9/04 5:57pm
Msg #2904

Business license

New at this...Would anyone know if I need to have a business license to start being a loan doc signing agent? I'm in California, don't know if that makes any difference, let me know.

Reply by Linda/Ca on 6/9/04 6:19pm
Msg #2908

Yes, you will need a business licsense.

Reply by Mel on 6/9/04 6:38pm
Msg #2910

Linda,
If you are working from home, did you find it hard to achieve this license with you having to be on the mercy of your neighbors' approval which eventually be approved by the city? And since you're actually traveling from city to city to do the signing, did you have to apply for a business license in those other cities?

Reply by CA_Notary on 6/9/04 6:48pm
Msg #2913

You don't need your neighbor's approval to obtain a business license. And you don't need a license in each city that you conduct business in. Think about how many businesses conduct business on a nationwide or even worldwide basis.

Reply by san diego notary on 6/9/04 7:08pm
Msg #2916

I don't have a business license and haven't had one for 3 years.

Reply by Anonymous on 6/11/04 11:29am
Msg #2987

No, you do not need a business license to perform loan document signings since you are a notary. Fees received for services performed as a Notary Public are not subject to self-employment tax. Only the portion of the signing fee less the charge for Notary fees must be claimed.

Reply by VA757Notary on 1/17/05 2:17am
Msg #17033

Business license for VA

<<Posted by Anonymous on 6/11/04 11:29am

<<No, you do not need a business license to perform loan document signings since you are a notary. Fees received for services performed as a Notary Public are not subject to self-employment tax. Only the portion of the signing fee less the charge for Notary fees must be claimed.>>


Does anyone know if this is the case for Virginia?

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 1/17/05 8:43am
Msg #17046

>>> No, you do not need a business license to perform loan document signings since you are a notary. <<<

Please check with your local authorities. Here, in Florida, we are required to have a business license because we are a service provider. If we limited our scope of work to being a Notary Public and only performing notarizations, we would not need a license. However, we are MORE THAN A NOTARY and as such are doing business in our state.

If we stuck with your logic, then the only charges we would be allowed to make, would be for notarizations only. In FL, that would be $10 per document notarized plus reasonable travel fee.

Further, in calculating the SE Tax, you must SHOW all income, including the fees allowable for notarizations. You then EXCLUDE those fees in the calculations to determine you SE tax.