Posted by Stephen/VA on 3/5/05 11:04am
Msg #23770

NNA pulls support for VA Notaries

The NNA is pulling its certifications, training, etc. for Virginia notaries and refunding money for the certifications etc.

The interesting thing is that though they have been assured by the bar association in VA that notaries can operate within the CRESPA parameters (not disbursing money being the big one) the NNA says they have decided to pull the support because of the VA Insurance Bureau which claims you have to be a licensed title insurance agent to disburse moneys. When in fact the Insurance Bureau is just referencing the same regulations via a round about way (since being a licensed title insurance agent is one way to get registered with the bar for CRESPA) that the Bar association ensured the NNA that Notaries could still operate under. In fact the State Legistlature explicity made the bar association modify their regulations in order to allow NSAs (or other lay people) to operate.

It would be nice to see the NNA stick up for us and do some basic research or do something sensible like... modify their training for VA to say ****You can't disburse money in VA without X, Y, or Z*** Oh well, I guess I'll just get my refund and move on.

Reply by New in Va on 3/5/05 2:19pm
Msg #23797

I recently moved to Va and am a notary. So can I not do noraty closings as all unless I am a licensed insurance underwriter and appointed? Or can I just be a notary and do witness closings but have to register with the bar for Crespa? I am totally confused

Reply by Stephen/VA on 3/5/05 2:29pm
Msg #23799

Read the CRESPA regulations to get the details. They are on the VA bar's site. IANAL, but the gist is you *can* do witness signings. You cannot disburse or courier funds due at closing or funds for the borrower.

Reply by Jon on 3/5/05 2:45pm
Msg #23802

You should be relieved, the NNA will no longer be flooding VA with unqualified SA's. Considering the questionable accuracy of the info they give out, sounds like a blessing without a disguise.

Now, if we could get them out of Ca, I'll be blessed as well.

Reply by Lady/CA on 3/5/05 3:40pm
Msg #23807

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

<<Now, if we could get them out of Ca, I'll be blessed as well. >>

Personally, I am happy and feel blessed that there is such a Notary-oriented company as the NNA.
Although yes, they are in business to make a buck, at least they go to some efforts to provide notaries with updated news (their publication), a national forum, conventions and otherwise contribute to the rigors of marketing our business with some sort of credibility to the public.

BTW, I purchased my seals, ins. from the Notary Rotary, so I consider myself unbiased and appreciative for the NNA's existence and other entities that contribute positively to our field of endeavor.

Reply by CaliNotary on 3/5/05 5:35pm
Msg #23815

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

"I consider myself unbiased and appreciative for the NNA's existence and other entities that contribute positively to our field of endeavor."

And I find that the NNA has made a hugely negative contribution to our field of endeavor by their relentless pursuit to flood America with signing agents who have no idea what they're doing. Any organization that gives a hoot about its members is not going to keep pumping new members into an obscenly overcrowded market, such as the NNA is doing in California.

Notary oriented? I don't think so. Profit oriented? Absolutely and exclusively.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 3/5/05 6:06pm
Msg #23818

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

Have you thought about the ASN - American Society of Notaries? They are a true not-for-profit NOTARY ONLY organization. That is, they do not have a Signing Agent section, nor any other section. They are only for notaries.

Reply by CarolynCO on 3/5/05 6:18pm
Msg #23819

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

*at least they go to some efforts to provide notaries with updated news (their publication), a national forum, conventions and otherwise contribute to the rigors of marketing our business with some sort of credibility to the public. *

All paid for by its members. Their info is incorrect more times than correct. Their rigors of marketing consit of mass mailing info for their one-day class, selling their wares and making promises to unsuspecting souls of how much money can be made as NSAs and CNSAs. (And what is really funny, is when newly certified members of the NNA come across a question such as the difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment, instead of asking the organization taking their money, they post their questions here.) Once the NNA gets your money and have you signed up as a member, every month for eight months before your membership is due to expire, you will receive a "RENEW IMMEDIATELY " notice in the mail.

Reply by Jon on 3/5/05 6:18pm
Msg #23820

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

"...at least they go to some efforts to provide notaries with updated news (their publication)..."

In AB 2062, Ca law was adjusted several ways. The NNA reported about the education requirement (they get money by selling classes), they reported about the jurat change (they get money by pushing new jurat pads and stamps), but why didn't they report about the change with regards to notary journal record keeping? The bottom line is that they can't make money from reporting that change, so they simply didn't mention it. If they did, and I am in error, let me know which publication they put it in.

As CaliNotary said, they are exclusively interested in making money. Why would they pull out of VA simply because notaries can't do signings(if that is even the case)? Aren't notaries able to notarize other documents as well in Va? If they were truly concerned about the notary, they would continue to have a presence in VA. Instead, they pull out, why? OH, I forgot, they can't make money without doing loan signing classes.

Reply by Stephen/VA on 3/5/05 6:36pm
Msg #23822

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

To clarify, you told their support for notary signing agents, not for regular notaries.

Reply by Stephen/VA on 3/5/05 6:38pm
Msg #23823

Re: NNA pulls support for VA Notaries-Let's hear it for NNA

I apologize, I use voice recognition and the previous sentence was garbled. They only pulled their support for notary signing agents in Virginia.

Reply by JOHN on 3/5/05 6:42pm
Msg #23824

I have been a notary signing agent in VA for 5 years. The NNA is only out for profit. An NSA can operate in Virginia as long as they do nothing with funds. 2 weeks ago I received a letter in the mail from The NNA to join, become certified so on. Guess they were trying to flood Virginia with NSA's as in other states. At least their campaigning will stop. If they cared about the notary the would market themselves to all notaries, just not the NSA. Also why does their marketing and test go hand in hand. there are a lot of Virginia NSA's out here why can't we be certified. It seems if that if the NNA does not market the area, they will not offer certification. That shows that they are only looking for profit.

Reply by Dave_CA on 3/5/05 8:52pm
Msg #23846

NNA can't be out for profit

Only out for profit... But you all MUST be wrong.
Here is the quote directly from their web site
"The NNA is the world’s largest nonprofit, educational organization for Notaries. It exists solely to educate and serve Notaries throughout the United States by imparting knowledge, understanding and unity while instilling only the highest ethical standards of conduct and sound notarial practices."
I also take exception with their second claim about education. In an effort to better prepare for this new career I have decide to embark on I have taken both the NNA and The Signing Registry certification tests and the difference in the two responses shows clearly which organization cares about education. The response from the NNA was. You passed.
The response from the signing Registry was to tell me I passed and to let me know which questions I missed and what the correct answers were.
This certainly tells me which organization cares about education and which only cares about profit. Ops, I must be WRONG as well...

Reply by Loretta Reed on 3/6/05 8:43am
Msg #23909

I remember a couple of weeks ago, we had this discussion at Beneficial Mortgage. The state rep and the branch manager told me that they were only going to use attorneys in VA. I am a notary in MD and VA. Maryland is very strict about being licensed to do closings, I am waiting for VA and every other state to follow. That is something we are all going to have to get use to. I sometimes compare the NNA to "some" national signing companies, the middle man that sometimes needs to be shut down.

Reply by Stephen/VA on 3/6/05 8:48am
Msg #23912

Gotta love lawyers. The VA legislature makes the bar association change their special interest legislation enough to explicitly allow lay people to provide services (like Notary Signing Agents) but they muddy the waters and create enough FUD to make it irrelevant.