USA Notary supports two distinct ways for notaries to use the platform: as a Subscriber, using the platform to serve your own clients, or as a Contractor, receiving limited assignment-based opportunities when available.
Each role has different expectations, access, and limitations. Understanding these differences is essential before choosing how to use USA Notary.
This page explains both roles clearly to eliminate confusion and ensure proper expectation setting.
Subscriber Notaries are the core and most common role on USA Notary. This is the primary way notaries use the platform.
Subscriber notaries use USA Notary to serve clients they bring to the platform—whether those clients are individuals, businesses, law firms, title companies, or other organizations.
The platform provides the technology, compliance framework, identity verification, session recording, and audit trail infrastructure needed to conduct Remote Online Notarizations professionally.
Subscriber notaries decide when to work, which clients to serve, and how many sessions to conduct. They manage their own business development and client relationships.
Subscriber access is available to all notaries who meet USA Notary's compliance and identity verification requirements. There is no limit on the number of subscribers.
Do not compete for assignments. Subscribers work with their own clients.
Are not dependent on USA Notary for business. Subscribers generate their own work.
Are not subject to volume limitations. Subscribers control their own session volume.
USA Notary does not assign work to subscribers. Subscribers bring their own clients.
Contractor Notaries represent a small, selective group who receive limited assignment-based opportunities to supplement platform demand when needed.
USA Notary maintains a small pool of contractor notaries. Not all applicants will be offered contractor roles. Contractor positions are not always available.
Contractor opportunities arise when client demand exceeds subscriber capacity or when specialized coverage is needed. These needs fluctuate and are unpredictable.
Contractor roles exist to fill temporary gaps or overflow situations. They are not designed to provide consistent, predictable work volume.
Receive assignment-based opportunities when available. USA Notary assigns specific sessions to contractor notaries based on operational needs.
Are not guaranteed volume or frequency. Assignment flow depends on client demand and platform requirements, both of which vary unpredictably.
Must meet higher readiness and reliability standards. Because contractors serve platform-assigned clients, reliability, responsiveness, and professional quality are critical.
Contractor opportunities are supplemental by design. Notaries who depend on consistent income should not rely on contractor assignments as their primary source of work. Contractor roles are best suited for notaries who have other income sources and can accept assignments opportunistically.
The Subscriber and Contractor models exist to serve different use cases and ensure fair expectations for all participants.
The subscriber model supports notaries who already have clients or who are actively building their own notary business. It provides professional infrastructure without creating dependency on platform-assigned work.
The contractor model supports platform overflow and specialized coverage needs. It ensures clients receive service during high-demand periods or when specific coverage is required, without overpromising steady work to notaries.
Notaries understand from the beginning what type of work flow to expect based on their chosen role. Subscribers know they bring their own clients; contractors know assignments are limited.
By maintaining a small, selective contractor pool, USA Notary can ensure quality and reliability for assigned sessions without creating unrealistic volume expectations for a large contractor base.
Different engagement models require different documentation, compliance approaches, and legal frameworks. Clear role separation supports proper regulatory compliance.
Understanding which role fits your situation helps ensure realistic expectations and professional success.
The subscriber role is the standard and most common way to use the platform. If you:
Have existing clients who need RON services
Are building your own notary business
Work with law firms, title companies, or businesses
Want control over your schedule and volume
...then the subscriber role is likely the right fit.
You do not need to become a contractor to use USA Notary. Subscriber access provides full platform functionality for serving your own clients. Contractor opportunities are entirely optional and separate.
Contractor roles are limited and selective. Even if you are interested in contractor work, USA Notary determines eligibility based on:
Choose the role that matches your situation and expectations. There is no advantage to pursuing contractor status if the subscriber model better fits your needs. Both roles are professional and legitimate; they simply serve different use cases.
Each role operates under a different economic model with distinct cost structures and compensation approaches.
As a subscriber, you pay for access to the platform and tools that enable you to serve your own clients. This includes:
Subscriber fees are not contingent on transaction volume—they provide access to the platform regardless of how many sessions you conduct.
As a contractor, compensation is based on sessions assigned to you by USA Notary. This includes:
Contractor compensation is contingent on assignment availability and completion—there is no guaranteed volume or frequency.
Specific pricing, fee structures, and compensation details are covered in dedicated sections of the platform documentation. This page focuses exclusively on defining and differentiating the two roles—not on the economic specifics of either.
The economic models for subscriber and contractor roles are fundamentally different. Subscribers invest in platform access to serve clients they bring. Contractors are compensated for work assigned by USA Notary. These are separate systems designed for separate purposes.
Now that you understand the difference between Subscriber and Contractor roles, learn more about how USA Notary works.
Learn about subscription pricing, transaction fees, and the complete cost structure for both roles.
Understand how notaries work with USA Notary, including application, approval, and ongoing engagement.
Learn about compliance requirements, professional standards, and operational guidelines for notaries.
These topics build on the role definitions explained on this page.
Review them in sequence for a complete understanding of how USA Notary works.