Getting Started
What is Notary Sites?
Notary Sites is a website service created specifically for notaries. You get a professional website with your name, services, contact info, and more - without needing to know anything about web design or coding. You manage everything through a simple dashboard, and your site is live on the web for clients to find you. Just input your business information, choose a design and colors and your site is live. It takes less than an hour to get your site live on the web.
How do I sign up?
Click the orange Free Trial button above. You'll enter your name, email address, and a password, then complete checkout with a credit card. You'll be on a 7-Day Free Trial that you can cancel any time. If you cancel before the trial ends, you will not be charged.
What plans are available, and what's the difference?
There are two plans: Basic ($19/mo) and Plus ($29/mo). Both give you a fully functional notary website. Plus adds features like a custom domain, a free .com domain for the first year, more design choices, gallery photos, custom header image upload, complete real-time web traffic stats, legal pages, priority support, and custom content sections. See the pricing page for the full breakdown.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. We offer a 7-day free trial of the Basic Plan. You can upgrade to Plus at any time. A credit card is required to start the trial.
How do I log in to my dashboard?
Go to the Notary Sites dashboard and sign in with the email address and password you used when you signed up. If you forget your password, use the "Forgot password" link on the login page.
What do I need to get my site live?
Your site is technically live as soon as you sign up - it's published at your subdomain address from day one. To make it useful for clients, fill in the key sections: your name and contact info, your services, and a short bio. You can add more detail over time.
How long does it take to set up?
Most people have a solid working site in 30 to 60 minutes. The editor is organized into short sections, and each one saves automatically as you go. You can always come back and add more content later.
Editing Your Website
How do I edit my site content?
Log in to your dashboard and open the site editor. The editor is organized into sections like Identity, Services, Pricing, and more. Click into any section, make your changes, and they save automatically - no publish button needed. Just make changes, then refresh your site to see the updates.
How do I change my template or design?
Go to the Appearance section in the editor. From there you can choose a different site design and adjust visual settings like colors. Changes you make update your site immediately. Basic includes 4 design choices; Plus unlocks 10 total.
Does my site save automatically?
Yes. Every field saves automatically when you change it. You don't need to click a save button. If you see a brief "Saved" confirmation after editing, that means the save went through.
How do I preview what my site looks like?
Your live site is always at your subdomain address (or custom domain if you've set one up). Open that URL in a browser - or in a separate tab while you edit - to see exactly what visitors see.
How do I show or hide sections?
Each section in the editor has a toggle to show or hide it on your live site. If you're not ready to show a particular section yet, just toggle that section off. You can turn it on any time.
What's the difference between "Identity" and "About"?
Identity is your core contact info - your name, business name, phone number, email, and logo. It's the information that appears in your site header, footer, and contact area. About is your personal section - your headshot, headline, and bio. Think of Identity as your business card and About as your introduction.
Content Sections
How do I add my name, phone, and contact info?
Open the Identity section in the editor. Fill in your name, business name, phone number, email address, and office address if you have one. This info appears across your site wherever contact details are shown.
How do I upload a logo?
In the Identity section, scroll down to the logo upload area and select an image file from your computer. The image will upload and process automatically. PNG files with a transparent background usually look best.
How do I upload a headshot?
Open the About section and use the headshot upload area to select a photo. The image is uploaded to secure cloud storage and processed automatically. A clear, professional photo works best - even a good phone photo is fine.
How do I write my bio?
In the About section, there's a bio text area where you can write about yourself. Keep it personal and relevant - mention your experience, where you serve clients, and anything that sets you apart. A few sentences to a short paragraph is usually enough.
How do I add my notary credentials and license info?
Open the Credentials section in the editor. You can enter your notary commission number, expiration date, state, and any other certification details you want to display. Showing your credentials builds trust with potential clients.
How do I list my services?
Go to the Services section. You can add services one by one, giving each one a name and a short description. There's also a preset library of common notary services you can add with one click, then edit however you like.
How do I add pricing?
Open the Pricing section and describe your fee schedule in your own words. You can list individual fees, describe your travel rates, or keep it general - whatever works for your business. Clients appreciate knowing what to expect before they reach out.
How do I show my hours or link to a scheduler?
In the Availability section, you can enter your hours, add notes about how you schedule appointments, and paste in a link to an external scheduler like Calendly if you use one. Clients will see your hours and have a direct way to book. If you have separate booking pages for each of your services, you can provide separate links for each under the Services section.
How do I set my service area?
Open the Location section and write a headline and description for your service area. Describe where you travel - city names, counties, how far you go, any specialties like mobile or hospital visits. This also helps with local SEO.
How do I add testimonials?
Go to the Testimonials section and add reviews one at a time. For each one, enter the client's name and their quote. If you have reviews on Google or Yelp, you can copy the text in here. Real quotes with real names carry a lot of weight with potential clients.
How do I add FAQs to my site?
Open the FAQs section and add questions and answers one by one. There's also a preset FAQ library with common notary questions you can pull in and edit. FAQs help answer client questions before they contact you and can help your site show up in search results.
How do I add gallery photos?
Gallery is a Plus plan feature. If you're on Plus, go to the Gallery section and upload photos one at a time. These could be photos of your workspace, your notary seal, or anything that gives clients a sense of your professionalism. Images are stored and processed automatically.
How do I add my social media links and directory listings?
Open the Links section. You can add links to your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other profiles, as well as notary directory listings like Notary Rotary or 123Notary. These links appear on your site and give clients more ways to find and verify you.
What are custom content sections, and what can I use them for?
Custom content sections are a Plus plan feature that lets you add any extra section you want to your site - with your own title, text, and formatting. They're one of the most flexible tools on the platform.
Some examples of how notaries use them:
Expand on a specific service - add a dedicated section explaining your loan signing process, your RON (remote online notarization) setup, or how your mobile service works.
Promote other services you offer - if you also perform wedding officiant ceremonies, apostille services, fingerprinting, process serving, or estate planning document signings, give each one its own spotlight section with a full description.
Add a "How It Works" section - walk clients through your booking process step by step so they know exactly what to expect.
Highlight a specialty or certification - NNA Certified, Loan Signing Agent, Notary Signing Agent, background-screened - give these their own section with context.
Add a welcome message or personal statement - something more personal than a standard bio.
If your business does more than just general notary work, custom content sections are the best way to make sure clients understand the full picture.
Domain & URL
What is my website address when I sign up?
When you sign up, your site is published at a subdomain of Notary Sites - something like notary-abcdef.notary-sites.com. You can select update that to a custom subdomain like "best-notary" right away and it'll be live and shareable immediately.
Can I use my own domain name?
Yes, on the Plus plan. You can connect a domain you already own - like yourname.com. Basic plan sites use the Notary Sites subdomain only.
Does Plus include a free domain?
Yes. Plus includes a free .com domain registration for the first year. You can request it when you sign up for the Plus plan.
How do I connect a custom domain I already own?
Go to the Domain section in your site editor and enter your domain name. Then add these two DNS records at your registrar:
ALIAS record — Host: @ Value: sites.notary-sites.com
CNAME record — Host: www Value: sites.notary-sites.com
Once both records are saved, your domain will point to your Notary Sites website. Changes typically go live within a few hours. If you get stuck, contact us and we'll help you through it.
My registrar doesn't support ALIAS records - what do I do?
Some registrars only support A records at the root, not ALIAS. The easiest fix is to move your domain's DNS to Namecheap FreeDNS - it's free and supports ALIAS records. Once your domain is pointing to Namecheap's nameservers, add the same ALIAS and CNAME records listed above. The whole process takes about 10 minutes.
As a last resort, you can use an A record pointing directly to our server IP - email support@notary-sites.com and we'll send you the current IP address. Note/Warning: if we ever change servers, you'll need to update this record manually or your domain will stop working.
What if my domain is registered at GoDaddy, Namecheap, or another registrar?
The process is the same regardless of where your domain is registered. Log in to your registrar's website, find the DNS settings for your domain, and add the records shown in your Notary Sites dashboard. Here are direct links to DNS management guides for the most common registrars: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace Domains, IONOS, Network Solutions, Cloudflare, Hostinger.
How long does it take for a custom domain to go live?
DNS changes usually take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to fully propagate. Most people see their domain working within a few hours. During that time, your site is still live at your subdomain address.
SEO & Getting Found Online
Will Google find my website?
Yes. Your site is publicly accessible and can be indexed by Google and other search engines. Filling out your content thoroughly - especially your service area, services, and bio - gives search engines more to work with.
How do I set my page title and meta description?
Open the SEO section in the editor. You can set a custom page title and meta description there. These are the lines of text that show up in Google search results, so write them to clearly describe who you are and where you serve clients.
What's the best way to describe my service area for SEO?
Be specific in the Location section. Name the cities, counties, neighborhoods, and zip codes you serve rather than just saying "mobile notary." Including the names of real places you work helps your site show up when someone searches for a notary in those areas.
How do I show up when someone searches for a notary near me?
There's no instant trick, but a few things help: fill out all your content sections completely, write specifically about where you serve, set a clear page title and meta description, and get listed on notary directories that link back to your site. Over time, a complete and consistent site builds search visibility.
Should I list my site on notary directories?
Yes. Notary directories like Notary Rotary, 123Notary, and the NNA directory send traffic to your site and help establish credibility. Add your site URL to any directory profiles you create, and add those directory links to the Links section of your Notary Sites editor.
Images & Media
What image formats are supported?
JPG, PNG, and WebP files are supported. PNG is recommended for logos, especially if you want a transparent background. JPG or WebP work well for headshots and gallery photos.
What's the recommended size for my headshot or logo?
For a headshot, a square or portrait image at least 600px wide looks sharp on all screen sizes. For a logo, aim for at least 400px wide. You don't need to resize before uploading - the system processes and optimizes your image automatically.
Why is my image still processing?
After you upload an image, it's automatically resized and optimized in the background. This usually takes just a few seconds. If it's been more than a minute, try refreshing the page. If it's still stuck, email support@notary-sites.com.
How do I replace or remove an image?
In the editor section where you uploaded the image, there's an option to remove or replace it. Upload a new file to replace the current one, or remove it entirely if you no longer want it shown.
Billing & Plans
What plans are available?
There are two plans: Basic ($19/mo) and Plus ($29/mo). Basic includes 4 design choices, logo and headshot upload, all standard content sections, color customization, 14-day web traffic stats, and a notary legal disclaimer. Plus adds a custom domain, a free .com domain for the first year, 10 design choices, gallery photos, custom header image upload, complete real-time web traffic stats, privacy policy and terms and conditions legal pages, priority support, and custom content sections.
How do I upgrade or downgrade my plan?
Go to the Subscription page in your dashboard. From there you can switch to a different plan. Changes take effect immediately and billing is adjusted automatically.
How do I update my payment method?
Go to the Subscription page in your dashboard and look for the option to update your card. You'll be prompted to enter your new payment details securely through Stripe.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Go to the Subscription page in your dashboard and choose the cancel option. You have two choices: cancel immediately and receive a prorated refund for unused days in the current billing period, or cancel and keep your site active through the end of the current billing period with no refund.
What happens to my site and data after I cancel?
Your site goes offline based on the cancellation option you chose. Your account and site content are retained for 30 days after cancellation in case you decide to reactivate - if you come back before that window closes, your content will still be there. Your web traffic stats history is deleted immediately upon cancellation and cannot be recovered.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. A 7-day free trial of the Basic Plan is included. A credit card is required to start but you won't be charged until the end of the trial. Cancel any time before the trial ends and you will not be charged at all.
Account & Settings
How do I change my email address or password?
Go to your Profile settings in the dashboard under the top-right menu. From there you can update your email address and change your password. You'll need to know your current password to make changes.
How do I update my contact information?
Your public-facing contact info - phone, email, address - is managed in the Identity section of the site editor. Your account login info is managed separately in account settings.
Can I have multiple websites on one account?
Each account supports one website. If you need a second site - for a different business name or service area - you would need a separate account.
How do I get help?
Email support@notary-sites.com. Plus plan subscribers receive priority support. Include your account email and a description of what you're running into, and we'll get back to you as quickly as possible.