{ "dataset": "notary", "version": "2026-09-02", "records": 51, "columns": [ "page_id", "state", "occupation", "cluster", "credential_holder", "licensing_level", "board_name", "board_url", "application_url", "renewal_cycle", "ce_hours", "exam", "fees", "legal_basis", "last_verified", "source_urls", "page_url" ], "terms": "Free to cite and reuse with attribution to LicensingAtlas. Every value is verified against the official source named in its source_urls and dated in last_verified.", "rows": [ { "page_id": "ak-notary", "state": "Alaska", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Alaska Notary Public Office. Notaries public are commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor: 'The lieutenant governor may commission for the state (1) notaries public without limitation ... and (2) limited governmental notaries public' (AS 44.50.010(a)). There is no board, no licensing division and no county-level step: the Notary Public Office in Juneau (240 Main St., Room 301; PO Box 110015, Juneau, AK 99811) processes applications, accepts bonds, approves remote-notarization requests and takes discipline complaints. The office brands itself notary.alaska.gov.", "board_url": "https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/", "application_url": "https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/", "renewal_cycle": "Alaska has no renewal. It has a new application every four years, and this is the fact most often stated wrongly. The office says it flatly: 'There is not a special process for renewing a notary commission. Each commission is for a four-year period and when one commission expires, or is about to expire, you must apply for a new commission if you wish to continue functioning as a notary public.' The statute agrees - AS 44.50.038: 'A notary public whose term of commission is ending may apply for a new notary public commission by submitting a new application under AS 44.50.032 and complying with the requirements of this chapter. The lieutenant governor's approval of a new application for a commission for a notary public without limitation under AS 44.50.010(a)(1) terminates an applicant's existing commission under that paragraph.' Practical consequences the office spells out: a new $2,500 bond is required every time ('when one commission has expired (or is about to expire) you will need to execute or purchase a new notary bond as the old bond will have technically expired at the same moment that the notary commission expires'); the $40 fee is paid again; 'If you have previously held a commission you are still required to submit an updated commission application, bond, and payment to renew your commission'; and 'Commissions cannot be backdated.' Timing matters because approval terminates the old commission: 'If you have a current commission that is about to expire and wish for your next commission to expire on the same month and day as your current commission you will need to submit your application about one month before your current commission expires. If you submit an application and your current commission will not expire for a month or longer afterwards, your application will be held until 30 days prior to the expiration of your current commission before it is issued.' A new seal is needed if the old one is destroyed on expiry: AS 44.50.064(e) requires the seal to be destroyed or defaced 'when the notary public's term of commission ends if the notary public has not received a new commission under this chapter.' No waiver, no grace period and no reduced re-application requirement appears anywhere. Sources checked: AS 44.50.032, 44.50.033, 44.50.034 and 44.50.038; 6 AAC 88; and the office's 'Types of Notary Commissions', 'Overview and Qualifications' and main Notaries Public pages.", "ce_hours": "None. Alaska requires no continuing education, no refresher course and no re-testing to keep a commission or to obtain the next one. Sources checked: AS 44.50.020 (Qualifications), 44.50.032 (Application), 44.50.033 (Application fee), 44.50.038 (Subsequent commissions) and 44.50.073 (Published summary) in the current Alaska Statutes 2025 codification; 6 AAC 88 (Notarizations) in full; and the Lieutenant Governor's 'Overview and Qualifications', 'Types of Notary Commissions', Notary Supplies, Forms and Publications and Frequently Asked Questions pages. A four-yearly new application under AS 44.50.038 requires the same items as the first one - bond, application, fee - and no coursework. The nearest thing to a study duty is self-education: the office states 'It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with Alaska's notary law and common law notarial practices and procedures,' and AS 44.50.073 lets the Lieutenant Governor publish and distribute a summary of the chapter on request.", "exam": "No examination. Alaska does not test notary applicants and publishes no exam, no study guide requirement and no passing score. Sources checked: AS 44.50.020 (Qualifications), AS 44.50.032 (Application) and AS 44.50.038 (Subsequent commissions) in the current codification on akleg.gov; 6 AAC 88 (Notarizations) in full; and the Lieutenant Governor's 'Overview and Qualifications', 'Types of Notary Commissions', Notaries Public and Frequently Asked Questions pages. None mentions an examination, a test, a quiz or a score for the applicant. The only knowledge test anywhere in Alaska's notary scheme is aimed at the signer, not the notary: 6 AAC 88.040(c) sets out the knowledge-based authentication assessment a remotely located individual must pass to be identified - a minimum of five questions with at least five answer choices each, at least 80 percent correct, all answered within two minutes, one retake within 24 hours with at least 40 percent of the questions replaced, and 'the notary public may not be able to see or record the questions or answers.' It is not a notary exam.", "fees": "Paid to the state of Alaska (checks payable to 'State of Alaska'; Visa and Mastercard accepted; the state's EIN is 92-6001185): $40.00 non-refundable, non-transferable application fee for a notary public commission - '(a) The application fee for commission as a notary public is $40' (6 AAC 88.020(a)), restated by the office as 'The application fee is $40.00, and is non-refundable and non-transferable.' The fee is waived for State of Alaska employees applying for a Limited Governmental commission - AS 44.50.033 provides that 'an applicant for a limited governmental notary public commission under AS 44.50.010(a)(2) who is employed by the state may not be required to pay an application fee,' and the office says 'The fee is waived for State of Alaska employees applying for limited governmental notary commissions.' Note the boundary: municipal and federal employees are not covered by that waiver. Remote notarization, a separate and substantial fee: '(b) In addition to the application fee under (a) of this section, the application fee to perform notarial acts using communication technology for remotely located individuals is $100 for an initial notary public commission. If a notary public is commissioned under AS 44.50.010 at the time the notary public applies to perform remote notarial acts as described in this subsection, that notary public shall pay an application fee of $25 for each remaining year of the notary public's commission' (6 AAC 88.020(b)). The office states the same figures. Name change: $5.00, mailed with the hard-copy name and address change form - 'mail (no fax or email copies accepted) the hard copy of the completed name change form along with the $5.00 fee.' The statutory hook is AS 44.50.066(c), which requires a notary reporting a name change to pay 'the fee under AS 44.19.024 for the issuance of a replacement certificate of commission'; the $5.00 figure comes from the Lieutenant Governor's own Forms and Publications page. An address-only or contact-information change carries no fee and needs no notarization. Where the $40 comes from, and why older pages differ: the $40 used to be written into the statute. HB 124 (2020) struck it - AS 44.50.033 now reads 'A person applying for a commission as a notary public shall pay a nonrefundable application fee. The lieutenant governor shall set the amount of the fee by regulation.' The amount today lives in 6 AAC 88.020(a), and it is still $40. A page that cites 'AS 44.50.033' for the number is citing a provision that no longer contains one. Not charged by the state: there is no bond premium (paid to a surety), no seal or journal cost (the office 'does not provide notary supplies'), no renewal fee distinct from the $40 application fee - Alaska has no renewal, only a new application - and no examination or course fee, because Alaska has neither. Unrelated fee a notary should know: the recorder's office 'charges a $50.00 non standard document fee for any documents submitted for recording that do not meet their margin requirements,' which is why the office tells notaries to keep the seal at least two inches from the top margin and one inch from the others on documents headed for recording.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.010 and 44.50.020\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Lieutenant Governor's power to commission notaries public without limitation and limited governmental notaries public; the four-year term and the employment-linked term; and the six qualifications - 18 years of age, Alaska residency under AS 01.10.055, lawful US residence, the 10-year felony bar and the prior-discipline bars\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.010\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.032, 44.50.033, 44.50.034, 44.50.035 and 44.50.038\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What a completed application must contain; the application fee, now set by regulation rather than by statute, and the state-employee waiver for limited governmental commissions; the $2,500 four-year bond and its retention; the oath; and the rule that there is no renewal - only a new application, whose approval terminates the existing commission\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.032\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.039\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Limited governmental notaries public: official government business only, and no fee or other consideration may be charged or received\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.039\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.060, 44.50.061 and 44.50.062\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Permitted notarial acts including certifying a tangible copy of an electronic record; the unauthorized-practice line (a non-attorney notary 'may complete but may not select notarial certificates'); and the prohibited acts, including the fee-schedule-first rule at (4), the personal-appearance and identification requirements at (5), and the interest disqualification at (6)\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.060\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.063, 44.50.064, 44.50.065 and 44.50.066\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The official handwritten signature and its exact-name rule; the mandatory official seal, its contents, permitted shapes and sizes, exclusive ownership, security, 10-day loss reporting and mandatory destruction; the sharp, legible, photographically reproducible impression requirement; and the 30-day name/address change notification, the replacement-certificate fee and the sequence a notary must follow after a name change\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.063\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.075\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts performed for remotely located individuals: the notary must be located in Alaska, the three identification routes, credential analysis and identity proofing, the audiovisual recording and its 10-year retention, the certificate statement, the prior-notification duty to the Lieutenant Governor, the outside-the-United-States conditions, and the vendor's appointment of the Lieutenant Governor as agent for service of process\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.075\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.078\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The journal: required for the notarial acts performed under AS 44.50.075, at least one tangible journal, contemporaneous entries with six specified fields, 10-year retention, prompt notice if lost or stolen, and retention plus notice of location on resignation, revocation or suspension\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.078\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.145 and 44.50.165\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notification to the Lieutenant Governor before the first notarial act on an electronic record, the notary's right to choose the tamper-evident technology, a recorder's acceptance of a tangible copy of an electronic record; and the rule that a notary's failure to meet a chapter requirement does not by itself invalidate the act\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.145\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 44.50.180\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Postmasters may perform the functions of a notary public in Alaska, authenticating with the post office cancellation stamp, and are required neither to post a bond nor to hold a commission\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.50.180\"}, {\"citation\": \"6 AAC 88 (Notarizations), ss. 88.010-88.990\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Lieutenant Governor's notary regulations: applicability, the $40 application fee and the $100/$25 remote-notarization fees (88.020), communication-technology standards (88.030), identity-proofing and knowledge-based-authentication standards (88.040), the form of notarial certificates for remote acts (88.050) and definitions (88.990)\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp#6.88.010\"}, {\"citation\": \"HB 124, ch. 60 SLA 2020 (Enrolled: 'Relating to the recording of documents; relating to notaries and notarization, including notarial acts performed for remotely located individuals; and providing for an effective date')\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The 2020 act that created AS 44.50.075, 44.50.078, 44.50.145, 44.50.165 and 44.50.185, raised the bond from $1,000 to $2,500, moved the application fee out of the statute and into regulation, and took effect January 1, 2021 - with the applicability rule that secs. 4-16 'apply to a notarial act performed on or after the effective date' and that the bond and fee changes 'apply to a person who applies for a new or subsequent commission ... on or after the effective date'\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/31/Bills/HB0124Z.PDF\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 01.10.055\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What Alaska residency means for the notary qualification: physical presence with intent to remain indefinitely, demonstrated by a principal place of abode in the state for at least 30 days plus other proof of intent, and preserved during absences unless residency is claimed elsewhere\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#01.10.055\"}, {\"citation\": \"AS 09.63.010-09.63.130\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Oaths, certifications, notarizations and verifications, and the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act - including recognition of notarial acts performed outside Alaska and the statutory forms of acknowledgment. The Lieutenant Governor publishes this chapter alongside AS 44.50 as part of Alaska notary law\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/alaska-notary-statutes/\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-13", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Alaska State Legislature, BASIS - Alaska Statutes 2025, AS 44.50.010 through 44.50.200 (Notaries Public), retrieved in full on 2026-08-13 from the akleg.gov print endpoint (statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=44.50.010&secEnd=44.50.200). This is the CURRENT CODIFIED TEXT and the authority for every AS quotation in this record, including 'The term of a notary public commission is four years'; 'shall execute an official bond of $2,500 ... The bond must be for a term of four years from the date of commission'; 'The lieutenant governor shall set the amount of the fee by regulation'; 'A notary public shall keep an official seal, which is the exclusive property of the notary public'; 'A notary public shall maintain a journal in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that the notary public performs under AS 44.50.075'; and 'Each postmaster in the state may perform the functions of a notary public in the state'\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp\"}, {\"label\": \"Alaska State Legislature, BASIS - Alaska Administrative Code, 6 AAC 88 (Notarizations), ss. 88.010-88.990, retrieved in full on 2026-08-13 from the akleg.gov print endpoint (aac.asp?media=print&secStart=6.88.010&secEnd=6.88.999). The authority for the fees: '(a) The application fee for commission as a notary public is $40. (b) In addition to the application fee under (a) of this section, the application fee to perform notarial acts using communication technology for remotely located individuals is $100 for an initial notary public commission. If a notary public is commissioned under AS 44.50.010 at the time the notary public applies to perform remote notarial acts as described in this subsection, that notary public shall pay an application fee of $25 for each remaining year of the notary public's commission' (6 AAC 88.020). Also the source for the communication-technology standards, the credential-analysis and knowledge-based-authentication standards, and the definitions of 'remote online notarization', 'real time' and 'remote presentation'\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp\"}, {\"label\": \"Alaska State Legislature - Enrolled HB 124 (SSHB 124), 'AN ACT Relating to the recording of documents; relating to notaries and notarization, including notarial acts performed for remotely located individuals; and providing for an effective date' (15-page PDF, downloaded and text-extracted with pypdf on 2026-08-13). Establishes what changed and when: 'Sec. 21. Except as provided in sec. 20 of this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2021'; the applicability rules at sec. 17; the bond amendment 'shall execute an official bond of $2,500 [$1,000]'; and the fee amendment 'shall pay a nonrefundable application fee [OF $40]. The lieutenant governor shall set the amount of the fee by regulation'\", \"url\": \"https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/31/Bills/HB0124Z.PDF\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Notaries Public' (Alaska Notary Public Office main page), read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The source for the online and by-mail application steps, the myAlaska/Online Notary Database route, the customized oath-of-office PDF, 'We MUST receive the wet signature original copy of your notarized Oath of Office', 'We WILL NOT accept a PO BOX as a residential address', 'A physical certificate will be mailed ... within two weeks of approval', 'Our office does not provide notary supplies', and 'Commissioned Notaries who would like to perform remote online notarizations (RONs) MUST submit a written request to the Notary administrator'\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Notary Overview and Qualifications', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The source for 'Applicants must be 18 years of age and residents of Alaska who are legally in the United States'; the 10-year felony statement; 'The application fee is $40.00, and is non-refundable and non-transferable'; the term statements for both commission types including 'with office'; and the office's extended explanation of notary bonds - that they are 'not insurance for the notary', that 'there are no substitutes for this bond', that a surety cannot withdraw, that government entities may not act as surety, and that each bond covers exactly one four-year commission\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/overview-and-qualifications/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Types of Notary Commissions', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The source for 'There is not a special process for renewing a notary commission', 'Commissions cannot be backdated', the 30-day holding rule for early applications, the two application checklists, and the Limited Governmental commission's Employer Approval Form and official-business limit\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/overview-and-qualifications/types-of-notary-commission/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Notary Supplies', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The source for 'Minimally, you will need an inking notary seal and a notary journal'; the seal-contents summary of AS 44.50.064 and the inking-vs-embossing recommendation; 'Alaska statutes make the notary seal the personal property of the notary public regardless of who has purchased it'; the recorder's $50.00 non-standard document fee and the margin guidance; the narrow journal statement 'JOURNALS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL NOTARIAL ACTS PERFORMED FOR REMOTELY LOCATED INDIVIDUALS' together with 'It is highly recommended that all notaries maintain a notary journal for all in person notarial acts'; and 'Alaska notaries are not required to collect thumbprints from signers'\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/notary-supplies/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Frequently Asked Questions', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The source for the surety explanation ('In Alaska, the bond amount is $2,500 ... One cannot act as one's own surety'); the journal answer and its entry list; 'May I notarize documents outside the State of Alaska? No'; the fee answer ('Alaska Statutes do not address this subject for notaries without limitation except that a published fee schedule must be provided to the signer prior to the performance of the notarization ... Statute does state that Limited Governmental Notaries may not charge for notarization'); the identification answer; the relatives answer; and the notarial-certificate rules\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/frequently-asked-questions/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Updated Notarial Capabilities', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. States the remote-notarization fees and that 'A notary must notify our office and be approved prior to performance of notarial act', and summarizes the communication-technology and identity-proofing standards; also identifies the regulatory vehicle as 'Filed Permanent Regulations: Office of the Lieutenant Governor ... Included in Register 237'\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/updated-notarial-capabilities/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Guidance on Implementing Notarizations for Remotely Located Individuals' (PDF, updated Feb. 4, 2021), read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The document that names the regulation - 'a notary must select a technology vendor that can meet the standards set by 6 AAC 88 Notarizations' - and lists exactly what the written RON request must contain, states that it may be emailed to notary@alaska.gov, and publishes the courtesy vendor list with the disclaimer that it 'is not an endorsement of any vendor nor is it in any particular order'\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/wp-content/uploads/Guidance-on-Implementing-Notarizations-for-Remotely-Located-Individuals-1.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Forms and Publications', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. Lists the Notary Bond Form, the Alaska Notary Commission Application Form, the Limited Governmental Commission Employer Approval Form, the Credit Card Payment Form and the Name and Address Change Form, and is the source for the $5.00 name-change fee, the hard-copy-only rule for name changes ('no fax or email copies accepted'), and the four-step name-change sequence ending in a new seal\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/forms-and-publications/\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Alaska Notary Commissions' / Alaska Notary Commission Directory (notary.alaska.gov), the public commission search, read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The source for 'Anyone may access basic search functionality without logging in to the system', the advanced-search description 'Search by name, mobile notaries, foreign languages, and more', and the bulk-export description\", \"url\": \"https://notaries.alaska.gov/Notary/Search\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 'Alaska Notary Statutes', read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. Cited here NOT as a current source but as a documented staleness finding: this agency page reproduces AS 44.50 and AS 09.63 in a version that PREDATES HB 124 - its table of contents runs from AS 44.50.073 straight to the repealed AS 44.50.080-44.50.140, and the strings '44.50.075', '44.50.078', 'journal' and 'remotely located' appear zero times in the whole page. What it is still useful for is its verbatim AS 09.63 article and section list and its reproduction of AS 01.10.055\", \"url\": \"https://ltgov.alaska.gov/notaries-public/alaska-notary-statutes/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ak-notary/" }, { "page_id": "al-notary", "state": "Alabama", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Judge of Probate of the applicant's county of residence (commissioning authority under Ala. Code § 36-20-70); the Alabama Secretary of State maintains the statewide public record of commissions but does not appoint ordinary notaries public", "board_url": "https://www.sos.alabama.gov/administrative-services/notaries-public", "application_url": "https://www.sos.alabama.gov/city-county-lookup/probate-judges", "renewal_cycle": "Alabama has no renewal mechanism — an expiring notary must apply afresh. Mobile County Probate Court states it plainly: 'I am currently a Notary, what is the renewal process? There is no renewal process. You must submit a new application each time your current commission expires.' The statute treats reapplication as an application: § 36-20-70(e) provides that a notary commissioned as of the Act's effective date 'shall be required to complete the training requirement upon submitting an application for the renewal of his or her expired commission,' and the Secretary of State's page confirms 'both new and renewal applicants' must complete the pre-commission training. There is accordingly no early-renewal window, no grace period and no reduced-requirement track published in any source checked (Act 2023-548, SOS notaries page, ALPJA training page, Mobile County probate instructions). A period of restriction, suspension or revocation 'does not extend the expiration date of a commission' (§ 36-20-75(a)).", "ce_hours": "No continuing education requirement. Nothing in Ala. Code §§ 36-20-70 through 36-20-75 as enacted by Act 2023-548 imposes continuing education, periodic refresher hours, or any ongoing instruction during a commission term. The only instructional requirement is the pre-commission training program under § 36-20-70(e), which must be completed before each commission — because Alabama has no renewal process, a notary seeking a further four-year term applies anew and takes the training again (the Secretary of State: 'both new and renewal applicants' must complete it), with attorneys exempt under § 36-20-70(e). Sources checked: the enrolled text of Act 2023-548 in full, the Secretary of State's Notaries Public page, the Alabama Probate Judges Association notary training page, and the Mobile County Probate Court instructions and FAQ. None states a continuing-education obligation.", "exam": "Not required. No examination for a notary public commission appears anywhere in Ala. Code §§ 36-20-70 through 36-20-75 as enacted by Act 2023-548 — the words 'exam', 'examination' and 'test' do not appear in the operative text, and § 36-20-70(e) imposes only a training program with no scored or pass/fail component stated. Sources checked: the full enrolled text of Act 2023-548 (all 12 substantive pages, hosted by the Secretary of State); the Secretary of State's Notaries Public page; the Alabama Probate Judges Association notary training page; and the Mobile County Probate Court 'Notary – General Information' instructions and FAQ. None mentions an examination. Note: the ALPJA online course requires a printed Course Completion Certificate; whether that course contains an internal assessment is not published on the pages read, and it is not a statutory licensing examination in any event. (Contrast Texas, where a graded assessment is embedded in a statutorily mandated state-run course.)", "fees": "Statutory fees payable to the judge of probate (Act 2023-548): application fee $10 — § 36-20-70(c), 'Each applicant for notary public commission shall pay a ten dollar ($10) application fee', due at the time the application is submitted. Commission fee $25 — § 36-20-70(a), 'The judges of probate shall collect a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) for each notary commission issued'; the enrolled Act shows this raised from $10, and its synopsis states a purpose 'to increase the fee collected by the judge of probate for the commission of a notary.' Bond recording fee — set at the county level, not by §§ 36-20-70 to 36-20-75. Mobile County Probate Court publishes $23.00 ('What is the filing/recording fee in Mobile County? $23.00 payable by cash, check, credit card or money order'). Recording fees differ between counties; applicants must confirm with their own probate court. Bond premium — a private charge by an Alabama licensed producer of surety bonds; not set or published by the State. Training fee — the Alabama Probate Judges Association's notary training page, as of August 12, 2026, does not publish a price for the mandatory course; no fee for it is set in Act 2023-548. Seal — purchased privately; Mobile County Probate Court states 'Probate Court does not supply the seal/stamp or make any recommendations regarding where to purchase.' RON — no registration fee exists because Alabama creates no separate remote-notary registration (see the remote online notarization details on this page). Note: because Alabama has no statewide application form or statewide online filing portal, there is no single live state fee page to check the statutory figures against; the $10 and $25 are read directly from the enrolled Act hosted by the Secretary of State.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-70 (as amended by Act 2023-548)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment and commissioning of notaries public by county judges of probate; four-year term; statewide jurisdiction; $25 commission fee; $10 application fee; the seven mandatory grounds for denial; the pre-commission training requirement and the attorney exemption; probate-judge reporting to the Secretary of State.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-71 (as amended by Act 2023-548)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $50,000 surety bond, obtained from an Alabama licensed producer, approved by and recorded with the judge of probate of the county of residence before entering on the duties of office; grandfathering of notaries functioning on January 1, 2023.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-72 (as amended by Act 2023-548)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Seal of office — must present by impression or stamp the name, office and state of appointment; form and content of a notarial act on an instrument to be recorded, by either ink stamp or embossed impression.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-73\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Powers of notaries public — administering oaths, taking acknowledgments and proofs of instruments relating to commerce or navigation and certifying them under seal, demanding acceptance and payment of bills of exchange and promissory notes and protesting for nonacceptance or nonpayment, and exercising other powers belonging to notaries public according to commercial usage or the laws of this state. (Cited and summarised by the Secretary of State; not amended by Act 2023-548 and therefore not read in its codified form when this page was last verified.)\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/administrative-services/notaries-public\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-73.1 (as amended by Act 2023-548)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Physical-presence rule and positive identification; remote appearance by two-way audio-video communication; the seven-year retention of the recording and its six mandatory contents; two-form government ID plus data-source verification; the requirement of the notary's original wet-ink signature; the prohibition on remote notarization for absentee ballots or any purpose related to voting.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-74 (as amended by Act 2023-548)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum notarial fee of $10 per act; prohibition on any fee charged by a state, county or municipal employee for a notarial act performed as part of public service.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ala. Code § 36-20-75 (as amended by Act 2023-548)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Discipline by the commissioning judge of probate (warning, restriction, suspension, revocation); Class C misdemeanor and Class D felony offenses; the affidavit complaint route to the Secretary of State or judge of probate and referral to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency; injunctive relief including surrender and destruction of commission and seal.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Act 2023-548 (2023 Reg. Sess., SB322), Section 3\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Effective date — 'This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.' Approved by the Governor June 15, 2023, giving an effective date of September 1, 2023, which the Secretary of State independently states as 'Beginning September 1, 2023'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Codified Act 2001-168 (Alabama civil law notary statute)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The separate civil law notary appointment made by the Secretary of State for attorneys with five years' practice; authority to issue brevets, minutes and notarial deeds.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/administrative-services/civil-law-notaries\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Alabama Secretary of State, Notaries Public — the statewide authority page. Establishes that Alabama does NOT commission at state level: 'Notaries apply with and are appointed and commissioned by the probate judges of the various counties for terms of four years. Ala. Code § 36-20-70.' Also establishes the training mandate and its start date: 'Beginning September 1, 2023, the law sets minimum application requirements and mandates that both new and renewal applicants complete a pre-commission training program prepared by the Alabama Probate Judges Association and the Alabama Law Institute. Ala. Code § 36-20-70(c),(e).' And the referral for fees: 'For specific information about being appointed and commissioned a notary public, including application, bond, and fee requirements, please contact the probate judge for your county.' Summarises § 36-20-73 powers and § 36-20-75 discipline\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/administrative-services/notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Act 2023-548 (SB322 Enrolled), 2023 Regular Session — the full enrolled text of the current Alabama notary law, hosted by the Secretary of State. Read in full (12 substantive pages) as the primary source for §§ 36-20-70, 36-20-71, 36-20-72, 36-20-73.1, 36-20-74 and 36-20-75. Key quotes: bond 'in the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), payable to the State of Alabama'; 'The judges of probate shall collect a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) for each notary commission issued'; 'Each applicant for notary public commission shall pay a ten dollar ($10) application fee'; 'An attorney who is commissioned as a notary public under this article is not required to complete the training requirement'; 'is permitted a reasonable fee, not to exceed ten dollars ($10), for each notarial act performed'; 'the powers and functions of a notary public require his or her original signature'; 'Remote notarization may not be used to notarize an absentee ballot application or an absentee ballot affidavit, or for any purpose related to voting.' Shows struck-through prior figures ($10 commission fee, $25,000 bond, $5 notarial fee), confirming the direction of each change.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/notaries-public/Act%202023-548.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Alabama Secretary of State, Notary Public Records — the public verification portal landing page. Establishes the four search options ('by Name', 'by Bonding Company', 'by Issuance Date', 'by Commission Expiration Date') and their arc-sos.state.al.us endpoints, and states 'Welcome to the Secretary of State's Government Records Inquiry System. This facility provides you easy access to public information maintained by the Secretary of State's office in electronic format.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/government-records/notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Alabama Secretary of State, Civil Law Notaries — establishes the separate attorney-only credential appointed by the Secretary of State: 'A civil law notary is a person who is admitted to the practice of law in this state, who has practiced law in a United States jurisdiction for at least five years, and who is appointed by the Secretary of State as a civil law notary. Civil law notaries are authorized to issue brevets, minutes, and notarial deeds and may authenticate or certify any document, transaction, event, condition or occurrence.' Lists Forms ACLN-1 through ACLN-4 and the civil law notary statute and rules\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/administrative-services/civil-law-notaries\"}, {\"label\": \"Mobile County Probate Court, 'Notary – General Information' — a commissioning authority's own published application instructions and FAQ (in Alabama the judge of probate IS the commissioning authority). Establishes the county-level process and deadlines: 'you will have 40 days from the date of the \\\"letter of appointment\\\" to obtain and record the required $25,000 Notary Bond with Probate Court'; 'The cost to record the bond is $23.00'; 'There is no renewal process. You must submit a new application each time your current commission expires'; 'Your notary commission and bond is good for 4 years'; 'You must be at least 18 years of age'; 'You must be registered to vote in Mobile County'; 'State employees are covered under the State Blanket Bond and as such will not be required to purchase an individual surety bond'; 'You should also obtain a notary seal and register'; 'Probate Court does not supply the seal/stamp.' NOTE: this sheet's $25,000 bond figure conflicts with the $50,000 fixed by § 36-20-71(a) as amended in 2023, and the sheet omits the training-certificate step — see the bond section on this page.\", \"url\": \"https://probate.mobilecountyal.gov/uploads/DETAILED-INSTRUCTIONS-NOTARY.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Alabama Probate Judges Association, Notary Public Training — the training body named in Ala. Code § 36-20-70(e). Establishes that the mandatory program is delivered as an 'online Notary Public Training course' and that applicants must 'print the Course Completion Certificate within 30 days', taken after application approval and before obtaining the surety bond and requesting the commission. Does NOT publish an hour count, a price, or a certificate validity period. Fetched 2026-08-12.\", \"url\": \"https://alpja.org/?page_id=2845\"}, {\"label\": \"Alabama Secretary of State, county probate judge directory — the route to the correct commissioning authority, since § 36-20-70(c)(2) requires application to the judge of probate of the applicant's own county of residence and the Secretary of State directs fee and bond questions there.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.alabama.gov/city-county-lookup/probate-judges\"}, {\"label\": \"SB292, 2026 Regular Session (INTRODUCED, first read 10-Feb-2026) — read only to confirm it is NOT law and does not affect this record. Proposed 'Alabama Property Protection Act of 2026'; its synopsis states it 'would prohibit remote notarization of documents conveying interest in real property under certain circumstances.' The document is captioned INTRODUCED throughout, carries a bill number rather than an act number, and shows no gubernatorial approval. No claim in this record relies on it. Flagged as a watch item, not as law.\", \"url\": \"https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB292-int.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/al-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ar-notary", "state": "Arkansas", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division", "board_url": "https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/notary-e-notary", "application_url": "https://bcs.sos.arkansas.gov/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is filed as an amendment through the online notary account, and it is effectively a fresh qualification: 'If you are a notary that is seeking to renew your commission or have an expired notary commission, you should file an amendment to renew your through your online notary account... A new bond will need to be secured and submitted with the amendment and application fee. You will also need to pass the notary exam.' So all three of bond, fee and exam recur. An expired commission is renewed by the same amendment route rather than by a separate reinstatement process, and the online system's renewal path is aimed at notaries whose commission 'is either expired or within 60 days of expiration.' eNotary renewal follows the same amendment process, with four stated steps: be a notary in good standing and apply through an online amendment; 'Complete online training and an exam'; 'Upload the training certificate by filing the eNotary Training Amendment'; and 'Select an electronic notary solution provider(s) from the list of approved providers.' Changes during a term: 'If a notary changes his or her name or address that is on file with the Secretary of State, the notary must file an amendment within thirty (30) days of the change.' A name change cannot be filed in the online portal — it requires the printed Change of Information form plus a mailed certified copy of a marriage license, divorce decree or court document, and the $5.00 fee.", "ce_hours": "None for the traditional commission; a recurring biennial training obligation for eNotaries. Traditional: no continuing education requirement appears in the 31-page Notary Public & eNotary Handbook (rev. 1-2025), the Secretary of State's notary page, or the July 2026 Notary/Apostille Customer Manual — the sources checked. What recurs for a traditional notary is the exam, and only once every ten years at renewal. eNotary: a real, enforced obligation. The handbook: 'Electronic notaries must complete training through the Secretary of State's Office every two years to remain current on requirements, best practices, and protocols.' The Secretary of State's eNotary FAQ answers the question directly — 'What continuing education is required? eNotaries are required to complete online refresher training every two years' — and prices it at $30. Enforcement is by suspension of the working credential rather than by penalty: 'If the training is not completed by the due date, the solution provider will suspend the notary's access to the electronic system. The suspension will remain in effect until the notary has completed the training and a new enotary application amendment.' No hour count is published for either the initial eNotary training or the refresher in any source checked.", "exam": "Required for every Arkansas notary applicant, traditional and eNotary, and required again at each renewal. Traditional commission: the Handbook's Step 3 states 'A multiple choice exam is required for all notary applicants. Use the link provided in your online application to access the exam. A minimum score of 80% is passing.' The exam link is generated inside the online application, and the completed Notary Exam Certificate is uploaded as part of the application. The Secretary of State also publishes an 'Online Notary Public Exam' link and free preparatory training on its notary page. On renewal: 'A new bond will need to be secured and submitted with the amendment and application fee. You will also need to pass the notary exam' — so the exam recurs every ten years with the commission. eNotary commission: a separate exam applies — 'All applicants for an electronic notary commission must complete eNotary specific training through the Arkansas Secretary of State's Office and pass a required exam', and the eNotary commission's start date is the date the exam is passed. The Secretary of State's eNotary FAQ prices the eNotary 'online training and exam' at $30 and identifies the American Society of Notaries as the provider. Not published in any source checked on 2026-08-12 (the 31-page Notary Public & eNotary Handbook rev. 1-2025, the Secretary of State's notary and eNotary pages, the eNotary FAQ PDF, and the July 2026 Notary/Apostille Customer Manual): the number of questions on the traditional exam, its time limit, whether it is open-book, the number of permitted retakes, and any separate fee for the traditional exam. Unlike Arizona, Arkansas does not publish those details.", "fees": "Traditional commission — $20 for the full ten-year term. The Secretary of State's eNotary FAQ states it directly in the course of comparing costs: 'The traditional notary filing fee is $20 for ten years.' That works out to the lowest annualised state notary fee in this batch. eNotary commission — '$20 (plus $5 convenience fee) payable by credit card only' for the online eNotary application filing; the FAQ repeats it in its cost answer: 'The eNotary application requires an online filing fee of $20 (plus $5 convenience fee).' eNotary training and exam — '$30', taken through the American Society of Notaries per the Secretary of State's FAQ; free preparatory training is offered by the Secretary of State. eNotary refresher — '$30' every two years. Name change — $5.00: the Secretary of State's Forms and Publications page instructs the notary to 'mail (no fax or email copies accepted) the hard copy of the completed name change form along with the $5.00 fee'. Address/contact change — no fee stated; the same page allows the name and address change form to be mailed, emailed or faxed and says 'Notarization is not required if you are not changing your name.' Solution provider — variable and private: 'The fees associated with registering with the solution provider will vary depending on the provider selected.' Not set by the state: the surety bond premium, and the seal ('You will purchase your stamp from the company of your choosing. The Secretary of State's Office does not make or issue stamps'). County filing: the oath of commission must be filed with the county recorder of deeds; no county recording fee is stated in any source checked (handbook, notary page, eNotary FAQ, July 2026 customer manual), and county recording charges are set locally — confirm with the county. Important caveat on the traditional fee: neither the 31-page handbook nor the July 2026 Notary/Apostille Customer Manual prints a dollar figure for the traditional application; both instruct the applicant to 'Review the filing fee displayed in the web cart.' The $20 figure is therefore taken from the Secretary of State's own eNotary FAQ rather than from a static fee schedule, and there is no live public fee page to re-check it against.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"A.C.A. § 21-14-101 et seq.\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Arkansas notary public statute generally. The handbook glossary defines a 'Traditional notary public' as 'A person commissioned by the Arkansas Secretary of State to perform notarial acts pursuant to A.C.A § 21-14-101 et seq.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NotaryHandbook2025.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.C.A. § 21-6-309\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial fees — the basis of Arkansas's reasonableness-and-prior-agreement rule rather than a fixed dollar cap. Cited by the handbook for the proposition that a charged fee 'must be reasonable and disclosed to and agreed upon by both the client(s) and the notary prior to the notarial act taking place.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NotaryHandbook2025.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.C.A. § 21-14-112\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Complaints against notaries — authorises the Secretary of State's Office to investigate possible violations upon a signed complaint from any person.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NotaryHandbook2025.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.C.A. § 4-109-101 et seq.\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Restrictions on advertising as a 'notario publico' or similar terms, and the mandatory bilingual disclaimer that must accompany such advertising.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NotaryHandbook2025.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.C.A. § 21-10-102\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Registration of a facsimile signature by a public official with the Secretary of State, permitting use of a facsimile signature in lieu of a manual signature on public securities and instruments of payment. Related to, but distinct from, the notary facsimile signature and seal filing.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/notary-e-notary\"}, {\"citation\": \"Act 215 of 2019\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Eligibility of a nonresident spouse of a United States military service member who is employed or operating a business in Arkansas to be commissioned as an Arkansas notary public.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/notary-e-notary\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, Notary Public and eNotary — the authority page. Establishes the commissioning body ('The Business and Commercial (BCS) Services Division of the Secretary of State records and certifies Notaries Public for the State of Arkansas'), the online filing portal ('Click the following link to access the Notary Online Filing Portal: https://bcs.sos.arkansas.gov/'), the Act 215 of 2019 military-spouse route ('if you are a non-resident spouse of a United States military service member working in Arkansas, or operating a business in Arkansas... please contact our office at 501-682-1010'), and links the Notary Handbook, Notary System User Guide, Online Notary Public Exam, Notario Publico Disclaimer, Declaration of Domicile, and the facsimile-signature registration forms.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/notary-e-notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Notary Public & eNotary Handbook (Secretary of State Cole Jester), rev. 1-2025, 31 pages — read in full and the primary source for most of this record. Key quotes: 'A surety bond in the amount of $7,500 is required'; 'A multiple choice exam is required for all notary applicants... A minimum score of 80% is passing'; 'A notary's commission is for a term of ten (10) years'; 'Your commission is not valid until you file the completed Oath of Commission Certificate with both the county recorder of deeds and the Secretary of State'; the seal specification including the prohibitions on the 'Great Seal of the State of Arkansas' and the 'Outline of the State of Arkansas'; 'The law does not require a notary to keep any record of his or her official acts, but it is recommended that each notary keep a register or journal'; 'Arkansas notaries are not required to charge for their services. If a notary does charge, the amount must be reasonable and disclosed to and agreed upon by both the client(s) and the notary prior to the notarial act taking place. (See A.C.A. § 21-6-309)'; and the entire electronic-notarization chapter including 'Electronic notaries must complete training through the Secretary of State's Office every two years.'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NotaryHandbook2025.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, eNotary FAQs (PDF) — the only official source that prints the dollar figures. Establishes: 'The traditional notary filing fee is $20 for ten years'; 'The eNotary application requires an online filing fee of $20 (plus $5 convenience fee)'; 'The online training and exam is $30. Refresher training is required every two years ($30)'; 'All Arkansas notaries public in \\\"good standing\\\" are eligible to become an eNotary'; 'The eNotary commission is tied to and runs concurrently with your traditional paper commission'; the sequencing rule 'You will need to wait until your regular notary commission has been fully processed before you can submit your eNotary application. Once your traditional notary status shows \\\"good standing\\\" on our website, you may proceed'; 'Only companies who are Approved Electronic Solution Providers are eligible to provide eNotary services to Arkansas eNotaries'; and 'eNotaries are required to complete online refresher training every two years.'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/eNotaryPublicFAQ.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, eNotary page — the Secretary of State's eNotary services and instruction page, and the host of the approved-solution-provider information the handbook and FAQ refer to\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/enotary/\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, Notary/Apostille Customer Manual (July 2026), 25 pages — the current step-by-step guide to the online filing system for new applications, renewals and apostilles. Read to check for a published application fee; it does not print one, instructing filers instead to 'Review the filing fee displayed in the web cart' and noting 'Filing fees are non-refundable.'.\", \"url\": \"http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NOTARYAPOSTILLECustomerManual_%28July_2026%29.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, Notary Online Filing Portal — where applications, renewals and amendments are actually filed, and where the free online account is created ('You will need to create a new account even if you already have an online account created prior to 01/25/2024').\", \"url\": \"https://bcs.sos.arkansas.gov/\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, Notary Search — the public verification portal linked from the Secretary of State's notary page. Returned a successful response but a 592-byte JavaScript app shell on 2026-08-12, so its search fields could not be enumerated; see the license-verification details on this page.notes.\", \"url\": \"https://bcs.sos.arkansas.gov/search/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, Notary Change of Information form — the printed form required for a name change, which cannot be filed in the online portal and must be mailed with a certified copy of a marriage license, divorce decree or court document and the $5.00 fee.\", \"url\": \"http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/Notary_Change_of_Information_1.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Arkansas Secretary of State, Notario Publico Disclaimer form — the Secretary of State's published bilingual disclaimer form referenced in the handbook's Notario Publico section.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/notario_publico_disclaimer.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ar-notary/" }, { "page_id": "az-notary", "state": "Arizona", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Arizona Secretary of State, Business Services Division (Notary Department)", "board_url": "https://azsos.gov/business/notary", "application_url": "https://apps.azsos.gov/apps/notary/application/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is filed through the Secretary of State's web application and must be completed before the commission lapses: the manual refers to filing before '11:59 pm of the expiration date of a current commission', and states that 'A notary who fails to renew a commission has let it expire.' There is no grace period in which an expired notary may keep working — 'If an individual reapplies after a commission expires, he or she may not notarize documents until receiving the new commission from the Secretary of State's office', though 'The notary may reapply at any time for a new commission.' The exam applies to renewals: 'Notaries renewing their commission after July 1, 2025 must take and pass the Arizona Notary exam prior to filing a renewal application.' A new seal is mandatory on reappointment: 'Upon reappointment as a notary, the notary must obtain a new seal that contains the notary's new commission expiration date before he or she performs any notarizations.' A renewal is otherwise a fresh application — bond, fees and qualifications all apply again. No continuing education is required (see the continuing-education details on this page).", "ce_hours": "No continuing education requirement. The phrase 'continuing education' does not appear anywhere in the 66-page Notary Public Reference Manual (revision 2026-03-25), which reproduces both the governing statutes and the Administrative Rules, and no CE obligation appears on the Secretary of State's Notary, New Notary or Remote & eNotary pages — the four sources checked. What recurs each term is not education but examination: since July 1, 2025 every renewing notary must pass the Arizona notary exam before filing the renewal application (A.R.S. § 41-270). That is a per-renewal competency test, not continuing education.", "exam": "Required for every new and renewing Arizona notary since July 1, 2025 — a genuinely recent change that older descriptions of Arizona as a no-exam state get wrong. Authority: A.R.S. § 41-270, which the manual quotes as providing that 'The Secretary of State may require an applicant for a commission as a notary public, an applicant who is renewing a commission or a notary public with a suspended commission to pass an examination administered by the Secretary of State or an entity approved by the Secretary of State.' The Secretary of State states: 'Beginning July 1, 2025, all new and renewing Arizona notaries public will be required to pass this examination', and for renewals specifically, 'Notaries renewing their commission after July 1, 2025 must take and pass the Arizona Notary exam prior to filing a renewal application.' Two official Arizona sources conflict on the vendor, the fee and the retake rule, and both are recorded here rather than resolved. (A) The Secretary of State's live website does not speak with one voice: its notary page currently carries three separate exam statements, one above the other, and the office has withdrawn none of them (all three blocks were on the page on August 17, 2026, again on September 2, 2026, and again on September 17, 2026, unchanged). First, an operational notice: 'Remote Notary Exam Notice! Due to a technical issue, the option to take the Notary Exam remotely has had to be temporarily suspended. We have identified and are pursuing a potential solution to bring back the remote option. In the meantime, the exam can still be taken at any one of Prometric's 12 statewide testing sites (Flagstaff, Goodyear, Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson, Yuma.) If you have already registered with Prometric and paid to take a Notary Public exam remotely, please contact Prometric for options.' That notice was absent from the page on 2026-01-31 and present by 2026-06-12. Second, a shorter exam block, which appeared on the page between 2026-07-10 and 2026-08-17: 'The examination can be taken remotely or at any of Pearson's testing sites. A $35 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination. A passing score of 80% is needed to renew or start your notary commission. The examination will consist of 45 basic questions drawn directly from the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual and must be completed within 60 minutes. The examination is \"open book\". The examination can be taken 3 times, after the 3rd fail, you will be required to wait 30 days to reschedule. Pearson Customer Support: 888-405-5776.' Third, the page's original exam announcement, stamped 'Mar 25, 2025' and still published unedited below the other two: 'The examination will be proctored by Prometric, a state-approved professional test administration vendor... The examination can be taken at any of Prometric's ten testing sites in Arizona or taken remotely. A $46.75 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination... If the examination is failed, it can be retaken after 30 days.' The application Filing Tips on the New Notary page point to the second of these: 'Prior to completing your application, you MUST contact Pearson to register for the Notary Exam and obtain a Candidate ID Number.' The same block adds that 'The manual is built into the examination. A physical copy is NOT allowed at testing sites or during remote testing.' (B) The Notary Public Reference Manual (official, revision dated 2026-03-25, page 14) says: 'Testing is available at any Prometric test site and remote exam options are available. Fees: $46.75 paid to Prometric. The exam is 45 question 60 minute multiple choice exam, an applicant must receive a score of at least 80% to receive a passing score. The exam score is good for 90 days after achieving a passing score. If you do not pass the exam you must wait 30 days before taking the exam again. If you fail the exam three times you must wait one year before retaking the exam again. Suspended or notaries under discipline will receive a different exam administered by the Secretary of State.' What agrees across every official statement: 45 questions, 60 minutes, an 80% passing score, and that the exam is required of new and renewing notaries since July 1, 2025. What conflicts: the vendor (Pearson in the newer website block and in the Filing Tips; Prometric in the older website block and in the manual), the fee ($35 versus $46.75), the consequence of failing three times (30 days to reschedule versus a one-year wait), and - the one that can waste a booking - whether the exam can be taken remotely at all. The Secretary of State's remote-exam notice says the remote option is 'temporarily suspended' and directs candidates to in-person sites; the newer website block and the manual both say the exam can be taken remotely. The office publishes all of these at once and has withdrawn none of them, so this page reports the conflict rather than choosing a side. Practical effect: a remote sitting may not be available, and the vendor, the fee and the remote option are worth confirming with the Secretary of State's Business Services before paying for anything. Only the manual states the 90-day validity of a passing score and the separate examination for suspended/disciplined notaries. An applicant misdirected to the wrong vendor cannot sit the exam, so the registration path is best checked against the Secretary of State's own application materials before booking. The website is the more likely operative source because the application Filing Tips route applicants to Pearson for a Candidate ID as an application prerequisite, but the manual carries the later revision date, so this is stated as a conflict, not a resolution.", "fees": "Paid to the Secretary of State on application — the manual's own arithmetic: '$25.00 Application fee + $18.00 Notary bond filing fee = $43.00 Total'. The manual describes these as 'required to be pre-paid to the Secretary of State's office when applying to become an Arizona notary. Checks or money orders should be made payable to \"Arizona Secretary of State.\"' The Secretary of State's website adds 'A nonrefundable fee is required to process all applications.' Other office fees (manual, Office Fee Schedule): Notarial Capacity Certificate $18.00; Duplicate Commission Certificate $18.00; Change of Mailing or Home Address — 'If notification made within 30 days of change: No Charge / If notification is NOT made within 30 days of change: $25.00 (penalty)'. NSF: the Secretary of State's notary page states 'Any transactions that are returned due to insufficient funds in your account will incur an NSF fee of $25.00 in addition to the original charge incurred. This fee will be applied for each occurrence of a returned transaction.' Examination fee - conflicting official figures, and the conflict is inside the Secretary of State's own page, see the exam section on this page: one block of the notary page says 'A $35 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination', with the candidate registering through Pearson, while a second block lower on the same page says 'A $46.75 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination', with Prometric as the proctor - and the Notary Public Reference Manual (rev. 2026-03-25) agrees with the second, 'Fees: $46.75 paid to Prometric'. Both figures were on the page as of 2026-09-02. Either way the exam fee is paid to the test vendor, not to the Secretary of State. Electronic / remote online notary: no fee — 'there is no additional fee or bond at this time to become an Electronic or Remote Online Notary.' Costs not set by the state: the bond premium, the seal and the journal. The manual: 'There are also additional costs associated when applicants obtain a notary bond, notary seal and journal. Costs for these services vary and applicants are encouraged to research companies to secure the best price and quality of service.' Penalty fees: failure to report a lost, stolen or compromised seal or journal within 10 days carries 'a civil penalty of $1,000 [that] shall be assessed and must be paid prior to the renewal of the notary's commission [A.R.S. § 41-323(C)]'; failure to surrender the journal and seal within three months of resignation, expiration, revocation or death carries a forfeiture of 'not less than $50 nor more than $500' (A.R.S. § 41-317).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-312(E)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The qualifications for an Arizona notary public commission — Arizona residency, minimum age 18, ability to read and write English, U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residence, and the felony / moral-turpitude bar.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/business/notary-public/new-notary\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-270\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Examination of notaries public — authorizes the Secretary of State to require applicants, renewing applicants, and notaries with suspended commissions to pass an examination administered by the Secretary of State or an approved entity. The basis of the examination required of all new and renewing notaries since July 1, 2025.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-269(D), (G)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The four-year $5,000 notary bond; and that payment of fees does not constitute ownership of a commission, with the journal and seal remaining the notary's property where the journal contains public records.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-267(B)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Duty of a seal vendor to obtain and retain for four years a copy of the commission certificate before manufacturing a notary seal, including out-of-state vendors.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-317\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Surrender of the notary journal, seal and records to the Secretary of State on resignation, expiration, revocation or death, within three months, on pain of forfeiting not less than $50 nor more than $500.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-319 and § 41-319(E)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary journal requirement and its five-year retention; ownership of a journal containing only non-public records passing to the employer when the notary leaves that employment.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-323(B), (C)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Ten-day notification to the Secretary of State of a lost, stolen or compromised seal or journal, and the $1,000 civil penalty for failing to notify, payable before the commission may be renewed.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-328\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prohibited notary conduct — unauthorized practice of law, immigration consulting, false or deceptive advertising, and the bar on a non-attorney notary using the terms 'notario' or 'notario publico'; the required advertising disclaimer.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. §§ 38-412, 38-413\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory conspicuous posting of the schedule of notarial fees; and liability to the aggrieved party for four times any fee unlawfully demanded and received.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. §§ 41-252 through 41-255\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial duties and satisfactory evidence of identity, including personal knowledge and credible-witness identification.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.A.C. R2-12-1205, R2-12-1206 (Article 12, Electronic Notarization)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic seal design and the requirement of one unique electronic seal per commission period; exclusive control of the electronic signature and seal.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.A.C. R2-12-1301, R2-12-1302, R2-12-1305, R2-12-1309 (Article 13, Remote Online Notarization)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"RON definitions (communication technology, credential analysis, dynamic knowledge-based authentication assessment, identity proofing, multi-factor authentication, remote presentation); the requirement of written authorization from the Secretary of State to perform RON; identity-proofing standards; and the mandatory permanent tamper-evident electronic journal with the bar on recording remote acts in the paper journal.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Laws 2018, Chapter 13, Section 12\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requires all notaries public to use an official seal imprinted with the notary's commission number.\", \"url\": \"https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/53leg/2R/laws/0013.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"A.R.S. § 41-254(C)-(D) and § 41-263(E), as amended by Laws 2026, Chapter 31 (S.B. 1479) — approved April 9, 2026, effective September 12, 2026\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Deed fraud. Requires an Arizona notary to take the signer's right thumbprint in the notary journal when notarizing a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, other document affecting real property, or a power of attorney; permits the left thumb or any available finger, so noted, where the right thumb is not available, and a noted explanation where the signer is physically unable to give a print; and exempts foreclosure trustee's deeds, deeds of release and reconveyance, and remote online notarizations whose journal entry carries the signer's identification credential number and whose audiovisual recording is kept for at least seven years. In force since September 12, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/laws/0031.htm\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-09-02", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Arizona Secretary of State, Notary Public — the authority's main notary page. Establishes the commissioning body and the unusually narrow scope of Arizona notarial acts: 'The Secretary of State records and maintains notary public commissions in Arizona' and 'In Arizona, notaries can perform only acknowledgments, jurats, copy certifications, and oaths and affirmations.' Carries the live Notary Exam Notice and the SB 1479 'Important Upcoming Changes' banner, plus the NSF fee ('an NSF fee of $25.00 in addition to the original charge incurred'). Read live 2026-08-12 in a browser session.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/business/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona Secretary of State, New Notary — establishes eligibility verbatim from A.R.S. § 41-312(E) ('Be an Arizona resident. Be at least 18 years of age. Be able to read and write English. Be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States. Not have a conviction for a felony unless civil rights have been restored...'), the exam-first application sequence ('Prior to completing your application, you MUST contact Pearson to register for the Notary Exam and obtain a Candidate ID Number'), and the bond parameters the Secretary of State sets ('Our office does not provide notary bonds... A bond must include: Principal name and signatures; Commission effective and end dates; Issue date; Your county of residence; Counter signatures; Oath of office and notarization'). Read live 2026-08-12.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/business/notary-public/new-notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona Secretary of State, Remote & eNotary — establishes that eNotary and RON are separate authorizations with their own commission numbers, the registration prerequisites ('You must contract with a vendor that provides the technology...'; 'Your application must provide the name and website URL of the vendor'), the absence of extra cost ('there is no additional fee or bond at this time to become an Electronic or Remote Online Notary'), the vendor-neutrality statement ('The Arizona Secretary of State does not endorse any particular third-party vendors'), and the fee cap applying to remote work ('NOTARY FEES SHALL BE FROM \\\"NO CHARGE UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $10.00 PER NOTARIAL ACT\\\". THIS INCLUDES ELECTRONIC AND REMOTE ONLINE NOTARY FEES'). Read live 2026-08-12.\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/business/notary-public/remote-enotary\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual, Arizona Department of State / Office of the Secretary of State, Business Services Division — revision dated 2026-03-25, 66 pages, read in full. The single richest source behind this page and the source of the seal specification, the fee schedule ('$25.00 Application fee + $18.00 Notary bond filing fee = $43.00 Total'), the bond rules ('a four-year $5,000 notary bond [A.R.S. §§ 41-269(D)]'), the four-year term ('An Arizona notary public serves a four-year term'), journal retention and surrender, the fee-posting and mileage rules, and the reproduced statutes and Administrative Rules (Articles 12 and 13). Also the source of the CONFLICTING exam facts ('Testing is available at any Prometric test site... Fees: $46.75 paid to Prometric... If you fail the exam three times you must wait one year before retaking'). Retrieved 2026-08-12 (7,239,908 bytes).\", \"url\": \"https://azsos.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Notary-Manual-20260325.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona Secretary of State, Notary Search — the official public verification portal. Field list and instruction text verified live on 2026-08-12 by enumerating the page's actual form controls; supports name, Notary ID, business name, ZIP or county, and filters for active-only and Electronic/Remote-only notaries.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.azsos.gov/apps/notary/search/Default.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona Secretary of State, notary web application — where a new or renewing applicant actually files. Linked from the Secretary of State's notary pages as the New Arizona Notary Web Application and 'Renew my Notary Commission'.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.azsos.gov/apps/notary/application/\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona Secretary of State, Electronic/Remote Notary Request application — the filing that produces the separate Electronic and Remote commission numbers; the applicant must have the vendor and technology details to hand to complete it.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.azsos.gov/apps/notary/application/EApplication.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona State Legislature, Laws 2018, Chapter 13 — cited by the Secretary of State for the requirement that every notary seal be imprinted with the notary's commission number (Section 12). Linked by the Secretary of State from its own Remote & eNotary page.\", \"url\": \"https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/53leg/2R/laws/0013.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona State Legislature, enrolled text of Laws 2026, Chapter 31 (S.B. 1479), captioned 'deeds; identification; forgery; notice; notaries' — the source of the thumbprint duty now in force. Section 6 rewrites A.R.S. § 41-254 as 'Personal appearance required; thumbprint; exceptions' and Section 7 amends § 41-263(E) to make the seven-year remote-notarization retention an express exception to its five-year rule. Ends 'APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 9, 2026. FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 9, 2026' with no emergency clause and no separate effective-date section, so the session's general effective date governs. Read live on September 17, 2026. Unlike azsos.gov, this site can be read automatically, so we can re-check it on the weekly schedule.\", \"url\": \"https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/laws/0031.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Arizona State Legislature home page — the source of the general effective date that governs every 2026 act without its own effective-date clause: 'The Arizona Legislature has adjourned Sine Die 2026 – Fifty-seventh Legislature – Second Regular Session: June 13, 2026' and 'The General Effective Date for the 57th 2nd Regular Session is September 12, 2026.' Read live 2026-09-17.\", \"url\": \"https://www.azleg.gov/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/az-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ca-notary", "state": "California", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "California Secretary of State, Notary Public Section", "board_url": "https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary", "application_url": "https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/qualifications", "renewal_cycle": "Reappointment on a fresh application - California has no simple renewal. Every reappointment requires the three-hour approved refresher course (or a new six-hour course if the current commission expires first), a new written examination, a new $40.00 application fee, a new set of fingerprints ('one set of classifiable fingerprints... for each notary public commission term'), and a new oath and bond filed with the county clerk within 30 days of the new commission's commencement date. Timing published by the SOS: 'If you took the exam at least six weeks prior to the expiration date on your current notary public commission, your new notary public commission will not be sent to you more than 30 days before the expiration date.' The three-hour refresher is only usable if the notary applies for reappointment before the current commission expires. Gov't Code 8209(a) treats an expired commission that is not reappointed within 30 days as ending the notary's authority: all notarial records and papers must then be delivered to the county clerk. No fee is charged for filing a name change or address change with the SOS, but a name change requires a new oath and an amendment to the bond filed with the county clerk within 30 days of the amended commission (8213(c)).", "ce_hours": "There is no periodic continuing-education requirement in hours per year. The only recurring education is the three-hour approved refresher course required before each reappointment under Gov't Code 8201(b)(2) - and it is only usable if the notary applies for reappointment before the current commission expires; otherwise the full six-hour course must be repeated. Both the six-hour and three-hour Proof of Completion certificates are valid two years from issuance. No other continuing education appears in Gov't Code ch. 3 (8200-8230), on the SOS qualifications page, the education checklist page or the SOS notary FAQs.", "exam": "Required for every commission, including every reappointment. Gov't Code 8201(a)(4) requires satisfactory completion of 'a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State to determine the fitness of the person to exercise the functions and duties of the office of notary public,' with 'All questions... based on the law of this state as set forth in the booklet of the laws of California relating to notaries public distributed by the Secretary of State' (the Notary Public Handbook). Administered for the SOS by CPS HR Consulting - registration at notary.cpshr.us or (916) 263-3520. Format and score, per the SOS 'Take the Exam' page: a written exam taken at an exam site, where the applicant also hands in the completed application, the Proof of Completion certificate, a 2x2 color passport photo and the fee; 'Exam results will be available 15 business days after the examination... A score of 70 or more is required to pass the exam.' The exam administrator gives a longer timeline: CPS HR Consulting says results 'will be sent approximately 15-20 business days following the exam' (CPS HR, Notary Exam Information page). Fee: '$40.00 exam and application processing fee (or $20.00 exam fee for applicants who previously took the exam and failed). Payment must be by check or money order made payable to the Secretary of State.' Retakes: 'The examination may be re-taken, but may not be taken more than once in the same calendar month.' Fingerprints are taken only after passing, and must be taken within one year of the exam date or the applicant must retest.", "fees": "State fees, from the Secretary of State's published Forms, Services and Fees table (sos.ca.gov/notary/forms): New or Reappointing Commission Application $40.00, 'Fee payable at exam site in the form of a check or money order only'; Exam retake $20.00, likewise payable at the exam site; Duplicate Commission Certificate $10.00; Name Change Application, Address Change, Seal Authorization Request, Report of Lost or Stolen Seal and/or Journal, Report of Notary Journal Seizure and Notary Resignation are all 'No Fee'; Special Handling $6.00, which applies to 'Each Notary Commission form' and 'Applies to all requests received in-person' (Gov't Code 12182, 2 CCR 21903). Live Scan: 'Call Live Scan site for processing fees' - the SOS publishes no amount, and the fingerprint page says to bring 'A fingerprint processing fee and an additional rolling fee. Please call the Live Scan site to verify the amount of the rolling fee.' County: the notary pays the bond recording fee 'specified in Section 27361 of the Government Code' (Gov't Code 8213(d)), which the SOS does not publish an amount for; the amount is set by county recorder statute and is not stated here. Government-entity notaries under Gov't Code 8202.5 have state and county filing fees waived. Private purchases not set by the state: the surety bond premium, the journal ('Journals may be purchased through local stationary supply stores'), the seal (which must come from an SOS-authorized manufacturer), and the approved six-hour or three-hour education course.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Cal. Gov't Code, Title 1, Div. 1, Ch. 3 (sections 8200-8230)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment and four-year term, eligibility, six-hour education and the written examination, fingerprinting, the sequential journal and thumbprint rule, the official seal, the $15,000 bond and 30-day county filing, the maximum notarial fees, delivery of records to the county clerk, and the advertising and 'notario publico' restrictions.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"citation\": \"Cal. Gov't Code 8201, 8201.1, 8201.2\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requirements for appointment (residency, age 18, six-hour approved course, written exam), the fingerprint/DOJ-FBI background check, and the Secretary of State's approval of education courses.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"citation\": \"Cal. Gov't Code 8206, 8206.5, 8209\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The one-active-sequential-journal duty and its required entries including the real-property/power-of-attorney thumbprint, the 30-cents-per-page public copy right and 15-business-day response, and delivery of all notarial records to the county clerk on resignation, disqualification, removal, expiration or death.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"citation\": \"Cal. Gov't Code 8207, 8212, 8213\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The official seal's required elements, shape and size and its destruction on termination; the $15,000 bond from an admitted surety insurer with no deposit in lieu; and the 30-day filing of the oath and bond with the county clerk without which 'the commission shall not take effect'.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"citation\": \"Cal. Gov't Code 8211 (as amended by AB 2217, Stats. 2016, Ch. 133, eff. Jan. 1, 2017)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum fees a notary public may charge, including $15 per signature for an acknowledgment or proof and $15 for a jurat, and the no-fee rules for voting materials and veterans' benefit claims.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"citation\": \"Cal. Gov't Code 8219.5\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The bilingual advertising notice a non-attorney notary must post, and the prohibition on translating 'notary public' as 'notario publico' or 'notario', with mandatory suspension or revocation for violations.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"citation\": \"Cal. Civil Code 1181 (and 1185, 1189(b))\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Which officers other than notaries may take a proof or acknowledgment and where; satisfactory evidence of identity; and recognition of out-of-state notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1181\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.B. 696 (2023) - remote online notarization\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Signed into law but not operative: per the Secretary of State, it 'does not take effect until the Secretary of State certifies that it has completed the technology project necessary to implement the new provisions, or on January 1, 2030 (whichever comes first).'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/faqs\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"California Secretary of State, 'Become a Notary Public' - the requirements ('be 18 years of age or older (there is no maximum age set by statute); be a legal California resident; complete a course of study approved by the Secretary of State; satisfactorily complete and pass a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State; clear a background check'), the seven-step checklist, the conviction-disclosure rules and the disqualifying-conviction list.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/qualifications\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS checklist, 'Complete Approved Education' - 'All persons seeking appointment as a notary public must satisfactorily complete a Secretary of State approved six-hour course of study prior to appointment'; the three-hour refresher rule and its expiration trap; and 'A Proof of Completion certificate evidencing completion of a six-hour education course is valid for a period of two years from the date of issuance.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/checklist/complete-approved-education/\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS checklist, 'Take the Exam' - 'A score of 70 or more is required to pass the exam'; 'The $40.00 exam and application processing fee (or $20.00 exam fee for applicants who previously took the exam and failed)'; results in 15 business days; 'may not be taken more than once in the same calendar month.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/checklist/take-exam/\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS checklist, 'Submit Fingerprints via Live Scan' - fingerprints only after passing the exam, within one year of the exam date, transmitted to DOJ and FBI; 'A notary public commission will not be issued until a report from the DOJ and the FBI is received stating that there is no criminal history.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/checklist/fingerprints/\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS checklist, 'File Notary Public Oath & Bond' - the oath and bond must be filed with the county clerk of the county of the principal place of business 'within 30 calendar days from the commencement date of the commission. This 30 day period cannot be extended.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/checklist/bond/\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS checklist, 'Purchase Notary Public Materials' - the bond, 'one active sequential journal for all their notarial acts', and the seal from the authorized manufacturers list ('These are the only manufacturers that are authorized to make notary public seals').\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/checklist/materials/\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS 'Forms, Services, and Fees' - the published fee table: New or Reappointing Commission Application $40.00 ('Fee payable at exam site in the form of a check or money order only'), Exam retake $20.00, Duplicate Commission Certificate $10.00, name/address/seal/resignation forms 'No Fee', Special Handling $6.00 per notary commission form for in-person requests, and 'Call Live Scan site for processing fees'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/forms\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS Notary Public FAQs - the SB 696 remote online notarization answers ('No, California law requires a person to appear personally before a notary public'; the law 'does not take effect until the Secretary of State certifies that it has completed the technology project... or on January 1, 2030 (whichever comes first)'), the permitted electronic notarization answer, and the CPS HR exam administration details.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/faqs\"}, {\"label\": \"California Government Code ch. 3 (8200-8230), full chapter text - 'The term of office of a notary public is for four years' (8204); the journal and thumbprint duties (8206); the seal elements and sizes (8207); delivery of records to the county clerk (8209); the maximum fee schedule with '$15' per signature (8211); 'an official bond in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000)' (8212); the 30-day county filing that the commission depends on (8213); and the 'notario publico' prohibition (8219.5).\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&division=1.&title=2.&part=&chapter=3.&article=\"}, {\"label\": \"California Civil Code 1181 - the officers other than notaries who may take a proof or acknowledgment, and the county-of-appointment limit on their authority.\", \"url\": \"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1181\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS Notary Public Listing - the downloadable active-notary file, 'updated each business day', and the fields it contains (name, business name, mailing address, filing county code, commission number, commission expiration date).\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/notary-public-listing\"}, {\"label\": \"California SOS Notary Public Handbook page - links the current '2026 Notary Public Handbook (PDF)' and states the handbook 'contains California laws relating to notaries public and is designed to assist an applicant in preparing for the notary public examination.' We have not read the PDF itself.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/handbook\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ca-notary/" }, { "page_id": "co-notary", "state": "Colorado", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Colorado Secretary of State - Notary Program", "board_url": "https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/home.html", "application_url": "https://www.coloradosos.gov/notary/pages/common/intro.xhtml", "renewal_cycle": "Every four years. SOS FAQ A6: 'You must renew your commission every four years... You can renew up to 90 days prior to your commission expiration date.' Renewal is a fresh online filing with the same attachments as a new application - notarized affirmation, identification, an approved training-course completion certificate and an online-exam certificate (FAQ A7), each certificate no more than 90 days old (SOS renewal checklist). Colorado treats a lapsed commission as a renewal, not a new appointment: 'You will have to file a renewal and include a certificate of completion for an approved notary training course and a certificate showing successful completion of the online notary exam. The fee is the same as a new commission... Do not apply as a new notary if you have been a notary in Colorado before' (FAQ A8). A notary who no longer wants remote authority must resign the remote commission before filing the renewal, or the renewal will demand a fresh remote-notary training and exam certificate less than 90 days old (SOS 'Remote notarization' FAQ A22).", "ce_hours": "Colorado imposes no separate continuing-education hour requirement during a commission term; instead the approved training course and the examination must be repeated at every four-year renewal. SOS 'Applying and renewing' FAQ A7: 'Beginning July 1, 2018, both new notaries and notaries renewing their commissions must attend approved training and take an online examination,' and the renewal filing must include 'A certificate of completion for an approved notary training course' and 'A certificate showing successful completion of the online notary exam.' Remote notaries must additionally hold a remote-notary training and exam certificate no more than 90 days old at renewal (SOS 'Remote notarization' FAQ A22). Sources checked for any additional CE obligation: C.R.S. Title 24, Article 21, Part 5 in full as published by the Secretary of State; the SOS Notary Handbook (revised April 24, 2024); the SOS 'Applying and renewing' FAQ; the SOS Notary Public Training page; and the SOS renewal checklist PDF. None imposes periodic continuing education apart from the renewal training and exam. The notary program rules at 8 CCR 1505-11 could not be reviewed, so they were not searched.", "exam": "Required. C.R.S. 24-21-522(1): 'An applicant for a commission as a notary public who does not hold a commission in this state must pass an examination administered by the secretary of state or an entity approved by the secretary of state. The examination must be based on the course of study described in subsection (2) of this section.' In practice the Secretary of State also requires an exam certificate on renewal - FAQ A7 says renewing notaries must 'take an online examination', and A8 says an expired notary must file a renewal including 'a certificate showing successful completion of the online notary exam'. Delivery: online through the Secretary of State's eLearning system, free of charge - 'Online training and exam is free through our eLearning notary training course' (SOS Notary Public Training page). Administration detail from the SOS Notary Public Registration Checklist (revised 02/14/2025): the exam certificate must have been 'Issued within the last 90 days by our office', applicants are told 'Do not attach printouts of the exam questions', and 'once your application has been approved, your eLearning account will be removed' (also FAQ A12). Passing score, question count and time limit are not published in C.R.S. 24-21-522, on the SOS training page, or in the 'Applying and renewing' FAQ; any such standard would sit in the notary program rules (8 CCR 1505-11), which were not readable when this page was last verified - so no score is stated here. A separate remote-notary examination applies to remote-notary applicants (SOS 'Applying and renewing' FAQ A15; C.R.S. 24-21-514.5(3)(b)).", "fees": "From the Secretary of State's official notary fee schedule (https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/fees/notary.html, page footer 'Revised January 16, 2021 - subject to change without notice'), with every notary filing shown as online-only ('n/a' in the paper column): notary public application $10.00; notary public renewal $10.00; remote notary application $10.00; remote notary provider application $250.00; remote notary provider renewal $250.00; notary public change of record free; duplicate notary public certificate free; certificate of fact for a current notary public on file free. Paper-side items on the same schedule: authentication, apostille and magistracy $5.00 per document; notary public list $500.00. Training and examination through the Secretary of State's eLearning course are free ('Online training and exam is free through our eLearning notary training course', SOS Notary Public Training page); SOS-approved private vendors may charge their own price (C.R.S. 24-21-522(2)). No county recording fee applies - the commission is issued centrally by the Secretary of State and no county filing step appears in the statute or the application checklist. The stamp and journal are private purchases at unregulated prices: 'Our office does not provide notary stamps or journals' and 'Prices vary' (SOS 'Official stamps and journals' FAQ A2, A3). Sourcing caveat: Colorado publishes no paper notary application form, so the $10 figures are the agency's own published online fees rather than figures read off a live application form; the fee schedule's own revision date is January 16, 2021.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"C.R.S. Title 24, Article 21, Part 5 (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), sections 24-21-501 to 24-21-540\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Colorado notary scheme - notarial acts, commissioning, stamp, journal, electronic and remote notarization, fees and offences. Part 5 took effect July 1, 2018 (24-21-539) and is scheduled for repeal effective September 1, 2032 after sunset review (24-21-540)\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-521\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications for a commission, the lawful-presence check, the statutory affirmation, and the four-year term\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-522\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory examination for applicants not currently commissioned, and the course of study behind it\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-523\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition a commission - including the felony and dishonesty-misdemeanor bars\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-517 and 24-21-518\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Official stamp contents, the prohibition on seal embossers, and disposal, loss or theft of the stamping device\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-519\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory journal, required entries, format, ten-year retention, inspection, and disposition to archives or employer\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-514.5\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote notarization by real-time audio-video communication: the pre-registration duty, the signer-location rules, prohibited records, the recording requirement and provider approval\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-520\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic notarization: technology selection and notification, and the required elements of the notary's electronic signature including the document authentication number\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-529\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum notary fees - $15 per document; up to $25 in lieu of that for the notary's electronic signature\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-531(3)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Establishes that a surety bond or insurance is voluntary, not a condition of commissioning\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.R.S. 24-21-510, 24-21-511, 24-21-512, 24-21-513\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who besides a Colorado notary may perform or have recognized a notarial act - Colorado judges and court clerks, out-of-state officers, tribal officers, and federal/military notarizing officers\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"8 CCR 1505-11 (Colorado Notary Program Rules)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Secretary of State rules on the examination and course of study, electronic records, remote notarization systems and storage systems (rulemaking authority: C.R.S. 24-21-527). Not reviewed for this page - the Code of Colorado Regulations viewer could not be read - and no fact on this page rests on the rules text\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/CCR/DisplayRule.do?action=ruleinfo&ruleId=2904&deptID=20&agencyID=104&deptName=1505%20Department%20of%20State&agencyName=1505%20Secretary%20of%20State&seriesNum=8%20CCR%201505-11\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Colorado Secretary of State, Notary Public program home - the authority's own hub; links the handbook, statutes, training, exam, remote notarization and 'Verify a notary', and carries the 12/01/2020 rulemaking notice 'to implement Senate Bill 20-096 concerning remote notarization'\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/home.html\"}, {\"label\": \"C.R.S. Title 24 Article 21 Part 5 (RULONA), full text as published by the Secretary of State - source for the four-year term ('the secretary of state shall issue a commission as a notary public to an applicant for a term of four years'), the qualification list, the exam mandate, the rectangular-stamp and no-embosser rules, the journal duty ('A notary public shall maintain a journal in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts'), the $15/$25 fee caps, and the voluntary-bond provision ('Nothing in this part 5 shall be construed to deny a notary public the right to obtain a surety bond or insurance on a voluntary basis')\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/laws/RULONA.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS notary fee schedule - 'Notary public application $10.00', 'Notary public renewal $10.00', 'Remote notary application $10.00', 'Remote notary provider application $250.00'; footer 'Revised January 16, 2021 - subject to change without notice'\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/info_center/fees/notary.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS 'Applying and renewing' notary FAQ - the eligibility list, the attachment list, 'You must renew your commission every four years. The commission term begins on the date you are approved as a notary', and 'Beginning July 1, 2018, both new notaries and notaries renewing their commissions must attend approved training and take an online examination'\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/FAQ/apply.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS Notary Public Registration Checklist and affirmation instructions (PrintableAttachmentInfoApply.pdf, revised 02/14/2025) - the documents that must be uploaded, the 90-day freshness rule on training and exam certificates ('Issued within the last 90 days'), and the four permitted RULONA titles (Notary Public, Clerk, Deputy Clerk, Judge)\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/files/PrintableAttachmentInfoApply.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS notary renewal checklist (PrintableAttachmentInfoRenew.pdf) - the attachment set for a renewal filing\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/files/PrintableAttachmentInfoRenew.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS Notary Handbook (revised April 24, 2024) - journal duties, retention and the certified-copy procedure; stamp and expiration-date guidance; the prohibited-acts list including 'Charge more than $15 (or $25 for an electronic signature or remote signature) per notarization' and the ban on advertising as 'notario' or 'notario publico' (C.R.S. 24-21-525(3)); and the fee-disclosure rule\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/files/notaryHandbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS Notary Public Training page - 'Online training and exam is free through our eLearning notary training course' and the closed list of SOS-approved training vendors with approval numbers ('Our office will only accept training certificates from the vendors listed below')\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/notaryTraining.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS 'Official stamps and journals' FAQ - 'Yes. By law, your official stamp must be clearly applied under or near your official signature on every notary certificate', the stamp element list, 'The law does not specify a particular size or ink color', the journal duty with its single employer-record exception, and the end-of-commission journal options\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/FAQ/seals.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS 'Remote notarization' FAQ - 'The notary may charge up to twenty-five dollars for a remote notarial act', the approved-provider requirement, the bar on notarizing while the notary is physically outside Colorado, the electronic-vs-remote comparison table, and how to resign remote authority while keeping the commission\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/FAQ/remote.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS 'Electronic notary (eNotary) information' FAQ - 'This option is only available to Colorado notaries who are currently commissioned and have been approved as eNotaries by the Secretary of State's Office', the requirement that the signer still be physically present, and the document authentication number (DAN)\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/FAQ/eNotary.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS 'Verify a notary' public lookup - live form as we read it on August 12, 2026; fields are Last name (required), First name and Commission expiration date (mm/dd/yyyy), with a 'search by Notary ID' alternate search\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/notary/pages/public/verifyNotary.xhtml\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS bulk text file of all current commissioned notaries, linked from the notary home page as 'See all current notaries (TXT)'\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/notary/downloadFiles/CurrentCommissionedNotaries.txt\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS public list of approved remote notaries\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/notary/pages/public/remoteNotaryList.xhtml\"}, {\"label\": \"Colorado SOS online notary application entry point ('Become a notary' / 'Apply for a new commission')\", \"url\": \"https://www.coloradosos.gov/notary/pages/common/intro.xhtml\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/co-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ct-notary", "state": "Connecticut", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State, Business Services Division", "board_url": "https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Business-Services/Notary/Notary-Public-Licensing", "application_url": "https://www.elicense.ct.gov/", "renewal_cycle": "Every five years, by reappointment. C.G.S. 3-94d: 'A notary public may apply for reappointment on a form prescribed and provided by the Secretary, accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee of sixty dollars, and shall otherwise comply with all requirements for being appointed and serving as a notary public. Not later than ninety days before the expiration of the term of a notary public, the Secretary shall send the notary a notice of the expiration and a reappointment application form.' In practice the Secretary sends a renewal letter with a PIN roughly 90 days out and renewal is filed online through eLicense.ct.gov. The renewal window is bounded on both sides: 'A notary commission may only be renewed during the 90-day period before expiration and 90 days after expiration. If your commission has been expired for more than 90 days, you will need to request a reinstatement by emailing us at bsd@ct.gov' (Notary Public Licensing page). Reinstatement is not a renewal - it 'mirrors the requirements of a new application, and the cost is $120', including a fresh Jurat and Writing Sample (Notary Public Manual; licensing page: 'If you have previously been a notary in the state, but your commission has lapsed, you need to email our office and request a reinstatement -- you cannot use the new application process'). A renewing notary must take the oath of office again before performing notarial acts: 'All notaries, whether new or renewal appointments, must take an oath of office before they can perform any notarial acts' (licensing page).", "ce_hours": "None. Connecticut imposes no continuing education on notaries public. C.G.S. 3-94d conditions reappointment on the form, the $60 fee and compliance with the requirements for appointment; it names no education. Sources checked: C.G.S. chapter 33, secs. 3-94a through 3-95b in full as published by the Connecticut General Assembly; the 2026 Supplement to chapter 33 (which contains only Sec. 3-99h on benefit corporations - i.e. the 2025 session made no change to the notary sections); the State of Connecticut Notary Public Manual (Rev. 2026-1) in full; and the Secretary of the State's Notary Public Licensing page, including the renewal and reinstatement instructions. None imposes continuing education. What a renewing notary does face instead is the reappointment application, the $60 fee, a fresh oath of office, and - if C.G.S. 3-94d's 'shall otherwise comply with all requirements' is read to reach 3-94b(b)(3) - the examination; see the exam details on this page, where that unresolved conflict with the Secretary's fast-track PIN renewal is recorded.", "exam": "Required for appointment. C.G.S. 3-94b(b)(3): an applicant must 'Pass a written examination approved or administered by the Secretary.' The examination is not a separate proctored sitting - it is built into the online application: 'The application contains an examination that tests your understanding of the material contained in the manual. You must answer each question correctly before you will be provided a notary commission' (Secretary of the State, Notary Public Licensing, New Applicant Steps), and the Notary Public Manual adds that 'An examination is contained in the application process and the applicant completes the examination under oath.' Passing standard, therefore, is 100 percent - every question must be answered correctly - and there is no separate examination fee beyond the $120 application fee. Question count, time limit and retake rules are not published in C.G.S. 3-94b, in the Notary Public Manual (Rev. 2026-1) or on the Secretary of the State's licensing page. On renewal, two official sources point different ways and both are recorded here: C.G.S. 3-94d says a notary may apply for reappointment on the prescribed form with the $60 fee 'and shall otherwise comply with all requirements for being appointed and serving as a notary public' - which on its face includes the 3-94b(b)(3) examination - while the Secretary of the State's published renewal process is a PIN-based fast-track online renewal that describes no examination step ('Approximately 90 days before your commission expires, you will receive a letter from our office... It will provide you with a PIN to use through fast-track renewal'). This page states both and resolves neither. Reinstatement after a lapse is different and explicit: 'The reinstatement process mirrors the requirements of a new application, and the cost is $120' (Notary Public Manual, section on reinstatement).", "fees": "State fees, all set by statute and collected by the Secretary of the State: new appointment $120.00 nonrefundable (C.G.S. 3-94b(b)(4)(A); the licensing page repeats 'the statutory non-refundable application fee of $120' and 'The fee for a new notary commission is $120'); reappointment/renewal $60.00 nonrefundable (C.G.S. 3-94d; licensing page: 'the fee to renew a notary commission is $60'); reinstatement after a lapse of more than 90 days past expiration $120.00 - 'The reinstatement process mirrors the requirements of a new application, and the cost is $120' (Notary Public Manual); replacement certificate of appointment $5.00 (C.G.S. 3-94b(e)); change of name $15.00 to the Secretary (C.G.S. 3-94o(a); the licensing page confirms 'the $15 statutory fee for a name change'). Town-clerk fees, which are separate from the state fee: recording the certificate of appointment and oath of office costs $20.00, 'set by Section 7-34a of the Connecticut General Statutes' (Notary Public Manual); recording a replacement certificate after a name change costs a further $15.00 paid to the town clerk (C.G.S. 3-94o(a)). Fee waivers: state police majors, captains, lieutenants and sergeants are appointed with no application fee (C.G.S. 3-94e(a)); the Secretary's licensing page extends an application-fee waiver to active state employees generally, claimed by answering 'yes' to application question 18 and 'subject to audit to verify that they are an active state employee'. Two official sources conflict on the address-change fee, and both are recorded: C.G.S. 3-94n requires a change-of-address notice within thirty days 'accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of fifteen dollars', while the Secretary of the State's Notary Public Licensing page says 'If you need to report an address change, please email us at bsd@ct.gov. We will send you a password reset link to your eLicense.ct.gov account, so you can make the address change yourself for free.' No exam fee and no education fee exist - the examination sits inside the application and the manual is free. The seal or stamp, if the notary chooses to use one, is a private purchase: 'All seals and stamps are obtained from private vendors at the notary's own expense' (manual, sec. 4.13).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"C.G.S. chapter 33, secs. 3-94a to 3-95b\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Connecticut notary scheme - definitions, appointment and qualifications, term and recording, reappointment, prohibited acts, signature and seal, liability, discipline, changes of name and address, resignation, death, fees, the notario prohibition, and remote notarization\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94b\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may be appointed (18+, resident or principal place of business in Connecticut), the written examination requirement, the $120 nonrefundable application fee, the one-year personal recommendation, denial grounds, and the $5 replacement certificate\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94c\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Five-year term ending on the last day of the month of appointment, and the duty to record the certificate of appointment and oath with the town clerk within thirty days\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94d\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Reappointment: the $60 nonrefundable fee, compliance with all requirements for appointment, and the Secretary's duty to send notice at least ninety days before expiration\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94e\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Fee-free appointment of state police majors, captains, lieutenants and sergeants, restricted to official police matters, using the state police seal and charging no fee\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94i, 3-94j and 3-94k\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary's signature; the optional official notarial seal and its destruction on resignation, revocation, lapse or expiration; and the contents of the seal or the substitute typed/printed wording when no seal is used\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94l, 3-94m\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notary and employer liability for official misconduct, and the Secretary's power to warn, reprimand, revoke or suspend\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-94n, 3-94o, 3-94p, 3-94q\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Thirty-day change-of-address notice with a $15 fee; change of name with a $15 fee to the Secretary and $15 to the town clerk; resignation procedure; and destruction of the seal and notice to the Secretary on death\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-95\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum notary fee - ten dollars per act plus travel at up to the IRS business standard mileage rate from July 1, 2026 (as amended by P.A. 26-81, sec. 13); this compiled chapter, revised to January 1, 2026, still prints the former five-dollar ceiling\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-95a\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Bar on notaries giving immigration legal advice, and the restriction on using or advertising the title notario or notario publico\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 3-95b (Public Act 23-28, effective October 1, 2023; amended by Public Act 24-97)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote notarial acts: communication technology, identity proofing, the out-of-state signer nexus test, mandatory delivery of the signed original paper record to the notary, the date-of-act rule, permissive rulemaking, and the eleven categories of records that may not be acknowledged remotely\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 1-24\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Which officers other than notaries may administer oaths in Connecticut\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_004.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 1-28 to 1-31a (Uniform Acknowledgment Act, chapter 6)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may take acknowledgments in Connecticut and elsewhere, including the attorney-outside-the-state provision amended by P.A. 23-28 sec. 2\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_006.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"C.G.S. 7-34a\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Town clerk fees, including the $20.00 fee for recording a notary's certificate of appointment and oath as cited by the Secretary of the State's Notary Public Manual. Not reviewed directly - the $20 figure is quoted from the manual, not from the text of 7-34a\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_092.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"Connecticut Public Act 26-81 (Substitute S.B. No. 294), Section 13\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Raises the maximum notary fee from five to ten dollars per act and replaces the flat 35-cents-per-mile travel charge with a rate that may not exceed the IRS business standard mileage rate; effective July 1, 2026 (approved May 26, 2026). Added to this page on 2026-09-02.\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/ACT/PA/PDF/2026PA-00081-R00SB-00294-PA.PDF\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-09-02", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Connecticut Secretary of the State, Notary Public Licensing - the authority's own page; source for 'The fee for a new notary commission is $120 and the fee to renew a notary commission is $60. Notary commissions are valid for five years', the New Applicant Steps (manual review, Jurat and Writing Sample, Certificate of Character, $120 fee, eLicense.ct.gov, 'Initial Application' and 'Notary Public Certification'), 'The application contains an examination that tests your understanding of the material contained in the manual. You must answer each question correctly before you will be provided a notary commission', the PIN fast-track renewal and its 90-days-before / 90-days-after window, the free address change, the $15 name-change fee, the state-employee fee waiver via application question 18, and the announcement that Public Act 23-28 'became effective October 1, 2023'\", \"url\": \"https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Business-Services/Notary/Notary-Public-Licensing\"}, {\"label\": \"State of Connecticut Notary Public Manual (Rev. 2026-1 - the file name still says Rev2023), published by the Office of the Secretary of the State - source for the optional seal ('Connecticut state law does not require that notaries obtain and use a seal, or rubber stamp'), the optional journal ('Connecticut state law does not require that notaries maintain a journal of their notarial acts. However, it is the very strong recommendation of the Office of the Secretary of the State that they do so') and its recommended contents, the optional bond/E&O ('The notary may elect to at least partially protect themselves... by purchasing a bond or errors and omissions insurance'), the $10.00 per-act fee ceiling effective July 1, 2026 (sec. 5.8), the $20.00 town clerk recording fee under Sec. 7-34a, the $120 reinstatement, and the remote-notarization chapter including that full remote online notarization is something 'Connecticut does not allow' and the FAQ answers on software, recordings and electronic execution\", \"url\": \"https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/Business-Services/Notary/State_of_Connecticut_Notary_Public_Manual_Rev2023.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut General Statutes chapter 33 (Secretary), current text as published by the Connecticut General Assembly - secs. 3-94a to 3-95b; source for the $120 and $60 fees, the 18+/resident-or-principal-place-of-business test, 'Pass a written examination approved or administered by the Secretary', the five-year term 'ending five years later on the last day of the month of appointment', the thirty-day town clerk recording duty, the optional-seal sections 3-94j and 3-94k, the $15 change-of-address and change-of-name fees, the pre-July-2026 $5.00 + $0.35/mile cap in 3-95, superseded by Public Act 26-81, Section 13, the notario provision in 3-95a, and the full text of the remote-notarization section 3-95b with its P.A. 23-28 / P.A. 24-97 history note\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut Public Act 23-28, 'An Act Concerning Remote Notarial Acts' (Substitute Senate Bill No. 1040), full enrolled text from the General Assembly - section 1 marked '(NEW) (Effective October 1, 2023)', including the delivery requirement in subsection (d) and the prohibited-record list in subsection (i) as originally enacted\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/ACT/PA/PDF/2023PA-00028-R00SB-01040-PA.PDF\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut General Statutes, 2026 Supplement to chapter 33 - checked on 2026-08-12 to confirm that the 2025 legislative sessions made NO change to the notary sections; the supplement to this chapter contains only Sec. 3-99h (benefit corporation registration voucher, P.A. 25-125)\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/sup/chap_033.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut General Statutes chapter 6, Uniform Acknowledgment Act - Sec. 1-29 'The acknowledgment of any instrument may be made in this state before: (1) A judge of a court of record or a family support magistrate; (2) a clerk or deputy clerk of a court having a seal; (3) a town clerk; (4) a notary public; (5) a justice of the peace; or (6) an attorney admitted to the bar of this state'\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_006.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut General Statutes chapter 4, Sec. 1-24 'Who may administer oaths' - the list of officers other than notaries who may administer oaths in Connecticut\", \"url\": \"https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_004.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut eLicense License Lookup - the public verification system the Secretary of the State points to for finding a notary's name, license number and status; live page as we read it on August 12, 2026 (ASP.NET WebForms with __VIEWSTATE, so results require a POST)\", \"url\": \"https://www.elicense.ct.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut eLicense - the application and renewal system itself ('Go to the eLicense.ct.gov website... select \\\"Online Services\\\"; \\\"Initial Application\\\" and \\\"Notary Public Certification\\\"')\", \"url\": \"https://www.elicense.ct.gov/\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut Secretary of the State - Jurat and Writing Sample form, required for every new notary application and every reinstatement and uploaded during the online application\", \"url\": \"https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/business-services/notary/elicense-forms/jurat-and-writing-sample.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut Secretary of the State - Certificate of Character form, to be completed and signed by a public official or reputable business or professional person unrelated to the applicant who has personally known the applicant for at least one year\", \"url\": \"https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/business-services/notary/elicense-forms/certificate-of-character.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Connecticut Secretary of the State - Change of Name form (emailed to bsd@ct.gov; $15 statutory fee invoiced afterwards)\", \"url\": \"https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/business-services/notary/elicense-forms/change-of-name-2023.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ct-notary/" }, { "page_id": "dc-notary", "state": "District of Columbia", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA)", "board_url": "https://os.dc.gov/service/notary-commissions", "application_url": "https://os.dc.gov/service/notary-commissions", "renewal_cycle": "Every five years, by online application - ONCA requires both new and renewal applicants to submit the DC Notary Application. The window matters and is published precisely: 'Current DC Notary Publics may submit an application to renew commissions ninety (90) to thirty (30) days before the current commission expires to maintain concurrent commission dates'; earlier than 90 days, 'ONCA may not accept applications... as applicant information may change'; later than 30 days before expiry, or after expiry, the application may still be filed and reviewed 'but the new commission start date will NOT be concurrent with the previous commission expiration date' and will instead run from approval and payment. Renewal applicants receive the Provisional Commission Notice by email within 3 business days of approval and payment, but no earlier than 60 days before the provisional commission start date, and must use it to buy new supplies and a new surety bond carrying the new commission dates; the commission window closes 60 days after the provisional start date and an expired notice cannot be re-dated - a new application is required. Training on renewal: orientation is required again only if the applicant 'has been uncommissioned for more than 1 year' (ONCA FAQ) or, per the application requirements, if 'the commission has been expired more than 12 months'; otherwise renewal applicants are invited to the DC Notary Open House, where they take the DC Notary Public Oath and receive the commission certificate. Mid-term changes (address, employer, name, lost or stolen supplies, resignation) each have their own ONCA form and must be reported within fifteen calendar days under 17 DCMR 2430.1.", "ce_hours": "No continuing-education hour requirement is published for District of Columbia notaries. D.C. Code 1-1231.21 requires training only of an applicant who does not already hold a District commission, and ONCA requires orientation again only where 'the commission has been expired more than 12 months' / the applicant 'has been uncommissioned for more than 1 year'. What renewing notaries get instead is voluntary: 'Renewal applicants are invited to the DC Notary Open House for important program and regulatory updates; to complete the DC Notary Public Oath; and receive the DC Notary Public Commission Certificate' (ONCA FAQ) - an invitation, and the venue for the oath and certificate, rather than a stated CE hour obligation. Endorsement-specific training is a one-time entry condition, not a recurring one: IPEN and remote endorsements each require completing training with a recognized vendor before the endorsement issues. Sources checked: D.C. Code chapter 12A, sections 1-1231.19, 1-1231.20, 1-1231.21 and 1-1231.23; the ONCA Notary Commissions page (application requirements, renewal instructions, FAQ, endorsement requirements); and the ONCA Notary Public Handbook (rev. 3-2022). Not searched: 17 DCMR chapter 24, the District's notary regulations, which 1-1231.31 authorizes; a CE rule could in principle live there, so this is a negative over the sources checked, not a claim about the regulations.", "exam": "No examination is published for a District of Columbia notary commission. D.C. Code 1-1231.19(c) sets the qualification list - age, citizenship or permanent legal residence, District residence or primary place of employment/practice, no disqualification under 1-1231.22, and any other qualification prescribed by the Mayor's rules - and names no test; 1-1231.19(d) lists the pre-issuance steps as the civil-officer oath, completion of 'a training class provided by the Mayor', and filing the signature and seal impression, again with no examination; and D.C. Code 1-1231.21, the mandatory-training section, requires completion of training rather than passage of a test. ONCA's own published requirements list and FAQ describe orientation attendance, not an exam, and its denial list ('Under 18', felony conviction, non-physical DC address, revoked commission) contains no exam failure. Sources checked: D.C. Code chapter 12A sections 1-1231.19, 1-1231.20, 1-1231.21 and 1-1231.23 in full; the ONCA Notary Commissions page including the application requirements and FAQ; and the ONCA Notary Public Handbook (rev. 3-2022). Not checked: 17 DCMR chapter 24 (the District's notary regulations), which 1-1231.19(c)(5) and 1-1231.31 authorize and which could in principle add a testing requirement; and the training material used at orientation. This page therefore states that no exam appears in the statute or in ONCA's published requirements, not that no rule could impose one.", "fees": "Application fee $75, for both new and renewal applicants - ONCA's Notary Commissions page lists 'Submit $75 application fee' among the general application requirements and answers 'How much is the application fee? $75' in its FAQ. The statute sets a floor rather than the number: D.C. Code 1-1231.19(b) - 'The Mayor shall issue rules setting an application fee; provided, that the application fee shall not be less than $75; provided further, that there is no application fee for a notary public in the service of the governments of the United States or District of Columbia whose notarial duties are confined solely to official government business.' Endorsement fee $30 for the IPEN endorsement and $30 for the Remote Notary endorsement (ONCA's endorsement requirement lists). Surety bond: $2,000 coverage bought from a licensed surety at the applicant's own cost - ONCA and the statute set the amount of coverage, not the premium, and no premium figure is published by ONCA. Supplies: the seal and sealer are bought privately - the Notary Public Handbook states 'Each notary public must furnish the notary seal and sealer at his or her own expense', and an inker is also required. No county or recording fee applies - the District commissions centrally through ONCA. What is not published, and is therefore not stated here: ONCA's page does not list a fee for a name change, address change, employer change or replacement commission (those are handled by change forms), and no such fee schedule was located in the sources checked (ONCA Notary Commissions page, ONCA FAQ, D.C. Code chapter 12A, Notary Public Handbook rev. 3-2022). 17 DCMR chapter 24 was not reviewed for this page, and it may set additional fees.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"D.C. Code Title 1, Chapter 12A (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), secs. 1-1231.01 to 1-1231.31, enacted by D.C. Law 22-189 (Dec. 4, 2018)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The District's entire notary scheme - notarial acts and personal appearance, remote notarization, certificates, official seal, journal, commissioning and electronic-notary endorsement, mandatory training, discipline, fees, the public database, prohibited acts and rulemaking\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/titles/1/chapters/12A\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.19 (as amended by D.C. Law 25-281, Mar. 7, 2025)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application to the Mayor; the $75 application-fee floor and the government-service fee exemption; the four qualifications; the pre-issuance oath, mandatory training class, and filing of signature and seal impression; the $2,000 surety bond or functional equivalent and the District-government exemption; the 5-year term; the District-only scope of the commission; and the electronic-notary endorsement\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.19\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.21 (as amended by D.C. Law 25-281, Mar. 7, 2025)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory training for an applicant who does not already hold a District commission, and the Mayor's duty to establish courses covering laws, rules, procedures and ethics\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.21\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.20 (as amended by D.C. Law 25-281, Mar. 7, 2025)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The bar on notarizing electronic records without an electronic-notary endorsement, technology selection, and the pre-act training, oath, technology identification and exemplar filing\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.20\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.13a (added by D.C. Law 24-178, Sept. 21, 2022; amended by D.C. Law 24-194, Dec. 13, 2022)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals: identity proofing, the audio-visual recording and its 10-year retention, the tangible-record declaration and 3-day mailing procedure, certificate wording, the pre-act notification to the Mayor, provider service-of-process, and Recorder of Deeds acceptance of a tangible copy of an electronic record\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.13a\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.16\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Contents of the official seal and the Mayor's authority to set its size and form by rule\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.16\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.18\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory journal - format, contemporaneous entries including the signer's signature, loss reporting, and transmission of the journal to the Mayor on resignation, revocation, suspension, death or incompetency\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.18\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.23\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notary fees set by the Mayor's rule; the no-charge rule for government-service notaries and for notarial officers other than notaries public; itemized actual-and-reasonable travel expense; and the right to waive or reduce a fee\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.23\"}, {\"citation\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.31\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Mayor's duty to issue implementing rules, and the technology-neutrality constraint on rules about electronic records\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.31\"}, {\"citation\": \"17 DCMR chapter 24 (District of Columbia notary regulations), including 17 DCMR 2430.1 as cited by ONCA for the 15-day change-reporting duty\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Mayor's rules implementing chapter 12A - the application fee amount, the notarial fee schedule, seal size and form, electronic-journal standards and change-reporting deadlines. Not reviewed for this page; the only element quoted from it here is the 15-day change-reporting duty, and that is quoted from ONCA's own citation of the rule rather than from the rule text\", \"url\": \"https://os.dc.gov/service/notary-commissions\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"ONCA 'Notary Commissions' page (Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia) - the authority's own current page, as we read it on August 12, 2026; source for the General Application Requirements including '18 years of age or older', 'United States citizen or permanent legal resident', the physical-DC-address and Business/Government, Dual and Residential commission definitions, the Letter of Request, 'Submit $75 application fee', 'Complete New Notary Orientation (If a new applicant or if the commission has been expired more than 12 months)', the 90-to-30-day renewal window and Provisional Commission Notice mechanics, the denial list, and the IPEN and Remote Notary endorsement requirements ('1 year as a commissioned DC notary public', '$30 endorsement fee', vendor training, technology registration, endorsement oath forms, and 'The DC Notary Public must be physically located in the District of Columbia while performing the virtual notarial act')\", \"url\": \"https://os.dc.gov/service/notary-commissions\"}, {\"label\": \"ONCA Notary Public Handbook (rev. 3-2022), Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia - source for the surety-bond chapter ('a surety bond in the amount of $2,000, covering the notary's five-year term. The bond is not an insurance policy'), the seal and sealer instructions ('A notary seal makes a raised impression in the paper... Each notary public must furnish the notary seal and sealer at his or her own expense' and the mandatory inker), the journal chapter including 'Upon termination of a commission for any reason the notary must turn the journal into the ONCA office', and the Schedule of Fees ('Residential and business notaries may not charge more than $5.00 per notarial act')\", \"url\": \"https://os.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/os/publication/attachments/Notary%20Public%20Handbook%203-2022.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.19 (D.C. Law Library) - the $75 fee floor and government-service exemption, the qualification list, the pre-issuance oath/training/seal-filing steps, the $2,000 assurance and its District-government exemption, the 5-year term, and the District-only scope of the commission\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.19\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.13a - the remote-notarization section, including 'Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarial act under this section, the notary public must notify the Mayor', the two-types-of-identity-proofing rule, the audio-visual recording retained 'for at least 10 years', and the 3-day mailing of a signed tangible record and declaration\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.13a\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.20 - 'A notary public shall not perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records unless the notary public has received an endorsement as an electronic notary', plus the pre-act training, oath, technology identification and exemplar filing\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.20\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.21 - mandatory training for applicants who do not already hold a District commission, and the Mayor's courses of study\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.21\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.18 - the mandatory journal, its required entries including the signer's signature, and the duty to transmit the journal to the Mayor on resignation, revocation or suspension and on death or incompetency\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.18\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.16 - contents of the official seal and the Mayor's rulemaking power over its size and form\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.16\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code 1-1231.23 - notary fees set by rule, the no-charge rules for government-service notaries and for non-notary notarial officers, and the itemized actual-and-reasonable travel expense provision\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-1231.23\"}, {\"label\": \"D.C. Code Title 1, Chapter 12A section listing (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts) - used to confirm the full section inventory including 1-1231.09 through 1-1231.13 (who may perform or have recognized a notarial act), 1-1231.22 (grounds to deny/revoke), 1-1231.24 (electronic database) and 1-1231.25 (prohibited acts)\", \"url\": \"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/titles/1/chapters/12A\"}, {\"label\": \"ONCA 'Search for a Notary Public' - the public verification service, an address-driven map plus an Open Data DC download; carries ONCA's caution that 'notaries public are not required to notarize documents simply because they appear on this list'\", \"url\": \"https://os.dc.gov/service/search-notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Open Data DC - 'Notary Public' dataset, the downloadable complete list of commissioned DC notaries that ONCA links from its search page\", \"url\": \"https://opendata.dc.gov/datasets/notary-public/about\"}, {\"label\": \"ONCA DC Notary Public map (ArcGIS Experience) - the interactive address search ONCA links as 'Notary Public Map'\", \"url\": \"https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6c62a9d85a3e43f780157db763f4ec9a\"}, {\"label\": \"ONCA E-Notary Handbook (7.10.23), Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia - the District's own electronic-notary guidance; downloaded and converted when this page was last verified and used only as corroboration that the District publishes separate e-notary guidance, with all endorsement facts in this record taken from the current ONCA Notary Commissions page and the D.C. Code\", \"url\": \"https://os.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/os/publication/attachments/E-Notary%20Handbook_7.10.23.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/dc-notary/" }, { "page_id": "de-notary", "state": "Delaware", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Governor of Delaware (commissioning authority), administered by the Delaware Department of State, Notary Public Section", "board_url": "https://notary.delaware.gov/", "application_url": "https://notary.delaware.gov/apply-notary-commission/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is filed online through the notary profile: 'You will log into your profile and click the \"Renew Commission\" link. Your current information will be displayed. Please review and update the information as required, then submit and pay for the renewal' (Secretary of State FAQ). Existing notaries who have never created a profile must first set one up at notaryforms.delaware.gov before they can renew. At renewal the notary elects a 2-year term ($60.00) or a 4-year term ($90.00) - 29 Del. C. 4307(a). Notice: 'You will receive an email notification, to the email you provided on your profile, approximately 30 days before your commission expires', and the Secretary of State points notaries at their own seal as the backstop - 'Please check your notary seal. Delaware law requires the commission expiration date to be contained in the seal' (FAQ). Because all correspondence including the commission certificate and renewal notices is sent only by email, keeping the profile email current is operationally load-bearing; the email field is the one field a notary cannot self-update and must be changed by contacting the Notary Public Section. Renewing under the new law: 29 Del. C. 4339 provides that a commission in effect on August 1, 2023 continues to its expiration date, but 'A notary public who applies to renew a commission as a notary public on or after August 1, 2023, is subject to and shall comply with this chapter' - and every notary performing acts after that date must comply, which is what brought the mandatory journal and the current stamp rules to the whole population. Resignation: a notary who resigns or who stops meeting the qualifications 'shall immediately mail or deliver the official commission to the Secretary of State, who shall cancel the same' (29 Del. C. 4307(d)).", "ce_hours": "None. Delaware imposes no continuing education on notaries public. 29 Del. C. 4307(a) conditions renewal only on the reappointment request and the $60 (2-year) or $90 (4-year) fee, and 29 Del. C. 4339 requires a notary renewing on or after August 1, 2023 to 'be subject to and shall comply with this chapter' - a compliance duty, not an education requirement. The Secretary of State's FAQ states plainly that 'Training is currently not required to become a notary', and its renewal instructions describe only reviewing the profile information, submitting and paying. Sources checked: 29 Del. C. chapter 43 subchapters I and II in full; the Secretary of State's How to Apply page; its FAQ page; and its Fee Information page (no education or exam line item exists). Not checked: any regulation the Secretary of State may have adopted under 29 Del. C. 4301(b)(6), 4301(e) or 4338 - the Delaware Administrative Code was not reviewed.", "exam": "Delaware requires no examination for a notary commission. 29 Del. C. 4301(b) sets out the complete statutory qualification list - age, citizenship or permanent legal residence, Delaware residence or place of employment/practice, ability to read and write English, absence of disqualification under 4334, and any additional requirements the Secretary of State sets by regulation - and no examination appears in it. The Secretary of State's 'How to Apply For a Notary Commission' page lists the requirements ('Must be at least 18 years of age... Must be able to read and write English... Must be of good character and reputation... Must have a reasonable need for a notary commission... Must be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States, and have a legal residence with a street address in Delaware OR maintain an office or place of employment within the State of Delaware') and names no test; the FAQ likewise says training is not required and describes no examination. Sources checked: 29 Del. C. 4301 through 4314 and 4315 through 4342 in full; the How to Apply page; the FAQ page; and the Fee Information page (which lists no examination fee). Not checked: regulations the Secretary of State may adopt under 29 Del. C. 4301(b)(6), 4301(e) and 4338 - the Delaware Administrative Code was not reviewed, so this page states that no exam appears in the statute or in the agency's published application requirements, not that no regulation could ever add one.", "fees": "State application fees, from the Delaware Secretary of State's own Fee Information table (notary.delaware.gov/fee-information/), all non-refundable: Traditional Notary - New, 2 year term only: $60.00; Traditional Notary - Renewal 2 year term: $60.00; Traditional Notary - Renewal 4 year term: $90.00; Limited Governmental Notary - New: $0.00; Corporate Application (Employer): $0.00; Employer Transfer Form: $0.00; Service Organization Notary - New (4 year term only): $0.00; Service Organization Notary - Renewal (4 year term only): $0.00; Replacement Commission Certificate: $0.00; Change of Name Certificate: $0.00; Good Standing Certificate: $30.00. The statute matches the application fees exactly: 29 Del. C. 4307(a) - 'An individual must pay a nonrefundable application fee of $60 for a 2-year term or $90 for a 4-year term.' Fees are non-refundable even if the application is rejected (FAQ, citing 4307(a)). Payment is by ACH e-check or Visa/MasterCard/Discover/American Express during the online application; employers expecting high volume may pre-fund a depository account with the Secretary of State and issue a Company ID that lets applicants bypass the payment screens. No county recording fee applies to the oath: 29 Del. C. 4308 expressly exempts notaries from the recordation of the oath of office otherwise prescribed by 9 Del. C. 9605(a). No separate fee is published for the electronic-record or remotely-located-individual notifications under 29 Del. C. 4333(b) and 4320(l) - neither appears on the fee table. The stamp or seal is a private purchase at an unregulated price: 'Does the State of Delaware provide my notary stamp/seal? No. You may order your stamp or seal from any office supply store, stamp supplier, or notary organization' (FAQ). A name change costs nothing to the state 'other than the cost for the new stamp', with up to 6 weeks allowed to obtain the new stamp (FAQ).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. ch. 43, subchapter I (secs. 4301-4314), 'Office and Duties'\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Commissioning and qualifications, the special appointment categories, the term and application fees, the oath of office, the maximum fees for services, and the free-service rule for armed forces and veterans documents\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4301\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application to the Governor, the five statutory qualifications, non-resident address and service-of-process rules, the 30-day change-of-address duty, the oath prerequisite, and the Secretary of State's regulatory authority\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4303, 4304, 4305, 4306\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Automatic appointments for justices of the peace and the Secretary of Finance; one notary per bank or branch; court reporters; and the free service-organization and limited governmental notary categories with their term, scope and no-fee limits\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4307\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Two-year initial term, 2- or 4-year reappointment at $60 or $90 nonrefundable, resignation and surrender of the commission, and perjury liability for false statements in an application\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4308\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Oath of office under Article XIV of the Delaware Constitution; exemption from county recordation under 9 Del. C. 9605(a); and the bar on performing notarial acts until the Secretary of State receives the executed oath\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4311 and 4312\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum fees - $5.00 for a tangible record and $25 for an electronic record, revocation and a 2-year reappointment bar for violation, the right to waive - and the prohibition on charging service members and veterans for VA-related acts\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. ch. 43, subchapter II (secs. 4315-4342), 'Notarial Acts' (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, 83 Del. Laws c. 425)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Authority to perform notarial acts, personal appearance, remote and electronic notarization, certificates, the official stamp and stamping device, the journal, prohibited acts, discipline, the public database and the applicability date of August 1, 2023\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4320\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals: communication technology, identity proofing, the audio-visual recording and its 10-year retention, the tangible-record declaration procedure and 3-day delivery, certificate wording, and the pre-act notification to the Secretary of State\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4328, 4330, 4331\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What a notarial certificate must contain and when the official stamp must be affixed; the contents of the official stamp; and stamping-device security, disabling and loss reporting\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4332\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory journal - one journal at a time, tangible or electronic, contemporaneous entries, 10-year retention, loss reporting, and transfer to the Secretary of State or an approved repository\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4333\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic-record notarization: technology selection, the pre-act notification to the Secretary of State, and a Recorder of Deeds accepting a tangible copy of an electronic record\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4334, 4335, 4336\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition a commission; the public database of notaries; and prohibited acts including the unauthorized practice of law, immigration consulting, the 'notario' ban and the mandatory non-attorney advertising disclaimer\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4323, 4324, 4325, 4326\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may perform a notarial act in Delaware without a notary commission, and recognition of acts performed under the authority of another state, a federally recognized Indian tribe, or federal law including military notarizing officers\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29 Del. C. 4339, 4340\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Transition: commissions in effect on August 1, 2023 continue to expiration, but renewals filed on or after that date and all acts performed after it are subject to the current chapter; the subchapter applies to notarial acts performed on or after August 1, 2023\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Delaware Notary Public official site (notary.delaware.gov), Department of State Notary Public Section - the authority's hub, linking the application, renewal, fee information, laws, FAQ, complaint filing, lost-seal reporting and the public database; carries the site-wide alert 'Information regarding the August 1, 2023 Legislative Updates'\", \"url\": \"https://notary.delaware.gov/\"}, {\"label\": \"Delaware Secretary of State, 'How to Apply For a Notary Commission' - source for the published requirement list ('Must be at least 18 years of age... Must be of good character and reputation... Must have a reasonable need for a notary commission... Must be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States, and have a legal residence with a street address in Delaware OR maintain an office or place of employment within the State of Delaware'), the certified-background-check rule for prior convictions, the non-resident service-of-process rule ('Use of a post office box, virtual office space, or a registered agent does NOT qualify'), the note that 'Notaries are NOT permitted to notarize outside of the boundaries of the State of Delaware', the three notary categories, and the pre-funded employer depository account\", \"url\": \"https://notary.delaware.gov/apply-notary-commission/\"}, {\"label\": \"Delaware Secretary of State, Notary Fee Information table - 'Traditional Notary New (2 year term only) $60.00', 'Renewal 2 year term $60.00', 'Renewal 4 year term $90.00', Limited Governmental Notary New $0.00, Service Organization Notary New and Renewal (4 year term only) $0.00, Replacement Commission Certificate $0.00, Change of Name Certificate $0.00, Good Standing Certificate $30.00\", \"url\": \"https://notary.delaware.gov/fee-information/\"}, {\"label\": \"Delaware Secretary of State, Notary Frequently Asked Questions - source for 'Are Delaware notaries required to be bonded? No.', 'Is training required to become a Notary Public? No. Training is currently not required to become a notary.', the seal specification ('either a metal embossing seal or a black-inked rubber stamp'), the journal answer ('Effective August 1, 2023, All Notaries commissioned are required to maintain a journal'), '$5.00 is the maximum a notary may charge per notarization', the travel-fee statement ('Delaware law does not address fees a notary may charge for travel'), the oath-after-commission step, the name-change and stamp-replacement process, and the open-data verification database\", \"url\": \"https://notary.delaware.gov/faqs/\"}, {\"label\": \"Delaware Code Title 29, Chapter 43, Subchapter I (Office and Duties), secs. 4301-4314 - source for the qualification list in 4301(b), the non-resident and change-of-address rules in 4301(c), the special appointment categories in 4303-4306, 'An individual is to be initially commissioned as a notary public for a term of 2 years... nonrefundable application fee of $60 for a 2-year term or $90 for a 4-year term' in 4307(a), the oath rule in 4308, the $5.00/$25 fee caps in 4311, and the armed-forces/veterans no-fee rule in 4312\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc01/index.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Delaware Code Title 29, Chapter 43, Subchapter II (Notarial Acts), secs. 4315-4342 - source for the remote-notarization section 4320 including the pre-act notification to the Secretary of State and the 10-year audio-visual retention, the certificate and stamp rules in 4328 and 4330-4331, the mandatory journal in 4332, the electronic-record notification in 4333, the prohibited acts and 'notario' ban in 4336, the database in 4335, and the August 1, 2023 applicability in 4339-4340\", \"url\": \"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c043/sc02/index.html\"}, {\"label\": \"State of Delaware Open Data - 'Notaries Commissioned in Delaware' dataset (the public notary verification database); columns confirmed live on 2026-08-12 as Full Name, Commission Number, Expiration, City, Remote, Electronic\", \"url\": \"https://data.delaware.gov/Licenses-and-Certifications/Notaries-Commissioned-in-Delaware/q8dr-mj6p\"}, {\"label\": \"Delaware notary profile / online filing system (notaryforms.delaware.gov) - where applications, renewals, name and address changes and the notary profile are filed; existing notaries without a profile must create one here before renewing\", \"url\": \"https://notaryforms.delaware.gov/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/de-notary/" }, { "page_id": "fl-notary", "state": "Florida", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Executive Office of the Governor, Notary Section (appointment, education materials, complaints and discipline) together with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Notary Commissions and Certifications Section (ministerial processing of applications, records, certifications)", "board_url": "https://www.flgov.com/eog/info/notary", "application_url": "https://www.flgov.com/eog/info/notary", "renewal_cycle": "There is no abbreviated renewal. 'No person may be automatically reappointed as a notary public. The application process must be completed regardless of whether an applicant is requesting his or her first notary commission, a renewal of a commission, or any subsequent commission' (F.S. 117.01(6)). Each new 4-year commission requires a full application, a new $7,500 bond and the $39 in state fees, submitted again through an approved bonding agency - so a Florida renewal is legally a reappointment. The one step a renewing applicant skips is the 3-hour education course: 'If you are renewing your notary commission, you may proceed directly to the next step.' A notary may evidently apply before the current commission expires - the Governor's office tells the notary to keep using the current seal until the old commission expires and not to use the new seal 'until the first day of your new commission' - but no specific early-filing window is published. Sources checked for an early-renewal window on 2026-08-12: F.S. ch. 117 in full, the Executive Office of the Governor's notary page, and the Governor's notary education page; none states one. A RON registration must be filed again after reappointment: 'Should you successfully reapply to be a notary public, you will then be allowed to reapply to be an online notary public.'", "ce_hours": "None. No continuing education is required to hold or renew a Florida notary public commission. The complete text of F.S. ch. 117 (ss. 117.01-117.305) contains no continuing-education requirement for a notary public; the Executive Office of the Governor's notary page instructs renewing applicants to skip education entirely ('If you are renewing your notary commission, you may proceed directly to the next step'); the Governor's Notary Education page describes only the 3-hour first-time instruction requirement. The only education-related recurring authority in the chapter is on the RON side, where F.S. 117.295(1)(b) empowers the Department of State to adopt rules on 'Education requirements for online notaries public.' Rule 1N-7, F.A.C. could not be opened on August 12, 2026, so a rule-level RON education or refresher requirement is not ruled out. Sources checked: statute (ch. 117), the commissioning authority's application steps, the Governor's education page, and the Department of State's RON registration steps.", "exam": "No examination is required for a Florida notary public commission or for RON registration. The full text of F.S. ch. 117 (Parts I and II, ss. 117.01-117.305) contains no examination or testing requirement; the Executive Office of the Governor's step-by-step 'Notary Public Commission Applications' instructions list education (first-time only), contacting a bonding agency, completing the application and submitting it, with no exam; the Governor's Notary Education page describes only the 3-hour instruction requirement; the Department of State's RON registration steps list an education certificate, a vendor contract, the application and a $10 fee, with no exam. What stands in place of a test: as part of the oath the applicant must swear that he or she 'has read this chapter and knows the duties, responsibilities, limitations, and powers of a notary public' (F.S. 117.01(3)).", "fees": "State fees, traditional commission - $39 total. Executive Office of the Governor: 'The state fees of $39 are fixed by law, but the bond premium and the notary seal are competitively priced.' Itemized in F.S. 117.01(2): a $25 application fee, plus the $10 commission fee required by F.S. 113.01 ('A fee of $10 is prescribed for the issuance of each commission issued by the Governor of the state and attested by the Secretary of State for an elected officer or a notary public'), plus a $4 surcharge appropriated to the Executive Office of the Governor 'to be used to educate and assist notaries public.' The statutory itemization and the agency-published total agree exactly ($25 + $10 + $4 = $39). Veteran waiver: 'no commission fee shall be required for the issuance of a commission as a notary public to a veteran who served during a period of wartime service, as defined in s. 1.01(14), and who has been rated by the United States Government or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor to have a disability rating of 50 percent or more' (F.S. 117.01(2)) - this waives the $10 commission fee. Not state-set: the surety bond premium, the notary seal, and any bonding-agency service charge are priced by the private bonding agency ('Most of these companies provide one-stop-shopping. You make one payment to the company and they provide the application, pay the state fees, write your notary bond, and supply your notary seal'; 'We recommend that you check with several companies to compare services and prices'). Name change: $25 sent with the current commission, a notice of change form and a bond rider, within 60 days of the change (F.S. 117.05(9)). Certificate of notarial authority: $10 payable to the Secretary of State (F.S. 117.103). RON registration: 'There is an initial fee of $10 payable by check to the Florida Department of State' (Department of State, Remote Online Notary Public page, and the same sentence on the live Governor's page); F.S. 117.225(3) ties the RON registration fee to F.S. 113.01, which prescribes $10. No county recording fee: the commission is not recorded with a clerk of the circuit court (F.S. 117.103). Caveat on the fee trail: Florida publishes no public-facing application form with a fee line, because the application is supplied by the approved bonding agency ('the State does not give out applications or provide notary seals'), so the $39 figure comes from the commissioning authority's instructions page rather than from a live application form. The Department of State's own notary pages could not be read directly on 2026-08-12; the RON fee was confirmed on the Governor's page and on the Internet Archive's archived copy of the Department of State page dated December 26, 2025, which agree verbatim.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. ch. 117, Part I (ss. 117.01-117.108)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment, application, fees, bond, oath, 4-year term, seal, notarial acts, fee caps, advertising restrictions and penalties for Florida notaries public\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. s. 117.01\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Governor's appointment power; 18-year-old, legal-residency and English-language qualifications; the $25 application fee plus $10 commission fee plus $4 surcharge; the $7,500 bond; the oath; the 4-year term; and the bar on automatic reappointment\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. s. 117.05\", \"what_it_governs\": \"$10 notarial fee cap, rubber-stamp seal contents and use, notarial certificate elements, acceptable identification, employer liability, name change, and the non-English advertising and 'notario publico' advertising restrictions\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. s. 117.021\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic notarization - electronic signature and electronic seal requirements, and the rule that no separate appointment is needed\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. ch. 117, Part II (ss. 117.201-117.305)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Online (remote) notarization: registration and qualifications with the $25,000 bond and $25,000 E&O (117.225), procedures and identity proofing (117.265), the electronic journal and 10-year retention (117.245), and the $25 online fee cap (117.275)\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. s. 113.01\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $10 fee for each commission issued by the Governor and attested by the Secretary of State, including a notary public; also the fee referenced by s. 117.225(3) for RON registration\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0113/0113.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. s. 117.103\", \"what_it_governs\": \"No county-clerk recording of a notary commission, and the $10 certificate of notarial authority issued by the Secretary of State\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Fla. Stat. s. 92.50\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who else may take or administer oaths, affidavits and acknowledgments in Florida - judges, clerks and deputy clerks of courts of record including federal courts, United States commissioners, and notaries public\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0000-0099/0092/Sections/0092.50.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ch. 2019-71, Laws of Florida (HB 409, 'Electronic Legal Documents')\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The act that created Florida's remote online notarization framework, signed June 7, 2019 and effective January 1, 2020\", \"url\": \"http://laws.flrules.org/files/Ch_2019-071.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Rule 1N-7.001 and Rule 1N-7.005, Fla. Admin. Code\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Duties and responsibilities of online notaries public, the RON application procedure, and the required Online Notary Public information form\", \"url\": \"https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?id=1N-7.001\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Florida Statutes ch. 117 (Notaries Public), full chapter text. Establishes 'A notary public shall be appointed for 4 years'; the application 'shall be accompanied by a fee of $25, together with the $10 commission fee required by s. 113.01, and a surcharge of $4'; the $7,500 bond 'payable to any individual harmed as a result of a breach of duty by the notary public'; 'No person may be automatically reappointed as a notary public'; 'The fee of a notary public may not exceed $10 for any one notarial act under this part'; the rubber-stamp seal contents in s. 117.05(3)(a); and the whole Part II online-notarization scheme including the $25,000 bond and $25,000 errors-and-omissions insurance in s. 117.225(6)-(7) and the $25 online fee cap in s. 117.275\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0117/0117.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Executive Office of the Governor - Notary. The commissioning authority's own instructions. Establishes 'Florida notaries public are served by two offices'; 'A first time applicant for a notary commission must submit proof that the applicant has, within one year prior to the application, completed at least three hours of interactive or classroom instruction'; 'If you are renewing your notary commission, you may proceed directly to the next step'; 'The state fees of $39 are fixed by law, but the bond premium and the notary seal are competitively priced'; 'Please note that the State does not give out applications or provide notary seals'; 'Note that the bond is designed to protect the public against notarial misconduct or negligence, not the notary'; 'optional errors and omissions insurance'; 'There is no additional appointment required' for electronic notarization; and the RON steps including 'There is an initial fee of $10 payable by check to the Florida Department of State'\", \"url\": \"https://www.flgov.com/eog/info/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Executive Office of the Governor - Notary Education. Establishes the training rule and its start date: 'Effective July 1, 2000 all first-time notary applicants are required to complete 3 hours of interactive or classroom instruction covering the duties of a notary public and electronic notarization,' plus the state-published list of approved notary education providers\", \"url\": \"https://www.flgov.com/eog/info/notary/education\"}, {\"label\": \"Florida Statutes s. 113.01: 'A fee of $10 is prescribed for the issuance of each commission issued by the Governor of the state and attested by the Secretary of State for an elected officer or a notary public'\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0113/0113.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Florida Statutes s. 92.50: oaths, affidavits and acknowledgments 'may be taken or administered by or before any judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of any court of record within this state, including federal courts, or by or before any United States commissioner or any notary public within this state'\", \"url\": \"http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0000-0099/0092/Sections/0092.50.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations - Remote Online Notary Public (RON). Read from the Internet Archive's archived copy dated December 26, 2025, because the live page refuses every automated request. Establishes 'There is an initial fee of $10 payable by check to the Florida Department of State'; the Rule 1N-7.005 Online Notary Public information form requirement and that 'Your application will not be processed if this form is not included'; 'The Florida Department of State does not recommend nor endorse any particular third party vendors'; and 'Your online notary public registration will run concurrently with your existing notary public commission and will expire on the same day, regardless of when the online notary public registration was filed.' Each of these sentences also appears verbatim on the live Governor's page, which we read the same day\", \"url\": \"https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/other-services/notaries/remote-online-notary-public/\"}, {\"label\": \"Florida Department of State - Notary Search (public lookup). READ FROM AN INTERNET ARCHIVE SNAPSHOT DATED 2026-02-04 because the live host returns an access denial to automated access. Establishes the lookup and its query fields: 'Use this online form to search the Notaries Public database for information about commissioned notaries' with Notary ID, Last Name, First Name, Commission No and Zip Code\", \"url\": \"https://notaries.dos.fl.gov/not001.html\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/fl-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ga-notary", "state": "Georgia", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Clerk of Superior Court of the county of application (appointing and commissioning authority), with the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), Notary Division, maintaining the state-wide notary record and approving notary education", "board_url": "https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/general-notary-information", "application_url": "https://apps.gsccca.org/NotaryApplication/", "renewal_cycle": "Four-year term ('A notary commission is for a four-year term', GSCCCA FAQ; 'Each commission is for a term of four years and may be renewed prior to the expiration of the notary's term of office', GSCCCA Georgia Notary Law). Renewal is a reappointment by the same Clerk of Superior Court, using the renewal application, and 'a renewing notary is defined as someone who holds an active notary commission in the county of application'. Early-renewal window: 'Typically a notary may submit a renewal application no more than 30 days prior to the current term expiration date' - and the education rule matches it, requiring training 'within 30 days prior to each subsequent renewal appointment', with GSCCCA's Educational Rules defining a 'Renewal Appointment' as one 'granted within 30 days prior to expiration of the current appointment'. A notary who lets the commission expire is treated as an initial applicant ('the first appointment after a notary appointment has expired' is an Initial Appointment). Notice: 'If you provide the GSCCCA with an e-mail address, a renewal notification will be sent thirty days prior to expiration.' Renewal by mail: 'Some counties allow notaries to renew by mail. Contact your Clerk of Superior Court's office for specific details.' Moving counties does not transfer the commission: 'No. Your commission continues in the county of appointment until your current term expires. You must notify the appointing clerk within thirty days of the change... Within 30 days of term expiration, you may submit a new notary application to the clerk's office in the new county of residence.' The published sources do not state whether the four years run from the date the clerk issues the certificate of appointment or from the oath; the process is fee-then-oath-then-certificate, so the two dates are ordinarily the same day. Georgia publishes no commission number to renew against (FAQ: 'Georgia does not issue commission numbers').", "ce_hours": "No separate continuing-education hour requirement is published. Georgia's only recurring education duty is the pre-renewal training class itself: O.C.G.A. 45-17-8(h)(1) requires the educational training class 'within 30 days prior to each subsequent renewal appointment', which functions as renewal education but is never expressed in hours, credits or topic areas. No hour count, credit value, provider-diversity rule or carry-over rule appears in the statute, in GSCCCA's Notary Public Educational Rules (all three rules read in full), or in the FAQ. Sources checked: HB 1292 signed act text of 45-17-8; the Educational Rules PDF (Version 2024-10-09, effective 1/1/2025); GSCCCA General Notary Information and its FAQ; the Public Education Rules page; the Notary Public Application Form page. The course content itself is behind a login at elearn.gsccca.org and could not be inspected.", "exam": "Georgia publishes no notary examination. No exam, test, assessment, passing score, proctoring rule or exam fee appears in any of the sources checked: (1) statute - the full text of O.C.G.A. 45-17-8 as re-enacted by 2024 HB 1292 (Act 529), read in the signed act PDF, which contains the education mandate in subsection (h) and no examination; (2) administrative rule - the GSCCCA 'Notary Public Educational Rules for the State of Georgia' (effective 1/1/2025), whose three rules provide only for course approval, a certificate of completion, and its presentation to the clerk, with no assessment; (3) agency page - GSCCCA's 'Georgia Notary Law' and 'General Notary Information' pages; (4) FAQ and application form - the 24-question GSCCCA Notary Public FAQ, including 'What type of training or educational materials are available and does Georgia require mandatory training?', which answers with the training class only, and the 4-step application-process page, whose steps are course, application, clerk/oath/fee, seal. Caveat: the mandatory GSCCCA course sits behind a login, so whether it ends in a graded quiz could not be observed. Rule 2 of the Educational Rules says a certificate issues 'upon successful completion of the course', which implies a completion standard but names no score. If GSCCCA's course does contain a graded assessment, that is a completion assessment inside the required course, not a standalone licensing exam - Georgia has no standalone notary licensing examination in any published source.", "fees": "Application / appointment fee: $40.00 to $55.00, set by the county, for a new appointment or for reappointment. GSCCCA states it three times in identical words - on the General Notary Information page, in FAQ 'What is the fee to become a notary public?', and at the top of the Notary Public Application Form page: 'The fee for a new notary appointment or for reappointment is $40.00 - $55.00. Please check with the county in which you are applying for the exact fee.' The fee is paid at the Clerk of Superior Court's office at the time the oath is administered, not online. Training course: GSCCCA links its approved course as the 'Free Web-Based Notary Training Course' - no fee published. Seal: bought privately from 'an office supply store or from a notary trade association'; price is not state-set and Georgia publishes none. RON registration fee: none - Georgia has no RON. Electronic-notary fee: none - Georgia has no separate electronic commission. Because the appointment fee is county-set and collected at the counter, there is no statewide application form carrying a printed fee. The web-based application at apps.gsccca.org/NotaryApplication/ is county-selected and gated behind a 3-digit code challenge, so no per-county fee figure was available on August 12, 2026; the $40-$55 range is GSCCCA's own published range, and no individual county's fee schedule has been checked. The exact fee is set by each county's Clerk of Superior Court.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"O.C.G.A. 45-17-8 (powers and duties of notaries public), as re-enacted by 2024 Ga. Laws HB 1292 (Act 529), section 1-3\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notarial acts a Georgia notary may perform; the disqualifications in subsection (c); the self-filer journal duty in new subsection (g); and the mandatory education requirement in new subsection (h), both of which took effect January 1, 2025 under section 3-1(b)\", \"url\": \"https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-1292/download\"}, {\"citation\": \"2024 Ga. Laws HB 1292 (Act 529), section 3-1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Effective dates: '(a) Except as provided for in subsection (b) of this section, this Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor... (b) Part I of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2025.' The notary journal and education amendments sit in Part I\", \"url\": \"https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-1292/download\"}, {\"citation\": \"O.C.G.A. 44-2-2(a) (definition of 'self-filer'), as amended by 2024 HB 1292 section 1-1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who counts as a 'self-filer' - the definition borrowed by 45-17-8(g)(1) that determines when the notary journal entry is mandatory\", \"url\": \"https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-1292/download\"}, {\"citation\": \"GSCCCA, Notary Public Educational Rules for the State of Georgia, Version 2024-10-09 (adopted Oct. 9, 2024; effective Jan. 1, 2025), Rules 1-3\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The administrative rules implementing the education mandate: GSCCCA approval of any notary training course, issuance of a certificate of completion, and its presentation to the Clerk of Superior Court with the application\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/docs/notary-documents/notaryeducationrules.pdf?sfvrsn=ff0b34e2_3\"}, {\"citation\": \"O.C.G.A. 45-17-11 (Fees of notaries)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $2.00 maximum fee per notarial act and the optional additional $2.00 for a Clerk of Superior Court certificate of the commission's effectiveness. Quoted here from GSCCCA's official summary; Georgia's code has no free official HTML publisher\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/georgia-notary-law\"}, {\"citation\": \"O.C.G.A. 45-17-2 (public inspection of applications)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"'By law (Sec. 45-17-2), all information contained in the application is open to public inspection' - the basis for the public Notary Index\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/georgia-notary-law\"}, {\"citation\": \"O.C.G.A. 45-17-12(b)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Permits a notary who is an employee, officer, director or stockholder of a bank or corporation to act for that business, subject to the bar on witnessing the notary's own signature\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/general-notary-information\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ga. HB 289 (2025-2026 regular session), LC 48 1422 - pending, not law as of 2026-08-12\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Would create O.C.G.A. 45-17-8.5, remote online notaries public appointed by GSCCCA, electronic journaling, and electronic execution of real-estate documents; section 3-1: 'This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.' Recorded here as a tripwire, not as current law\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/231509\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"GSCCCA, 'General Notary Forms and Information' - the primary agency page, and the source for the county-clerk commissioning structure, the qualifications, the fee range and the full 24-question Notary Public FAQ. Establishes: 'In Georgia, notaries public are commissioned for a four-year term by the Clerk of Superior Court in their county of residence'; 'The fee for a new notary appointment or for reappointment is $40.00 - $55.00. Please check with the county in which you are applying for the exact fee.'; 'Are Georgia notaries required to be bonded? No bond is required of Georgia notaries.'; 'As of January 1, 2025, notaries public are required to complete an educational training class relating to the duties of notaries public. The training course must be completed prior to the initial appointment and within 30 days prior to each subsequent renewal appointment.'; the four required seal elements; 'Georgia does not issue commission numbers to notary public appointments.'; the two-endorser rule; and 'In Georgia, can a notary public perform marriage ceremonies? No.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/general-notary-information\"}, {\"label\": \"GSCCCA, 'Georgia Notary Law' - the authority's statement of the statute, and the source for the journal duty, the seal rules, the powers and disqualifications, and the $2.00 fee cap. Establishes: 'As of January 1, 2025, a notary public shall maintain a written or electronic journal which shall include an entry for each notarial act performed at the request of a self-filer'; 'Each notary must provide a seal of office... Embossment of notarial certificate by such seal is authorized but not necessary, and the use of a rubber or other type stamp shall be sufficient'; 'All Notarial Acts Must be Accompanied by the Seal'; 'The authorized fee is $2.00 for each notarial act. The notary may, upon request of the person asking for notary service, charge an additional $2.00 for providing a certificate from the Clerk of Superior Court of the effectiveness of the notary commission.'; and 'It is unlawful for any person to hold himself or herself out as a notary or exercise the powers of a notary without an effective notary commission.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/georgia-notary-law\"}, {\"label\": \"GSCCCA, 'Notary Public Application Form' - the application-process page, source for the four-step process, the web-based county application and the endorser rule. Establishes: 'Step 3: Take the signed application to the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of application to finish the application process, pay the appointment fee, and take the oath of office'; 'If your county does not appear in the county list, your county does not participate in the web-based process'; and 'Endorsers are character references who live in your county of application, have known you for over 30 days, and are not related to you.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/notary-public-application\"}, {\"label\": \"GSCCCA, 'Notary Public Educational Rules for the State of Georgia', Version 2024-10-09, effective January 1, 2025 (2-page PDF, text-extracted live). The administrative-rule tier for the education mandate. Establishes its own authority - 'Georgia General Assembly 2024 HB 1292, Act 529, amending O.C.G.A. Sec. 45-17-8 as to provide for education and training requirements of notaries public' - the adoption date ('adopted by official action of the... Board of Directors at the meeting held on October 9, 2024'), the definitions of Initial and Renewal Appointment, and all three rules: GSCCCA course approval, certificate of completion 'upon successful completion of the course', and presentation of that certificate to the Clerk of Superior Court. Contains NO hour count, NO passing score and NO assessment\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/docs/notary-documents/notaryeducationrules.pdf?sfvrsn=ff0b34e2_3\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Governor of Georgia - 2024 signed legislation, HB 1292 (Act 529) as passed House and Senate, 11-page PDF, text-extracted live. The STATUTORY tier: the actual amending text of O.C.G.A. 45-17-8, including new subsection (g) ('A notary public shall maintain a written or electronic journal which shall include an entry for each notarial act performed at the request of a self-filer...'), new subsection (h)(1) ('A notary public shall complete an educational training class relating to the duties of notaries public... prior to the initial appointment and within 30 days prior to each subsequent renewal appointment'), the 'self-filer' definition in the amended 44-2-2(a), and the effective-date clause SECTION 3-1(b) ('Part I of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2025')\", \"url\": \"https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2024-signed-legislation/hb-1292/download\"}, {\"label\": \"Georgia General Assembly - HB 289 (2025-2026), LC 48 1422, 23-page bill PDF, text-extracted live. Cited ONLY as evidence that remote online notarization does not yet exist in Georgia: the bill would 'provide for remote online notaries public and remote online notarizations', add a new Code Section 45-17-8.5, and 'provide for application and appointment as a remote online notary public'; SECTION 3-1 reads 'This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.' NOT current law\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/231509\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Governor of Georgia - Signed Legislation 2025 (all pages enumerated on 2026-08-12: 350 signed items, 259 House bills ranging hb-5 to hb-870, including hb-287, hb-288, hb-290 and hb-296). hb-289 is ABSENT. Used as the negative check behind ron_status = not-authorized\", \"url\": \"https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/legislation/signed-legislation/2025\"}, {\"label\": \"Office of the Governor of Georgia - Signed Legislation 2026 (all pages enumerated on 2026-08-12: 351 signed items, 250 House bills ranging hb-115 to hb-1602). hb-289 is ABSENT. Second half of the negative check behind ron_status = not-authorized\", \"url\": \"https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/legislation/signed-legislation/2026\"}, {\"label\": \"GSCCCA Notary Index Search - the free public notary lookup. Form page; confirmed fields Name, County (159-county dropdown), City, Postal Code, Appointment Date Range, Expiration Date Range and Email, with the instruction 'To find a notary, please enter at least one search criteria and click Submit.'\", \"url\": \"http://search.gsccca.org/notary/search.asp\"}, {\"label\": \"GSCCCA, 'Notary Public Education Rules' landing page - names the statutory trigger in plain words: 'With the adoption of House Bill 1292 by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2024 legislative session, Georgia's notaries public are required to complete an educational training course as part of the application process. The educational requirement applies to all notary applicants, whether it is an initial (new) application or a renewal application.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles/notaries/public-education-rules\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ga-notary/" }, { "page_id": "hi-notary", "state": "Hawaii", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "State of Hawaii, Department of the Attorney General, Notary Public Office", "board_url": "https://ag.hawaii.gov/notaries-public/", "application_url": "https://notary.ehawaii.gov/notary/public/application.html", "renewal_cycle": "Four years from the date of the commission - HRS 456-1(a): 'The term of commission of a notary public shall be four years from the date of the notary public's commission, unless sooner removed by the attorney general for cause after the opportunity for hearing.' The term runs from the commission date, not from the oath or the bond filing, both of which follow. Renewal is the notary's own duty and failure forfeits the commission: HRS 456-1(b) - 'Each notary public shall be responsible for renewing the notary public's commission on a timely basis and satisfying the renewal requirements provided by law. The failure to renew a commission in a timely manner shall cause the commission to be forfeited; provided that a forfeited commission may be restored by the attorney general within one year after the date of forfeiture upon compliance with the commission renewal requirements provided by law and upon written application and payment of all applicable fees.' The 2023 Manual adds the knowledge element and the one-year cliff: forfeiture follows if the notary 'knowingly fails to submit a completed renewal application, pay the renewal fee, or complete the processing and filing of a commission for renewal by the date of expiration', a failure is deemed knowing if the renewal notice went to the last address on file, and 'Any notary seeking to restore the notary's forfeited commission more than one year from the date of expiration of the commission shall reapply as a new applicant for a notary public commission' - which means a fresh application, fresh letters and the examination again. Cost: $20 renewal application + $100 renewal; restoration within the year, $10 + $80. Ongoing duty during the term: 'Each notary public shall, upon any change in the notary public's commission, occupation, residence, or employment, forthwith report the change to the attorney general' (HRS 456-1(a)); the Manual states thirty days, and HAR 5-11-46(b)(1) fines a late notice $25 per occurrence and $50 if the lapse misdirects the renewal forms. Because the Attorney General may revoke where such a change makes the commission 'no longer necessary for the public good and convenience', this is a substantive duty, not paperwork. Not published in any source checked: whether a timely renewal requires re-examination. The exam is stated as a condition of the original commission; HAR subchapter 3 and the Manual describe examination in the application context; no source read either imposes or excuses a renewal exam. Sources checked: HRS 456-1, -2, -9; HAR ch. 5-11 (subchapters 2, 3, 5 read); the 2023 Notary Public Manual; the AG application instruction sheet; the live AG page.", "ce_hours": "None. No continuing-education, refresher-course or periodic-retesting requirement is published for Hawaii notaries in any source checked on 2026-08-12: HRS 456-1 (commission and renewal), 456-2 (qualifications), 456-9 (fees), and the other chapter 456 sections read; HAR chapter 5-11 as amended and compiled February 27, 2022, including subchapter 2 (Applications, incl. renewal) and subchapter 3 (Examinations); the Attorney General's 2023 Notary Public Manual; the application instruction sheet; and the live Notaries Public page. Renewal as published consists of the renewal application, the fees, and timely processing - HRS 456-1(b) speaks only of 'satisfying the renewal requirements provided by law' and of forfeiture for failing to 'submit a completed renewal application, pay the renewal fee, or complete the processing and filing of a commission for renewal'. Whether a timely renewal also requires re-examination is not stated either way in those sources; a commission forfeited for more than a year unambiguously does, because the person 'shall reapply as a new applicant'.", "exam": "Required for every new commission, and it is a real exam, not a course quiz. Administered by the Department of the Attorney General after the application is approved. Format: 'a written, closed-book examination covering such statutory laws and rules that specifically apply to notaries public in Hawaii, as well as practical aspects of a notary's practice, and a notary's duties and responsibilities' (AG Notaries Public page and application instruction sheet). Passing score: 80 percent - the 2023 Notary Public Manual states 'The passing score is 80 percent', and HAR 5-11-31 provides 'The minimum passing score is eighty per cent. Failure to obtain a passing score shall result in failure of examination, and no commission shall be issued.' Scope, as published by the AG: 'An applicant should, for example, have a thorough understanding and knowledge of the following sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended: 456-1 to 456-21, 502-41 to 502-46, 502-48 to 502-84, 603-1, 621-12, and 621-13.' Fee: $10 per examination (HAR 5-11-46(a)(7); AG Notary Fee Schedule; 2023 Manual). Where and when: 'The notary examination is given on Oahu at least once a month, and on the neighbor islands periodically. Examination dates and locations are subject to change'; 'The examination will be held at designated locations in the county in which the applicant resides.' Applicants schedule it themselves after approval, through the Notary Exam Scheduler in their notary account. Missing or rescheduling it costs money: rescheduling more than 48 hours ahead, $15; rescheduling with less than 48 hours' notice, $20; failing to appear without notice, a $25 no-show fee and - per the rule - 'the applicant shall submit a new application for a notary public commission with updated supporting letters'. Failing it: the applicant must request, pay for and reschedule a reexamination within fourteen calendar days of being notified of the failure, or must file a new application and pay the application and examination fees again; 'An applicant who fails the examination twice shall wait ninety days from the date of the last examination to reapply for a notary public commission.' Note that the exam is required for the initial commission; no source read states that a timely renewal requires re-examination, and none states that it does not - see the renewal details on this page for what is and is not published.", "fees": "Two official sources conflict on the commission fee and both are recorded. The statute, HRS 456-9(a), still reads: 'The attorney general shall charge and collect the following fees for: (1) Issuing the original commission, $40; (2) Renewing the commission, $40; and (3) Electronic processing service fees of up to ten per cent of the amount of the transaction' - but the same subsection then says 'These fees may be adjusted, and any other fees may be established and adjusted, by adopting rules pursuant to chapter 91.' The rule has done exactly that. HAR 5-11-46(a), as amended and compiled February 27, 2022, sets: application for notary public commission $20; application for renewal $20; application for restoration of a forfeited commission $10; application for reinstatement of a suspended commission $10; issuance of the commission $100; renewal of the commission $100; each examination $10; administrative fee to process and catalogue notary journals $10; restoration of a forfeited commission $80; change of name, employer, residential or business address, telephone number or judicial circuit $10; notary public manual $3 picked up or $5 mailed; certification of each notarial transaction from a journal in the Attorney General's disposition $5 per transaction; copying 25 cents per printed page; replacement commission certificate $10; reschedule an examination more than 48 hours ahead $15. The Attorney General's published Notary Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2020) and the 2023 Notary Public Manual both carry the same $20/$100 figures, and the application instruction sheet states the $20 application fee 'as required by Sec. 5-11-46, Hawaii Administrative Rules, amended March 12, 2015' and the '$100.00' issuance fee. So: the code's $40 is superseded in practice by the rule's $100, by a mechanism the code itself authorises. The $100 is what applicants pay; the $40 is the unamended statutory figure. What a new Hawaii notary actually pays: $20 application + $10 examination + $100 issuance = $130 to the Attorney General, plus the $1,000 surety bond premium (paid to a surety company, amount not state-set), plus the seal (bought privately, price not state-set), plus the circuit-court fee for filing the copy of the commission - 'The court fees for filing a copy of a commission and for each certificate of authentication shall be specified by the Supreme Court' (HRS 456-9(b)), an amount no Attorney General source states. Government notaries: 'There is no-fee for Government notaries public', and they pay no circuit-court filing fee. Renewal: $20 renewal application + $100 renewal. Restoration of a forfeited commission: $10 application + $80 restoration. Remote online notary: application $20, new RON commission $100, 'Remote Online Notary Renewal application and commission' $120, application and restoration of a forfeited RON commission $90 (AG Notary Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2020; identical list in the 2023 Manual). Penalty fees are real and itemised - rescheduling an exam $15/$20, no-show $25, failure to pick up the commission certificate within 60 days $40 (the AG's fee-schedule PDF lists this line among fees and HAR 5-11-46(b)(5) lists it as a fine), failure to notify the AG of a change within 30 days $25, a change of address that misdirects renewal forms $50, failure to report a lost or stolen seal or journal within 10 days $20-$25, possessing more than one rubber stamp seal at a time $200, and failure to surrender the seal or certificate within 90 days of expiry or revocation $200 each. The checkout screens at notary.ehawaii.gov sit behind an eHawaii.gov login and were not checked, so the amount actually charged at the cart - including HRS 456-9(a)(3)'s 'electronic processing service fees of up to ten per cent of the amount of the transaction' - was not observed. That processing surcharge is authorised by statute and may sit on top of the figures above.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"HRS 456-1 (Commission; renewal)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Attorney General's discretionary power to commission notaries 'for the public good and convenience'; the four-year term running 'from the date of the notary public's commission'; revocation where a change in commission, occupation, residence or employment makes the commission unnecessary; the duty to report such changes; and forfeiture for failure to renew, with restoration available within one year\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0001.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HRS 456-2 (Qualifications; oath), as amended by Act 54, S.L.H. 2020\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Hawaii residency, age 18, 'the other qualifications required of a notary public', and the oath for faithful discharge filed with the Department of the Attorney General. See eligibility - this section's post-2020 text no longer references public-officer qualifications, while the AG's published materials still state a citizenship standard\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0002.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HRS 456-3 (Seal)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The single rubber stamp seal and its four permitted elements ('only the notary public's name, the notary public's commission number, and the words, notary public and State of Hawaii'), copyability, the required addition of the printed name and commission expiration date to the official signature, surrender of the seal to the Attorney General, and disabling of an electronic stamping device\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0003.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HRS 456-5 (Official bond)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $1,000 surety bond executed at the notary's own expense before entering upon the duties, approval by a circuit court judge, the State as obligee, the requirement that the surety be a company authorized in Hawaii, and deposit with the clerk of the circuit court of the notary's judicial circuit\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0005.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HRS 456-9 (Fees and administrative fines)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The statutory commission fees ($40 issuance, $40 renewal) and the express power to adjust them by rule; the electronic processing service fee of up to ten per cent of the transaction; the Supreme Court's authority over circuit-court filing and authentication fees; and the schedule of administrative fines including $500 for failing to certify every acknowledgment or jurat and $200 for failing to chronicle acts under 456-15\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0009.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HRS 456-17 (Fees), as amended by Act 54 (2020) and Act 230 (2021)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The maximum fees a notary may charge per act - $5 for an acknowledgment for each party signing, $5 for an oath with certificate, $2.50 for extra duplicate originals, $5 for protests and depositions, and $25 for any of those acts performed for a remotely located individual under 456-23\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0017.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HRS 456-23 (Notarial act performed for remotely located individual)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Hawaii's RON authority: appearance by communication technology, the three permitted bases of identity including two types of identity proofing, the mandatory audiovisual recording and its ten-year retention, the certificate's duty to state that communication technology was used, and the conditions for signers located outside the United States\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0023.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"HAR chapter 5-11 (Notaries Public), Department of the Attorney General - amendment and compilation effective/compiled February 27, 2022, incl. 5-11-8, 5-11-22, 5-11-31, 5-11-46, and new subchapter 7 (5-11-61 to 5-11-73)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The administrative rules: certificates for every acknowledgment or jurat; the six-month action deadline and ninety-day abandonment rule on applications; the examination and its eighty per cent passing score with reschedule/no-show/retake rules; the fee and administrative-fine schedule that supersedes the statutory $40 with $20 application and $100 issuance; and the entire remote online notary subchapter including the application contents, the identity-proofing standard and the coterminous RON commission term\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/HAR-Ch-5-11.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Act 54, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, effective January 1, 2021\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The modernisation act that created remote online notarization (HRS 456-23), rewrote the seal and qualification sections, and reset the fee and fine structure. The Attorney General's standing notice - 'Revisions to the administrative rules will be forthcoming' - is why some AG materials still describe pre-Act-54 law\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/notaries-public/\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Hawaii Department of the Attorney General - 'Notaries Public', the live agency page (on 2026-08-12, a successful response, 62,787 bytes). Establishes the general commission requirements ('A United States citizen, or a national or permanent resident alien of the U.S. who diligently seeks citizenship upon, becoming eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship; A Hawaii resident; and At least 18 years old'), the justification and character letters, the $20 application fee 'required by Sec. 5-11-46, HAR', the six-month and ninety-day application rules, the closed-book exam and its statutory scope, the RON application rule 'Only a notary public with an active commission may apply for a remote online notary public commission' with its $20 fee, the exam schedule ('given on Oahu at least once a month, and on the neighbor islands periodically'), and the Act 54 notice: 'Act 54, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020 has become effective as of January 1, 2021... Revisions to the administrative rules will be forthcoming.'\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/notaries-public/\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Attorney General - 'Notary Public Manual', State of Hawai'i, 2023 website version (24-page PDF. The official handbook and the single most complete source behind this page: the 80 percent passing score, appointment and tenure, the seal description including the circular two-inch serrated-edge specification, the $1,000 bond and its court approval and filing, the notarial record book contents and physical specification and ten-year retention, the notaries-in-government-service rules, the complete 'Fees Notaries May Charge' schedule including '$25.00' for acts performed for a remotely located individual and 'No charge' for an oath of loyalty, the complete 'Fees Charged To Notaries' schedule including the four RON fees, the general excise tax point, and the RON subchapter including HAR 5-11-62 and 5-11-66 and the identity-proofing and ten-year electronic-journal retention rules\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Notary-Manual-website-version-2023_AG-website_updated-2023-04-14.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Attorney General - 'Application for Notary Public Commission' information and instruction sheet, updated 3/23/22 (4-page PDF. The application tier. Establishes the two letters and who may write them, 'you must submit an application online with $20.00 application fee payment as required by Sec. 5-11-46, Hawaii Administrative Rules, amended March 12, 2015. There is no-fee for Government notaries public', the approval-then-exam sequence and the Notary Exam Scheduler, 'Upon being notified of passing the examination, the applicant shall pay to the Attorney General, for the issuance of the original commission, a fee of $100.00', the seal engraving requirement, the bond, and the circuit-court filing of commission copy, seal impression and signature specimen. ALSO the source of the eligibility conflict - it still quotes the pre-Act-54 text of HRS 456-2 and infers 'Public Officers in the State are required to be United States citizens'\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/1.-Notary-Public-Commission-Application-Information-and-Instructions.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Attorney General - HAR Chapter 5-11 (Notaries Public), Amendment and Compilation, 43-page PDF. The administrative-rule tier, '[Eff and comp FEB 2 7 2022]'. Establishes 5-11-46(a)'s fee list verbatim - 'Application for notary public commission, $20... Issuance of notary public commission, $100; Renewal of notary public commission, $100; Each examination, $10' - and 5-11-46(b)'s fines, including '$200' for 'Possessing more than one rubber stamp notary seal at a time' and '$50 to $500' for failure to retain the journal ten years; and 5-11-31's 'The minimum passing score is eighty per cent', the $25 no-show and $15 reschedule fees, the fourteen-day reexamination window and the ninety-day wait after two failures\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/HAR-Ch-5-11.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Attorney General - 'Notary Fee Schedule - Effective January 1, 2020' (1-page PDF. The agency's own consolidated fee list, and the only source read that itemises all four remote-online-notary fees together with the penalty fees: 'Application for new Remote Online Notary Commission $20.00; New Remote Online Notary Commission $100.00; Remote Online Notary Renewal application and commission $120.00; Application and restoration of forfeited Remote Online Notary $90.00', plus 'Rescheduling examination fee with 48-hour notice $15.00', 'No-show examination fee $25.00', 'Notary record book processing and cataloging $10.00', and the $50-$500 range for failure to deposit a commission, certificate, seal or record book within 90 days\", \"url\": \"https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Notary-Fee-Schedule-2020.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Revised Statutes 456-9 (Fees and administrative fines), official text at capitol.hawaii.gov, on 2026-08-12 (a successful response). THE CONFLICT SOURCE: '(1) Issuing the original commission, $40; (2) Renewing the commission, $40; and (3) Electronic processing service fees of up to ten per cent of the amount of the transaction. These fees may be adjusted, and any other fees may be established and adjusted, by adopting rules pursuant to chapter 91.' Also the administrative fines, including $500 for failing to certify every acknowledgment or jurat\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0009.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Revised Statutes 456-17 (Fees a notary may charge), official text at capitol.hawaii.gov, on 2026-08-12 (a successful response). The per-act cap schedule read in the statute rather than from the handbook, including '(7) For taking any acknowledgment, $5 for each party signing' and '(8) For any of the foregoing notarial acts performed for a remotely located individual under section 456-23, other than affixing a notary public's certificate to a duplicate original, $25'\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0017.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Revised Statutes 456-23 (Notarial act performed for remotely located individual), official text at capitol.hawaii.gov, on 2026-08-12 (a successful response). Hawaii's RON statute, including the two-types-of-identity-proofing standard, the mandatory audiovisual recording, the certificate disclosure duty, and the conditions for remotely located individuals outside the United States including the FDIC-insured-bank clause covering banks in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0023.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Hawaii Revised Statutes 456-1, 456-2, 456-3 and 456-5, official text at capitol.hawaii.gov, each on 2026-08-12 (a successful response). The four-year term and forfeiture/restoration rules; the post-Act-54 qualification text; the single-rubber-stamp seal with its 'only' clause; and the $1,000 court-approved, court-filed surety bond\", \"url\": \"https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0436-0474/HRS0456/HRS_0456-0001.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"eHawaii.gov Online Notary Public - 'Public Search' (Find a Notary Public), the state's public notary directory. Confirms the free-text name/city/ZIP field, the notary-type filter with 'Remote Online only', the fourteen language options, and the state's own definitions: 'Mobile type means the Hawaii notary can provide notary services at the location of your choice' and 'Remote means the notary can conduct notarizations over the internet via digital tools and live audio-video call'\", \"url\": \"https://notary.ehawaii.gov/notary/public/publicsearch.html\"}, {\"label\": \"eHawaii.gov Online Notary Public - the online application entry point linked by the Attorney General as 'SUBMIT ONLINE APPLICATION'. The 2023 Manual states an eHawaii.gov account must be created at login.ehawaii.gov before submitting. Not exercised beyond the login wall, so the checkout total including any electronic processing surcharge was not observed\", \"url\": \"https://notary.ehawaii.gov/notary/public/application.html\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/hi-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ia-notary", "state": "Iowa", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Iowa Secretary of State (Paul D. Pate) — Notary Section, Business Services Division", "board_url": "https://sos.iowa.gov/notaries/about.html", "application_url": "https://sos.iowa.gov/notaries/notary-forms-and-fees", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is by Application for Renewal of Commission, $30, filed before the expiration date. The Secretary of State gives statutory notice: 'The secretary of state, two months preceding the expiration of a commission, shall notify the notary public of the expiration date and furnish a blank application for reappointment' (Iowa Code 9B.21A), and the SOS fee page adds 'You will receive an email 60 days prior to the expiration date with a PDF of your renewal form.' No grace period: 'You must renew your Notary Commission before the expiration date passes. If you do not renew your commission before the expiration date passes and you still wish to be a notary, you may complete a new Notary Commission Application and pay the required application fee of $30.00' (Handbook FAQ) — a lapse costs the same $30 but restarts as a new commission. Notaries who originally applied on paper may still renew through Fast Track Filing (Handbook p. 2). Members of the General Assembly and state-agency appointees must file a renewal before their current commission expires, and the SOS does not send legislators a reminder (Handbook p. 12). RON side: the SOS gives two months' notice of RON expiration and 'may provide for combining its reappointment and reapproval forms' (721 IAC 43.5(2)); a reappointing notary who wants to keep notarizing remotely may owe the update course (721 IAC 43.5(3)(b)). No continuing education is required at renewal for a traditional commission — see the continuing-education details on this page.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required to keep or renew an Iowa notary commission. Iowa Code 9B.21 imposes none, 9B.21A provides only for expiration notice and a blank reappointment application, and 721 IAC 43.5 requires training solely for the remote pathway; the Handbook's renewal FAQ describes renewal as filing the form and fee before expiration, with no course. Sources checked: Iowa Code ch. 9B, 721 IAC ch. 43, the SOS Notary Forms and Fees page, the About Notaries page and the official Handbook. The one education obligation that recurs is RON-only: a notary reappointing who wants to continue remote acts, and who completed the initial RON course more than 12 months before applying, must complete an SOS-approved update course within the six months preceding the reappointment deadline (721 IAC 43.5(3)(b)). That is a condition of the remote approval, not of the underlying commission.", "exam": "No examination of any kind. Iowa Code 9B.21(2) lists five qualifications — age, citizenship/residency status, Iowa nexus, English literacy, and not being disqualified under 9B.23 — and an examination is not among them; 9B.21(3) adds only an oath of office. Rule 721 IAC 43.5 prescribes the application and (for RON) training, but no test. The Secretary of State's Handbook for Iowa Notaries Public (2023) sets out the same qualification list on p. 10 with no exam, and the 'Notary Forms and Fees' page lists no exam fee. Sources checked: Iowa Code ch. 9B (full chapter text), 721 IAC ch. 43 (full chapter text), the Application for Commission as Notary Public (PDF), the SOS Notary Forms and Fees page, the About Notaries page, and the official Handbook including its FAQ. Even the RON pathway is a training-and-proof requirement rather than an examination — 721 IAC 43.5(3) requires the applicant to 'satisfactorily complete a training course' and 'provide satisfactory proof' of completion, with no passing score or test named.", "fees": "State fees (Iowa Secretary of State, 'Notary Forms and Fees' — the code and the fee page agree exactly): Application for Notary Commission $30 (online through Fast Track Filing or on paper); Application for Renewal of Notary Commission $30; Application for Approval to Perform Remote Notarizations — no fee; Request for Change of Name/Address — no fee; Statement of Complaint — no fee. The statute sets the same figure: an applicant shall 'pay an application fee of thirty dollars to the secretary of state' (Iowa Code 9B.21(1)), and a legislator or designated state-agency appointee under 9B.21(4) 'is not subject to the fee.' The paper Application for Commission as Notary Public states '10. Fee: $30.00. Make check payable to SECRETARY OF STATE.' — form and code match. Late renewal is not a surcharge but a refiling: 'If you do not renew your commission before the expiration date passes and you still wish to be a notary, you may complete a new Notary Commission Application and pay the required application fee of $30.00' (Handbook FAQ). SOS certification fees (Iowa Code 9B.21B): certified copy of a notary document $1 per page plus $5 for the certificate; uncertified copy $1 per page; a certificate under seal as to the status of a notary commission $5. Private costs the state does not set or collect: the stamp or seal — 'Our office does not provide or sell notary supplies' (Handbook p. 14) — and the mandatory RON training course, which the SOS states 'costs $30, which is to be paid to the National Notary Association', plus whatever the chosen remote technology vendor charges. The SOS's own RON FAQ totals it: 'There is no cost associated with registering to become a Remote Online Notary; however, you must already be a Commissioned Notary, which requires a $30 fee. Additionally, the required remote online notarization training course that you must complete costs $30.'", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Iowa Code ch. 9B (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire Iowa notary scheme — definitions, authority and refusal to act, identification, notarial certificates, official stamp and stamping device, commissioning and term, grounds for discipline, the notary database, prohibited acts, and remote notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Iowa Code 9B.21\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications for a commission, the $30 application fee, the oath of office, appointment of legislators and state-agency employees, appointment of bordering-state residents who work in Iowa, and the three-year / one-year / term-of-office commission terms.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Iowa Code 9B.14A\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals: identity proofing, the audio-visual recording and its ten-year retention, the pre-act notification to the Secretary of State identifying technologies, rulemaking authority, and the appointment of the SOS as the technology provider's agent for service of process.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Iowa Code 9B.17 and 9B.18\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Required contents of the official stamp, the officials exempt from using one, and the notary's responsibility for the security of the stamping device.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Iowa Code 9B.23\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition a commission, including felony and fraud/dishonesty/deceit convictions, and the right to notice and hearing.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Iowa Code 9B.24 and 9B.25\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The public electronic database of notaries public (including the electronic-records flag) and the prohibited acts, including the ban on non-attorneys using 'notario'/'notario publico' and the required non-attorney advertising disclaimer.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"721 Iowa Admin. Code ch. 43 (Secretary of State — Notarial Acts), IAC edition 8/6/25\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial certificates and short forms, jurisdiction, conflict of interest, the commission application and the RON approval and its expiration, the RON initial training course and the reappointment update course, protection of recordings and personally identifiable information, sanctions procedure, and the standards for communication technology, identity proofing and approved providers.\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/721.43.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Iowa Secretary of State — Notary Forms and Fees. The live fee schedule: 'Application for Notary Commission - $30', 'Application for Renewal of Notary Commission - See Iowa Code 9B.21A - $30 *You will receive an email 60 days prior to the expiration date with a PDF of your renewal form', 'Application for Approval to Perform Remote Notarizations - No fee', 'Request for Change of Name/Address - No fee', 'Statement of Complaint - No fee', plus 'File online through Fast Track'.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.iowa.gov/notaries/notary-forms-and-fees\"}, {\"label\": \"Handbook for Iowa Notaries Public, Iowa Secretary of State Paul D. Pate (2023) — the official handbook. Establishes the qualification list, 'A traditional notary public can perform both paper and electronic notarizations', the commission terms ('The term of a notary public residing in Iowa is three years'), the stamp element list, 'Iowa law requires a notary public to use a notary stamp or seal on all notarized documents', 'Although Iowa law does not require a notary public to keep a journal, it is STRONGLY recommended', 'It is wise to keep your notary journal entries for ten years', 'Do I need a notary bond? No, Iowa does not require a bond', 'A notary in Iowa may charge a reasonable fee for the notary's services', and the renewal rule that a lapsed notary must file a new $30 application.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.iowa.gov/Notaries/pdf/notaryhandbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Iowa Code chapter 9B (Notarial Acts), Iowa Code 2026 edition PDF from the Iowa Legislature. Establishes 'pay an application fee of thirty dollars to the secretary of state' and the five qualifications (9B.21(2)), 'issue a commission as a notary public to an applicant for a term of three years' with the one-year bordering-state term (9B.21(6)), the stamp contents and stamp exemptions (9B.17), the discipline grounds (9B.23), the public database duty (9B.24), the prohibited acts and 'notario' ban (9B.25), and the whole remote-notarization section including the ten-year recording retention and the pre-act notification duty (9B.14A).\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/9B.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"721 Iowa Administrative Code chapter 43 (Secretary of State — Notarial Acts), IAC edition 8/6/25 PDF. Establishes that the application's affirmation section 'shall constitute an executed oath of office', that a RON approval 'shall expire on the same date as the individual's notary public commission', the six-month pre-act RON training requirement (43.5(3)(a)) and the reappointment UPDATE course (43.5(3)(b)), the conflict-of-interest bar (43.4), recording/PII protection (43.7), the technology and identity-proofing standards (43.9) and the provider requirements and backup-strategy rule (43.10).\", \"url\": \"https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/721.43.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Iowa Secretary of State — Remote Online Notarization. Establishes the RON requirement list, the state's approved-course statement ('This course is provided by the National Notary Association (NNA) and is the only course approved by our office ... there is a $30 fee that must be paid to take this course'), 'There is no cost associated with registering to become a Remote Online Notary', the separate application at sos.iowa.gov/remotenotary, and the exclusion of consumer video tools ('Software that primarily offers video-conferencing will not meet these requirements').\", \"url\": \"https://sos.iowa.gov/remote-online-notarization\"}, {\"label\": \"Iowa Secretary of State — Application for Commission as Notary Public (paper form PDF). Establishes '10. Fee: $30.00. Make check payable to SECRETARY OF STATE.', the qualification attestation referencing Iowa Code 9B.21(2), item 6 on electronic records ('If \\\"Yes\\\", identify the tamper proof technology the applicant intends to use'), item 7 on remote notarizations requiring the separate approval application, item 8 the bilingual notary registry, and the affirmation/signature block that serves as the oath of office.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.iowa.gov/business/pdf/applicant.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Iowa Secretary of State — notary public search (public lookup). The live ASP.NET search form whose own field names establish the search-by list recorded in verification_portal: commission number, first name, last name, business name, city, ZIP, language, notary status (Active/Inactive/Both) and electronic notarization (Yes/No).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.iowa.gov/search/notary/search.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Iowa Secretary of State — About Notaries (the office's notary landing page, listing Notary Search, Become a Notary, Renewal Filing, Apostilles and Certifications, Notarial Certificates, Forms & Fees, Stamp, Remote Notarization and Remote Notary Training).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.iowa.gov/notaries/about.html\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ia-notary/" }, { "page_id": "id-notary", "state": "Idaho", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Idaho Secretary of State, Notary Division (Notary & Apostille)", "board_url": "https://sos.idaho.gov/notary-information/", "application_url": "https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/forms/notary", "renewal_cycle": "Six years, and Idaho does not renew commissions - it reissues them. Idaho Code 51-121(5): 'On compliance with this section, the secretary of state shall issue a commission as a notary public to an applicant for a term of six (6) years.' The Secretary of State states the mechanism in its own words: 'Notary commissions are not renewed. You simply re-apply for another 6-year commission by filling out the application form and getting a new bond. You do not need to obtain a new rubber stamp seal if you already have one. You can apply for a new commission up to 90 days prior to your current commission expiring.' So every cycle costs a fresh $30 filing fee and a fresh $10,000 assurance, and the 90-day early window is the only lead time offered. The Handbook adds that there is no cap on how many times: 'Term limits don't apply to notaries. You may serve for as long as you wish.' The stamp usually survives the cycle, with one trap: 'Recommissioning notaries can continue to use their current stamping devices' - but 'A new stamp must be purchased whenever the information shown in the stamp (such as the notary's name) changes OR IF YOUR STAMP INCLUDES YOUR EXPIRATION DATE', because the expiration date is optional stamp content that goes stale at reissue. Mid-term duties: the notary must keep name, physical residence address, mailing address, personal telephone number, employment information and electronic-notary intentions current, notifying the Secretary of State 'within 30 days of any changes' using the Notary Change Form; the filing fee for a name or address change is $5. 'An amended Certificate of Commission will be issued when your name or city of residence changes and you will have to obtain a new stamp showing the updated information.' Two ways the term ends early: moving out of state while ceasing to have an Idaho place of business or practice terminates the commission automatically, and cancellation of the bond ends the ability to act, because 'A notary public may perform notarial acts in this state only during the period that a valid assurance is on file with the secretary of state.'", "ce_hours": "None. No continuing-education requirement exists, and none could exist in the usual form because Idaho does not renew commissions - a notary reapplies for a new six-year commission with a new bond and a new $30 fee, and the qualifications for that application are the same five in Idaho Code 51-121(2) that applied the first time. The only education provision in the chapter runs the other way: 51-122 obliges the Secretary of State to 'offer regularly a course of study to applicants who do not hold commissions as notaries public in this state' - by its terms a course for people who are not yet notaries, so it is not a recurring duty for sitting notaries either. Sources checked: Idaho Code Title 51 chapter 1 in full as reproduced in the Secretary of State's 2024 Notary Public Handbook (including 51-121, 51-122, 51-123 and 51-132); IDAPA 34.07.01 as reproduced there; the live sos.idaho.gov Notary Information page and its complete FAQ; and the official Notary Public Application form.", "exam": "The state answers this in so many words. The Secretary of State's published FAQ asks and answers it directly: 'Is a test required to apply as a notary public? No. However, beginning July 1, 2019, the Secretary of State is required to provide an online education course for notaries public.' No examination, assessment, passing score, proctor, exam fee or exam scheduling step appears in any source checked on 2026-08-12: Idaho Code Title 51 chapter 1 read in full as reproduced in the Secretary of State's 2024 Notary Public Handbook - 51-121 conditions issuance only on the qualifications, the oath and the $10,000 assurance, and 51-132's fee schedule lists no examination fee; IDAPA 34.07.01 as reproduced in the same Handbook, whose only competence test is the identity-proofing quiz taken by the signer in a remote notarization, not by the notary; the live SOS Notary Information page and its three-step 'How To Become A Notary' list; and the two-page official application form. The free training course is optional (see the training details on this page). The RON knowledge-based-authentication quiz - minimum five questions, five answer choices each, 80% correct, two-minute limit - is not a notary exam; it is administered to the remotely located signer as identity proofing.", "fees": "Statutory, short, and unusually unambiguous - Idaho Code 51-132 (Filing fees), reproduced in the Secretary of State's 2024 Handbook: '(1) The fee for filing an application for appointment as a notary public shall be thirty dollars ($30.00). (2) The fee for filing an application for electronic notarization authorization shall be twenty dollars ($20.00). (3) There shall be no fee charged for filing a letter of resignation, a certified copy of a judgment of conviction, a certified copy of findings of fact or extract therefrom, public record of proof of material misstatement of fact in an application, certified copy of order adjudging incompetency, or notice of death. (4) The fee for filing notice of change of name or address shall be five dollars ($5.00). (5) The fee for filing notice of cancellation of a notary bond shall be five dollars ($5.00). (6) The fee for a notary public database extraction shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00). (7) The fee for a certified copy of a notary public record shall be ten dollars ($10.00) plus twenty-five cents (.25) per page.' The live SOS page states the same $30 filing fee, and the $30 is 'NON-REFUNDABLE'. Who pays nothing: 'Do employees of city, county or state government offices have to pay filing fees to the Secretary of State? No. City, county, and state employees are exempt from all notary filing fees, if your notary commission will be used over the course of your employment', and 'State employees do not pay the $30 filing fee with the Secretary of State.' Note that the $20 eNotary fee appears in two different guises, and the difference matters: 51-132(2) sets '$20.00' as the fee for filing an application for electronic notarization authorization, while the live SOS page describes a $20 charge as a penalty for using paper - 'File the amendment to your account on sosbiz.idaho.gov or file the paper form: Authorization for Electronic Notarization (NOTE: Filing paper forms will incur a $20 manual processing fee)'. Both figures are $20 and both are official; whether an online eNotary amendment is free or still carries the statutory $20 was not resolvable from the sources read, because the checkout on sosbiz.idaho.gov could not be reached. Recorded as an open conflict rather than resolved. Not set by the state: the surety bond premium (paid to a bonding agent) and the stamping device (bought privately - 'The state does not provide the stamp'). There is no examination fee because there is no examination, and no renewal fee distinct from the $30, because Idaho has no renewal (see the renewal details on this page).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-101 et seq. - Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (2018), Title 51, Chapter 1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole framework: authority to perform notarial acts, personal appearance, identification, certificates, seals, commissions, prohibited acts, rules, fees. 'This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.' Reproduced in full in the Secretary of State's official Notary Public Handbook\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-121 (Commission as notary public - qualifications - no immunity or benefit)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The five qualifications; the oath of office; the $10,000 assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent, who may issue it, the thirty-day cancellation notice, and the rule that a notary may act 'only during the period that a valid assurance is on file'; the six-year term; and the disclaimer of public-official immunity\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-117 (Official stamp), as amended 2018, ch. 77, sec. 1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The five requirements for the official stamp, including the state-issued commission number and the optional expiration date. Current text read from the Legislature's own page through the Internet Archive's copy of May 19, 2026; the Secretary of State's 2024 Handbook reprints the superseded pre-2018 version - see the seal details on this page. The address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title51/T51CH1/SECT51-117/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-118 (Stamping device)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The inked-stamp requirement and the maximum dimensions (2.25 by 1 inch rectangular, 1.75 inches diameter circular), the electronic-record equivalent, the security duty, and the obligation to disable the device on resignation, revocation, expiration, death or incompetency\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-114A (Notarial act performed by remotely located individual)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Idaho's RON statute: appearance by communication technology as compliance with 51-106; the three permitted identity bases including two types of identity proofing; the mandatory audio-visual recording and its ten-year retention; the certificate's duty to disclose the use of communication technology; the conditions for signers outside the United States; the pre-act notice to the Secretary of State identifying the technology; and the rulemaking mandate. Read from the Legislature's own page through the Internet Archive's copy of May 15, 2026; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title51/t51ch1/sect51-114a/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-120 (Notification regarding performance of notarial act on electronic record - selection of technology)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary's right to select one or more tamper-evident technologies, the bar on anyone forcing a technology on a notary, and the duty to notify the Secretary of State and identify the technology before the first electronic notarial act\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-122 (Course of study)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's duty to 'offer regularly a course of study to applicants who do not hold commissions' covering laws, rules, procedures and ethics. Note the duty runs to the state, not to the applicant - Idaho requires no training\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-123 (Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition commission)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The character and conduct standard - 'any act or omission that demonstrates the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence or reliability to act as a notary public' - and its incorporation into the qualifications by 51-121(2)(e)\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-124 (Database of notaries public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"'The secretary of state shall maintain an electronic database of notaries public' - the statutory basis for the public Find A Notary search\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Idaho Code 51-132 (Filing fees) and 51-133 (Notary fee)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $30 commission filing fee, the $20 electronic-notarization authorization fee, the $5 name/address-change and bond-cancellation fees, the $25 database extraction and $10-plus-25-cents certified copy fees; and separately the $5.00 per-act maximum a notary may charge, the travel-expense allowance, and the employer fee rules\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"IDAPA 34.07.01 (Idaho Secretary of State - Remote Online Notarization rules)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The RON qualifications in .011.01 (commissioned, authorized for electronic notarization, and notice by application); the tamper-evident communication-technology standard; knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis in full detail; the permissive journal for remote acts; and the audio-visual recording's storage, format, content exclusion and ten-year retention. Reproduced as Chapter 7 of the Secretary of State's Notary Public Handbook\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - 'Notary Information', the live agency page including the complete Notary FAQ (on 2026-08-12, a successful response, 229,495 bytes). Establishes the three-step 'How To Become A Notary' process and the '$30.00 filing fee'; 'Notary commissions are not renewed. You simply re-apply for another 6-year commission by filling out the application form and getting a new bond... You can apply for a new commission up to 90 days prior to your current commission expiring'; the current stamp requirements including 'Your state-issued commission number' and the optional 'My commission expires:' line; 'Is a notary journal required? No, but it is strongly recommended and is a notary best practice'; 'Is a test required to apply as a notary public? No'; 'What fees may I charge? A notary public may charge a fee not to exceed $5.00 per notarial act. You may also be compensated for actual and reasonable expense of travel'; 'Your surety bond protects the signer of the document and not the notary public'; the electronic-notary registration route with the '$20 manual processing fee' for paper; 'Does the Secretary of State verify that the chosen technology is compliant? No'; the state-employee bond route through Risk Management and 'State employees do not pay the $30 filing fee'; and the signing-agent warning\", \"url\": \"https://sos.idaho.gov/notary-information/\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - 'Idaho Notary Public Handbook', Revised 2024, 48-page official PDF (on 2026-08-12, a successful response, 4,589,967 bytes, text-extracted). The single richest source for this page: it reproduces Idaho Code Title 51 chapter 1 in full AND IDAPA 34.07.01 as Chapter 7. Establishes the qualifications, 'The term of office for a notary public is six years', 'Term limits don't apply to notaries', the $10,000 bond discussion ('Idaho does not require notaries to obtain liability insurance'), the fee cap and travel fee, the three-step application process and the name-consistency rule, 'THE FILING FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE', the journal-is-optional guidance and journal ownership, and the RON overview 'Effective January 1, 2020, Idaho notaries will be authorized to perform notarial acts for remotely located individuals. Idaho Code 51-114A.' CARRIES ITS OWN STALENESS DISCLOSURE: 'Revised 2024' on the title page, immediately followed by 'This edition reflects statutory changes made by the 2019 Legislature' - and its reprint of 51-117 is the superseded pre-2018 text\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/idaho_notary_handbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Legislature - Idaho Code 51-117 (Official stamp), CURRENT text with history '[51-117, added 2017, ch. 192, sec. 6, p. 453; am. 2018, ch. 77, sec. 1, p. 174.]'. Read through the Internet Archive's copy of May 19, 2026, because legislature.idaho.gov could not be reached by any method we tried on August 12, 2026. Establishes that the stamp 'Must include the notary public's name, the words \\\"Notary Public,\\\" the words \\\"State of Idaho,\\\" and the notary's state-issued commission number' and 'May include the words \\\"my commission expires:\\\" followed by the notary's current commission expiration date' - contradicting the Handbook's reprint and matching the live SOS page. This is an archived copy rather than a live reading: the text shown is as it stood on May 19, 2026. The address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title51/T51CH1/SECT51-117/\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Legislature - Idaho Code 51-114A (Notarial act performed by remotely located individual), full current text read through the Internet Archive's copy of May 15, 2026, for the same reason. Establishes the communication-technology and identity-proofing definitions, subsection (2) allowing remote appearance to satisfy 51-106, subsection (3)(c)'s mandatory audio-visual recording, subsection (4)'s certificate disclosure and the short-form wording 'This notarial act involved the use of communication technology.', subsection (6)'s ten-year retention, and subsection (7)'s pre-act notice to the Secretary of State. This is an archived copy rather than a live reading: the text shown is as it stood on May 15, 2026. The address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title51/t51ch1/sect51-114a/\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - official Notary Public Application form, 2-page PDF (on 2026-08-12, a successful response, 471,184 bytes, text-extracted). The paper application referenced by the live page's step 2 and used by state employees; confirms the application is the vehicle for the oath of office and must be notarized\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/forms/notary_public_application.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - Authorization for Electronic Notarization form, linked from the Notary Information page as the paper alternative to the online 'Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary' amendment. Cited for the existence and route of the eNotary/RON authorization; the SOS page attaches the '$20 manual processing fee' to filing it on paper\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/forms/enotary_auth.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - Notary Change Form, linked from the Notary Information page for name and address changes during the term ('If your name or address changes you must use the Notary Change Form to submit the new information'), which Idaho Code 51-132(4) prices at $5.00\", \"url\": \"https://archive.sos.idaho.gov/notary/forms/notary_change_form.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - SOSBiz notary forms portal, the online filing route the agency links as 'Notary Application' and as the place to file the 'Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary' amendment. Not exercised - SOSBiz is a JavaScript application behind a Cloudflare challenge, so no fee screen was observed\", \"url\": \"https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/forms/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - SOSBiz 'Find A Notary' public search (on 2026-08-12, a successful response, but only a 1,535-byte React shell with an empty div#root and a Cloudflare challenge script - no search fields in the served HTML). Cited as the state's public lookup, with the monitorability warning recorded in verification_portal\", \"url\": \"https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/search/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Idaho Secretary of State - Notary Training Course page, the free optional course the office promotes ('Do you want to become a Notary? Take our Notary Training Course to learn how'), offered under the Idaho Code 51-122 duty on the Secretary of State to provide a course of study. Cited to establish that the course exists and is voluntary for applicants\", \"url\": \"https://sos.idaho.gov/notary-information/notary-training/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/id-notary/" }, { "page_id": "il-notary", "state": "Illinois", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Illinois Secretary of State, Index Department. The Secretary of State appoints and commissions notaries public and electronic notaries public (5 ILCS 312/2-101); the Index Department administers the program - 'The Index Department appoints and commissions active Notaries Public in Illinois.' Note the split of authority the Secretary states plainly: 'The Secretary of State administers the Notary Public Act, but misconduct complaints must be filed with a law enforcement agency, the Attorney General, or a State's Attorney's office.' Mailing address for resignations and paper filings: Secretary of State, Index Department, 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL 62723.", "board_url": "https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/index/notary/home.html", "application_url": "https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/index/notary/home.html", "renewal_cycle": "Reappointment is a full new application, including the course and exam. 5 ILCS 312/5-101: 'No person is automatically reappointed as a notary public or electronic notary public. At least 60 days prior to the expiration of a commission, the Secretary of State shall mail notice of the expiration date to the holder of a commission. Every notary public or electronic notary public who is an applicant for reappointment shall comply with the provisions of Article II of this Act' - Article II being the application, the course and examination, the oath, the bond and the fee. The Secretary confirms the notice: 'Our office will send you a renewal notice about 60 days before your appointment expires. You can renew your notary appointment online.' Timing, to avoid a dead period: 'A current notary public and a current electronic notary public may apply for reappointment 60 days before an existing commission expires. The date of the new commission will be the date immediately after the expiration date of the current commission,' and 'To prevent a gap between commissions, a notary public and electronic notary public should apply for reappointment at least 30 days before the commission under which the notary public is currently acting expires' (14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.350; the same rule appears at 176.100(d)). The course and exam apply on renewal - 5 ILCS 312/2-101.5(a) covers an applicant 'applying to renew his or her appointment', and the only escape is the renewal-only attorney/judge/court-employee signed statement in 2-101.5(c). Renewal is not how you fix a name change: 'If you change your name, you need to resign your commission and apply for a new appointment.' Likewise a notary who moves out of the commissioning county, or a non-resident notary whose employment county changes, 'must resign your commission and reapply.' Resigning, per the Secretary: submit a written request giving the name under which the commission was issued, the commission number, the reason for cancellation with supporting documents, home address and telephone number, the notary's signature and the date, mailed to Secretary of State, Index Department, 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL 62723. The statute adds that voluntary resignation requires 'physically returning his or her stamp to the Secretary', and that resigning 'shall not stop or preclude any investigation' (5 ILCS 312/7-108(i)).", "ce_hours": "None as continuing education during a commission - but Illinois is not a no-education state, and describing it as one is the common error. There is no annual or mid-term CE requirement anywhere in 5 ILCS 312 or 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176; what Illinois requires instead is the full 3-hour course of study and a passing examination at every appointment, including every reappointment, under 5 ILCS 312/2-101.5(a) and 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.205(a). In practice that is a recurring education requirement on a four-year cycle rather than an annual hour count, and the only escape is the renewal-only signed statement available to ARDC-registered attorneys in good standing, sitting Illinois or federal judges, and people employed by such an attorney or by an Illinois or federal court. Sources checked for continuing education: 5 ILCS 312 Articles I-VIII in full (no section imposes hours during a term); 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176 in full, whose only education subpart is Subpart C on the course of study and examination and whose proof-of-completion rule ties validity to the four-year commission rather than to any interim filing; and the Secretary of State's notary page and FAQ, whose renewal instructions are the renewal notice, the online renewal and the Article II requirements. One duty falls on providers rather than notaries and should not be mistaken for CE: 'Providers must monitor the Illinois General Assembly and update their course content to include any new amendments to the Act' within 60 days after the law change takes effect (176.225(f)).", "exam": "Required since January 1, 2024, taken at the end of the mandatory course, from the same Secretary-certified provider. 5 ILCS 312/2-101.5(a)(2) requires the applicant to 'pass an examination at the completion of the course', and 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.205(a) requires an applicant to 'successfully complete a course of study and acquire a passing score on the examination'. Illinois does not administer the examination itself - 'The course of study and examination must consist of the instruction and questions identified in Section 176.225', and it 'must be taught by a provider or instructor certified by the Secretary' (176.205(c)-(d)). Shelf life of a pass, two different clocks: 'The applicant will have two years from the date of the examination to apply for a notary public or electronic notary public commission. Once the course of study and examination have been successfully completed and the commission has been issued, the certificate or other proof of successful completion of the course of study and examination will remain valid for the duration of the notary's four-year commission' (176.205(a)). The exemption is narrow and applies only to renewal. 5 ILCS 312/2-101.5(c): an applicant to renew is excused from the course and the examination 'if the applicant submits, in the form and manner prescribed by the Secretary of State, a signed statement that the applicant (i) is a licensed attorney or judge or is employed by a licensed attorney or the court and (ii) has read and understood the version of the Act that is in effect at the time of application.' The rule spells out who qualifies: 'licensed attorneys in good standing with the ARDC, current Illinois court or federal court judges, or applicants that are employed by a licensed attorney in good standing with the ARDC or an Illinois or federal court who are renewing their Notary Public commission' (176.205(e)). A first-time applicant who is an attorney is not exempt - the exemption is written for renewals only. The course's final examination is set by rule, in 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.235 (a section separate from 176.205 and 176.225): 'Students must complete a final examination at the end of the course, which shall consist of 50 questions from a test bank of a minimum of 100 questions. Questions may be multiple-choice, true/false, or a combination of both', and 'A student must score at least 85% on the final examination. If a student scores less than 85%, the student must be re-tested using different questions from the test bank.' The student is not required to repeat the course.", "fees": "Paid to the Secretary of State (5 ILCS 312/2-103): $15 for appointment and commission as a notary public - 'Ten dollars from each applicant fee shall be deposited in the General Revenue Fund. Five dollars from each applicant fee shall be deposited in the Electronic Notarization Fund'; and $25 for a commission as an electronic notary public - 'This fee is in addition to the fee proscribed for a commission as a notary public and shall be deposited in the Electronic Notarization Fund.' **The $25 electronic-notary fee is currently waived.** 5 ILCS 312/2-103(b-5), added by P.A. 104-621 (eff. 7-24-26): 'The fee under subsection (b) shall be waived and shall not be paid or collected. This subsection is inoperative on and after the date 2 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.' The $25 is not repealed - subsection (b) still prescribes it - it is suspended, and the suspension lapses on 2028-07-24, when the $25 returns unless the General Assembly acts again. So while the waiver is in force a person who wants to notarize electronically pays $15 in state fees, not $40. Checked against the ILCS text on 2026-08-25. The Electronic Notarization Fund is a dedicated state fund created by 5 ILCS 312/1-106 to fund the Index Department's implementation and maintenance of electronic notarization commissions. Payment must clear: 'No commission will be issued until the fee required by 5 ILCS 312/2-103 has been paid in full', and if a payment is dishonoured or stopped the Secretary 'may immediately and without a hearing deny to commission the applicant ... or immediately revoke the applicant's commission if the commission has already been granted', after which the person must reapply from the beginning (14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.320). Not paid to the state, but unavoidable: the surety bond premium ($5,000 bond, or $30,000 combined if you will notarize remotely or electronically); the mandatory course of study and examination from a Secretary-certified private provider, whose price the State does not set; and the rubber stamp seal, which a vendor may not sell you until you present your commission certificate. No separate renewal fee is prescribed - reappointment is a fresh application under Article II, so the same $15 applies again (and the $25, once the waiver lapses on 2028-07-24). No fee for a name or address change is prescribed, because Illinois does not process one: a name change requires resignation and a new appointment ('If you change your name, you need to resign your commission and apply for a new appointment'), and an address change outside the commissioning county likewise requires resignation and reapplication. Sources checked for both: 5 ILCS 312/2-103 and Article IV; 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176.320, 176.100 and 176.350; and the Secretary of State's notary FAQ.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/1-101 to 1-106 (Illinois Notary Public Act, Article I)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Short title, purposes, prospective effect, the definitions that separate 'audio-video communication', 'communication technology', 'credential', 'digital certificate' and 'dynamic knowledge based authentication assessment', and the Electronic Notarization Fund that the $5 share of the appointment fee and the $25 electronic notary fee are paid into (the $25 is waived and not collected from 2026-07-24 until the waiver lapses 2028-07-24 - 5 ILCS 312/2-103(b-5))\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/2-101 and 2-101.5\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment of notaries public for a 4-year term and of bordering-state non-residents for a 1-year term subject to reciprocity; the separate electronic notary public commission, its identical term and its suspension by operation of law if the underlying commission lapses; and the mandatory course of study and examination for first-time applicants and renewals, with the renewal-only attorney, judge and court-employee exemption\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/2-102, 2-102.5, 2-102.6 and 2-102.7\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What the notary and electronic notary applications must state, including the citizenship-or-permanent-residence requirement, the 30-day residency, English proficiency, the felony bar and the course-completion proof; the online application system and its driver's-license database match; the public database of notaries used to verify authority, electronic commission status and discipline; and registration of electronic notarization technology, including the requirement that the vendor's technology be approved by the Secretary of State before any electronic notarial act is performed in Illinois\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/2-103, 2-104, 2-105 and 2-107\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $15 appointment fee and its split between the General Revenue Fund and the Electronic Notarization Fund, plus the $25 electronic notary fee; the statutory oath and its electronic equivalent; the $5,000 bond, the $25,000 remote/electronic bond and the $30,000 combined bond; and licensing of notary public remittance agents\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/3-101, 3-102, 3-103, 3-104, 3-105 and 3-107\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The prescribed rubber stamp seal and the electronic seal and signature; the Notarial Record required for documents of conveyance of Cook County residential real property; the non-English advertising disclaimer, the 'notario' prohibition, the $1,500-per-violation fine and permanent revocation on a second violation, and the posted fee schedule; the maximum fees of $5, $25 and the immigration-form schedule with criminal penalties for overcharging; territorial authority and where the parties may be located for electronic acts; and the journal\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/4-101 and 5-101 to 5-102\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The changes that make a commission cease to be in effect - an unreported name, residence-address, business-address or e-mail change within 30 days, or loss of the Illinois work county for a non-resident - with surrender of the seal, destruction of the certificate and a bar of not less than 5 years on a new commission; no automatic reappointment and the 60-day expiration notice; and the restrictions on soliciting notaries to buy surety bonds\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/6-102, 6-102.5 and 6-104\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notarial acts and what satisfactory evidence of identity means; 'remote notarial acts' by any commissioned notary using two-way audio-video technology, requiring the signer to be physically in Illinois, a 3-year recording kept by the signatory, and the overnight transmission and 24-hour return of the signed document; and the prohibited acts, including the bar on preparing legal instruments and the English-language and blind-signer rules\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/6A-101 to 6A-106 (Article VI-A, Electronic Notarial Acts and Forms)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requirements for electronic notarization systems and providers; the electronic notary's immunity for a compliant system's failure and the ban on waiving it; the identity standard of credential presentation plus credential analysis plus dynamic knowledge-based authentication; the audio-video recording, its 7-year retention and the advance notice to participants; the electronic notarial certificate; and appearance by communication technology\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 ILCS 312/7-101, 7-104, 7-108, 7-109 and 7-110\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Liability of the notary and the surety and the bonding company's duty to report claims to the Secretary of State; the definition of official misconduct; reprimand, suspension and revocation, the duty to deliver the seal on revocation, the 5-year bar after revocation and the rule that any lapse of the notary commission terminates the electronic one; injunctions for unauthorized practice of law; and the rule that Illinois law governs the validity of any notarization 'regardless of the physical location of the principal at the time of a remote notarization'\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"14 Ill. Adm. Code 176 (Notary Public Records), Subparts A-J\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's notary rules: appointment and reappointment timing (176.100, 176.350), term start date (176.110), Illinois residency and the bordering-state form (176.120, 176.130), the course of study and examination including the January 1, 2024 start, the two-year exam shelf life, the 3-hour/180-minute content standard and provider certification (176.205-176.255), the appointment fee and dishonoured-payment rule (176.320), the bond amounts and the per-claim ceilings on a combined bond (176.340), the seal and commission certificate (176.500-176.550), notarial certificates (176.600), remote notarial acts, recordings and the restart rule (176.700-176.730), electronic notarization systems, seals, identity verification and duties (176.800-176.870), and the journal - contents, tangible and electronic form, 7-year retention, loss reporting and inspection (176.900-176.950)\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=01400176\"}, {\"citation\": \"Public Act 102-160 (eff. July 1, 2022 for the fee and fund provisions; eff. June 5, 2023 for the rest)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The act that rewrote Illinois notary law - creating the electronic notary public commission, the mandatory course of study and examination, the remote and electronic notarial act articles, the public notary database, the technology-approval regime, the remittance agent license, the enlarged bonds and the current fee structure. The ILCS source notes read 'P.A. 102-160, eff. 6-5-23 (See Section 91 of P.A. 103-562 for effective date of P.A. 102-160)', with 2-103 and 1-106 carrying the earlier 'eff. 7-1-22' date\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"citation\": \"Public Act 104-486 (effective January 1, 2027) - not yet in force\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Replaces the flat felony bar in 5 ILCS 312/2-102(a)(11) with a completed-sentence-plus-10-years test. Until January 1, 2027 the applicant must still state 'that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony'; from that date the statement becomes that if the applicant has ever been convicted of a felony, all requirements of all felony case sentences have been completed and 10 years have passed since that completion. The ILCS database prints both texts, labelled before and after amendment\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-25", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Illinois General Assembly - 5 ILCS 312, Illinois Notary Public Act, complete text of Articles I through VIII (63 sections plus article headings), retrieved from the ILCS print view on 2026-08-13. The authority for every statutory quotation in this record, including 'The Secretary of State may appoint and commission as notaries public for a 4-year term'; 'applicants applying for the first time ... shall: (1) complete any course of study ... and (2) pass an examination at the completion of the course'; 'Every applicant for appointment and commission as a notary public shall pay to the Secretary of State a fee of $15'; 'in the sum of $5,000'; 'shall obtain and maintain a surety bond in the amount of $25,000 ... one bond totaling $30,000 shall satisfy the provisions of this Section'; the rubber stamp seal specification; 'the maximum fee for non-electronic notarization in this State is $5'; and 'A notary public or an electronic notary public shall keep a journal of each notarial act'. This source also carries the source notes that date every section, including the future-effective P.A. 104-486 text of 2-102\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=107&ChapterID=2\"}, {\"label\": \"Illinois General Assembly, Joint Committee on Administrative Rules - 14 Ill. Adm. Code Part 176, 'Notary Public Records', complete Part retrieved on 2026-08-13. The authority for the operational detail the statute delegates: 'Beginning January 1, 2024, applicants ... must first successfully complete a course of study and acquire a passing score on the examination' and the two-year exam shelf life (176.205); the 3-hour/180-minute course standard, the 30-day completion window and the content objectives (176.225); the appointment-fee and dishonoured-payment rule (176.320); the bond amounts and the per-claim ceilings on a combined bond (176.340); reappointment timing (176.350); 'Only upon presentation ... of the Commission Certificate is a vendor authorized to provide the notary with an official seal' (176.550); the tamper-evident binding rule for paper certificates (176.600); the remote-act restart rule (176.720); 'A person may not perform an electronic notarial act unless the Secretary of State has approved the electronic notary public commission' (176.800); and the journal rules including 'must be retained for a minimum of 7 years' (176.900-176.950). Most sections carry 'Added at 47 Ill. Reg. 8640, effective June 5, 2023'; 176.205 and 176.600 were amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 584, effective January 1, 2025\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=01400176\"}, {\"label\": \"Illinois Secretary of State - 'Notary Services' (the Index Department's notary page), read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13 because ilsos.gov denied our own requests for it. The agency's own requirements list ('Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted for permanent residence; Be a resident of Illinois for at least 30 days or qualify as a Non-Resident; Be at least 18 years of age; Be proficient in the English language; Have not been convicted of a felony; Have not had a prior application or commission revoked...; Complete the Notary Application; Get a notary bond valued at $5,000 (regular notary) or $30,000 (Remote Notarization by Audio-Video Communication)'); the online-application mandate and hardship exemption; 'If you're not already registered as a Notary Public, you must apply for both a Notary Public and Electronic Notary Public to perform electronic notarizations'; the FAQ answers on the 60-day renewal notice, the 4-year and 1-year terms, the absence of a grace period, name changes requiring resignation and reapplication, county moves requiring resignation, the resignation procedure and address, the role of the Index Department, and the division of complaint authority; and the links to the Illinois Notary Public Handbook, the Notary Public Study Course Providers list, the Electronic Notarization System Providers list and the Notary Search\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/index/notary/home.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Illinois Secretary of State - 'Illinois Notary Public Handbook' (publication ipub16, Alexi Giannoulias, Secretary of State), PDF downloaded and text-extracted from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The Secretary's own plain-language guide, which opens with the basic rules 'Keep your notary seal in a safe place; Do not notarize a signature unless the signer is present at the time of notarization; Do not lend your stamp to anyone, including your employer; Do not identify a document signer on the word of a friend or employer who is not willing to take an oath', and which records the Act's history: 'The Illinois Notary Public Act, effective July 1, 1986 ... In 2000 and 2022, the Act was updated and modernized to provide notaries the opportunity to participate in electronic notarization.' Used here for context and for the Secretary's own framing; every operative figure in this record is cited to 5 ILCS 312 or 14 Ill. Adm. Code 176 rather than to the handbook\", \"url\": \"https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/ipub16.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Illinois Secretary of State - 'Notary Public Search' (apps.ilsos.gov/notarysearch/), read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13. The public register: 'Notaries are appointed by the Secretary of State for a term of four years'; search criteria 'Last Name or Last Name, First Name', 'Commission Number', 'City', 'ZIP Code' with the rule 'You must enter criteria in one field'; and a separate 'View All Electronic Notaries' listing\", \"url\": \"https://apps.ilsos.gov/notarysearch/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/il-notary/" }, { "page_id": "in-notary", "state": "Indiana", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division (Notary Public commissions)", "board_url": "https://inbiz.in.gov/certification/notary", "application_url": "https://inbiz.in.gov/certification/notary", "renewal_cycle": "Indiana treats renewal as reapplication, not a light-touch renewal. IC 33-42-12-1(c) applies to 'An applicant applying for a commission as a notary public or reapplying for a subsequent commission', and IC 33-42-12-2(a) requires a reapplicant to complete the education course and the examination again. The Secretary of State charges the same $75.00 fee for 'Notary Initial/Renewal Application'. Renewal is initiated on the INBiz dashboard, where 'Renew your commission' is available '(if within 90 days of expiration)' (INBiz FAQ). The harder deadline is the biennial CE, not the 8-year term: 'Failure to complete your continuing education by the due date will result in the permanent expiration of your Commission. You will be required to apply for a new notary commission' (INBiz Education section), and the Guide adds 'Failure to complete the continuing education by the due date every two years will result in the automatic expiration of the notary public commission.' A remote notary whose registration expires 'may not perform a remote notarial act until the remote notary public has reregistered' (IC 33-42-17-2(e)). No grace period after expiration is published in IC 33-42-12, the INBiz page or the Guide.", "ce_hours": "Required every two years, capped by statute at two hours. IC 33-42-12-2(b): 'A notary public must fulfill a continuing education requirement not to exceed two (2) hours of continuing education every two (2) years.' Agency detail (Notary Public Guide p. 10 and the INBiz Education section): effective July 1, 2020 notaries must complete a continuing education course and exam every two years; the course is offered on INBiz, 'will take approximately two hours to complete', costs $50.00, and 'Education courses taken or completed outside of INBiz are not accepted at this time.' The deadline is 'the last day of the month of the notary's commission issuance date every two years', and courses 'may only be completed within 90 days of the due date.' Over an eight-year commission that is three CE courses totalling $150.00 (INBiz page). Missing the deadline is fatal to the commission: 'Failure to complete your continuing education by the due date will result in the permanent expiration of your Commission. You will be required to apply for a new notary commission.' A CE due date can be checked at https://mylicense.in.gov/EVerification/Search.aspx (Guide p. 11). Remote notaries must comply with the same CE requirement to stay eligible (IC 33-42-17-2(b)(2)).", "exam": "Required. IC 33-42-12-1(b)(6) makes 'have passed the examination described in section 2 of this chapter' a qualification for the commission, and IC 33-42-12-2(a) requires both a course of education and an examination for an initial commission and for each reapplication. The exam is administered by the Secretary of State through INBiz immediately after the education course, and its cost is inside the $75 application fee ('All fees include the costs associated to accessing the required notary education and exams' — INBiz Notaries page). 'Once the exam has been passed, your application will be submitted to the Secretary of State's office for final review' (INBiz Notaries page). Continuing education also carries an exam every two years: 'notaries must complete a continuing education course and exam every two years per Indiana Code 33-42-12-2(b)' (Guide p. 10). Remote notaries must additionally pass 'a remote notarial act examination administered by the secretary of state' (IC 33-42-17-2(b)(5)). No passing score, question count, format or retake rule is published in IC 33-42-12, on the INBiz Notaries page, or in the Notary Public Guide; 75 IAC 7 could not be read, so a rule-level passing score cannot be ruled out.", "fees": "Charged by the Indiana Secretary of State (INBiz 'Notary Fees' section): Notary Initial/Renewal Application fee $75.00; Notary Continuing Education fee $50.00 (each, every two years); Remote Notary Authorization Application $100.00; Commission Revision Fee $8.67. 'All fees include the costs associated to accessing the required notary education and exams.' 'All application fees are nonrefundable.' Payment by Mastercard or Visa only, and 'Credit card payments will be charged a convenience fee' (amount not published). The SOS's own 'Total Investment' table: Notary Public Application $75.00 + Limited Criminal History Record Check $16.32 + CE at years 2, 4 and 6 ($50.00 each) = 'Application & CE Total Cost Traditional Notary: $241.32'; adding the optional Remote Notary Application = 'Remote Notary: $341.32'. That table lists the $25K surety bond, E&O insurance, misc. supplies and remote technology vendor fees as 'varies' and excludes them from the total. Conflict with the statute — recorded both ways: IC 33-42-12-1(c)(2) requires the applicant to 'pay a nonrefundable processing fee of five dollars ($5)', and IC 33-42-17-2(b)(4) sets the remote registration fee at 'five dollars ($5)' which 'is in addition to the processing fee described in IC 33-42-12-1(c)' — while the Secretary of State's live fee page charges $75.00 and $100.00 respectively and attributes the difference to bundled education and exam access. Neither source reconciles the two figures in words; both are stated here as published. Charged by third parties (not the state), and other fees: Indiana State Police limited criminal history record $16.32 (INBiz page). Secretary of State attestation/apostille $2.00 per attestation, with statutory exemptions for adoptions, Indiana birth and death certificates, Indiana academic transcripts/diplomas and SOS-prepared documents (IC 33-42-15-2). The SOS 'does not provide or sell notary stamps or seals, nor can the office recommend where to obtain supplies, training or bonds' (INBiz page), so seal cost is a private-market cost and is not state-set.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Ind. Code art. 33-42 (Notaries Public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Indiana notary scheme — definitions (ch. 0.5), notarial acts (ch. 9), seals and stamping devices (ch. 10), commission requirements (ch. 12), discipline (ch. 13), fees (ch. 14), apostilles (ch. 15), rulemaking (ch. 16) and remote notarial acts (ch. 17).\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-12-1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications, the $5 statutory processing fee, the $25,000 assurance, the oath and signature sample, the 8-year term, and the rule that notarial acts may be performed only while a valid assurance is on file.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-12-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-12-2\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory education course and examination for every applicant and reapplicant, and the continuing-education requirement of not more than two hours every two years.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-12-2\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-10-2 (as amended by P.L.130-2024, SEC.8)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Required contents of the official seal; the 2024 amendment that dropped the word 'seal' from the required elements effective July 1, 2024.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-10-2\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-14-1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"$10-per-signature maximum for the five listed notarial acts, negotiable fees for other acts, advance fee display, the travel-fee ceiling tied to GSA federal travel fees, and the bar on public officials charging for official-business acts.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-14-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-17 (Remote Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote notary registration and its fee and term, technology and identity-verification standards, vendor approval, the mandatory electronic journal and its 10-year retention, and the $25 cap per remote act.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-17\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-13-3 and 33-42-13-4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prohibited acts and advertising, the ban on non-attorneys using 'notario'/'notario publico', the required non-attorney advertising disclaimer, and the Class A misdemeanor of notario publico deception.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-13\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ind. Code 33-42-9-7\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Which Indiana public officials are notarial officers able to perform notarial acts without a commission.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42-9-7\"}, {\"citation\": \"75 IAC art. 7 (Notary Public Governance)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's notary rules — application process, trustworthiness standards, assurance acceptance, electronic and remote notarial act standards, and discipline procedure (cited by the Guide at 75 IAC 7-2-2(c)(3) for the employment-letter requirement and 75 IAC 7-4 for discipline). Not reviewed: iar.iga.in.gov could not be read on 2026-08-12.\", \"url\": \"https://iar.iga.in.gov/latestArticle/75/7\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Indiana Secretary of State / INBiz — Notaries Public: the live requirements, fee and education page. Establishes 'To become a notary, an individual must meet the following requirements: Be at least eighteen (18) years of age...', 'REQUIRED DOCUMENTS $25,000 Bond Certificate', 'Notary Initial/Renewal Application fee: $75.00', 'Notary Continuing Education fee: $50.00', 'Remote Notary Authorization Application: $100.00', 'Commission Revision Fee: $8.67', 'There is a $16.32 fee for obtaining this record' (Indiana State Police limited criminal history), 'All applicants must take a notary education course and pass an exam', 'As of July 2018, all notaries must maintain a surety bond of at least $25,000', 'Indiana Remote Notaries Public may only conduct remote notarial acts using an approved vendor', and the seal element list including 'The word \\\"seal\\\". (Effective July 1, 2024, the word \\\"seal\\\" is no longer required)'.\", \"url\": \"https://inbiz.in.gov/certification/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Indiana Notary Public Guide, Office of the Indiana Secretary of State - Business Services Division, revised May 20, 2024 (PDF). Establishes the qualification list, 'Obtain a $25,000.00 corporate surety bond', the ISP limited-criminal-history rule ('no older than thirty days at the time of submission'), 'Effective July 1, 2020, notaries must complete a continuing education course and exam every two years', 'The fee to complete the continuing education is $50', 'Indiana does not require notaries to maintain a journal of their notarial acts', 'The maximum fee a Notary Public may charge is ten dollars ($10) per individual notarization', 'Notaries may charge no more than the federal mileage rate as a travel fee', the list of Indiana public officials that may perform notary functions, and 'Unlike remote notarizations, you are not required to receive additional authorization other than being an active notary public before you perform electronic notarizations.'\", \"url\": \"https://inbiz.in.gov/Assets/NotaryGuide.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Indiana Code Title 33, Article 42 (Notaries Public) — the governing statute. Establishes the 8-year term ('The term of a commission granted under this subsection is eight (8) years'), the $5 statutory processing fee, the $25,000 'assurance' and its definition as 'a surety bond or the functional equivalent of a surety bond', the education-and-examination requirement including for reapplicants, the CE cap ('not to exceed two (2) hours ... every two (2) years'), the seal contents, the $10-per-signature and $25-per-remote-act fee caps, and all of chapter 17 on remote notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/33#33-42\"}, {\"label\": \"Indiana Secretary of State / INBiz public notary search — the state's own commission lookup, linked from the INBiz Notaries page as 'Notary Search — Perform a search for an Indiana notary.' Opened on August 12, 2026, it returned only the JavaScript app title 'INBIZ - Public Hub powered by Wizdn'.\", \"url\": \"https://search.notary.sos.in.gov/public-search\"}, {\"label\": \"Indiana Secretary of State eVerification (mylicense.in.gov) — the lookup the Notary Public Guide (p. 11) names for checking a commission and its continuing-education due date: 'You may find your continuing education due date at https://mylicense.in.gov/EVerification/Search.aspx.'\", \"url\": \"https://mylicense.in.gov/EVerification/Search.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"IN.gov FAQ — 'Where can I find information on becoming a Notary Public': 'All information about Notaries Public is available on INBiz: https://inbiz.in.gov/certification/notary'. Confirms INBiz as the authoritative state channel for notary commissioning.\", \"url\": \"https://faqs.in.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360033792312-Where-can-I-find-information-on-becoming-a-Notary-Public\"}, {\"label\": \"Indiana State Police limited criminal history request — the state system the SOS requires an applicant to use for the criminal history record uploaded with the notary application ('Visit: https://www.in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch').\", \"url\": \"https://www.in.gov/ai/appfiles/isp-lch\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/in-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ks-notary", "state": "Kansas", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Kansas Secretary of State (Scott Schwab) — Business Services Division, Notary Section", "board_url": "https://sos.ks.gov/general-services/notary.html", "application_url": "https://www.sos.ks.gov/forms/administration/NO.pdf", "renewal_cycle": "There is no renewal in the light-touch sense — Kansas requires a new application every four years. K.S.A. 53-5a22(k): 'A notary public's commission may not be automatically renewed. A notary public who desires to renew a commission shall be qualified and apply for a new commission pursuant to this section.' The Handbook says the same and adds timing advice: 'A notary who wants to renew a commission must meet the qualifications to be a notary and apply for a new commission using Form NO. Notaries are encouraged to submit an application to renew a commission up to 90 days prior to their commission expiration date to ensure the notary's ability to notarize is uninterrupted.' The SOS page confirms the mechanics and the price: 'Appointments are renewed by completing all steps required for initial application (see above). The fee is $25' — meaning a fresh $12,000 four-year bond and a fresh stamp impression each cycle. No continuing education and no re-examination is imposed at renewal, even for IPEN/RON notaries, by K.S.A. 53-5a22, 53-5a23 or the Handbook — though a renewing notary who wants to keep IPEN/RON must re-register those permissions against the new commission, because the electronic stamp must carry the current commission number and the registration is concurrent with the commission. No grace period after expiration is published in any of those sources.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required of Kansas notaries. K.S.A. 53-5a22 imposes none for the commission or its renewal, and K.S.A. 53-5a23 requires the course of study and examination only once, 'Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarial act with respect to an electronic record.' The Kansas Notary Handbook's renewal section describes reapplication with Form NO and the qualifications only, and neither the SOS notary page nor the Handbook mentions periodic education. Sources checked: K.S.A. 53-5a20 through 53-5a25, the SOS Notary page in full, Form NO and its instructions (Rev. 9/18/25), and the Kansas Notary Handbook (Updated July 20, 2022). The practical effect is that a renewing IPEN/RON notary re-registers those permissions against the new commission but is not put through a fresh course by any provision found; whether the Secretary of State requires the training certificate again at re-registration is not stated in any source read, and this page does not claim either way.", "exam": "No examination for a paper-only commission; a mandatory examination before the first electronic notarization. K.S.A. 53-5a23(a): 'Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarial act with respect to an electronic record, a notary public shall pass an examination administered by the secretary of state or an entity approved by the secretary of state. The examination shall be based on the course of study described in subsection (b).' That section 'shall take effect on and after January 1, 2022' (53-5a23(c)). K.S.A. 53-5a21(b) makes proof of passing part of the electronic-notarization notification, and K.S.A. 53-5a22(a)(3) makes 'evidence of completion of the course of study and passing of the examination required by K.S.A. 53-5a23 ... if required' an application component. Administration and cost: the Secretary of State provides both training and test on its own website 'at no cost', self-paced, and 'A certificate will generate upon successful completion of the test that the notary must submit as part of their RON registration.' Retakes are unlimited: 'A notary may take the examination as many times as needed to pass' (Kansas Notary Handbook p. 21). No passing score, question count or time limit is published in K.S.A. 53-5a23, on the SOS notary page or in the Handbook. The Handbook notes that any notary may take the training and exam voluntarily: 'any current notary or notary applicant who does not intend to provide IPEN or RON also may complete the training and examination for their own benefit.'", "fees": "Charged by the Kansas Secretary of State: notary appointment or renewal application $25 — the SOS notary page instructs the applicant to 'pay the $25 application fee by credit card to the Secretary of State's Office', and Form NO (Rev. 9/18/25) states 'This appointment form must be submitted by mail with the filing fee' and 'Submit this form with the $25 filing fee for the notary appointment form.' Renewal: 'Appointments are renewed by completing all steps required for initial application (see above). The fee is $25.' RON registration: 'A fee of $20 is required' (SOS Requirements to provide RON, step 3). Name change: 'There is no fee for a name change' (Kansas Notary Handbook p. 15). Conflict with the statute — recorded both ways: K.S.A. 53-5a22(a)(5) requires the application to include 'an application fee in the amount of $10', while the agency's live page and its current application form both charge $25. Neither source explains the difference, and no separate statutory or regulatory surcharge naming the extra $15 was found (sources checked: K.S.A. 53-5a22, the SOS notary page, Form NO and its instructions, and the Handbook, on 2026-08-12; the Kansas Administrative Regulations viewer at sos.ks.gov could not be reached). Because neither source explains it, the difference is left unresolved here. The $20 RON fee, by contrast, does reconcile with its statute: K.S.A. 53-5a21(b) requires a notary notifying the SOS about electronic-record notarization to 'pay an information and services fee in an amount determined by the secretary of state adopted in rules and regulations, not to exceed $25' — $20 sits inside that cap. Private costs the state neither sets nor collects: the $12,000 surety bond premium; the stamping device ('Notary stamps are not provided by the Secretary of State. Stamps may be purchased at office supply stores, through online stores, and notary associations'); the notary journal; and for IPEN/RON the technology provider's platform fee, the electronic stamp and the digital certificate. The SOS's own training and examination for IPEN/RON are free.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"K.S.A. ch. 53, art. 5a (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), L. 2021, ch. 64 (SB 106), effective January 1, 2022\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole current Kansas notary scheme — authority, personal appearance, identification, certificates, official stamp and stamping device, the journal, electronic-record notification, commissioning and qualifications, the electronic-notarization examination, discipline, prohibited acts and rulemaking.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/ksa_ch53.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a22\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Commission as notary public: application contents (oath, $12,000 assurance, evidence of the course and examination if required, signature and stamp impression, $10 application fee), the five qualifications, assurance liability and cancellation, the four-year term, the no-immunity rule, name and stamp changes, resignation, and the bar on automatic renewal.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0022.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a23\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The course of study and the examination a notary must pass before the first notarial act on an electronic record; effective on and after January 1, 2022.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0023.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a20\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory journal for all notarial acts, its format, contemporaneous entries and required contents, the 10-year retention, loss reporting, and what happens to the journal on resignation, revocation, death or incompetency.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0020.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a21\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Selection of tamper-evident technology, the pre-first-act notification to the Secretary of State for electronic-record notarization with proof of the 53-5a23 examination, the information and services fee 'not to exceed $25', and a register of deeds' acceptance of a tangible copy of an electronic record.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0021.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a18 and 53-5a19\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Required contents of the official stamp and the rule that no stamp may be used until an impression is filed with the Secretary of State; responsibility for the stamping device and reporting it lost or stolen.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0018.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a15\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts performed for remotely located individuals — the statutory basis for RON in Kansas.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0015.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a24 and 53-5a25\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition a commission; prohibited acts including the beneficial-interest bar and the required non-attorney advertising disclaimer.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0024.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"K.A.R. 7-43-16 and K.A.R. 7-43-17\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The conditions on charging a fee for a notarial act (disclosure, agreement in advance, collection at the time, journal entry) and the short-form notarial certificates, which moved from statute to regulation effective January 1, 2022. Not reviewed: the Kansas Administrative Regulations viewer at sos.ks.gov could not be read on 2026-08-12; both regulations are cited here from the Secretary of State's own summary.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=7-43-16\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Kansas Secretary of State — Notary (the office's live notary page). Establishes the qualification list ('At least 18 years of age. A Kansas legal resident, or a resident of a bordering state...'), the ordered application steps, 'Kansas law requires a notary to be bonded for $12,000', 'pay the $25 application fee by credit card', 'Kansas notaries are appointed for four years', 'Appointments are renewed by completing all steps required for initial application ... The fee is $25', 'Effective January 1, 2022, Kansas notaries are required to maintain a notary journal', 'Only the notary or the Kansas Secretary of State may retain the journal as of Jan 1, 2022. No other journal repositories are approved, including the notary's employer', the SB 106/RULONA summary, the three RON registration steps, 'A fee of $20 is required', and 'A notary's RON registration runs concurrent with the notary's four-year commission.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.ks.gov/general-services/notary.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Kansas Notary Handbook, Office of Secretary of State Scott Schwab, updated July 20, 2022 (PDF). Establishes the four-item qualification list including 'Be able to read and write the English language', the how-to-become steps, 'A separate bond is not required for an applicant who is also registering to perform IPEN or RON', the paper and ELECTRONIC stamp element lists, the journal format and 10-year retention rules, 'State law does not prohibit a notary from charging a fee for a notarial act' with the four regulatory conditions, 'A notary whose commission as a notary has been revoked ... may not apply for or receive a new commission for such individual's lifetime', 'Before performing IPEN or RON a notary shall complete training and pass an examination ... provided at no cost on the Secretary of State's website', 'A notary may take the examination as many times as needed to pass', the full RON process and recording requirements, and the recognition rules for out-of-state, tribal and federal/military notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.ks.gov/general-services/notary_public/NotaryHandbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Kansas Statutes ch. 53, art. 5a — Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Establishes the $12,000 assurance and its cancellation regime, the five qualifications INCLUDING 'be a citizen of the United States', the '$10' statutory application fee, the four-year term, 'A notary public's commission may not be automatically renewed', the mandatory journal and its contemporaneous entry and 10-year retention, the stamp contents and filing-before-use rule, the pre-first-act electronic notification with its fee cap 'not to exceed $25', and the electronic-record examination requirement effective January 1, 2022.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/ksa_ch53.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Kansas Secretary of State — Form NO, Notary Public Appointment Form and instructions (Rev. 9/18/25). Establishes 'This appointment form must be submitted by mail with the filing fee', 'Submit this form with the $25 filing fee for the notary appointment form', the oath section that 'The applicant must sign the appointment form after reciting the oath in the presence of a notary public', the wet-ink signature sample requirement, and Section C: 'A notary public is required to be bonded in the sum of $12,000 for a four (4) year period coinciding with the appointment. The bond must be a commercial surety bond from an insurance company licensed to do' business in Kansas, completed by the surety company itself.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ks.gov/forms/administration/NO.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Kansas Secretary of State — Form NO-S, the standalone surety bond form the insurance company completes when the applicant files online rather than on the combined Form NO.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.ks.gov/forms/Administration/NO-S.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Kansas Secretary of State — Notary Search (public lookup). The live search form whose own labels establish the search-by list recorded in verification_portal: Last Name, First Name, Commission Number and City, each with Starts With / Contains matching.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ks.gov/general-services/notary_public/notary-search.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a22 (Commission as notary public; qualifications; no immunity or benefit) — the section text read directly at the Revisor of Statutes, source of the '$10' application fee, the '$12,000' assurance, the citizenship qualification, the four-year term and the no-automatic-renewal rule.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0022.html\"}, {\"label\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a23 (Examination of notary public) — 'Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarial act with respect to an electronic record, a notary public shall pass an examination administered by the secretary of state or an entity approved by the secretary of state.'\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0023.html\"}, {\"label\": \"K.S.A. 53-5a20 (Journal) — the full text of the universal journal duty, contemporaneous-entry rule, six required entry elements, 10-year retention and repository provisions.\", \"url\": \"http://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch53/053_005a_0020.html\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ks-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ky-notary", "state": "Kentucky", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Kentucky Secretary of State (Michael G. Adams) — Notary Commissions / Notary Branch, with the county clerk completing the commission", "board_url": "https://web.sos.ky.gov/notaries/index.aspx", "application_url": "https://web.sos.ky.gov/forms/notary/NotaryStateatLarge.PDF", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a full reapplication filed before expiration, and it repeats the county-clerk step. KRS 423.390(8)(a): a notary 'may apply to the Secretary of State to renew his or her commission, and shall comply with the qualifications, renewal application filings, and other requirements then applicable to obtaining an original commission', with the $10 fee. If approved, the SOS issues 'a renewed commission ... for an additional four (4) year term, using the same commission number' (8(b)). Then: 'the commission along with the required assurance shall be filed with the county clerk listed in the renewal application, and a new oath of office administered by the county clerk and new fees paid by the notary public to the county clerk' (8(c)). The gap rule is harsh and explicit: 'A renewed commission shall be valid and effective only upon compliance with this subsection. A notary public shall have no authority to perform notarial acts during any period between the expiration of his or her current commission and the effective date of any renewal commission' (KRS 423.390(8)(d)). Timing window from the application instructions (rev. 12/23): 'Do not submit application earlier than 60 days prior to expiration of your current commission', the correct commission number and expiration date must be supplied, and 'If your commission has already expired, the application will be treated as a new appointment.' One thing renewal does carry over: 'The renewal of the commission of a notary public who has previously registered to perform notarial acts with regard to electronic records or online notarizations ... constitutes renewal of his or her registration without the necessity of submitting another registration' (30 KAR 8:005 §3(7)). No continuing education and no re-examination apply — see the continuing-education and exam details on this page.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required of Kentucky notaries. KRS 423.390(8) describes renewal as compliance with 'the qualifications, renewal application filings, and other requirements then applicable to obtaining an original commission' — which include no course — and neither KRS 423.355, 423.385 nor 30 KAR 8:005 imposes periodic education on electronic-records registrants or online notaries; 30 KAR 8:005 §3(7) in fact renews the electronic registration automatically with the commission, without a new submission. Sources checked: KRS 423.300 to 423.455 (chapter contents plus the ten sections read in full), 30 KAR 8:005 in full, the Notary Public Application and its instructions (rev. 12/23), and the Secretary of State's Notary Commission Index and Notaries pages. What recurs instead of education is administrative upkeep: a ten-day duty to report a change of mail or email address, county of residence, name, signature, electronic signature, or the technology or device used, each with a $10 fee (KRS 423.390(7)), and the duty to keep the $1,000 assurance in force on pain of discipline (KRS 423.395(1)(i)).", "exam": "There is no examination for a Kentucky notary commission, and none for the electronic-records or online-notary registrations. The qualification list in KRS 423.390(2) contains no examination; 30 KAR 8:005 §2(1) enumerates fourteen items an application 'shall include' and none is a test; and the registration provisions in KRS 423.390(10)-(13), KRS 423.385 and 30 KAR 8:005 §3 turn entirely on information, technology and the surety bond. Sources checked: the statutes listed in the training section, 30 KAR 8:005 in full, the application form and instructions (rev. 12/23), and the Secretary of State's own 'How to Become a Kentucky Notary Public' page, which lists five qualifications and then goes straight to the $10 fee and the county-clerk step. The nearest thing to a competence gate is the discretionary standard in KRS 423.395(1) — the Secretary of State may act against a commission for conduct showing the individual 'lacks the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability to act as a notary public.'", "fees": "State fees — the statute, the form and the live page all agree, with no divergence. KRS 423.430(3): 'Application for a commission or renewal as a notary public $10; Issuance of a replacement commission upon loss or destruction of the original $10; Update to commission or registration information upon a change of name or address or other specified information $10; Issuance of an electronic certificate of authority or apostille $5 per document.' The application form carries 'FEE: $10' on its face and 'The application must be accompanied by the fee of $10; checks may be made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer', and the SOS page says to 'submit it online, or mail it with a $10.00 fee made payable to Kentucky State Treasurer.' The $10 update fee is a live obligation, not a formality: a notary who changes mail or email address, county of residence, name, signature, electronic signature, or the technology or device used must file the change within ten days with the fee (KRS 423.390(7)). County Clerk fees are separate and are not published as a single notary figure. KRS 423.390(4) requires the applicant to 'pay fees to the county clerk for filing the assurance and administering the oath as set forth in KRS 64.012', and KRS 64.012(1) prices the components rather than the transaction: 'Administering an oath and certificate thereof $5.00'; 'Recording a bond, for each bond $10.00'; 'Each bond required to be taken or prepared by the clerk $4.00'; and a catch-all for 'Filing with statutory authority for which no specific fee is set.' No line item in KRS 64.012 is captioned for a notary commission, so this page does not state a county-clerk total — which components a given clerk charges is not resolved by any source read, and the SOS itself says 'Please contact your county clerk with any questions regarding the bonding and oath process.' Registration fee — an unresolved gap: KRS 423.390(10)(c) requires an electronic/online registrant to 'Pay to the Secretary of State a registration fee payment, as specified in KRS 423.430, which is in addition to the commission application fee', but KRS 423.430(3) itemizes only the four fees quoted above and names no registration fee; 30 KAR 8:005 §3 sets no amount either. Sources checked: KRS 423.430, KRS 423.390, 30 KAR 8:005 and the SOS notary pages, on 2026-08-12 — the amount is not published in any of them. Private costs: the $1,000 surety bond premium; for electronic work, the notary technology, the X.509 digital certificate and the electronic journal. No stamp cost is compelled, because Kentucky does not require a stamp at all.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"KRS 423.300 to 423.455 (2019 Ky. Acts ch. 86, effective January 1, 2020)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire current Kentucky notary scheme — notarial acts, identification, personal appearance, who may perform, online notaries and electronic notarization, certificates, the optional stamp, the online notary's journal, electronic registration, commissioning, discipline, the notary database, fees, and remote acts for remotely located individuals.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/chapter.aspx?id=39284\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.390\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Commission as notary public: qualifications, the four-year term and permanent commission number, the 30-day county-clerk oath/assurance/filing step, the $1,000 assurance and its cancellation regime, the ten-day change-of-information duty, renewal including the no-authority-in-the-gap rule, and the electronic/online registration requirements.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49507\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.430\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Fees: the notary's own charging rule (compliance with KRS 64.300 plus advance disclosure) and the Secretary of State's schedule — $10 application or renewal, $10 replacement commission, $10 information update, $5 per apostille or electronic certificate of authority — plus the cross-reference to county clerk fees under KRS 64.012.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49515\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 64.300\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The prohibition on charging any fee for notarizing papers filed in support of a claim for federal benefits by a National Guard, reserve or active member of the armed forces, or their dependents — the only absolute fee rule Kentucky places on notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=45031\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.370 and 423.375\", \"what_it_governs\": \"That a stamp is not required, what it must contain if used, and the security, unusability-on-expiry and lost-or-stolen rules for a stamping device.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49503\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.380\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The online notary public's electronic journal — contemporaneous entries, required contents, the ten-year retention, audio-visual recording retention, loss reporting, transmission on death or incompetency, and the option to designate a custodian.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49505\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.355 and 423.385\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The online notary public and electronic notarization — physical-presence-in-Kentucky rule, signer location limits, session recording and its ten-year retention, the certificate statement, and the requirement to register before performing electronic or online notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49500\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.455\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for a remotely located individual facilitated by communication technology — including tangible records: identity-proofing options, the mandatory audio-visual recording and its ten-year retention, the certificate statement, the pre-first-act notification to the Secretary of State, and the technology provider's appointment of the Secretary of State as agent for service of process.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49520\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 423.340 and 423.400\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may perform a notarial act in Kentucky (notary public or county clerk) and the county clerk's own notarial powers; and the Secretary of State's electronic database of notaries plus the county clerk's duty to record the assurance filing and oath in it.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49497\"}, {\"citation\": \"30 KAR 8:005\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's notary regulation: application contents and approval/denial, voluntary termination, change-of-information duties, the electronic-records and online-notary registration package and its 30-day approval, the X.509 digital-certificate standard and the bar on notarizing with an expired, revoked, invalid or unauthenticatable certificate, retention standards, and discipline.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/030/008/005/\"}, {\"citation\": \"KRS 64.012\", \"what_it_governs\": \"County clerk fees — the schedule KRS 423.390(4) sends the applicant to for filing the assurance and taking the oath; it prices components ('Administering an oath and certificate thereof $5.00'; 'Recording a bond, for each bond $10.00') rather than a notary-commission transaction. Amended by 2026 Ky. Acts chs. 134, 135 and 199 per the Legislative Research Commission note dated 7/15/2026.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57720\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Kentucky Secretary of State — Notaries (How to Become a Kentucky Notary Public). Establishes that 'A notary public, state at large, is a resident or non-resident of Kentucky who is appointed by the Secretary of State under KRS 423.390 to perform notarial acts within the state of Kentucky', the five-item qualification list, the denial grounds, 'download the form and submit it online, or mail it with a $10.00 fee made payable to Kentucky State Treasurer', and the two-step completion: 'a written notice will be sent to you stating that you must complete your appointment within 30 days of receipt of that notice by taking the oath of office and providing surety at the county clerk's office indicated.'\", \"url\": \"https://web.sos.ky.gov/notaries/NotaryPublic.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Kentucky Secretary of State — Notary Commission Index. The office's notary hub, establishing the live service list: 'How to Become a Kentucky Notary Public', 'Download Notary Public Forms', 'Submit Notary Application for Appointment or Reappointment Online', 'Information on Remote Notarial Acts with Respect to Tangible Records', 'Register for Notarial Acts with Respect to Electronic Records (Remote, In-Person or Both)', the Notary Lookup Service, the DOI Surety Companies Lookup Service and Notary Technology Provider Registration — the four-way split of tangible / electronic / remote-electronic / remote-tangible that this record is built around.\", \"url\": \"https://web.sos.ky.gov/notaries/index.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Kentucky Secretary of State — Notary Public Application for Appointment or Reappointment, form + instructions, rev. (12/23) (PDF). Establishes 'FEE: $10', the Declaration of Qualifications ('at least 18 years of age, am a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, am a resident of or have a place of employment or practice in the county in Kentucky ... able to read and write English and am not disqualified ... under KRS 423.395'), the four disclosure questions and the criminal-background-check trigger, the felony/restoration-of-civil-rights rule, 'County of Commission (Must match county of residence or business)', 'Signatures applied electronically or by use of a stylus will not be accepted', 'Do not submit application earlier than 60 days prior to expiration', 'If your commission has already expired, the application will be treated as a new appointment', and the closing instruction to 'contact the county clerk in the county of commission directly to make arrangements to post the required $1000 surety bond, take the oath of office, and receive your commission certificate.'\", \"url\": \"https://web.sos.ky.gov/forms/notary/NotaryStateatLarge.PDF\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 423.390 (Commission as notary public — Requirements — Oath and filing — Surety bond — Change of information — Renewal — Registration), Kentucky Legislature. Source of the qualification list, 'for a term of four (4) years', the same-commission-number rule, 'Within thirty (30) days of receiving a notary public commission from the Secretary of State, the applicant shall appear in person to take an oath of office, submit an assurance in the form of a surety bond, and file the commission ... before the county clerk', the '$1,000' assurance and 'A notary public may perform notarial acts in this state only during the period that a valid assurance is on file with the county clerk', the ten-day change-of-information duty, and 'A notary public shall have no authority to perform notarial acts during any period between the expiration of his or her current commission and the effective date of any renewal commission.'\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49507\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 423.370 (Stamp) — 'A notary public commissioned pursuant to KRS 423.300 to 423.455 is not required to use a stamp. If a notary public chooses to use a stamp, the notary public shall have an official stamp which shall: (1) Include the notary public's name, title, jurisdiction, commission number, and expiration date; and (2) Be capable of being copied together with the record.'\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49503\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 423.430 (Fees) — the Secretary of State's $10/$10/$10/$5 schedule and the notary's charging rule 'In compliance with KRS 64.300; and Which has been clearly disclosed to the person requesting the service in advance', plus 'Compensation for services provided by a notary public which do not constitute notarial acts is not governed by this section.'\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49515\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 64.300 (Exemption from fees of notaries public) — the full text establishing that no fee may be charged for notarizing papers filed in support of a federal benefits claim for a National Guard, reserve or active armed-forces member or their dependents; effective July 15, 2016.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=45031\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 423.380 (Journal of online notary public) — establishes that the journal duty runs to the ONLINE notary, the electronic-only format, contemporaneous entries with six required elements, ten-year retention, recording retention, and the custodian option.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49505\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 423.455 (Notarial act for remotely located individual facilitated by communication technology) — the identity-proofing options including 'at least two (2) different types of identity-proofing processes or services', the mandatory audio-visual recording, ten-year retention, the certificate statement 'This notarial act involved the use of communication technology', the pre-first-act notification duty, and the provider's appointment of the Secretary of State as agent for service of process.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49520\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 423.340 (Who may perform notarial act) — 'A notarial act may be performed in this state by: (a) A notary public of this state; or (b) A county clerk of this state', and the county clerk's own notarial powers within the office.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=49497\"}, {\"label\": \"30 KAR 8:005 (Notary public application; requirements for notarial acts performed with respect to electronic records and for remotely located individuals; notary public discipline), Legislative Research Commission. Establishes the fourteen application contents, 'A notary commission shall be effective as of the date of entry of that commission in the database of notaries public on the website of the Secretary of State', the electronic/online registration package including 'A copy of the registrant's surety bond in the amount of $1,000' and 'A statement of whether the notary technology provider has registered with the Secretary of State', the thirty-day approval rule, the automatic renewal of registration with the commission, and the X.509 digital-certificate standard with the four conditions barring an electronic notarization.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/030/008/005/\"}, {\"label\": \"Kentucky Secretary of State — Notary Lookup Service (public search). The live form whose own inputs establish the search-by list in verification_portal: a county drop-down covering all 120 counties and an 'ID or Name Contains:' text field.\", \"url\": \"https://web.sos.ky.gov/notaries/SearchNotaries.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"KRS 64.012 (Fees of county clerks) — the schedule KRS 423.390(4) points to for the county-clerk step, including 'Administering an oath and certificate thereof $5.00', 'Recording a bond, for each bond $10.00', 'Each bond required to be taken or prepared by the clerk $4.00', and the clerk's own notarial charges ('Notarizing any signature, per signature $2.00').\", \"url\": \"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57720\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ky-notary/" }, { "page_id": "la-notary", "state": "Louisiana", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary Division (the commission itself is issued by the Governor under La. R.S. 35:201; the Secretary of State administers qualification, examination, bonding and the notary database)", "board_url": "https://www.sos.la.gov/notary", "application_url": "https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/application-process", "renewal_cycle": "There is no renewal of the commission itself. Instead: (a) Annual report -- 'all regularly commissioned non-attorney notaries shall file an annual report with the secretary of state on or before the anniversary date of his commission ... together with payment of the filing fee' (R.S. 35:202(A)); the SOS mails or transmits the form at least 60 days before the anniversary (R.S. 35:191.2(2)(a)). Late filing draws a late fee of up to $50 (R.S. 35:202(B)), and failure to file within 60 days after the due date automatically suspends the commission until the report is filed and all accrued fees and late charges are paid, for a period not to exceed three years (R.S. 35:202(C)). (b) Bond renewal every five years, $20 filing fee (R.S. 35:71(D)(1); SOS fee schedule). The SOS FAQ confirms what a lapse looks like from outside: 'The suspended status refers to an expired bond or a past due annual report.' Attorneys are excluded from the annual report duty by the words 'non-attorney notaries' in R.S. 35:202(A). Leave and retirement: a notary on a governor-granted leave of absence under R.S. 35:131 or 132 is not subject to those fees or penalties (R.S. 35:202(F)); a non-attorney notary aged 70 or older may elect a retired 'special commission status' by written request and affidavit and is then not required to maintain a bond or file an annual report, resuming by filing a current annual report with fees and posting bond in the amount then required by law (R.S. 35:202(G); the SOS fee schedule lists a Retirement Status Affidavit form). Address changes must be reported within 60 days (R.S. 35:191.3(A)). A name change requires a new oath, a changed bond, an official signature page and a name change affidavit with a $35 fee (SOS FAQ).", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required to keep a Louisiana notary commission. What recurs is administrative, not educational: the annual report (R.S. 35:202(A)) and the five-year bond renewal (R.S. 35:71(D)(1)). Sources checked: the La. R.S. Title 35 section list (Chapters 1-5), R.S. 35:191, 191.1, 191.2, 191.3, 191.4, 199, 200, 201, 202 and 71 in full, and the SOS notary FAQ, Application Process, Get Exam Information, Exam Preparation, Forms & Fee Schedule and RON Requirements pages -- none imposes continuing education on a commissioned notary. The only education obligations in Title 35 run the other way: exam-preparation providers must register annually, be commissioned notaries with statewide authority and post a $25,000 bond (R.S. 35:191.4), and the SOS 'may establish and require an annual professional development and education program for providers' (R.S. 35:191.4(G)). A one-time course and quiz is required to be authorized for RON (SOS RON Requirements; R.S. 35:625.1(B)), but no source read states it repeats.", "exam": "Required by La. R.S. 35:191(C)(3)(a) for all applicants except those 'duly admitted to practice law in this state' or holding a valid Louisiana notarial commission (R.S. 35:191(C)(3)(c)). Administered by the Secretary of State. Format, from the SOS Get Exam Information page: 'The examination is administered by computer in a four-hour sitting'; items are general-knowledge and scenario-based; 'To pass, applicants must achieve a scaled score of 70 (of 100) on the examination.' All items come from The Louisiana Notary Public Examination Official Study Guide 2026 -- Fundamentals of Louisiana Notarial Law and Practice, published by the SOS, and applicants may bring the 2026 edition into the testing room (earlier editions are prohibited and using one 'is considered an act of cheating'). Fee: $100 per examination (R.S. 35:191.1(B)(1): 'Charge a fee of one hundred dollars for each examinee'); the study guide is a separate $100 (R.S. 35:191.1(B)(2)). Frequency: 'The notary examination shall be given not less than twice per year' (R.S. 35:191(C)(3)(b)(i)). A qualified candidate may register for any exam within one year of approval with no further application fee, but must pay the exam fee each time (R.S. 35:191(C)(3)(b)(iii)). Conflict on exam location, recorded both ways: R.S. 35:191.1(A) says the standards 'shall be administered at regional testing centers by the secretary of state' and the SOS FAQ says 'The Secretary of State administers the exam regionally at least twice a year', but the SOS Get Exam Information page states 'All notary exams are offered at LSU Baton Rouge only.' A separate, mandatory Notary Exam Pre-Assessment ($30, LSU Office of Testing and Evaluation Services, made mandatory for non-attorney applicants by Act 610 of the 2014 Regular Session) must be completed first, but has no minimum passing score.", "fees": "From the Secretary of State's published Notary Forms & Fee Schedule (https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/forms-fee-schedule): Application to Qualify for Appointment as Notary Public $35; Application for Non Resident Ex Officio Status $35; Commission Fee $20; Certificate of Notary Commission $35; Name Change $35; Notary Bond Renewal $20; Notary Exam Pre-Assessment $30; Notary Public Examination Registration $100; Notary Study Guide $100; Remote Online Notary Registration $100; Replacement ID Card $3; Replacement Notary Certificate $15. Credit card payments carry an additional statutory convenience fee of $5. The Notary Surety Bond ($50,000), Oath of Office, Official Notarial Signature Form, Personal Surety Bond ($50,000) and Retirement Status Affidavit are listed as forms with no SOS fee. Statutory cross-check: the $35 application fee is fixed by R.S. 35:191(C)(1)(c) and the $100 exam fee and $100 study guide by R.S. 35:191.1(B). Conflict between two official SOS pages, recorded both ways: the Fee Schedule lists 'Commission Fee $20' and 'Certificate of Notary Commission $35', while the SOS FAQ ('What do I do after I pass the exam?') lists a '$35 commission filing fee' among the documents required for commissioning. Annual report fee: not itemized on the SOS notary fee schedule; R.S. 35:191.2(3) authorizes the SOS to 'Collect a fee for receiving and processing the annual report of each notary, not to exceed twenty-five dollars per report', and R.S. 35:202(B) authorizes a late fee 'not to exceed fifty dollars.' No county/parish recording fee is charged to obtain the commission -- the commission is filed with the Secretary of State, not a parish clerk (R.S. 35:201(B)). Louisiana does not set a seal or stamp fee because no seal is required (see the seal details on this page). Future-effective notice on the same pages: a site-wide banner reads 'Effective October 1, 2026, the fees for the Commercial Division of the Secretary of State will increase in accordance with Act 921 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session'; that banner names the Commercial Division, and the notary fee table shown on 2026-08-12 is the one reproduced above.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:191\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment, qualifications and examination of notaries; parish jurisdiction, reciprocal parish groups and statewide authority for post-June 13, 2005 exam passers and attorneys\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92603\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:191.1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Uniform statewide standards for the notarial examination; $100 exam fee and $100 study guide\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=207697\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:191.2\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Secretary of State duties: notary database and identification numbers, the annual report form, and the annual report fee capped at $25\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=207698\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:191.3\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Duty to report a change of residential or mailing address within 60 days\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=631064\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:191.4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Registration, bonding and reporting of notary examination-preparation providers\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=670801\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:71 (as amended by Acts 2025, No. 258, eff. Feb. 1, 2026)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $50,000 bond requirement, five-year bond renewal, and automatic suspension for a lapsed bond\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92677\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:201 (as amended by Acts 2025, No. 258, eff. Feb. 1, 2026)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prerequisites the Governor requires before issuing the commission: certificate if applicable, oath of office, bond, official signature\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92615\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:202\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Annual report for non-attorney notaries, late fee, automatic suspension, leave of absence and age-70 retired status\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=207699\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:12\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What must appear on a notarized document: full names, the typed/printed/stamped notary name and the notary identification number; refusal of non-compliant filings; protection of the title 'Notary Public'\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92595\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:199\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Duty to keep record books and to file, register or record notarial instruments affecting immovable property, with the 15-day and Orleans Parish 48-hour deadlines and a $200-per-infraction fine\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92611\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:200\", \"what_it_governs\": \"One-year/three-year peremptive period for damages actions against a notary (attorneys excluded, R.S. 9:5605 applies instead)\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92614\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:621 et seq. (Remote Online Notarization Act, Acts 2020, No. 254)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization: short title, legal recognition and excluded instruments (623), SOS standards (624), authorization of notaries and the separate registration (625.1), and location of the notary, parties and witnesses (626)\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1187595\"}, {\"citation\": \"La. R.S. 35:412\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Non-resident attorney ex officio notary status (cited by the SOS Ex-officio Status page as the authority for that application, oath, good-standing certificate, $50,000 bond and $35 fee)\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/ex-officio-status\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- Application Process. Establishes the qualifying steps and quotes the eligibility list: 'be registered to vote in the parish in which you seek commission ... be 18 years of age or older; and hold a high school diploma'; also 'The pre-assessment is mandatory, but only needs to be taken once' and 'No course or class is required by law in order for you to take the exam.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/application-process\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- Frequently Asked Questions. Establishes the no-seal rule ('A Louisiana notary's signature is his seal'), the lifetime commission ('Notaries in Louisiana are commissioned for life pursuant to Attorney General Opinion 1940-42'), the $50,000 bond and five-year renewal, the no-fee-cap rule ('Louisiana does not have a statutory fee schedule which would determine or limit what a notary can charge for his services'), and that an out-of-state commission cannot be transferred in.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/frequently-asked-questions\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- Get Forms & Fee Schedule. The published fee table: Application to Qualify $35, Commission Fee $20, Certificate of Notary Commission $35, Name Change $35, Notary Bond Renewal $20, Pre-Assessment $30, Examination Registration $100, Study Guide $100, Remote Online Notary Registration $100, Replacement ID Card $3, Replacement Notary Certificate $15, plus a $5 credit-card convenience fee.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/forms-fee-schedule\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- Get Exam Information. Establishes exam format and score: 'The examination is administered by computer in a four-hour sitting', 'To pass, applicants must achieve a scaled score of 70 (of 100)', the 2026 study guide rule, and the location statement 'All notary exams are offered at LSU Baton Rouge only.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/get-exam-information\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- RON Requirements. Establishes the separate RON registration: 'Louisiana began to allow notaries to register for remote online notarization (RON) on February 1, 2022', the course-and-quiz certificate, the technology-provider list, and 'The one-time filing fee is $100 and is unrelated to any fees charged by the provider.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/ron-requirements\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- Ex-officio Status. Establishes the non-resident attorney ex officio requirements 'As per Louisiana R.S. 35:412', including 'Notary bond in the amount of $50,000' and a '$35 filing fee'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/ex-officio-status\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State, Notary -- Search for Notaries. Establishes the public lookup and the bulk download: 'You can also download information about all notaries on file.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.la.gov/notary/search-for-notaries\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Secretary of State CORAWeb Notary Search -- the live public notary lookup (a page that loaded normally, 22,729 bytes, read on August 12, 2026).\", \"url\": \"https://coraweb.sos.la.gov/Notary/NotarySearch.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:71 (Louisiana State Legislature). Current text: bond 'in the amount of fifty thousand dollars'; 'All notaries shall renew their bonds every five years'; act history ends 'Acts 2025, No. 258, eff. Feb. 1, 2026.' No reference to errors and omissions insurance.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92677\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:191 (Louisiana State Legislature). Qualifications, the $35 application fee, the pre-assessment and examination and their attorney exemption, and the statewide-jurisdiction rule for exam passers 'on or after June 13, 2005'.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92603\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:191.1 (Louisiana State Legislature). 'Charge a fee of one hundred dollars for each examinee taking an examination' and the $100 study guide; exam standards 'administered at regional testing centers'.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=207697\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:201 (Louisiana State Legislature). What the Governor requires before issuing the commission: certificate if applicable, oath of office, bond 'properly executed, approved, and registered as provided in R.S. 35:71', and official signature.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92615\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:202 (Louisiana State Legislature). 'all regularly commissioned non-attorney notaries shall file an annual report with the secretary of state on or before the anniversary date of his commission'; late fee up to $50; automatic suspension after 60 days; age-70 retired status.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=207699\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:12 (Louisiana State Legislature). 'Every document notarized in this state shall bear the notary identification number assigned by the secretary of state' and 'No person other than a regularly commissioned notary public shall use the title \\\"Notary Public\\\".'\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92595\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:199 (Louisiana State Legislature). 'Notaries public shall record all acts of sale, exchange, donation, and mortgage of immovable property passed before them ... after first making a careful record of the acts in record books to be kept for that purpose', with the 15-day and Orleans 48-hour deadlines.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=92611\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:623 (Louisiana State Legislature). The RON exclusions -- testaments, trusts, donations inter vivos, matrimonial agreements, spousal-support acts -- and 'Remote online notarization may not be used to execute an authentic act as defined in Civil Code Article 1833.'\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1187597\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:625.1 (Louisiana State Legislature). 'Only a regularly commissioned notary public who holds a valid notarial commission in the state of Louisiana may be authorized by the secretary of state to perform remote online notarization', and the application/course requirement.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1187616\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:626 (Louisiana State Legislature). 'A witness to a remote online notarial act shall be in the physical presence of the party' (as amended by Acts 2022, No. 192).\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1187617\"}, {\"label\": \"La. R.S. 35:191.4 (Louisiana State Legislature). Notary exam-preparation providers must register annually, be commissioned notaries with statewide authority since February 28, 2015, and post a $25,000 bond.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=670801\"}, {\"label\": \"Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 35 table of contents (Louisiana State Legislature) (129 sections, Chapters 1-5 and the remote online notarization chapter), checked in full for the requirements this page says Louisiana does not impose.\", \"url\": \"https://legis.la.gov/legis/Laws_Toc.aspx?folder=109&title=35\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/la-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ma-notary", "state": "Massachusetts", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Three offices share the work, which is why Massachusetts applicants are so often sent in circles. The Governor appoints, with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council - the Commonwealth's page states that the $60 fee is not paid 'until you receive notification that your application has been approved by the Governor and the Governor's Council', and the application itself is addressed 'To Her Excellency the Governor'. The Governor's Council answers status questions: 'If you have questions regarding the status of your notary application, please call the Governor's Council at (617) 725-4016.' The Secretary of the Commonwealth (Public Records Division, Commissions Section, State House Room 184, 24 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02133) receives applications, collects the fee, administers the oath and maintains the records - 'The Secretary of the Commonwealth maintains notaries public appointments. This office also administers the oaths of office to notaries public, justices of the peace and other gubernatorial appointments.' Nobody regulates conduct: 'The Secretary of the Commonwealth does not regulate the conduct of Notaries Public. There is no single state-wide office that receives complaints against notaries. Section 18 of Chapter 222 of the General Laws empowers the attorney general and district attorneys to prosecute any notary public violating the provisions of Chapter 222.'", "board_url": "https://www.mass.gov/becoming-a-notary-public", "application_url": "https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-to-become-a-notary-public", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is by mailed paper application that comes to you - and if your address is stale, it does not. The Secretary of the Commonwealth's renewal page: 'Renewal applications are automatically mailed to Massachusetts notaries. They are mailed five weeks before a commission is scheduled to expire. Applications are not available online.' And the consequence, stated on the same page: 'You have to notify the Secretary of the Commonwealth if you change your name or address (residence or business). You have to do this within ten days. If you don't, you will not receive your renewal application. When you submit your new address, please include your current expiration date.' The statutory duty is M.G.L. c. 222 s. 25: 'Within 10 days after the change of a notary public's name, residence, business address or mailing address, the notary public shall send to the state secretary a signed notice of the change, providing both the old and new information.' Note the stale cross-reference on the state's own page: the renewal page cites 'Revised Executive Order No. 455, s. 14' as authority for the 10-day rule, even though the Secretary's Notary Public Information page states that 'Executive Order No. 455, which had previously governed the conduct of notaries public in the past, has been rescinded.' The operative provision today is s. 25 of chapter 222. Both are recorded; neither is silently preferred. Where to send changes: Secretary of the Commonwealth, Public Records Division, Commissions Section, One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston MA 02108; phone 617-727-2836, fax 617-727-5914, comm@sec.state.ma.us. Renewal is still a discretionary appointment, not a formality: s. 13(b) applies to 'an application for appointment, reappointment or renewal of a commission', and the Commonwealth invites third-party opposition - 'Should you wish to oppose an individual notary's re-appointment, you should send a written statement or, if applicable, a copy of your police report to the Governor's Legal Office, State House, Room 271, Boston, MA 02133,' with a copy to the Notary Public Office, warning that 'correspondence and documentation submitted in opposition ... may be disclosed and shared with the notary public who is the subject of the complaint.' A new seal is required every time: 'A notary public shall obtain a new seal or stamp upon renewal of the commission, upon receipt of a new commission or if the name of the notary public has changed' (s. 8(b)). What happens if you do not renew: s. 24 requires you, as soon as reasonably practicable, to 'destroy or deface all notary seals and stamps so that they shall not be used' and to 'retain the journal and records for 7 years after the date of expiration, resignation or revocation.'", "ce_hours": "None. Massachusetts requires no continuing education to hold or to renew a notary public commission. Sources checked: M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 1A and 8 through 29 in full - the chapter contains no education provision at all, and s. 13, the qualification section, is limited to age, residence-or-work and the discretionary denial grounds; the Notary Public Application (rev. 3/7) in full, which is the same form used for a first appointment and for reappointment and requires only the answers, a resume, four references and a notarized signature; the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Notary Renewal page, whose entire renewal instruction is that a paper application is mailed to the notary five weeks before expiry and that the notary must keep name and address current; and the mass.gov 'Apply to become a notary public' and 'Becoming a Notary Public' pages. The only education-shaped obligation in the whole scheme is the initialled certification that the applicant has read chapter 222 as amended by chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016 and agrees to comply with all of its terms, repeated at every application. One future obligation is dormant rather than absent: M.G.L. c. 222 s. 28(d) requires proof of 'any training that may be required by the state secretary' before registering as a remote notary, but the Secretary has not published that training, so it binds nobody today. With a seven-year term and no CE, a Massachusetts notary can lawfully practise for seven years on a single reading of the statute - which is why s. 24's record-retention and s. 8(b)'s new-seal-every-renewal rules do a lot of the work other states get from refresher courses.", "exam": "No examination of any kind. Massachusetts does not test notary applicants, publishes no exam, no study guide requirement, no score and no testing vendor. Sources checked: M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 1A and 8-29 in full (the chapter contains no examination provision; the qualification section, s. 13, is two sentences plus the discretionary denial list); the Notary Public Application (rev. 3/7) in full, whose four pages are personal history, disclosures, initialled acknowledgments, a notarized signature and four character references, with no test; and the Commonwealth's 'Apply to become a notary public', 'Becoming a Notary Public' and 'Questions about notaries public? Here's who to contact' pages plus the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Notary Public Information page. What substitutes for an examination in Massachusetts is a suitability review by the Governor and the Governor's Council - a resume, four references one of whom must be a member of the bar in good standing, ten years of prior addresses, schools attended since 18, current occupation, employer and supervisor, criminal and disciplinary disclosures, and a written explanation of why the applicant wants the commission - reviewed against the seven discretionary denial grounds in s. 13(b). It is a very different gate from an exam, and describing Massachusetts as 'no exam, easy' misses it.", "fees": "Paid to the Secretary of the Commonwealth: $60, once, on qualification. The Commonwealth's fee table carries exactly one line - 'A fee of $60 is charged by the Secretary of the Commonwealth upon qualification. You will not need to pay this fee until you receive notification that your application has been approved by the Governor and the Governor's Council' - and the application repeats the instruction twice, 'Do not send any payment with this application' and 'Do not send any payment with this application.' The instruction page adds that on favourable consideration 'you will be provided with instructions as to the manner and method for paying the $60 commission fee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.' No other state fee is published: no application fee, no examination fee (there is no exam), no course fee (there is no course), no bond premium (there is no bond), and no separate renewal fee is stated - renewal is a fresh appointment and the same $60 qualification fee is what the Commonwealth publishes. No name-change or address-change fee is published either; s. 25 requires notice within 10 days and the Secretary's renewal page gives an address to send it to, with no charge mentioned. Sources checked for all of those: the mass.gov 'Apply to become a notary public' Fees table; the Notary Public Application (rev. 3/7) in full; the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Notary Public Information and Notary Renewal pages; and M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 1A and 8-29, which impose no fee on the notary. Costs that are real but not state fees: the seal or stamp, which you buy yourself - 'Many reputable providers can be found online, or you may also purchase a notary stamp from your local office supply store' - and which s. 8(b) requires you to replace at every renewal, on every new commission and on any name change; and the journal required by s. 22, sold by the Secretary at the State Bookstore in Room 116 of the State House, at retail office-supply stores, or on the Secretary's website. One postage oddity, stated by the Commonwealth: to request a paper application by mail you must enclose 'a self-addressed stamped envelope with at least 60 cents postage.'", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 s. 1A\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment of justices of the peace and notaries public for the Commonwealth, statewide jurisdiction, and the baseline powers to administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section1A\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 s. 8\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The printed or typed name and the 'My commission expires ____' statement on acknowledgments, and the mandatory official notarial seal or stamp - its exclusive ownership, the ban on letting another use it, replacement on renewal, new commission or name change, the four required contents including a facsimile of the seal of the commonwealth, black ink, the stamp-plus-seal option, and the rule that non-compliance does not invalidate the instrument\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section8\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 12, 13 and 14\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The attorney and attorney-employee journal exemption; the qualifications - 18 years of age and residence or a regular place of work or business in the Commonwealth - together with the seven discretionary grounds on which the Governor may deny an appointment, reappointment or renewal; and the 7-year term\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section13\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 15, 16 and 17\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The eight notarial acts and the statutory short forms for acknowledgment, jurat, signature witnessing, copy certification and signature by mark; the prohibited acts including the interest, party-to-the-document, close-relative and incomplete-certificate bars, the non-discrimination duty and the ban on 'notario'; and the restrictions on non-attorney notaries offering legal advice, advertising as legal specialists, and providing immigration assistance, including the mandatory written disclaimer\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section16\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 18, 19 and 23\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prosecution by the attorney general and district attorneys, the civil cause of action and treatment as an unfair or deceptive act or practice; the duty to perform a notarial act for anyone who tenders the fee, with four exceptions; and the two acts for which no fee may ever be charged - absentee ballot identification envelopes and other voting materials, and US military veterans' benefit applications and claims\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section19\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 s. 22\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The chronological official journal - the permanently bound book with numbered pages, one active journal at a time, the five categories of required entry including the fee charged and the address where the notarization was performed, the battered-person address protection, the ban on recording social security and credit card numbers, the duty to record the reason for refusing an act, the attorney and government-employee exemptions, inspection by law enforcement and at the state secretary's direction, and the ban on surrendering the journal to an employer\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section22\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 24, 25 and 26\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Destruction or defacement of all notary seals and stamps and 7-year retention of the journal and records on expiration, resignation or revocation; the 10-day duty to notify the state secretary of a change of name, residence, business address or mailing address, giving both old and new information; and revocation for official misconduct or other good cause by the governor with the consent of the governor's council\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section24\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 222 ss. 27, 28 and 29 (added by Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, ss. 23-33; generally effective January 1, 2024, but not operative - see the remote online notarization details on this page)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Selection of tamper-evident technologies and the four attributes a state-secretary-approved electronic signature and seal must have; recording of a tangible copy of an electronic record as the equivalent of an original; and remote notarization using communication technology - the physical-presence-in-Massachusetts rule, the identity routes, the single real-time session, the audio-visual recording and its 10-year retention, the ban on remote notarization of wills, codicils and electoral-process records, the registration and training prerequisites, the standards and provider registry the state secretary must create, the closing-attorney and BBO-number requirement, the provider's appointment of the state secretary as agent for service of process, the aggregate $500,000 cap on provider fees, and the restriction on using or selling personal information obtained under s. 28\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222/Section28\"}, {\"citation\": \"M.G.L. c. 262 s. 41\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The only statutory fee schedule for Massachusetts notaries public - and it covers only protests and notings of bills of exchange, orders, drafts, checks and promissory notes, with a $2.00 total cap on a protest of $500 or more, $1.50 below that, and $1.25 on a noting. It sets no fee for acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, signature witnessings or copy certifications, although c. 222 ss. 16 and 19 both point at it as the fee ceiling\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleVI/Chapter262/Section41\"}, {\"citation\": \"Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016 (effective January 4, 2017)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The act that rewrote chapter 222 into its modern form and superseded Executive Order 455. Its section 7 makes the rewritten chapter apply to every existing commission: 'Pursuant to section 7 of Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016, effective January 4, 2017, these provisions shall apply to all commissions of notaries public and justices of the peace authorized by chapter 222 of the General Laws, including commissions received or renewed before January 4, 2017'\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/media/1731/download\"}, {\"citation\": \"Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, ss. 23-33 (remote online notarization) and the repeal of temporary virtual notarization\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Enacted permanent remote online notarization into c. 222 ss. 27-29, generally effective January 1, 2024 'subject to the implementation of regulations by the Secretary of the Commonwealth'. Separately, section 12 of Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2022 - the temporary 'virtual' electronic notarization authority, itself a successor to Chapter 71 of the Acts of 2020 - was repealed effective March 31, 2023, after which 'the notarial act must have been performed in the physical presence of the notary public'\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/memorandum/memo-re-repeal-of-electronic-notarization-as-authorized-by-section-12-of-chapter-22-of-the-acts-of-2022-and-enactment-of-remote-online-notarization\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-13", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Chapter 222 as amended', the Commonwealth's own posted text of M.G.L. c. 222 as amended by Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016, downloaded as a DOCX from mass.gov and text-extracted on 2026-08-13. Header: 'CHAPTER 222, AS AMENDED BY CHAPTER 289 OF THE ACTS OF 2016 (Effective January 4, 2017)'. The authority for the quoted text of ss. 1, 3-8, 11-26 in this record, including 'A person qualified for a notary public commission shall be at least 18 years of age and reside or have a regular place of work or business within the commonwealth'; 'for a term of 7 years'; the seal contents at s. 8(b); the journal requirements and exemptions at s. 22 and s. 12; 'no fee shall be charged by a notary public to notarize a signature on an absentee ballot identification envelope'; and the 7-year record retention at s. 24. CAUTION, AND THE REASON THIS FILE IS LISTED SECOND-TIER: this posted text is the 2016 version and STOPS AT SECTION 26 - it does not contain ss. 27, 28 or 29, the remote and electronic notarization sections added in 2023. Do not treat it as the current chapter\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/media/1731/download\"}, {\"label\": \"The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - M.G.L. c. 222 (JUSTICES OF THE PEACE, NOTARIES PUBLIC AND COMMISSIONERS), chapter section list and the full text of ss. 1A, 19, 27, 28 and 29, read from a US vantage on 2026-08-13 (malegislature.gov did not answer our own requests for it). The current section list runs to s. 29 and is what establishes that the Commonwealth's own posted DOCX is out of date. The authority for the remote-notarization text quoted in ron_detail, including 'Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarization using communication technology, the notary public shall: (i) register as a remote notary with the state secretary'; 'A notary public shall not use communication technology to notarize a record related to the electoral process, or a will, codicil or document purporting to be a will or codicil'; 'The state secretary shall establish standards, in conformity with national standards ... and shall create and maintain a registry of communication technology service providers'; and the 10-year recording retention\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleI/Chapter222\"}, {\"label\": \"The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - M.G.L. c. 262 s. 41, 'Notaries public; enumeration of fees', full text read from a US connection on August 13, 2026 (the page would only open in a full browser, even from the US). Establishes the finding recorded under What you may charge: the only statutory notary fee schedule in Massachusetts covers protests and notings of negotiable instruments and sets no fee for an acknowledgment, jurat, oath, signature witnessing or copy certification\", \"url\": \"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleVI/Chapter262/Section41\"}, {\"label\": \"Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Apply to become a notary public' (mass.gov). The authority for 'you must be at least 18 years old and live or work in the Commonwealth'; 'the application, which requires you to obtain 4 signatures of known and respected members of your community'; 'Applicants must also read Chapter 222 of the General Laws, as amended by Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016, and agree to comply with all of its terms'; the single-line fee table 'A fee of $60 is charged by the Secretary of the Commonwealth upon qualification. You will not need to pay this fee until you receive notification that your application has been approved by the Governor and the Governor's Council'; the mailing address and 'To complete the application you will need to provide a current resume'; the two-week notification estimate; the phone routing between the Public Records Division and the Governor's Council; the complaint and re-appointment-opposition procedure; and 'Many reputable providers can be found online, or you may also purchase a notary stamp from your local office supply store'\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-to-become-a-notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Notary Public Application' (PDF, rev. 3/7, 6 pages, downloaded and text-extracted on 2026-08-13). The live form, and the source for facts that appear nowhere else: 'This application is valid for out-of-state applicants'; 'Willfully making a false statement on this application is punishable by up to twenty years in state prison pursuant to General Laws Chapter 268, Sections 1, 1A'; 'Because of constitutional time parameters this process may take as many as 18 days'; 'Do not send any payment with this application'; the seven initialled acknowledgments including 'a notary public may only witness a signature so long as he or she is physically present in Massachusetts at the time of the notarization' and 'I understand that a notary public may only charge the amount set forth in statute for performing a notarization ... In no case may a notary public charge more than the statutory amount'; and the four-reference certificate with 'This certificate must be signed by four persons, of whom one must be a member of the bar in good standing'\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/doc/notary-public-application-2025/download\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Remote Online Notarization' (sec.state.ma.us). THE DECISIVE SOURCE for ron_status: 'According to a law passed in 2023, notaries public can use online communications platforms to perform their duties. However, they first must complete training and notify our office through an online notification form. The training and notification form aren't yet available, so notaries shouldn't use online remote platforms at this time. We're working with the Governor's office and the Governor's council to develop the remote online notarization notification form, and to enhance the entire notary application process.' And on the provider registry: 'After issuing a request for information (RFI) from remote online notarization communication technology platforms, we received several responses by the April 16, 2024 deadline. We're now reviewing these responses, to help develop rules and regulations on remote online notarization. We'll provide more information when the draft of the rules and regulations becomes available for public comment'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/remote-online.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Notary Public Information' (sec.state.ma.us). The source for the office-split statement 'The Secretary of the Commonwealth maintains notaries public appointments. This office also administers the oaths of office to notaries public, justices of the peace and other gubernatorial appointments'; 'The Secretary of the Commonwealth does not regulate the conduct of Notaries Public. There is no single state-wide office that receives complaints against notaries'; the confirmation that 'Executive Order No. 455, which had previously governed the conduct of notaries public in the past, has been rescinded'; and where to buy a journal - 'may be purchased across the street at the State Bookstore in Room 116 of the State House, at various retail office supply stores, or on our website'. RECORDED ALSO AS A STALENESS FINDING: this page still describes the journal as something 'which the Governor's Executive Order 455 suggests you keep for recordkeeping purposes', which has been superseded by the mandatory journal in c. 222 s. 22 since January 4, 2017\", \"url\": \"https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/notary-information.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Notary Renewal' (sec.state.ma.us). The source for 'Renewal applications are automatically mailed to Massachusetts notaries. They are mailed five weeks before a commission is scheduled to expire. Applications are not available online'; the 10-day change-of-name-or-address duty and its consequence 'If you don't, you will not receive your renewal application'; and the Commissions Section address, One Ashburton Place Room 1719, Boston MA 02108, with phone 617-727-2836, fax 617-727-5914 and comm@sec.state.ma.us. Also the second staleness artifact recorded in this record: the page cites 'Revised Executive Order No. 455, s. 14' for a duty that now lives in c. 222 s. 25\", \"url\": \"https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/notary-renewal.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"Commonwealth of Massachusetts - 'Find a notary public' (mass.gov). Establishes that Massachusetts has no online notary register: 'There are more than 100,000 notaries public in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts', the list of places to look for one, and 'If you would like contact information for a specific notary public, you may call the Public Records Division in the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office at (617) 727-2836 and request that information'\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Land Court, Massachusetts Court System - 'Memo re: Repeal of Electronic Notarization as Authorized by Section 12 of Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2022 and Enactment of \\\"Remote Online Notarization\\\"', dated 12/29/2023. An official court source for the legislative history and the implementation gap: it names 'Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, sections 23-33' as the enacting act, states that those provisions 'generally become effective on January 1, 2024, subject to the implementation of regulations by the Secretary of the Commonwealth', records that 'Effective March 31, 2023, section 12 of Chapter 22 of the Acts of 2022... is repealed' so that a notarial act on or after that date 'must have been performed in the physical presence of the notary public', and instructs that 'no registry district should accept for registration any documents notarized remotely until further instruction from the court issues'\", \"url\": \"https://www.mass.gov/memorandum/memo-re-repeal-of-electronic-notarization-as-authorized-by-section-12-of-chapter-22-of-the-acts-of-2022-and-enactment-of-remote-online-notarization\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ma-notary/" }, { "page_id": "md-notary", "state": "Maryland", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Maryland Secretary of State, Notary Division (appointment is made by the Governor on the written approval of the applicant's State Senator or, where the Senator has delegated, the Secretary of State; the commission is delivered and the oath taken before the Clerk of the Circuit Court)", "board_url": "https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/Pages/default.aspx", "application_url": "https://mdsos2.my.site.com", "renewal_cycle": "Renew online, re-take the course, and be sworn in again at the courthouse every term. Window: 'The renewal period begins 60 days before the expiration of your notary commission. You may renew your commission up to 30 days after your expiration date. If you do not renew within 30 days after your expiration date, you must re-apply for a new notary commission' (SOS FAQ). Early renewal outside that window is handled case by case: 'If you will be out of town during your renewal window, please notify our office prior to leaving the area. We will instruct you on how to renew early.' Process: complete the course of study with an authorized provider, upload the certificate, file the renewal at https://mdsos2.my.site.com with the $25 fee, and -- unlike a new application -- the determination is made by the Secretary of State, typically in 2-3 business days. The oath repeats every time: 'Do I need to get sworn in every time I renew? Yes. You must take the oath of office at the Clerk of the Court every time you are issued a new commission,' within 30 days of the email telling you to appear, with the $11 in clerk fees again. County follows residence at renewal: moving mid-term does not require re-swearing, but 'If you renew your commission, the county in which you are commissioned will change at that time. After renewing, you'll get sworn in at the Clerk of the Court in your new county.' Mid-term changes: name and address changes are filed online under 'Update Your Notary Information'; a name change offers a choice -- take a re-issued commission in the new name ($6 to the SOS, $11 to the Clerk, and a new stamp) or finish the term under the commissioned name and change at renewal.", "ce_hours": "There is no continuing-education requirement measured in hours. What Maryland requires instead is a repeat of the authorized course of study at every four-year renewal, evidenced by a certificate of completion uploaded with the renewal application (SOS Renewal Applicant page; SOS FAQ). No hour count is attached to that course anywhere in COMAR 01.02.08.16, which prescribes content and examination standards but not duration. Sources checked and found silent on continuing education hours: Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-101, 18-103, 18-214, 18-215, 18-216, 18-217, 18-218, 18-219 and 18-220; COMAR 01.02.08 (all 17 regulation titles, with .02, .03 and .16 read in full); and the SOS notary landing, New Applicant, Renewal Applicant, Remote Notary Information and FAQ pages. Whether the renewal course must also be followed by a re-sit of the examination is genuinely unsettled on the state's own pages -- see the Exam section above, where the conflict is recorded both ways.", "exam": "Required for new applicants, from a state-authorized provider, and pass standards are set by regulation rather than left to the vendor. COMAR 01.02.08.16F: 'The examination shall contain at least 20 questions that are clearly stated in a multiple-choice format, and each applicant must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions in order to be issued a Certificate of Passing.' Every question has exactly four choices with one correct answer (.16G); the provider must keep 'a robust bank of at least 50 different test questions so that repeat applicants do not receive a statistically sufficient number of previously attempted test questions' (.16E); questions are sourced from the sections of the Handbook for Maryland Notaries Public covering laws, regulations, ethics and procedures (.16B); and electronic testing systems must give 'immediate scoring which notifies the applicant of passing or failure at the conclusion of the examination session' (.16I). The passing certificate is uploaded with the application. The exam fee is the provider's, not the state's, and is not published by the SOS. Conflict within the Secretary of State's own site on whether renewals must re-sit the exam, recorded both ways and not resolved: the FAQ answer 'Who may apply for appointment as a notary public?' says 'effective October 1, 2021: all new notary applicants, must complete a Course of Study and pass an examination; all renewal applicants, must complete a Course of Study and pass an examination', while the FAQ answer 'Do I have to take a class or pass a test to become a Notary Public?' says 'all new notary applicants, must complete a Course of Study and pass an examination; all renewal applicants must complete a Course of Study' -- with no exam -- and the Renewal Applicant page and its checklist of what to upload ('Copy of the certification of completion of the course of study') mention only the course. Two of the three statements say course-only for renewals.", "fees": "Two payments to two different offices, plus private costs. To the Secretary of State: a $25 processing fee with every application, new or renewal. COMAR 01.02.08.03: 'Each application for an original or renewal appointment as a notary public shall be accompanied by a processing fee of $25 payable to the Secretary of State.' This is a recent change the SOS flags on both application pages: '*Application process change as of 01/22/2024* The notary application fee changed from $9 + $2 service charge to an application fee of $25.' To the clerk of the Circuit Court at the oath: the SOS instructs applicants to 'be prepared to pay the Clerk of the Court $10.00 for the commission and $1.00 registration fee', and the FAQ says 'There is an $11.00 fee for this action'. The statute sets those as '(i) a fee of $1 for qualifying the notary and registering the name, address, and commission expiration date of the notary; and (ii) a fee of $11 or a lesser amount as prescribed by the Secretary of State for the commission issued' (State Gov't Sec. 18-103(e)(3)). Reconciled, not a contradiction: the statutory $11 commission fee is a ceiling the Secretary of State may lower, and the SOS has prescribed $10, giving the $10 + $1 = $11 total the SOS pages state. The $10 prescription itself is taken from the SOS pages. Other state fees: $30 for the official Handbook for Maryland Notaries Public (perfect-bound; ordered from the SOS by credit card or check); $5 for a paper copy of your commission (electronic copies are free by email); $6 to have the Secretary of State issue a re-named commission after a name change, plus $11 to the Clerk to be sworn in under the new name; up to $25 for a check returned for insufficient funds (Sec. 18-103(e)(5)(i)). Not state fees: the course of study and examination are bought from authorized private providers at prices the providers set, and the stamping device is bought privately -- 'Does the Office of the Secretary of State provide a notary stamping device (seal) and other notary supplies to me? No. You must purchase your own ... We do not provide a list of recommended retailers.' RON vendor fees are likewise the vendor's. No fee is published for the Remote Notary Notification itself.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Government Sec. 18-101 et seq. (Maryland's enactment of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole of Maryland notary law -- the Secretary of State's landing page states the authority in terms: 'Statutory Authority: State Government Article, Sec. 18-101 et seq. of the Annotated Code of Maryland'\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-101&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-103\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application, the State Senator's written approval (and delegation to the Secretary of State), the 4-year term and staggered expirations, renewal, the 30-day qualification deadline before the clerk of the circuit court, the $1 registration fee and the $11-or-lesser commission fee, and revocation for failure to qualify or for a dishonored check\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-103&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-214\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals: identity routes, the audio-visual recording, the outside-the-United-States conditions, and the tangible-record branches at (b) and (c)\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-214&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-215\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Certificate of notarial act -- required for every act -- and the rule that a notary public shall affix or emboss the official stamp on a tangible-record certificate\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-215&enactments=False&archived=False\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-217\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Contents of the official stamp (name and office, county of residence or qualification, expiration date) and its status as a public seal\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-217&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-218\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Stamping device: security, no lending, mandatory disablement on resignation/revocation/expiration and on death or incompetency, prompt loss reporting, and public-seal status under Criminal Law Sec. 8-607\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-218&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-219\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Journal of all notarial acts, 10-year retention, format, contemporaneous entry contents, loss reporting, and disposition on resignation or death\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-219&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-220\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts on electronic records: technology selection, the notice to the Secretary of State before the first electronic act, and recording of tangible copies of electronic records by circuit court clerks\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-220&enactments=false\"}, {\"citation\": \"COMAR 01.02.08.02 (Charges and Fees)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notarial fee caps effective 1/22/2024: $8 per act, $30 per remote act, $4 per additional copy signature, $2 per reproduction, IRS mileage plus up to $5 travel, $6 to certify a copy of a journal record\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.02.aspx\"}, {\"citation\": \"COMAR 01.02.08.03 (Processing Fee)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"'Each application for an original or renewal appointment as a notary public shall be accompanied by a processing fee of $25 payable to the Secretary of State'\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.03.aspx\"}, {\"citation\": \"COMAR 01.02.08.16 (Course of Study and Examination Standards)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Course content, the 20-question minimum, the 80 percent pass mark, the 50-question bank, four-choice items and immediate scoring\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.16.aspx\"}, {\"citation\": \"COMAR 01.02.08 (Notary Public: General Regulations), chapter index\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The 17 regulations governing Maryland notaries, including .04-.07 on remote online notary vendors and the obligations of notaries performing remote acts, .08 responsibilities, .09 change of name/address/email, .11 enforcement and .12 publication of commission status\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.aspx\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State, Notary Division landing page. Establishes the current fee caps ('A notary public may demand and receive a fee of no more than $8 for the performance of an original notarial act' and '$30 for the performance of a remote notarial act'), the amended travel/mileage rule, the two Remote Notary Notification routes, the $30 handbook, and 'Statutory Authority: State Government Article, Sec. 18-101 et seq.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/Pages/default.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- New Notary Applicant Information. Establishes the January 22, 2024 fee change ('The notary application fee changed from $9 + $2 service charge to an application fee of $25'), the course-plus-examination requirement and the two certificates, the Senator approval step, and the courthouse oath: 'you must appear before the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county in which you are commissioned to take the oath of office within 30 days ... Be prepared to pay the Clerk of the Court $10.00 for the commission and $1.00 registration fee.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/Pages/NewApplicant.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- Renewal Applicant Information. Establishes that renewals are decided by the Secretary of State, that 'All renewal applicants must complete a Course of Study', and that the oath before the Clerk of the Circuit Court repeats at every renewal.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/Pages/RenewalApplicant.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- Notary Frequently Asked Questions. The single richest source for this page: eligibility list, non-resident reciprocity condition, the three references, the renewal window (60 days before to 30 days after expiration), stamp contents and disposal, the full journal entry list, the fee schedule quoted from COMAR 01.02.08.02, the notarial-officer definition excluding attorneys, 'Maryland does not issue a commission number', and the statewide-authority answer.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/Pages/FAQ.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- Authorized Remote Notary Information. Establishes the online-only notification, the two selectable remote types, and that selecting an unauthorized vendor results in non-authorization.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Notary/Pages/RemoteNotaryInfo.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- List of Authorized Course of Study and Examination Providers (PDF), effective 10/1/2021. The state's own provider list; cited as the list, not as a recommendation.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Documents/NotaryCourseofStudyandExaminationProviders.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- List of Authorized RON Vendors (PDF). The state's authorized remote online notary vendor list.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Documents/ListAuthorizedRONVendors.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- List of Authorized Remote Notaries, RON-vendor route, authorized on or before 6/21/2023 (PDF).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Documents/AuthorizedRemoteNotaries.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- List of Authorized Remote Notaries, tangible-record route (no RON vendor), authorized on or before 6/21/2023 (PDF).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.maryland.gov/Documents/AuthorizedRemoteNotariesTangible.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maryland Secretary of State -- notary database search (live, a successful response on 2026-08-12). The public verification tool; requires a specific name.\", \"url\": \"https://mdsos2.my.site.com/s/search-notary-database\"}, {\"label\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-103 (Maryland General Assembly). 'The term of a notary public commission is 4 years'; the Senator's written approval; 'Within 30 days after the issuance by the Secretary of State of a notice of appointment or renewal, the notary shall qualify before the appropriate clerk of the court'; and the clerk's '$1 for qualifying ... and a fee of $11 or a lesser amount as prescribed by the Secretary of State for the commission issued.'\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-103&enactments=false\"}, {\"label\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-215 (Maryland General Assembly). 'If a notarial act regarding a tangible record is performed by a notary public, the notary public shall affix an official stamp to or emboss an official stamp on the certificate.'\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-215&enactments=False&archived=False\"}, {\"label\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-217 and Sec. 18-218 (Maryland General Assembly). Stamp contents and the public-seal status of the stamping device, plus the disablement and loss-reporting duties.\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-217&enactments=false\"}, {\"label\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-219 (Maryland General Assembly). 'each notary public shall maintain a journal in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that the notary public performs' and the 10-year retention rule.\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-219&enactments=false\"}, {\"label\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-214 (Maryland General Assembly). Remote notarization identity routes, the audio-visual recording requirement, the outside-the-US conditions, and the tangible-record branches.\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-214&enactments=false\"}, {\"label\": \"Md. Code, State Gov't Sec. 18-220 (Maryland General Assembly). The pre-notification to the Secretary of State before a first notarial act on an electronic record.\", \"url\": \"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gsg§ion=18-220&enactments=false\"}, {\"label\": \"COMAR 01.02.08.02, Charges and Fees (Division of State Documents; the dsd.maryland.gov URL redirects to the state's regs.maryland.gov reader). The verbatim fee caps effective 1/22/2024.\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.02.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"COMAR 01.02.08.03, Processing Fee. 'Each application for an original or renewal appointment as a notary public shall be accompanied by a processing fee of $25 payable to the Secretary of State.'\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.03.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"COMAR 01.02.08.16, Course of Study and Examination Standards. 'The examination shall contain at least 20 questions ... and each applicant must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions in order to be issued a Certificate of Passing.'\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.16.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"COMAR 01.02.08 chapter index, Notary Public: General Regulations (17 regulation titles), checked in full for the bond requirement this page says Maryland does not impose.\", \"url\": \"https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/01.02.08.aspx\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/md-notary/" }, { "page_id": "me-notary", "state": "Maine", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions -- Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions (Notaries Public and Dedimus Justice)", "board_url": "https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/commissions/notaries-public-and-dedimus-justice", "application_url": "https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/commissions/apply-renew-a-notary", "renewal_cycle": "Renewals are online and require an examination. SOS FAQ Q24: 'To renew your commission, please use our \"Total Notary Solution\" ... You will need to log in by providing your first and last name, date of birth and commission expiration date.' The renewal flow is: update your record (middle/last name, legal, physical and mailing addresses, telephone numbers, email, other language fluency), take the online Notary Public Examination based on the Course of Study, pay the renewal fee, then 'print the application for renewal, Oath of Office form, and the notice providing important information on how to complete the renewal process' and 'appear before a Dedimus Justice with your Oath of Office form to be sworn in as you did when you initially were commissioned.' The SOS apply/renew page adds that the originally signed exam and oath must be mailed in: 'Once completed you must print the documents, appear before a Dedimus Justice to have the oath administered, and mail the complete originally signed exam and oath to this office.' No early-renewal window, grace period or late fee is published on the apply/renew page, in the FAQ PDF, in 29-250 C.M.R. ch. 700 or in 4 M.R.S. ch. 39. Changes during the term: 'You must notify the Secretary of State within thirty (30) calendar days of any change to the notary's status or information previously submitted', a name change additionally requires a Change of Signature form emailed to cec.notaries@maine.gov, and 'An amended certificate of commission will be issued by the Secretary of State upon receipt of notice of a name change or change of residence to a new municipality' (SOS FAQ Q22). A technology-provider change must be reported within ten business days (SOS FAQ Q17).", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required of a Maine notary public. What Maine substitutes is an examination at every renewal: 'If renewing your Notary Public Commission, you must take an online Notary Public Examination' (SOS FAQ Q24). Sources checked and found silent on continuing education: 4 M.R.S. ch. 39 (all 33 section headings, with Sec. 1922 'Notary public commission; qualifications' and Sec. 1923 'Examination of notary public' read in full), 29-250 C.M.R. ch. 700 in full, the SOS Course of Study PDF, the SOS Frequently Asked Maine Notary Public Questions PDF, the SOS apply/renew page and the SOS remote/electronic notary page. The only recurring training obligation attaches to technology, not to law: a notarial officer approved for electronic or remote work must be trained by each approved technology provider and re-certified by a new provider if the provider changes.", "exam": "Required. 4 M.R.S. Sec. 1923(1): 'An applicant for a notary public commission who at the time of application does not hold a commission in this State must pass an examination administered by the Secretary of State or an entity approved by the Secretary of State. The examination must be based on the course of study described in subsection 2.' How it is actually taken, which is unusual: for a new commission the examination is printed inside the paper application (Form No. ME NOT APP - 7/1/2023, section headed 'Notary Public Examination'), so there is no separate exam appointment, no proctor, no exam fee and no testing centre -- the sample items include 'To qualify for appointment as a notary public in Maine, the applicant must:', 'When is it acceptable to perform a notarial act without identification of the signer?', 'A notary public may perform a marriage for a family member. True/False', and a definition-matching block covering acknowledgement, jurat, credible witness, direct beneficial interest, remote notarization, electronic notarization, certified or attested copy and notarial officer. For a renewal the exam is online inside the Total Notary Solution service: 'If renewing your Notary Public Commission, you must take an online Notary Public Examination. The examination is based on the Course of Study ... While taking the examination, if you provide an incorrect answer, you will not be able to advance to the next category of questions until a correct response has been provided' (SOS FAQ Q24) -- i.e. it is a mastery-until-correct instrument, and no passing score is published for either version. Note: Sec. 1923(1) by its terms imposes the exam only on an applicant 'who at the time of application does not hold a commission in this State', yet the Secretary of State requires an examination on renewal as well. Both are recorded here as read; no source read resolves the relationship between them. No examination fee is published anywhere read on 2026-08-12; the $50 is an application fee.", "fees": "$50 to become or renew, and that is the whole state charge. The amount is fixed by statute and matches the live form exactly, so the statute and the form agree. 5 M.R.S. Sec. 87: 'A fee of $50 must be paid to the Secretary of State by a person appointed to the office of notary public, commissioner to take depositions and disclosures, disclosure commissioner or commissioner appointed under Title 33, section 251, before the person enters upon the discharge of official duties.' The live application form (Form No. ME NOT APP - 7/1/2023, page 5) says: 'Please remit the $50 application fee made payable to the Treasurer, State of Maine.' The SOS FAQ Q4 agrees: 'The fee is $50.00. The fee may be paid using a check or credit or debit card.' The rules route both new and renewal applications to the same statute: 'Every application for a notary public commission must be accompanied by payment of a fee prescribed by 5 M.R.S. Sec. 87' and 'Every application for renewal of a notary public commission, or a new commission, must be accompanied by payment of a fee prescribed by 5 M.R.S. Sec. 87' (29-250 C.M.R. ch. 700). A credit card payment voucher PDF is published for mail-in payment. No other state fee was found: no examination fee, no oath fee, no fee for the Dedimus Justice appearance, and no fee is stated on or for the 'Notarial Officer's Notice to Perform Electronic and/or Remote Online Notarizations' -- the notice form itself contains no dollar amount. Two adjacent fees are not the notary's: technology providers pay an application and annual renewal fee under 5 M.R.S. Sec. 86, and a provider pays '$20' for the Secretary of State to accept service of process as the provider's agent (29-250 C.M.R. ch. 700, implementing 4 M.R.S. Sec. 1915(15)). One optional adjacent fee is the notary's: a $25 application fee if a notary who opted out of the automatic marriage officiant license later applies for one. There is no county or municipal recording fee -- the commission is issued and recorded by the Secretary of State, and the only local step is appearing before a Dedimus Justice, for which no fee is published. The stamp is bought privately and Maine sets no stamp price.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. ch. 39 (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), enacted by P.L. 2021, c. 651, Pt. A, effective July 1, 2023\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole of Maine notary law: authority, personal appearance, identification, certificates, stamp, journal, commissioning, examination, discipline and remote/electronic notarization\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4ch39sec0.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1922\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Commission and qualifications: 18 years, Maine residence or place of employment/practice, read and write English, not disqualified under Sec. 1924, passed the Sec. 1923 exam; the statutory oath before a dedimus justice; and the 7-year term\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1922.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1923\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The examination requirement for applicants not already holding a Maine commission, and the state's duty to offer a course of study\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1923.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1918\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The official stamp -- permissive ('may keep'), its required contents and the copyability requirement\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1918.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1920\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Journal: mandatory for electronic and remote acts, optional for tangible ones, 10-year retention, format, contemporaneous entry contents, loss, resignation and death\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1920.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1915\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals: communication technology and identity proofing, the audiovisual recording and its 10-year retention, certificate marking, service of process on providers, and the election-related acts that may not be done remotely (subsection 16)\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1915.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1926\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prohibited acts: no legal advice or immigration consulting, no compensation for them, no false or deceptive advertising, the ban on the titles 'notario'/'notario publico' for non-attorneys, the mandatory non-attorney advertising disclaimer, no withholding original records; civil violation with a fine up to $5,000\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1926.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"5 M.R.S. Sec. 87\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $50 fee payable to the Secretary of State by a person appointed to the office of notary public before entering upon the discharge of official duties\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec87.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"29-250 C.M.R. ch. 700 (Rules Governing Notaries Public, Notarial Officers, Notarial Acts and the Procedures for Electronic and Remote Notarization)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application and renewal procedure, written fee disclosure and consent, official stamp shape and contents, electronic and remote notarization procedure, technology provider approval and annual renewal, audiovisual recording retention and the $20 service-of-process fee\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/Notary-20Rules.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"19 M.R.S. Sec. 655 and 5 M.R.S. Sec. 90-G (as described by the Secretary of State)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Repeal, effective July 1, 2023, of a notary public's authority to solemnize marriages, and creation of the separate office of Marriage Officiant\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/faqnp.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Notaries Public and Dedimus Justice (the division's notary landing page).\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/commissions/notaries-public-and-dedimus-justice\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- I Want to Apply/Renew a Notary. Establishes that new applications are paper only ('All applicants for a new notary public commission must complete and deliver to the Secretary of State the most recent \\\"Application for a Notary Public Commission\\\"') and that renewals run online with a printed oath: 'you must print the documents, appear before a Dedimus Justice to have the oath administered, and mail the complete originally signed exam and oath to this office.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/commissions/apply-renew-a-notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Application for a Notary Public Commission, Form No. ME NOT APP - 7/1/2023 (PDF, 5 pages. THE LIVE FORM: contains the notary examination itself, the nonresident employer certification, the marriage-officiant opt-out box, and the fee instruction 'Please remit the $50 application fee made payable to the Treasurer, State of Maine.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/Notary-20Public-20Application.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Frequently Asked Maine Notary Public Questions (PDF, 24 questions). Establishes the eligibility list, the $50 fee, the 30/45/90-day qualification clock, the 7-year term, the journal split ('A journal is not required for in-person paper notarizations'), the stamp split ('use of a notary public stamp is required on all electronic or remote notarizations'), the renewal exam, and the marriage-officiant separation.\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/faqnp.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Notary Public Course of Study (PDF). The published basis of the examination; establishes the fee rule ('The State of Maine does not statutorily set fees for notarial services. Any fee ... must be disclosed in writing ... and the notary public must obtain the individual's agreement'), the conflict-of-interest rule, and the practice rules including 'Do not advertise your services using the title \\\"notario\\\" or \\\"notario publico\\\".'\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/courseofstudy.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Rules Governing Notaries Public, Notarial Officers, Notarial Acts and the Procedures for Electronic and Remote Notarization, 29-250 C.M.R. ch. 700 (PDF). Establishes the application-fee cross-reference to 5 M.R.S. Sec. 87, the written fee-disclosure duty, the stamp shape rule ('the stamp must be a rectangular or circular stamp'), the electronic/remote journal duty, technology-provider approval and annual renewal, the 10-year recording retention and the $20 service-of-process fee.\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/Notary-20Rules.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- I Want to Apply to Be a Remote/Electronic Notary. Establishes the approval requirement ('must complete and submit the \\\"Notice to Perform Electronic and/or Remote Online Notarizations\\\" form to the Secretary of State and must receive approval'), the approved-provider rule ('You may not use software or apps such as Zoom or FaceTime'), the training answer, and the ten-business-day provider-change notice.\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/commissions/apply-to-be-a-remote-electronic-notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Notarial Officer's Notice to Perform Electronic and/or Remote Online Notarizations (PDF, live form read on August 12, 2026). Read to confirm no state fee is charged for the electronic/remote authorization; the form states 'On July 1, 2023, the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (\\\"RULONA\\\"), Public Law 2021, chapter 651, took effect.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/noticeforremote.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Approved Technology Providers for Electronic or Remote Notarizations (PDF), the state's own provider list referenced by the notice form.\", \"url\": \"https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/techproviders.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Secretary of State -- Active Notary Public and Dedimus Justice Search (live, a page that loaded normally, read on August 12, 2026). Establishes the search fields, the returned fields, and the caveat 'This Notary Public directory does not contain the entire list of Maine Notaries Public or Dedimus Justices.'\", \"url\": \"https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/notary/search/search_index.pl\"}, {\"label\": \"Maine Revised Statutes, Title 4 chapter 39 table of contents (Office of the Revisor of Statutes) (the 33-section list), checked in full for the bond and continuing-education requirements this page says Maine does not impose.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4ch39sec0.html\"}, {\"label\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1922 (Revisor of Statutes). 'The Secretary of State shall issue to an applicant who has complied with this section a notary public commission valid for a term of 7 years' and the statutory oath before a dedimus justice.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1922.html\"}, {\"label\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1923 (Revisor of Statutes). 'An applicant for a notary public commission who at the time of application does not hold a commission in this State must pass an examination administered by the Secretary of State or an entity approved by the Secretary of State.'\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1923.html\"}, {\"label\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1918 (Revisor of Statutes). 'A notary public may keep an official stamp' -- the permissive wording behind Maine's optional-seal rule.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1918.html\"}, {\"label\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1920 (Revisor of Statutes). 'A notarial officer shall maintain a journal for all electronic and remote notarizations. A notarial officer may maintain a journal for all tangible notarizations. The notarial officer shall retain the journal for 10 years.'\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1920.html\"}, {\"label\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1915 (Revisor of Statutes). Remote notarization mechanics and subsection 16, which bars remote notarization for absentee ballots, candidate oaths, petition circulator oaths and people's veto/direct initiative applications.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1915.html\"}, {\"label\": \"4 M.R.S. Sec. 1926 (Revisor of Statutes). 'A notary public who is not an attorney licensed to practice law in this State may not use the title \\\"notario\\\" or \\\"notario publico\\\"', plus the mandatory advertising disclaimer and the $5,000 civil violation.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/4/title4sec1926.html\"}, {\"label\": \"5 M.R.S. Sec. 87 (Revisor of Statutes). 'A fee of $50 must be paid to the Secretary of State by a person appointed to the office of notary public ... before the person enters upon the discharge of official duties.'\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec87.html\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/me-notary/" }, { "page_id": "mi-notary", "state": "Michigan", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal (appointment is made by the Michigan Secretary of State)", "board_url": "https://www.michigan.gov/sos/notary-services", "application_url": "https://www.michigan.gov/sos/all-services/notary-application", "renewal_cycle": "There is no renewal in the technical sense - each term requires a brand-new application through the full process (new bond, new oath before the county clerk, new $10 state fee). SOS FAQ: 'There is no renewal process so you must apply for a new commission each time. It is your responsibility to make application for a new appointment no more than 60-days prior to the expiration date.' The SOS 'Notary services' page states the gap rule: 'To renew a commission with no gap in the commission dates, the application process must be completed within 60 days of the current expiration date. Since there is no automatic renewal process a commission will simply expire if it is not actively renewed.' For attorneys, the SOS mails a reappointment application about 90 days before expiration, and 'By certifying continued status as an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of Michigan, you may be exempt from filing a bond and taking an oath of office with the county clerk at that time.'", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required of Michigan notaries, either during the term or as a condition of the next appointment. Sources checked: MCL 55.269 and MCL 55.271 (appointment and qualifications), MCL 55.273 (filing/oath/bond), the SOS Notary Manual, the SOS notary FAQ, the SOS Electronic and Remote Notarial Acts guide, and the live application form (Rev. 08/25) - none imposes an hours requirement, and the reappointment process the SOS describes is a repeat of the original application rather than an education-conditioned renewal. SOS-provided training (the free notary training video and the SOS's 'free comprehensive notary public training') is voluntary, and vendor training for e/remote platforms is a private matter in which 'The Secretary of State has no role'.", "exam": "Michigan does not administer or require a notary public examination. Sources checked: MCL 55.269 and MCL 55.271 (appointment and qualifications - no exam appears among the listed qualifications); MCL 55.273 (filing, oath, bond); the SOS Notary Manual published on michigan.gov/sos/notary-services; the SOS notary FAQ page; and the live application form (Rev. 08/25), which has no exam or score field and whose four-step instructions go application -> bond -> county oath -> fee. The only knowledge assurance in the process is the applicant's sworn declaration that they 'have carefully read the notary laws of Michigan'.", "fees": "State fee: $10.00 non-refundable application processing fee payable to the 'State of Michigan', paid online by credit/debit card or e-check (the SOS notes 'additional fees will apply' for card payment) or by check/money order mailed to the Office of the Great Seal. County Clerk filing fee - two official figures, recorded both ways: (a) the statute and the SOS web pages say $10.00 - MCL 55.273(3): 'Each person who files an oath and, if applicable, a bond with a county clerk as required in subsection (1) shall pay a $10.00 filing fee to the county clerk,' and the same subsection lets 'A charter county with a population of more than 2,000,000' (Wayne County) 'impose by ordinance a fee for the county clerk's services different than the amount prescribed by this subsection'; the SOS FAQ matches, 'The fee for this filing at the county level is $10 (with the exception of Wayne County, which may be more)'; but (b) the current live application form (Rev. 08/25), step 3, states a range: 'For a $10.00-$20.00 fee, the clerk will file your bond, administer an oath, and return the application to you.' The SOS 'Notary services' page splits the difference: 'The fee is usually $10.00, but some counties can charge more.' In short: $10.00 is the statutory figure, and $10.00-$20.00 is what the agency's own current form tells applicants to expect. Surety bond premium: not a state fee - a market price the SOS estimates at $50 to $100. E-notary / RON: no state fee at all - SOS guide, 'Are there additional fees required by the Secretary of State to become eligible to conduct electronic or remote notarizations? No, there is no additional fee. The initial notary public fee covers these enhancements.' Vendor platform costs are separate and set by the vendor. Seal/stamp: no state-set price; Michigan does not require a seal and 'The Department of State/Office of the Great Seal does not provide these tools or supplies.' Name/address change: free - 'There is no need to reapply and there is no charge to correct our records.' Adding, changing or removing an e/remote vendor is likewise a 'No fee' transaction per the 'Electronic and Remote Notary Request for Change (Rev. 02/26)' form.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"MCL 55.261 et seq. - Michigan Law on Notarial Acts (MiLONA), 2003 PA 238, as amended\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole scheme: qualification, appointment, regulation, powers, prohibitions and penalties for Michigan notaries public\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-ACT-238-OF-2003\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.269 (MiLONA sec. 9)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment by the Secretary of State; the 6-to-7-year term ending on the notary's birthday; bar on appointing a person serving a term of imprisonment\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-269\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.271 (MiLONA sec. 11)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications for appointment, including age, residence/place of business, English literacy, criminal-history bar, the non-resident business nexus, and the attorney exemption from the bond\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-271\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.273 (MiLONA sec. 13)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Filing of the oath and the $10,000 surety bond with the county clerk within 90 days before applying; the $10.00 county filing fee and the charter-county exception; deposit of $2 per fee into the notary education and training fund\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-273\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.285 (MiLONA sec. 25)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Scope of notarial acts, satisfactory evidence of identity, and the $10.00 maximum fee per notarial act\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-285\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.286a (MiLONA sec. 26a), added by 2018 PA 360, eff. Mar. 12, 2019\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Approval of electronic notarization systems by the Secretary of State and DTMB\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-286a\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.286b (MiLONA sec. 26b)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote electronic notarization platforms: approval requirement, review standards, recording limits, and the mandatory remote-notarization journal and 10-year retention\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-286b\"}, {\"citation\": \"MCL 55.287 (MiLONA sec. 27)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Signature and the required printed statements on every notarized record; permission to use a stamp, seal or electronic process; prohibition on using an embosser alone\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-287\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Michigan SOS, 'Notary application' - the qualifications list and the four application steps, including 'Obtain a $10,000 surety bond from an insurance agency or bonding company and take it along with your application to your county clerk, pay the county filing fee, and take the oath administered by the county clerk's office' and the '$10 nonrefundable processing fee'\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/all-services/notary-application\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS, 'Notary services' - hosts the official Michigan Notary Manual: the $10.00 fee cap ('a Notary may charge up to $10.00 for performing each notarial act'), the seal rule ('The MiLONA does not require Notaries to use an embossed seal or rubber stamp'), record keeping for pen-and-paper/electronic vs remote, the approved-vendor rule, and the notary-signing-agent disclaimer\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/notary-services\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS notary FAQ - term ('Each notary public commission is for a 6 to 7-year period ending on the notary's birthday'), no renewal process, no commission numbers, journal not required, attorney bond exemption after April 1 2007, and bond-vs-blanket-bond\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/faqs/office-of-the-great-seal/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS, 'Michigan Notary Public Application and Instructions (Rev. 08/25)' - the live application form: bond 'written for a term of six or seven years', county clerk fee stated as '$10.00-$20.00', the $10.00 state filing fee, and 'Do not perform notarial acts until you are listed as \\\"Valid\\\" on this website'\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/18delrio/Application_for_Michigan_Notary_Public.pdf?rev=3ef71f72d66049abbadc27c01e9800aa\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS Bureau of Elections, 'Standards for Electronic and Remote Notarizations and Requirements for Remote/Electronic Notarization Platform Approval', dated March 2026 - credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication and biometric standards, the mandatory remote journal and its 10-year retention, and the seal statement naming the vendor\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Notary/Standards-for-Electronic-and-Remote-Notarizations.pdf?rev=2cb09a806ba049e6ac05026d326839a1\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS, 'Electronic and Remote Notarial Acts - General Information Guide' (OGS 5/22) - statuses are optional, no additional state fee, the $10 cap applies to every method, travel-fee rule, and the five-year retention statement for voluntary electronic-act records that conflicts with the Notary Manual's ten years\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Notary/ENotary_and_Remote_Notary_Guide_2019_eq051319.pdf?rev=c02bfc4f66cd478a92ea999007323f6e\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS, 'Vendors Authorized to Perform Electronic and Remote Notarizations in Michigan' (Revision Date: March 2026) - 'Only approved vendor systems can be used to perform an electronic/remote notarization'\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Notary/List_of_Vendors.pdf?rev=db18f27fc9ed426e96c027dc86394ffe\"}, {\"label\": \"Michigan SOS, 'Electronic and Remote Notary Request for Change (Rev. 02/26)' - the no-fee form used to add, change or remove an e/remote status, asking the notary to 'Identify the approved system you are onboarded with and provide proof'\", \"url\": \"https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/31lawens/E_and_Remote_Notary_Request_for_Change.pdf?rev=754ed88da56a4ab8acf673816afe2dc4\"}, {\"label\": \"MCL 55.271 - qualifications; 'The requirement of filing a bond does not apply to an applicant that demonstrates, in a manner acceptable to the secretary, licensure as an attorney at law in this state' (read through an Internet Archive copy dated December 23, 2025, because legislature.mi.gov denies access from our location)\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-271\"}, {\"label\": \"MCL 55.273 - 'The bond shall be in the sum of $10,000.00' and 'shall pay a $10.00 filing fee to the county clerk' with the charter-county exception (read through an Internet Archive copy dated December 22, 2025)\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-273\"}, {\"label\": \"MCL 55.285 - 'The fee charged by a notary public for performing a notarial act shall not be more than $10.00 for any individual tran[saction]' (read through an Internet Archive copy dated July 15, 2025)\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-285\"}, {\"label\": \"MCL 55.286b - remote electronic notarization platforms; 'a notary public shall not use a remote electronic notarization platform that is not approved under this section' (read through an Internet Archive copy dated August 10, 2025)\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-286b\"}, {\"label\": \"MCL 55.287 - required statements on every notarized record and 'A notary public shall not use an embosser alone or use any other method that cannot be reproduced' (read through an Internet Archive copy dated August 12, 2025)\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-287\"}, {\"label\": \"MCL 55.269 - appointment and the 6-to-7-year birthday term (read through an Internet Archive copy dated May 8, 2025)\", \"url\": \"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-55-269\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/mi-notary/" }, { "page_id": "mn-notary", "state": "Minnesota", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services Division (the commission is issued by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate; the Secretary of State receives applications and keeps the register)", "board_url": "https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/", "application_url": "https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/become-a-notary/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is available in the six months before expiry, and the SOS narrows that to a concrete window. Minn. Stat. 359.02: 'Six months before the expiration of the commission, a notary may renew the notary's commission for a new term to commence and to be designated in the new commission as beginning upon the day immediately following the date of the expiration.' Because every commission expires on January 31, the SOS states the window as calendar dates: 'The time to renew is between August 1 and January 31. On August 1, you will have the option of filing either online or by mail.' Renewal costs $120 to the state plus $20 to re-record at the county, and requires a new stamp because the expiration date printed on the stamp changes: 'Yes, since the commission expiration date is required on the stamp it will have to reflect the five year extension.' The old stamp stays legal until the old commission actually expires - 'A notary stamp may continue to be used until the date of expiration, even though the notary may have successfully renewed for an additional five year term.' If the commission has already lapsed, the route is reappointment rather than renewal: Minn. Stat. 359.02, 'A notary whose commission expires may apply for reappointment after the expiration date', done by checking Re-appointment on the paper application and submitting by mail. The statute also confirms that a change of governor does not disturb it: 'The reappointment or renewal takes effect and is valid although the appointing governor may not be in the Office of Governor on the effective day.' A RON authorization does not self-renew across a commission gap - 'If your notary commission expires, you must re-register for remote online notarization authorization with the Secretary of State.' Name changes must be reported within 30 days, with legal documentation attached and a new stamp obtained; address changes must be reported within 30 days and can be done online.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required of Minnesota notaries, at any point in the term or as a condition of renewal or reappointment. Sources checked: Minn. Stat. 359.01 and 359.02 (commission and term - renewal is described purely as a filing plus fee), the rest of ch. 359, Minn. Stat. 358.645 (which conditions RON registration on registration and a technology certification, not on hours), the SOS 'How to Renew Your Commission' page, the SOS Notary FAQ renewal answers, and the live application form, whose renewal instruction is 'Applications for renewal may be submitted 6 months prior to the expiration date' with no education step. Voluntary training is offered by private organizations the SOS lists but does not validate.", "exam": "Minnesota administers no notary examination and requires none. Sources checked: Minn. Stat. 359.01 (which lists the governor's appointment power, the fee, the application contents and the electronic-notarization registration, and mentions no examination), 359.02, 359.03, 359.04 and 359.061; Minn. Stat. 358.645 for RON (registration is by certification of intent to use conforming communication technology, not by examination); the SOS 'Become a Notary' page; the SOS Notary FAQ; and the live application form, which has no exam or score field. The only knowledge-adjacent element is the sworn oath on the application form.", "fees": "State commission fee: $120, non-refundable. Minn. Stat. 359.01, subd. 3(a): 'When making application for a commission the applicant must submit, along with the information required by the secretary of state, a nonrefundable fee of $120, which shall be forwarded by the secretary of state to the commissioner of management and budget to be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the general fund.' The live application form matches: 'The notary commission fee is $120.00. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid by check or money order made payable to the OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.' The same $120 applies to a New Appointment, a Reappointment (expired commission) and a Renewal - all three boxes on the form carry 'Fee: $120'. Renewal may be paid by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express) when filed online at notary.sos.state.mn.us; anything mailed must be check or money order. County recording fee: $20. The SOS states it twice - 'The fee for recording your commission at the county is $20' and 'Note: there is a $20.00 fee charged at the county level' - and directs applicants to 'contact your resident county office for filing and fee requirements'. This fee recurs on every renewal or reappointment because the commission must be re-recorded. No fee: address change and name change are free ('No Fee' on the application form; 'There is no fee for this service'), and terminating a RON authorization is free ('There is no fee to terminate your remote online notarization authorization registration'). E-notary and RON registration: no fee is stated for either registration in Minn. Stat. 359.01, subd. 5, in Minn. Stat. 358.645, or on the SOS E-Notarization Authorization and Remote Online Notarization Authorization pages read on 2026-08-12 - the SOS describes completing a form and certifying, and prices only the termination (free) - so no fee is published, which is not the same as a stated $0. Stamp: bought privately; no state-set price. County certificate of official acts: $5 - Minn. Stat. 359.061, subd. 4 sets the county department's fee for certifying to a notary's official acts at $5.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. ch. 359 - Notaries Public\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Commission, term, stamp, powers, county recording, name/address change, misconduct and standards of conduct for Minnesota notaries\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359/full\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 359.01\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment by the governor with senate advice and consent; non-resident (border-state) notaries; the $120 non-refundable application fee; the application form's contents; and subd. 5, registration to perform electronic notarizations\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359.01\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 359.02\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Term - the commission runs 'until January 31 of the fifth year following the year the commission was issued'; six-month renewal window; reappointment after expiry\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359.02\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 359.03\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory official notarial stamp: required contents, the rectangular size limit and serrated/milled border, electronic affixation, and the stamp/journal as the notary's personal property\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359.03\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 359.04\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Powers: oaths, depositions, acknowledgments, notarial protests, and online remote notarial acts under 358.645 and 358.646\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359.04\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 359.061\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Recording of the commission with the county of residence, including the matching signature and sample signature; the $5 county certificate of official acts\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359.061\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 359.062\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Required non-attorney disclaimer when a notary advertises in a language other than English; violation is a misdemeanor\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359.062\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 358.645 (added by 2018 c 176 art 1 s 15; subd. 2 amended by 2024 c 112 art 2 s 66)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notary public: definitions, registration requirement, in-state location rule, the mandatory electronic journal and audio-video recording with ten-year retention, identity-proofing standards, and termination duties\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/358.645\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 358.15\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Ex officio notaries public - legislators, town and city clerks/recorders, court commissioners, county recorders, auditors and their deputies, county commissioners, and licensed peace officers for probable-cause oaths\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/358.15\"}, {\"citation\": \"Minn. Stat. 357.17\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum fees a notary public may charge and collect, itemised by act\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/357.17\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, 'Become a Notary' - 'A notary public is a person of integrity appointed by the Governor'; the new-commission checklist including 'Include a $120 non-refundable fee' and the border-state residency rule; and county recording: 'The fee for recording your commission at the county is $20. Failure to register with your resident county may result in a civil penalty fee'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/become-a-notary/\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, Notary FAQ - the Minn. Stat. 357.17 fee schedule quoted in full; 'Is a journal required? While Minnesota law does not require a journal'; the stamp requirement and 'A notary that fails to affix his or her stamp has not properly notarized the document'; renewal window 'between August 1 and January 31'; and 'the social security number is not required'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/notary-help/notary-faq/\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, 'Notary Commission Application' (live PDF form) - '$120.00... non-refundable... check or money order', the four background questions, the oath text, the non-resident service-of-process appointment, and instruction 6, 'Notary commissions expire on January 31 of the fifth year following the year of issue'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/media/1990/notaryapplication.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, 'Remote Online Notarization Authorization' - the prerequisites ('must have filed the notary public commission in the county where they live, must be in possession of proof of filing'), the registration requirement, the term of registration, and the destruction duty on termination\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/notary-help/remote-online-notarization-authorization/\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, 'Remote Online Notarization Authorization FAQ' - the e-notarization vs RON distinction, 'A remote online notary public must be physically located in the state of Minnesota', no renewal of the RON registration, free termination, and 'Beginning January 1, 2023, remote notaries must charge fees that comply with Minnesota Statute 357.17'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/notary-help/remote-online-notarization-authorization-faq/\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, 'E-Notarization Authorization' - 'Effective July 1, 2006, the Minnesota Legislature enacted electronic notary legislation' and 'Physical presence of a person whose signature is being notarized is still required by law (359.01, subd. 5)'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/notary-help/e-notarization-authorization/\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota SOS, 'Find a Notary' help page - the search fields, the E-Notary and Remote Notary filters, the 500-record cap, and the Notary Details page contents including 'current E & RON Authority, Commission Expiration Date, Commission History, and Former Names'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mn.gov/notary-apostille/notary-help/find-a-notary/\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, 2025 Minnesota Statutes ch. 359 full chapter text - 359.01 through 359.11, read in full (governor's appointment, $120 fee, e-notarization registration, January 31 term, stamp specifications, county recording, foreign-language advertising disclaimer)\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/359/full\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Minn. Stat. 358.645 - 'Before a notary performs a remote online notarization, the notary must register the capability... with the secretary of state'; the electronic journal and audio-video recording with 'at least ten years' retention; identity-proofing standards; and the expired pre-2023 $25 remote-act fee\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/358.645\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Minn. Stat. 357.17 'NOTARIES PUBLIC' - the maximum-fee schedule, including '$5 per folio' items and the cross-reference for acknowledgments of deeds\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/357.17\"}, {\"label\": \"Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Minn. Stat. 358.15 'EX OFFICIO NOTARY PUBLIC' - legislators (no fee may be received), town and city clerks/recorders, court commissioners, county recorders and auditors and their deputies, county commissioners, and licensed peace officers\", \"url\": \"https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/358.15\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/mn-notary/" }, { "page_id": "mo-notary", "state": "Missouri", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Missouri Secretary of State, Notaries & Commissions Unit (Business Services Division); the county clerk of the county of commission administers the oath and takes the bond", "board_url": "https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/notary", "application_url": "https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/newNotary", "renewal_cycle": "There is no renewal in the sense of a lighter-touch filing - each term is a fresh application that repeats every step. Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.625.2: 'A current or former notary applying for a new notary commission shall submit a new completed application and comply anew with all of the provisions of this section and sections 486.605 and 486.615' - which means the training, the 80% examination, the $25 fee, a new $10,000 four-year bond and a new oath before the county clerk. The SOS FAQ answers 'Is my commission automatically renewed?' with 'Your commission is good for a period of four years... In order to be a commissioned notary, you must reapply for your commission every four years', and its reappointment checklist runs: meet the general qualifications, refer to the handbook, 'Take the Online Notary Training Course or the Written Notary Training Course when your term of office expires', secure the reappointment (resident or non-resident), purchase the bond, and 'Qualify at your County Clerk's office'. Endorsements do not survive a recommissioning - Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.905.3: 'Upon recommissioning, a notary shall again register with the secretary before notarizing electronically', and 486.1120.3 says the same for remote online notarization; both allow the reapplication and the re-registration to be filed at the same time. The electronic and RON registrations otherwise run with the commission - 486.915: the term of an electronic notary's registration 'shall continue as long as the notary's commission remains in effect or until registration is terminated'.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required during a Missouri commission term. What Missouri requires instead is that the full training-and-examination requirement be satisfied again at every reappointment: Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.625.2 requires a current or former notary applying for a new commission to 'comply anew with all of the provisions' of the application sections, which include the 486.630.3 duty to attest to training and to score at least 80% on the Secretary's examination, and the SOS's reappointment checklist accordingly says to 'Take the Online Notary Training Course or the Written Notary Training Course when your term of office expires'. Sources checked for any mid-term hours requirement, all negative: Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.605, 486.610, 486.625, 486.630, 486.910 and 486.1125 (the two endorsement-course sections, both of which condition initial registration only); the SOS 'How to Become a Notary' and reappointment pages; the SOS Notary FAQ; and the Missouri Notary Public Handbook. In short: substantial training every four years at reappointment, and none in between.", "exam": "Missouri requires a passing score on an examination administered by the Secretary of State before a commission issues, and separate examinations for each electronic endorsement. Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.630.3(2): every applicant shall 'Receive a score of eighty percent or better on an examination administered by the secretary prior to being issued a commission.' Passing the exam is also written into the qualifications themselves - 486.605.2(5), a person shall '(5) Pass the examination required in section 486.630.' The subject matter is fixed by 486.630.4: 'notarial laws, procedures, and ethics'. The examination is taken as part of the Secretary's online training course, or via the written training course form for applicants who take the paper route; the SOS requires the resulting 'Certificate of state approved notary training or completed written notary training form' with the application. No separate exam fee is published in Mo. Rev. Stat. 28.160 (which sets only the $15 commission fee and the $10 technology-trust-fund fee), in 486.630.5, or on the SOS's application-instructions page. Additional exams for endorsements: 486.910.1 requires an electronic-notary applicant to 'pass an examination based on the course' for in-person electronic notarization, and 486.1125.1 requires the same for remote online notarization - each is a separate course and a separate examination on top of the base one. No passing score is stated in the statute for those two endorsement examinations; only the base examination carries the express 80% figure.", "fees": "State application fee: $25, and it is two fees in one. Mo. Rev. Stat. 28.160: 'each applicant for appointment and commission as a notary public shall submit to the secretary of state a commission fee of fifteen dollars. An additional fee of ten dollars for the issuance of new and renewal notary commissions which shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the secretary of state's technology trust fund account.' Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.630.5 makes it non-refundable: 'Every applicant for a notary commission shall pay to the state of Missouri a nonrefundable application fee as stated in section 28.160.' The SOS's application instructions confirm the operative figure: '$25 application fee as required under 28.160 RSMo.' The same $25 applies to a reappointment and to a non-resident converting to a resident commission ('a completed reapplication as a resident and the $25 fee for issuing another commission'). Bond premium: a private market price for the $10,000 four-year bond; the SOS publishes no figure and names insurance agents, banks and bonding companies as sources. Seal: bought privately from a vendor registered with the Secretary of State; no state-set price. County Clerk: the statute imposes no separate county fee for qualifying - the clerk administers the oath, takes the bond and hands over the certificate. Electronic certificate of authority: Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.975 caps the fee for issuing one at 'a maximum of ten dollars'. Electronic and RON registration fees: none is published in Mo. Rev. Stat. 28.160, 486.905, 486.920, 486.1120 or 486.1130, nor on the SOS's Electronic Notary Information page - so no fee is published, which is not the same as '$0'. RON software testing is paid by the vendor, not the notary - 486.1115.4: 'The expenses of any such testing shall be paid by the vendor of the software.' Journal copies: under 486.710 a notary responding to an authorised request 'shall charge not more than one dollar per copy', and must furnish certified copies to the Secretary on written request 'without cost'.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 486 (Notaries Public and Notarial Acts), as enacted by 2020 H.B. 1655\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire scheme: commissioning, qualifications, training and examination, bond and oath, notarial acts, fees, journal, seal, certificates, discipline, plus the electronic-notary and remote-online-notary regimes\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=486\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.605\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications for a commission, non-resident eligibility and the service-of-process appointment, and the discretionary grounds for denial with their five-year bars\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.605\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.610\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Four-year term, statewide (Missouri-only) jurisdiction, and the grandfather clause for notaries commissioned before August 28, 2020\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.610\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.615 and 486.620\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $10,000 four-year bond and oath presented to the county clerk as the condition of the commission taking effect; the sixty-day qualifying window and the seven-day mailing deadline; suspension when the bond is exhausted\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.615\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.630\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application contents and the perjury declaration; the training attestation; the 80% examination administered by the Secretary; the non-refundable application fee\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.630\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.685, 486.690 and 486.695\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum notarial fees, travel fees, the absentee-ballot fee prohibition, the mandatory twelve-point fee schedule, prepayment and refunds, and employer limits on fees\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.685\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.700 to 486.715\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory permanently bound journal with numbered pages, its contents, the ten-year retention, inspection and copying, safeguarding, loss reporting, and delivery to the Secretary at the end of the commission\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.700\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.725, 486.730 and 486.735\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Affixing signature and seal on paper acts; the seal's required elements and border; embosser as supplement only; and registration and duties of seal vendors and manufacturers\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.730\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.900 to 486.1010\", \"what_it_governs\": \"In-person electronic notarization: definitions, the separate registration, the additional course and examination, registration contents, electronic signature and seal, electronic journal, fees, and the electronic certificate of authority\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.902\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 486.1100 to 486.1205\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization: definitions, the Secretary's software approval, testing and certification, the separate registration and course/examination, where the principal may be located, the audio-video recording and its ten-year retention, the electronic journal, and the remote transaction fee\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=486.1115\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mo. Rev. Stat. 28.160\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The commission fee: $15 to the Secretary of State plus $10 for issuance credited to the technology trust fund - the $25 total\", \"url\": \"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=28.160\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Missouri Notary Public Handbook' (official PDF, reproduces Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 486 in full) - the 80% examination in 486.630.3(2), the $10,000 bond and sixty-day qualifying window in 486.615/486.620, the $5-per-signature fee caps in 486.685, the permanently bound journal in 486.700, the seal elements in 486.730, and the electronic and remote online notary regimes in 486.900-486.1205; also reproduces 28.160 under the heading 'Explanation of $25 Application Fee'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/NotaryHandbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'How to Become a Notary' - the six official steps including 'Take the online training course or written training course' and 'Qualify at your local county clerk's office'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/newNotary\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'General Qualifications' - the resident and non-resident qualification lists, the five-year discipline and criminal bars, the INA Section 245 permanent-resident-alien route with the green-card filing, and the resident-conversion procedure with 'the $25 fee for issuing another commission'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/generalinfo\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Notary Public Bond' - 'The $10,000 notary bond shall be executed by a licensed Missouri surety for a term of four years commencing on the commission's issue date', the 60-day execution window, and 'An errors and omissions policy is not required by law'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/notarybond\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Resident Application Form Instructions' - 'REQUIREMENTS: $25 application fee as required under 28.160 RSMo. Certificate of state approved notary training or completed written notary training form' and the commission-name rules\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/FormInstructions\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, Notary FAQ - 'Your commission is good for a period of four years (example: commissioned on 7/27/2020, expires 7/27/2024)', the meaning of 'Qualify' including the handwritten signature specimen and 'Failure to qualify within 60 days will result in the commission being cancelled', the journal contents, and the seal elements\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/notary_faq\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Electronic Notary Information' - the registration-then-training sequence and 'you will be required to select from a list of approved software for notarizing items remotely'; also the source of the electronic-vs-remote naming discrepancy recorded in ron_detail\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/ElectronicNotaryInfo\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Missouri Notary Public Handbook' landing page - 'The powers and responsibilities of a notary are laid out in the Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 486. The provisions of this statute are included in the handbook'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/notary/handbook\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Application for Commission as a Notary Public' (Comm 51), the live paper application form\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/ApplicationforCommisionasaNotaryPublic_Comm51.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Written Notary Training Course' (Comm 59) - the paper alternative to the online training course, filed with the application\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/WrittenNotaryTrainingCourse_Comm59.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, 'Notary Public Search' - the public commission-verification lookup\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/notary/Search/NotarySearch.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Missouri SOS, Notaries & Commissions landing page - the unit's role and 'The oaths of office and official signatures of more than 70,000 active Missouri notaries are maintained by the office'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/notary\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/mo-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ms-notary", "state": "Mississippi", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division (notary commissions are administered by the Regulation & Enforcement / Business Services section)", "board_url": "https://www.sos.ms.gov/regulation-enforcement/notaries-apostilles", "application_url": "https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/SOS_FORM_NP_001.pdf", "renewal_cycle": "Reappointment rather than automatic renewal, on a four-year cycle - the SOS states plainly, 'Notary public commissions are renewable every four years.' The rules set a window with both an earliest and a latest date, and Notary Rule 2.5 makes the late end mandatory: '(A) A current notary public may submit an application for reappointment ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of an existing commission. The date of the new commission shall be the date immediately after the expiration date of the current commission. (B) Applications for reappointment to the office of notary public must be filed at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the expiration of the commission under which the notary public is acting.' The SOS FAQ describes a different window, shown here alongside the rule: 'How do I renew a commission? Within 60 days prior to the expiration of the current commission file a new application and oath, and submit a new bond when approved.' The rule says applications must be in at least 60 days before expiry (with filing allowed from 90 days out); the FAQ describes filing within the last 60 days. Reappointment requires a new application, a new oath and a new bond; there is no shortened renewal path and no continuing-education condition. Renewal of the commission automatically carries the electronic-notarization authorization forward - Notary Rule 8.1(B): 'The renewal of the commission of a notary public who has previously qualified to perform in-person electronic notarizations under this section constitutes renewal of the notary public's commission without the necessity of submission of another electronic notarization application.' Commissions and renewals are delivered by email only since November 8, 2021.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required of Mississippi notaries, during the term or as a condition of reappointment. Sources checked: Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-41 (qualifications and the four-year commission) and 25-34-43 (grounds for denial, non-renewal, revocation, suspension - conduct-based, not education-based); the SOS Notary Public Rules Chapter 2, including Rule 2.5 'Reappointment' and Rule 2.6 'Term of commission', which require only a new application, oath and bond; the SOS Notaries FAQ renewal answer ('file a new application and oath, and submit a new bond when approved'); and the live application form. No hours requirement appears in any of them.", "exam": "Mississippi administers no notary examination and requires none. Sources checked: Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-41 (qualifications and commissioning) and the rest of ch. 25-34 as published by the SOS; the SOS Notary Public Rules Chapter 2 (eligibility, application for appointment, appointment and issuance of commission, reappointment, term), read in full; the SOS Notaries FAQ; and the live SOS Form NP 001. None contains an examination, a passing score, or an exam fee. The only knowledge attestation is the perjury-backed certification on the application that the applicant has read the regulations and can read and write English.", "fees": "Application fee: $25.00. The live SOS Form NP 001 states: 'Return completed Application and the $25.00 fee to the Secretary of State, Business Services Division, P.O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205-0136', and the SOS Notaries FAQ lists 'Pay a $25 application fee.' Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-41(1) itself sets no dollar figure - it says the applicant must 'pay any application fee' - so the $25 is agency-published rather than statutory, which is worth knowing before quoting it as a statutory fee. The same fee applies on reappointment (the form is a single New/Current form). Bond premium: a private market price for the $5,000 assurance; no state-set amount, and the sources read do not quote a range. Seal/stamp: bought at the notary's own expense - Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-33(1), 'Every notary public appointed and commissioned must procure, at his own expense, a suitable official seal.' No state-set price. New seal and new bond on a name change, and a new seal on a move to a different county (the county of residence appears on the stamp). E-notary registration: no fee is published in any of the sources checked - Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-39(3) requires 'an additional registration' without a fee; Notary Rule 8.1 requires 'an additional application on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State' without a fee; and neither the SOS E-Notary Registration page (which serves the form inside an iframe) nor the SOS Fees & Forms Directory listing published one that could be read. This page therefore says 'no fee published', not '$0'. Third-party technology costs are separate and uncapped - Notary Rule 9.2: 'Nothing in the act shall be construed to prevent a third person who provides technologies or storage capabilities to aid the notary public in the performance of an electronic notarization from separately charging and collecting any additional fee for the services rendered.' County: Mississippi does not require a county filing or recording fee for the commission - the bond and oath go to the Secretary of State - although a notary's journal must eventually be deposited with the circuit clerk on resignation, revocation or suspension.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. ch. 25-34 - Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts, effective July 1, 2021\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole scheme: definitions, authorized notarial acts, fees, identification, physical presence, seal, journal, electronic records, qualifications, discipline, the public database and the practice-of-law/immigration restrictions\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-9\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Fee cap - 'not to exceed Five Dollars ($5.00) for services rendered'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-15\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Physical presence required - the provision that makes Mississippi a non-RON state\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-21\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may perform notarial acts in Mississippi: notaries, elected judges, court clerks and deputy clerks, and the Secretary of State or an Assistant Secretary of State\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-33 and 25-34-35\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory official seal and its contents; the county-provided seal for ex officio officers; destruction on death or incompetency; stamping-device security, disablement and loss reporting\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-37\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory journal for all notarial acts: single journal, bound and numbered if tangible, contemporaneous entries, prescribed contents, loss reporting, and deposit with the circuit clerk on resignation, revocation, suspension, death or incompetency\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-39\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts on electronic records; the Secretary of State's sole power over methods; the additional registration requirement\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-41\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications, the Section 268 constitutional oath, the $5,000 assurance and its conditions, and the four-year commission\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-45 and 25-34-47\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The public electronic database of notaries; and the limits on a commission - no legal advice, no immigration consulting, no 'notario'/'notario publico' by non-attorneys, mandatory advertising disclaimer, and escalating criminal penalties\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mississippi Administrative Code Title 1, Part 5: Business Services - Notaries Public (Secretary of State's Notary Public Rules, adopted under Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-51)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Eligibility, application contents, appointment, reappointment windows, term tied to the bond's expiry, official stamp content and order, journal form and disposition, conduct, notarial act forms, certificate requirements, electronic notarization registration and system criteria, fees including travel fees, and discipline\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Notary%20Rules%20-%20PDF.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, 'Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts' (the SOS's published chapter text, effective July 1, 2021) - '$5.00' fee cap in 25-34-9; 'the individual making the statement or executing the signature must appear physically in person before the notarial officer' in 25-34-15; the $5,000 assurance and four-year term in 25-34-41; the mandatory journal in 25-34-37\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/content/documents/Business/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, same chapter text served from the current sidebar path (verified identical in length and content; used as the canonical citation URL)\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, Notary Public Rules (Title 1, Part 5) - Rule 2.3 application contents including 'evidence of a surety bond... in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars'; Rule 2.6(A) 'The term of a notary public commission shall expire on the expiration date of the notary public's surety bond, no more than four (4) years after the commission date'; Rule 3.1 stamp contents and order; Rule 8.1 'in-person electronic notarial acts'; Rule 9.1-9.6 fees, travel fees and the absentee-ballot fee waiver\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/Notary%20Rules%20-%20PDF.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, Notary Public Rules served from the older documents path (second copy read for the RON negative; also zero occurrences of 'remote' or 'online notarization')\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/content/documents/Business/Revised%20Mississippi%20Law%20on%20Notarial%20Acts%20Notary%20Rules.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, 'Application for Notary Public Commission', SOS Form NP 001 (Form 11NP001, Revised 7/2021) - the live form: '$25.00 fee', the P.O. Box 136 Jackson address, the 60-day bond deadline, the commission-name rules, and the perjury certification including 'I have never been convicted of a felony'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/sites/default/files/regulation-enforcement/SOS_FORM_NP_001.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, 'Notaries & Apostilles' - 'Notary public commissions are renewable every four years' and 'Effective November 8, 2021, all new and renewal notary commissions will be delivered by email'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/regulation-enforcement/notaries-apostilles\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, 'Notaries FAQs' - the how-to-become checklist ('Pay a $25 application fee', 'File a $5,000 Surety Bond and the Oath of Office with the Secretary of State'), statewide jurisdiction with a county-of-residence stamp, 'Moving out of state terminates the Notary', renewal 'Within 60 days prior to the expiration', and 'Four years from the date the commission was issued'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/regulation-enforcement/notaries-apostilles/notaries-faqs\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, 'E-Notary Registration' - the electronic-notarization registration entry point (the form itself is served inside an iframe)\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/regulation-enforcement/notaries-apostilles/e-notary-registration\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi SOS, 'Notary Public Search' - the public verification lookup required by Miss. Code Ann. 25-34-45 (search application served in an iframe from sos.ms.gov/content/NotaryPublicSearch/)\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ms.gov/regulation-enforcement/notaries-apostilles/notary-public-search\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi Legislature bill history, HB 1154 (2025 Regular Session), 'Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts; revise to allow notaries to perform remote online notarization' - final action '03/04 (S) Died In Committee' after passing the House; evidence that RON was proposed and NOT enacted\", \"url\": \"https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB1154.xml\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi Legislature bill history, SB 2546 (2024 Regular Session), 'Remote online notarization; allow' - final action '03/14 (S) Died On Calendar'\", \"url\": \"https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2024/pdf/history/SB/SB2546.xml\"}, {\"label\": \"Mississippi Legislature bill history, HB 1168 (2024 Regular Session), the RON bill - final action '03/05 (H) Died In Committee'\", \"url\": \"https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2024/pdf/history/HB/HB1168.xml\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ms-notary/" }, { "page_id": "mt-notary", "state": "Montana", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Montana Secretary of State, Notary & Certifications Division", "board_url": "https://sosmt.gov/notary/", "application_url": "https://sosmt.gov/notary/applying-for-a-commission-new-and-renewal/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a full re-application every 4 years, not a light-touch renewal: 1-5-620(1), MCA requires 'an applicant for a new or renewed commission' to pass the examination, and 1-5-620(3)(b) requires continuing education (see the continuing-education details on this page). The Secretary of State states the process 'is the same for both new and renewing applicants' and that 'The online filing system will not allow renewals to be submitted more than thirty days prior to the expiration date of the current commission or after the thirty-day grace period following the commission expiration date.' The notary home page labels renewals 'Permissible Within Thirty Days of Expiration Date.' A fresh $25,000 bond covering the new term is required each time (1-5-619(4)(d), MCA).", "ce_hours": "Continuing education is required to renew. 1-5-620(3)(b), MCA: to renew, an applicant must have completed 'within the previous 12 months, at least 4 hours of notary public continuing education approved by the secretary of state or by the commission of continuing legal education; or... in each of the previous 3 years, at least 2 hours of notary public continuing education approved by the secretary of state or by the commission of continuing legal education.' The Secretary of State restates this as: 'Renewing notaries must complete at least four hours of continuing education in the 12 months preceding application or two hours in each of the 3 years preceding renewal.' This is in addition to passing the renewal examination.", "exam": "Required for every new and renewal commission. 1-5-620(1), MCA: 'An applicant for a new or renewed commission as a notary public in this state shall pass an examination administered by the secretary of state or by an entity approved by the secretary of state. The examination must be based on the course of study described in subsection (2).' The Secretary of State publishes the exam at https://sosmt.gov/notary/montana-notary-exam/ (the notary home page labels it 'Revised March 2025'). Scoring and retake rules, quoted by the SOS from ARM 44.15.101: '(4)(a) New and renewing applicants must take and pass the examination no more than six months before submitting the application. (i) A grade of 80% is considered passing. (ii) If the applicant fails to achieve a passing score after three attempts, the applicant must wait three months before attempting to take the exam again.' A separate examination based on the technology provider's or an approved third party's course is required before performing IPEN/RON/remote notarizations (1-5-615(3)(c), MCA). No dollar exam fee is published on the SOS exam page or the applying-for-a-commission page; 1-5-620(4), MCA authorizes the Secretary of State to 'collect fees commensurate with the cost incurred by the secretary of state's office for providing notary public education and examination'. Sources checked: MCA Title 1, ch. 5, part 6; the SOS applying-for-a-commission page; the SOS exam page; the SOS notary landing page, as of 2026-08-12; ARM 44.15 itself could not be opened.", "fees": "Commission filing fee: $25, non-refundable, paid online by credit/debit card or eCheck (Secretary of State, 'Applying for a Commission (New and Renewal)': 'The application fee for becoming a notary public is $25, which is non-refundable'; state employees may use Procards or Inter-unit Journals). The statute itself sets no dollar amount -- 1-5-619(4)(b), MCA requires the applicant to 'pay a filing fee set by rule'. Surety bond: not a state fee; purchased from a surety, with the SOS estimating 'approximately $50 - 70 for the four-year term of the commission'. Education: charged by the approved course provider, not by the state; 1-5-620(4), MCA authorizes the SOS to 'collect fees commensurate with the cost incurred' for education and examination, but no dollar figure is published on the SOS exam, academy or application pages. Seal/stamp and journal: bought by the notary from vendors; 'The Secretary of State does not provide the seal/stamp.' No separate state registration fee for IPEN/RON/remote authority is published -- the technology page requires only submission of the 'Notary Public Information Update form' with proof of course and examination. No county recording or filing step exists in Montana: the commission is issued by, and the bond filed with, the Secretary of State.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. Title 1, ch. 5, part 6 (Notarial Acts), 1-5-601 through 1-5-631\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Montana's entire notary statute: authority, qualifications, commissioning, education, examination, bond, journal, seal, technology-based notarization and fees.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/sections_index.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-619 (Notary public qualifications -- commission -- renewals)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Eligibility, the $25,000 assurance/surety bond, the 30-day filing window, the 4-year term, and the one-commission-at-a-time rule.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0190/0010-0050-0060-0190.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-620 (Examination and education of notary public -- fee)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory examination for new and renewal commissions and the 4-hour education / continuing-education requirement effective July 1, 2020.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0200/0010-0050-0060-0200.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-618 (Audiovisual recordings -- notary public journal -- security and retention)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The universal journal duty, required entry contents, prohibited entries, 10-year retention of journals and of audiovisual recordings, and custody on resignation, revocation or death.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0180/0010-0050-0060-0180.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-615 (Notarial act regarding electronic record -- selection of system -- notification -- training)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The pre-use notification, system identification and course-plus-examination requirement for electronic and communication-technology notarizations.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0150/0010-0050-0060-0150.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-603 (Requirements for certain notarial acts -- personal and remote appearance -- identification methods)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Personal appearance, appearance by communication technology, permitted signer locations for remote notarization, and the rule that a communication-technology act is performed in Montana.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0030/0010-0050-0060-0030.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-604 (Notarial acts in this state -- authority to perform notarial act)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may perform a notarial act in Montana, including judges and court clerks, and the limits on deposition transcripts and protests.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0040/0010-0050-0060-0040.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-626 (Fees for notarial acts -- collection of fees)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $10 per-act maximum, permitted additional technology and travel fees, the IRS-mileage travel cap, and the fee-schedule display duty.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0260/0010-0050-0060-0260.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-627 (Database of notaries public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's public notary verification database and what it must disclose.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0270/0010-0050-0060-0270.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-621 (Grounds to deny -- terms for refusing to renew, revoking, suspending, or conditioning notary public commissions)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Disqualifying conduct, including felony and fraud/dishonesty convictions and false statements on the application.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0210/0010-0050-0060-0210.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Admin. R. Mont. 44.15.101 (quoted by the Secretary of State)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Examination timing, the 80% passing grade and the three-attempt/three-month retake rule. Not read directly -- quoted verbatim on the SOS applying-for-a-commission page;.\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/applying-for-a-commission-new-and-renewal/\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Montana Secretary of State, Certification & Notary Services (notary division landing page) -- lists the Notary Academy, Notary Exam ('Revised March 2025'), Notary Search 'Search by Name or Commission Number', apply/renew ('Renewals Permissible Within Thirty Days of Expiration Date'), amend, resignation, lost/stolen stamp, complaint, FAQ and Notary Handbook; also reports that HB 165 struck the title-acknowledgment requirement in 61-3-220(2), MCA effective 'October 1st, 2025'.\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/\"}, {\"label\": \"Montana Secretary of State, 'Applying for a Commission (New and Renewal)' -- establishes the qualifications list, the four application steps, 'The application fee for becoming a notary public is $25, which is non-refundable', 'All applications must be filed online; paper submissions will be returned unprocessed', the thirty-day renewal window and grace period, the $25,000 bond, and quotes ARM 44.15.101(4)(a): 'A grade of 80% is considered passing.'\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/applying-for-a-commission-new-and-renewal/\"}, {\"label\": \"Montana Secretary of State, 'Bonds, Stamps, and Journals - Tools of the Trade' -- establishes 'Statutory Amount - $25,000', 'Approximate Cost - $50 - 70 for the four-year term', the standardized bond form containing the oath, the seal/stamp specification ('rectangular in shape and approximately 1\\\" x 2 1/2\\\" in size', 'blue or black ink only', 'The rectangular border is a REQUIRED part'), 'Notaries must purchase a new seal/stamp for each term of office', the journal contents and the 10-year retention, and the E&O statement: 'Montana does not require notaries to obtain or carry liability insurance - Errors & Omissions Insurance - to protect themselves'.\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/bonds-stamps-and-journals-tools-of-the-trade/\"}, {\"label\": \"Montana Secretary of State, 'Technology Based Notarization: Remote, R.O.N., IPEN' -- establishes the four notarization types, 'Remote Online Notarization - R.O.N. - This type of notarization may be performed by Montana notaries beginning October 1, 2019', 'Montana is one of only two states currently that allow the remote notarization of tangible documents', 'Acknowledgments are the only notarial act that can be performed in this manner', the registration steps ('Submit the Notary Public Information Update form and proof of completion of the course and examination'), the system requirements, the approved identification technologies, and the approved-platform list.\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/technology-based-notarization-remote-r-o-n-ipen/\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-619 -- '(1) To hold a commission as a notary public, an individual must: (a) be at least 18 years old...', '(d) obtain an assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent in the amount of $25,000', '(5) The secretary of state shall issue a commission for a 4-year term'.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0190/0010-0050-0060-0190.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-620 -- 'An applicant for a new or renewed commission as a notary public in this state shall pass an examination administered by the secretary of state or by an entity approved by the secretary of state' and the 4-hour education / CE alternatives effective 'On and after July 1, 2020'.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0200/0010-0050-0060-0200.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-618 -- 'A notary public shall maintain one or more journals in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that the notary public performs' and 'a notary public shall retain a journal for 10 years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in the journal'; also the 10-year audiovisual recording retention for communication-technology acts.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0180/0010-0050-0060-0180.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-615 -- 'Before a notary public performs the notary public's initial notarial act using an electronic notarization system or a communication technology, a notary public shall: (a) notify the secretary of state...; (c) complete a course of instruction approved by the secretary of state and pass an examination based on the course.'\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0150/0010-0050-0060-0150.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-626 -- 'A notary public may charge a fee not to exceed $10 for each notarial act' and 'A fee charged for travel must be equal to or less than the standard mileage rates allowed by the internal revenue service.'\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0260/0010-0050-0060-0260.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-604 -- 'A notarial act may be performed in this state by: (a) a notary public of this state; (b) a judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of any court of this state; or (c) any other individual authorized to perform the specific act by the law of this state.'\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0040/0010-0050-0060-0040.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Mont. Code Ann. 1-5-627 -- 'The secretary of state shall maintain an electronic database of notaries public: (1) through which a person may verify the authority of a notary public to perform notarial acts...'\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0270/0010-0050-0060-0270.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Montana Code Annotated 2025, Title 1, ch. 5, part 6 section index -- the complete list of Montana's notarial-act sections, 1-5-601 through 1-5-631.\", \"url\": \"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0050/part_0060/sections_index.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Montana Secretary of State, Notary Public Handbook landing page -- the official handbook the SOS references for name/signature guidance ('page 5') and for the glossary of remote-identification terms.\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/notary-handbook/\"}, {\"label\": \"Montana Secretary of State, Notary Academy -- the SOS page listing pre-approved third-party notary education course providers used to satisfy the 4-hour requirement.\", \"url\": \"https://sosmt.gov/notary/academy/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/mt-notary/" }, { "page_id": "nc-notary", "state": "North Carolina", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State (Elaine F. Marshall), Notary Public Section. The commission is issued by the Secretary, but the notary is sworn in and the official record of qualification is kept by the register of deeds of the notary's county.", "board_url": "https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary", "application_url": "https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary/become_a_notary", "renewal_cycle": "Recommissioning, with a defined early window and a one-year grace period: 'A commissioned notary may apply for recommissioning no earlier than 10 weeks prior to the expiration date of the notary's commission' (G.S. 10B-11(a)). A notary whose commission has not expired must '(1) Submit a new application under G.S. 10B-6. (2) Meet the requirements of G.S. 10B-5(b). (3) Pass the written examination required under G.S. 10B-8, unless the notary is a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar' - so the exam repeats every cycle even though the six-hour course does not. 'An individual may apply for recommissioning within one year after the expiration of the individual's commission. The individual must comply with the requirement of subsection (b) of this section. The individual must also fulfill the educational requirement under G.S. 10B-8(a), unless the Secretary waives that requirement' (G.S. 10B-11(c)) - i.e. a lapsed applicant retakes the six-hour course unless the Secretary waives it, and past one year there is no recommissioning route at all. Each recommissioning is followed by a fresh oath at the register of deeds, and acts performed before that oath 'either the original commissioning or recommissioning, are invalid.' Electronic notary registration renews alongside the commission: 'A notary may renew an electronic notary registration at the same time that the notary appli[es]' for recommissioning, and the registration term 'shall coincide with the term of the notary's commission.'", "ce_hours": "North Carolina publishes no continuing-education hour requirement for notaries. What recurs instead is the examination: 'Every applicant for recommissioning shall pass a written examination approved by and administered by or under the direction of the Secretary, unless the person is a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar' (G.S. 10B-8(b)) - so every five years a North Carolina notary re-tests, and a notary who lets the commission lapse must also retake the six-hour course unless the Secretary waives it (G.S. 10B-11(c)). The purchase-and-keep-the-current-manual duty in G.S. 10B-5(b)(7) also recurs at each commissioning, since the requirement is for 'the most recent manual approved by the Secretary.' No CE hour count, CE cycle, or approved-CE-provider scheme appears in G.S. 10B-8, G.S. 10B-11, G.S. 10B-107, the Secretary of State's Notary division page, or its Become a Notary page - all five sources checked.", "exam": "Required for both initial commissioning and recommissioning, and administered as part of the Secretary-approved course rather than as a standalone state test. Initial: the applicant must 'take a written examination approved by the Secretary. An applicant must answer at least eighty percent (80%) of the questions correctly in order to pass the exam' (G.S. 10B-8(a)). Recommissioning: 'Every applicant for recommissioning shall pass a written examination approved by and administered by or under the direction of the Secretary, unless the person is a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar' (G.S. 10B-8(b)) - so a renewing North Carolina notary re-tests even when the six-hour course is not repeated. Electronic notaries pass a second examination covering 'notarial laws, procedures, technology, and ethics as pertaining to electronic notarization and remote electronic notarization' (G.S. 10B-107(b)). Licensed members of the North Carolina State Bar are exempt from both the course and the examinations. Fee: no separate state examination fee is fixed in statute; instead 'The Secretary may charge such fees as are reasonably necessary to pay the cost associated with developing and administering examinations permitted by this Chapter and for conducting the training of notaries and notary instructors' (G.S. 10B-8(d)). Question count, retake policy and the exam's delivery format are not published in G.S. 10B-8, on the Secretary of State's Notary or Become a Notary pages, or on its Notary Statutes page - all sources checked.", "fees": "$50 application fee to the Secretary of State - 'Every applicant for a notary commission shall pay to the Secretary a nonrefundable application fee of fifty dollars ($50.00)' (G.S. 10B-13). The same fee applies to recommissioning, which is filed as 'a new application under G.S. 10B-6' (G.S. 10B-11(b)(1)). $50 additional to register as an electronic notary - 'The fee payable to the Secretary for registering or reregistering as an electronic notary is fifty dollars ($50.00), which shall be in addition to the fee required in G.S. 10B-13' (G.S. 10B-108). Course tuition: paid to the teaching institution (community college or university), amount not set or published by the State. Manual: purchased by the applicant as a condition of qualification; the Secretary of State links the current edition for purchase ('Order 2026 Manual (includes eNotary)', UNC School of Government). Seal: bought privately from a vendor - the Secretary of State publishes a 'Notary Seal Vendors & Manufacturers' list but does not set a price. Instructor certification, for those who teach the course: 'a nonrefundable fee of fifty dollars ($50.00)', renewable every two years for the same $50 (G.S. 10B-14). Platform licensure, for remote-notarization technology providers: 'a licensing fee of five thousand dollars ($5,000)' (G.S. 10B-134.19(b)). Register of deeds oath fee: no oath or recording fee is stated in G.S. 10B-10 (the oath section), G.S. 10B-13, the Secretary of State's Become a Notary page, or its Notary division page - all four sources checked - so no county figure is asserted here; the Secretary of State's own fee tables are built by JavaScript and showed no fee rows when checked.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B, Article 1 (Notary Public Act), G.S. 10B-1 through 10B-66\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications (10B-5), application (10B-6), course and examination (10B-8), five-year term (10B-9), commission and oath before the register of deeds (10B-10), recommissioning (10B-11), $50 application fee (10B-13), instructor certification (10B-14), powers and limitations (10B-20), notaries ex officio (10B-21), emergency video notarization (10B-25), fees for notarial acts (10B-31), fee schedule display (10B-32), official seal (10B-36, 10B-37), certificate forms (10B-40 to 10B-43), changes of status (10B-50 to 10B-55), enforcement (10B-60).\", \"url\": \"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_10B/Article_1.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B, Article 2 (Electronic Notary Act), G.S. 10B-100 through 10B-146, including Part 4A (Effective July 1, 2024) Remote Electronic Notarization, G.S. 10B-134.1 et seq.\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic notary registration (10B-106), the additional four-hour course (10B-107), the $50 registration fee (10B-108), types of electronic notarial acts (10B-115), electronic signature and seal (10B-125), and the remote electronic notarization regime including the electronic journal (10B-134.15), document exclusions (10B-134.3) and platform licensure with a $5,000 fee (10B-134.19).\", \"url\": \"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_10B/Article_2.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.L. 2022-54 (the Remote Electronic Notarization Act, 'RENA')\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Enacted North Carolina's remote electronic notarization framework; the Secretary of State states it 'became law on July 8, 2022'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary\"}, {\"citation\": \"G.S. 10B-25(n), as most recently amended (histories through S.L. 2025-33, s. 9(a)) and further extended by HB 517\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The sunset of emergency video notarization: expiry 'upon the earlier of (i) 12:01 A.M. July 1, 2026, or (ii) the date the Secretary issues the first license in accordance with G.S. 10B-134.19' - which the Secretary of State's live notice reports has been extended to 12:01 AM July 1, 2027 following the Governor's signing of HB 517 on July 7.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary\"}, {\"citation\": \"G.S. 11-7 and G.S. 11-11\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The oaths a notary appointee must take before the register of deeds - 'the general oath of office prescribed in G.S. 11-11 and the oath prescribed for officers in G.S. 11-7' (G.S. 10B-10(b)).\", \"url\": \"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_10B/Article_1.html\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State - Notary division landing page. Establishes the agency's framing ('Notaries are public officers of the State of North Carolina charged with protecting the public from fraud and forgery'), that 'The Remote Electronic Notarization Act (RENA) became law on July 8, 2022', the site's service menu (Become a Notary, Renew, eNotary, Find a Notary, Notary Seal Vendors, Technology Providers, Order 2026 Manual), and the live alert: 'Following Gov. Stein's signing of HB 517 on July 7, Emergency Video Notarizations (EVNs) have been extended to 12:01 AM on July 1, 2027 or until the first license is issued for Remote Electronic Notarizations.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State - Become a Notary. Establishes the applicant path and the approved course routes ('Find a Notary Public Course Near You: North Carolina Community Colleges, N.C. State University, Gaston College, Greensboro College, Guilford College'), the manual purchase link, 'Find your Register of Deeds', and 'Register to become an eNotary'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary/become_a_notary\"}, {\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State - Notary Statutes page. Links Chapter 10B at the General Assembly and the agency's own RENA definitions compilation.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/notary/notary_statutes\"}, {\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State - Find a Notary Near You. Establishes the public lookup's filters (address, zip, distance in miles, county served across all 100 counties plus out-of-state and out-of-country, language spoken, eNotary).\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/online_services/Notary_Search/find_a_notary\"}, {\"label\": \"N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B, Article 1, current codified text (North Carolina General Assembly, read through an Internet Archive copy dated April 12, 2026, because ncleg.gov blocks our requests with a bot-protection layer). Establishes G.S. 10B-5 qualifications, G.S. 10B-8 ('a course of classroom instruction of not less than six hours... at least eighty percent (80%)'), G.S. 10B-9 (five-year term), G.S. 10B-10 (oath before the register of deeds 'no later than 45 days after commissioning'), G.S. 10B-11 (recommissioning), G.S. 10B-13 ('a nonrefundable application fee of fifty dollars ($50.00)'), G.S. 10B-21 (notaries ex officio), G.S. 10B-25 (emergency video notarization and its journal), G.S. 10B-31 (the $10 / $15 / $25 fee caps and mileage rule), and G.S. 10B-36 (official seal). Section histories in that copy run through S.L. 2025-33. Read from an archived copy dated April 12, 2026; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_10B/Article_1.html\"}, {\"label\": \"N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B, Article 2 including Part 4A, codified text (North Carolina General Assembly, read through an Internet Archive copy dated September 7, 2025, for the same reason). Establishes G.S. 10B-106 (registration to notarize electronically or remotely), G.S. 10B-107 ('a course of instruction of least four hours'), G.S. 10B-108 ('fifty dollars ($50.00) ... in addition to the fee required in G.S. 10B-13'), G.S. 10B-134.1 definitions including 'Electronic journal', G.S. 10B-134.3 (act and document exclusions) and G.S. 10B-134.19 ('a licensing fee of five thousand dollars ($5,000)'). Read from an archived copy dated September 7, 2025; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_10B/Article_2.html\"}, {\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State's own hosted copy of Chapter 10B (PDF, 51 pages). Read and used ONLY as a cross-check and as evidence of the staleness problem: its section histories stop at Session Laws 2005-391, it still prints the repealed elected-official recommendation in G.S. 10B-5(b)(8) and the superseded $5.00 notarial fee caps in G.S. 10B-31, and it contains no remote electronic notarization provisions at all. No figure in this record rests on it alone.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/notary/Notary_Chapter_10B.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State - Notary Act Definitions (RENA definitions compilation, v.7.8.2025, 22 pages). Establishes that the agency maintains a consolidated statutory-and-rule definition set for electronic and remote notarization, covering terms such as 'Emergency video notarization', 'Electronic journal', 'Communication technology recording', 'Custodial notary', 'Identity proofing' and 'Geolocation [statute] / Geolocation [rule]'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/general_counsel_comments/RENA_Definitions_2025.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"NC Secretary of State - Manuals site, Notary section. Establishes that the page published there is a website tutorial and states in terms 'This is not the North Carolina Notary Public Manual', which is why the statutory manual-purchase duty in G.S. 10B-5(b)(7) points to a paid edition rather than to a free download.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sosnc.gov/manual/Notary/title\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/nc-notary/" }, { "page_id": "nd-notary", "state": "North Dakota", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "North Dakota Secretary of State (Notary & Apostille). All notary filings - application, renewal, amendment, name change - run through the Secretary of State's FirstStop portal.", "board_url": "https://www.sos.nd.gov/notary-apostille", "application_url": "https://www.sos.nd.gov/notary-apostille/become-notary-public", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a re-application, filed in FirstStop, on the same qualifications: 'When renewing your notary public commission, you need to meet the same qualifications as when you originally became a notary public.' Statute: a commission 'may be renewed up to sixty days before the commission's expiration date by reapplying in the same manner as required for an original commission' (N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-20(5)) - a 60-day early window. The renewal package repeats the whole original package: a new $7,500 Notary Bond (SFN 19355), a fresh Notary Oath of Office signed before a notary public, and the $36 fee. It also repeats the stamp cycle - 'Obtain New Stamping Device' after the renewal is approved, then 'Return an Impression of the Stamp' on the Verification form, then a new commission certificate. The Secretary of State spells out the overlap rule so a renewing notary does not go dark: 'You may begin performing notarial acts with the new stamping device only on or after the commencement date listed on your new commission certificate. You may continue to perform notarial acts with the \"old\" stamping device until the expiration date of that commission.' Ongoing duties between renewals: notify the Secretary of State within 60 days of any address change (also N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-20(9), 'within sixty days of any change of address'), and within 60 days of a legal name change, with a bond rider and the $10 fee. No grace period for a lapsed commission is published on the Maintain Notary Commission page or in N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 (both checked).", "ce_hours": "None. North Dakota imposes no continuing education on notaries: N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 contains no education, course or examination requirement of any kind (zero hits for 'course' and 'examination' across the full chapter text), and the Secretary of State's Maintain Notary Commission page describes renewal as re-application - bond, oath, $36 fee, new stamping device - with no education step. Renewal repeats the qualifications rather than adding hours: 'When renewing your notary public commission, you need to meet the same qualifications as when you originally became a notary public.' Sources checked 2026-08-12: N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 in full, the Become a Notary Public page, the Maintain Notary Commission page, the Notary and Apostille landing page, and the Performing Electronic and Remote Notarizations page.", "exam": "North Dakota requires no examination. The word 'examination' does not appear anywhere in N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 - a search of the full official chapter text on 2026-08-12 found no match - and no exam appears among the Secretary of State's steps to receive or renew a commission. Renewal is a re-application on the same terms rather than a re-test: 'When renewing your notary public commission, you need to meet the same qualifications as when you originally became a notary public', and the statute says a commission 'may be renewed up to sixty days before the commission's expiration date by reapplying in the same manner as required for an original commission.' Sources checked: N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 in full, the Become a Notary Public page, the Maintain Notary Commission page, the Notary and Apostille landing page, and the electronic/remote notarization page.", "fees": "$36 application fee, and the statute and the agency agree on the number - N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-20(1) requires the applicant to 'submit the required application fee of thirty-six dollars', and the Secretary of State's Become a Notary Public page lists 'Fee - $36'. $36 again on renewal (Maintain Notary Commission page, 'Fee - $36'). $10 name-change fee, payable with the bond rider within 60 days of the change (N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-27). Surety bond premium: paid to an insurance company of the applicant's choice; the State sets the $7,500 amount, not the price. Stamping device: purchased from a vendor of the notary's choice after the Secretary of State issues the Certificate of Authorization; price not set by the State. Errors-and-omissions insurance: optional, and nothing about it is filed with the State. Electronic and remote notarization: no separate fee is published for the Notary Public Amendment that authorises electronic or remote acts - the Performing Electronic and Remote Notarizations page describes the amendment without naming a fee, and N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-13.1(12) and 44-06.1-18(2) impose a notification duty with no fee attached (both all sources checked, along with the Become a Notary Public and Maintain Notary Commission pages). No county or recording fee exists: North Dakota's notary process has no county filing step at all. Caution: an older North Dakota bill text circulating in search results carries a '$25' commission fee; that figure is not in the current chapter - the phrase 'twenty-five dollars' returns zero hits in N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 as published today, while 'thirty-six dollars' appears in the qualification-and-application section.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1 (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire North Dakota notarial regime - definitions, authority to perform notarial acts, identification, the official stamp and stamping device, journals, commissioning, fees, and remote and electronic notarization. 'The provisions of this chapter apply to notarial acts performed on or after the effective date of this chapter', and the savings clause preserves acts 'performed before August 1, 2011.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-20 (Notary public - Qualifications - Application - Assurance - Commission - Term)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $36 application fee, the qualifications (18, US citizen or permanent legal resident, residence/employment/border-county nexus, English literacy, not disqualified), the oath of office, the $7,500 assurance, the four-year term, the 60-day renewal window, the duty to post the commission, and the 60-day address-change notice.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-13.1 (Notarial act performed for remotely located individual)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote notarization - identity by personal knowledge, credible witness or two types of identity proofing; the audiovisual recording and its ten-year retention; the tangible-record declaration procedure; limits on signers outside the United States; and the notification to the secretary of state before the first remote act.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-16.1 (Journals)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The journal duty for acts performed for remotely located individuals - form, contemporaneous entries, required contents, and ten-year retention.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-15, 44-06.1-16, 44-06.1-17 (Official stamp; Stamping device; Notary vacancies - Resignations)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Stamp contents, the certificate of authorization required before a vendor may make the device, exclusive control of the device, destruction of the device on vacancy, and the 30-day resignation notice.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-28 (Fees to be charged for notarial acts - Penalty)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $5-per-act maximum, the infraction penalty for exceeding it, the bar on anyone other than the notary collecting a notarization charge, and the conditions for travel and technology fees.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.D.C.C. 44-06.1-21 (Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or condition commission)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Disqualification and discipline, including felony or fraud/dishonesty/deceit convictions, application misstatements, and the notice-and-hearing right under ch. 28-32.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"ND Secretary of State - Become a Notary Public. Establishes the qualification list ('Be at least 18 years of age. Be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States. Be able to read and write in English...'), the four commissioning steps, 'Fee - $36', the $7,500 Notary Bond (SFN 19355), the oath of office, the full stamp specification including the 1 5/8-inch circular and 7/8 x 2 5/8-inch rectangular size limits, the four-year term with its 12:00 a.m. commencement, and the statement that errors-and-omissions insurance 'is optional and not required by state law'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nd.gov/notary-apostille/become-notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"ND Secretary of State - Maintain Notary Commission. Establishes the renewal package (FirstStop renewal form, $7,500 bond, oath of office, 'Fee - $36'), the new-stamping-device and impression-verification steps, the old-device overlap rule, the 60-day address-change and name-change notices, and the bond rider requirement with the interim 'Formerly known and commissioned as' certificate wording.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nd.gov/notary-apostille/maintain-notary-commission\"}, {\"label\": \"ND Secretary of State - Performing Electronic and Remote Notarizations. Establishes the Notary Public Amendment filing and its technology-provider disclosure, the IPEN stamp relaxation, the RON/RIN distinction ('The only type of notarial act that may be performed using RIN is an acknowledgment'), the three identity methods, the journal-and-recording ten-year rule, the three-day document return for RIN, and the disclaimed list of example remote-notarization providers.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nd.gov/notary-apostille/performing-notarial-acts/performing-electronic-and-remote-notarizations\"}, {\"label\": \"ND Secretary of State - Notary and Apostille landing page. The division's entry point to notary commissioning, maintenance, notarial-act guidance and apostilles.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nd.gov/notary-apostille\"}, {\"label\": \"N.D.C.C. ch. 44-06.1, Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (North Dakota Legislative Branch official Century Code PDF, 15 pages). Establishes the $36 fee, the qualifications, the oath, the '$7,500 assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent', the four-year term and 60-day renewal window, the official stamp and certificate-of-authorization regime, the remote-notarization section with its ten-year recording retention and prior notice to the secretary of state, the journal duty for remotely located individuals, the electronic-record notification, the $5 fee cap with its infraction penalty, and the travel and technology fee conditions.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t44c06-1.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"ND Notary Bond form SFN 19355 (nd.gov eForms) - the state-prescribed bond form referenced by the Secretary of State's application and renewal steps: 'COMPLETE, PRINT, SIGN IN THE PRESENCE OF A NOTARY, AND MAIL NOTARY BOND'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nd.gov/eforms/Doc/sfn19355.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"ND Secretary of State FirstStop portal - notary search (the public lookup for commissioned North Dakota notaries).\", \"url\": \"https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"ND Secretary of State FirstStop portal - notary forms index (Notary Public Application, Renewal, Amendment, Name Change).\", \"url\": \"https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/forms/notary\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/nd-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ne-notary", "state": "Nebraska", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division (Notary Division)", "board_url": "https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/notary-public", "application_url": "https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/business-services/Notary/StepstoObtainanInitialNotaryCommission.pdf", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal opens 30 days before expiration and requires a new bond plus the $30 fee, but no new exam. Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-104: 'Commissions for general notaries public may be renewed within thirty days prior to the date of expiration by filing a renewal application along with the payment of the fee prescribed in section 33-102 and a new bond with the Secretary of State. The bond required for a renewal of such commission shall be in the same manner and form as provided in section 64-102... Any renewal application for such commission made after the date of expiration of the commission shall be made in the same manner as a new application for such commission as a general notary public.' The Secretary of State's renewal guidance repeats the window -- 'Please note a renewal application may only be submitted 30 days prior to your expiration date' -- and adds that an expired notary must use the initial-commission process instead: 'If your notary commissioned has expired, please view the steps to Obtain a New Notary Commission available on our website.' Renewers must continue to meet all qualifications. Existing technology registrations are carried over by completing 'the Special Services step on the renewal application if you will continue offering Electronic and/or Online Notarization.' A new stamp is ordered after each renewal, because the seal carries the commission expiration date (64-210(1)).", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required to renew a Nebraska notary commission. Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-104 conditions renewal only on a timely renewal application, the section 33-102 fee, and a new bond; the Secretary of State's 'Steps to Renew a Notary Commission' lists exactly two substantive steps -- obtain the $15,000 bond, complete the online renewal application -- with no education or examination step; and the SOS FAQ states that association 'certification' training 'is not required to be a Nebraska notary.' Sources checked: Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-101, 64-101.01, 64-104, 33-102, the SOS notary landing page, the renewal guidance document and the SOS notary FAQ, as of 2026-08-12. Not verified: whether the Secretary of State's administrative rules impose any renewal education for the Online or In-Person Electronic Notary registrations -- rules.nebraska.gov could not be accessed, so this page makes no claim either way about rule-level CE for those two registrations.", "exam": "Required for every initial commission. Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-101.01: 'The written examination required by section 64-101 shall be developed and administered by the Secretary of State and shall consist of questions relating to laws, procedures, and ethics for notaries public. All applicants for commission as a notary public on and after July 16, 2004, shall be required to take and pass the examination prior to being commissioned.' Mechanics, from the Secretary of State's binding guidance document: the exam is delivered online through ClassMarker; 'The exam consists of 20 questions. You will have three attempts to achieve a passing score of 85% prior to being commissioned. Upon passing the exam, you will receive a digital passing examination certificate. The passing exam score will be valid for 90 days from the date of examination. If you are not successful after three attempts, you will no longer be eligible to be a notary public in Nebraska.' No separate exam fee is stated in the guidance document or in Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-102 (which sets only the $30 application and $30 renewal fees); sources checked: 64-101, 64-101.01, 33-102, the initial-commission guidance document and the SOS notary FAQ, as of 2026-08-12. Not required on renewal: the Secretary of State's 'Steps to Renew a Notary Commission' has no exam step (Step 1 is the bond, Step 2 the application), and Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-104 conditions renewal only on 'filing a renewal application along with the payment of the fee prescribed in section 33-102 and a new bond'. A renewal filed after expiration is treated as a new application -- 64-104: 'Any renewal application for such commission made after the date of expiration of the commission shall be made in the same manner as a new application' -- which pulls the exam back in. Separate exams apply to the two technology registrations: 20 questions, 85% passing, three attempts, certificate valid 90 days, for both the Online Notary exam and the In-Person Electronic Notary exam (SOS guidance documents; Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-404 for online).", "fees": "State fees: $30 to apply for a commission and $30 to renew. Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-102: 'The Secretary of State shall be entitled to the sum of thirty dollars for receiving an application for a commission to act as a notary public pursuant to section 64-102. The Secretary of State shall be entitled to the sum of thirty dollars for receiving a renewal application pursuant to section 64-104.' The Secretary of State's guidance documents charge the same amount on both the initial and renewal path -- 'The $30 filing fee can be paid online by credit/debit card or eCheck' -- so code and agency reconcile exactly. Online notary public registration: $50.00 filing fee (SOS 'Steps to Obtain an Online Notary Public Registration'). Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-405 sets the ceiling, not the amount: 'The fee for registering or renewing a registration as an online notary public shall be in addition to the fee required in section 33-102. The Secretary of State shall establish the fee by rule and regulation in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of administering the Online Notary Public Act, but the fee shall not exceed one hundred dollars.' In-person electronic notary registration: $100.00 filing fee (SOS 'Steps to Obtain an In-Person Electronic Notary Public Registration') -- i.e. the in-person electronic registration costs twice the remote one;. Replacement commission certificate: $10.00 (SOS FAQ #12: 'The fee for a replacement copy of the commission certificate is $10.00. You may submit this request online at our Notary portal.'). Not a state fee: the $15,000 surety bond (bought from a surety) and the ink stamp seal ('take it to any office supply store to order your notary ink stamp seal'). No county filing or recording step -- the bond is filed with the Secretary of State (64-102) and the commission is valid statewide (64-101(2), 64-102).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-101 (Appointment; qualifications; term)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may be appointed, the single 'general notary public' class, age 19, residency and bordering-state employment nexus, the conviction bar, the exam condition, and the four-year term.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-101\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-101.01 (Written examination required)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's development and administration of the mandatory written examination.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-101.01\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-102 (Commission; how obtained; bond)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $15,000 incorporated-surety bond filed with the Secretary of State, the oath endorsed on the bond, and the rule that the commission confers no authority until the bond is filed and approved.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-102\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-103 (Commission; signature; seal; filing and approval of bond; delivery)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Issuance and delivery of the commission after the bond is approved.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-103\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-104 (Notary public; commission; renewal; procedure)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The 30-day pre-expiration renewal window, the new-bond requirement, and the rule that a late renewal is treated as a new application.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-104\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-105 (Notarial acts prohibited; when)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The physical-presence and identification requirements, the definition of satisfactory evidence and personal knowledge, and the carve-out for online notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-105\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-105.01 (Notary public; disqualified; when)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Disqualification for family relationship, financial or beneficial interest beyond the ordinary fee, being a named party, or not understanding the certificate.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-105.01\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-105.03 (Notary public; unauthorized practice of law; prohibited)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What a non-attorney notary may not do, including selecting the certificate, advising on immigration, and using the term 'notario publico'; violations are unauthorized practice of law punishable under section 7-101.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-105.03\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-210 (Ink stamp seal; contents)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory ink stamp seal, its four required elements, and the duty to authenticate all official acts with it.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-210\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-201 (Notarial acts, defined; performed; effect)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The definition of notarial acts and the officers whose acts performed outside Nebraska are effective in Nebraska, including judges, court clerks, consular officers and commissioned armed-forces officers.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-201\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-102 (Notary public; fees)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $30 application fee and the $30 renewal fee payable to the Secretary of State.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=33-102\"}, {\"citation\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-133 (Notaries public; fees; governmental employee; limitation)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The per-act-type maximum fees a Nebraska notary may charge, the mileage rule, and the bar on government-employed notaries charging when the employer paid the commission and bonding fees.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=33-133\"}, {\"citation\": \"Online Notary Public Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-401 to 64-418 (Laws 2019, LB186; amended Laws 2020, LB910)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization: eligibility (64-403), course and examination (64-404), registration fee ceiling (64-405), registration and renewal (64-406), rules (64-407), types of online notarial acts (64-408), the secure electronic record and 10-year retention (64-409), electronic signature and seal (64-410), identity verification and principal location (64-411), the $25 per-act fee (64-412), and expiration or revocation duties (64-413).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/online-notary-statutes\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, Notary Public (division landing page) -- establishes the commissioning authority, the all-online filing rule ('Effective: November 20, 2023... Paper filings for notary applications, renewals and other notary forms will no longer be accepted after December 31, 2023'), the three tracks (general, In-Person Electronic, Online), the definition that 'an electronic notarization still requires the principal and electronic notary public to be in the physical presence of each other during the entire electronic notarization,' that online notarization is 'without the principal(s) being in the online notary public's physical presence,' and the Notary Division contact details.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, 'Steps to Obtain an Initial Notary Commission' (guidance document, 'binding on an agency until amended by such agency') -- establishes age 19, 'Be a citizen of the United States or a qualified alien', the residency/bordering-state rule, the conviction bar, the exam mechanics ('The exam consists of 20 questions. You will have three attempts to achieve a passing score of 85%... valid for 90 days'), 'Obtain a $15,000 Notary Surety Bond', 'Purchase of an errors and omissions policy is optional', 'The $30 filing fee', and the four required seal elements.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/business-services/Notary/StepstoObtainanInitialNotaryCommission.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, 'Steps to Renew a Notary Commission' (guidance document) -- establishes that renewal has NO exam step, requires a new $15,000 bond and the $30 fee, that 'a renewal application may only be submitted 30 days prior to your expiration date', the Special Services step for carrying over electronic/online registrations, and that an expired notary must use the new-commission process.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/business-services/Notary/StepsToRenewaNotaryCommission.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, 'Steps to Obtain an Online Notary Public Registration' (guidance document) -- establishes the three eligibility conditions, the required SOS-administered training course ('this is the required course to complete'), the 20-question/85%/three-attempt exam, 'The $50.00 filing fee', the approval letter given to the solution provider, and the five-element online notary seal.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/business-services/Notary/StepstoBecomeanOnlineNotary.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, 'Steps to Obtain an In-Person Electronic Notary Public Registration' (guidance document) -- establishes the same course-and-exam structure and 'The $100.00 filing fee', plus the four-element electronic notary seal.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/business-services/Notary/StepstoBecomeanInPersonElectronicNotary.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, Notary Frequently Asked Questions -- establishes that journals are not required ('Notary journals are not required under Nebraska law; however, we highly recommend that you do use a journal'), that association certification 'is not required to be a Nebraska notary', the seal-content and placement answers, the felony/full-pardon answer, the five-year fraud-conviction answer, the $10.00 replacement certificate fee, the relative-notarization prohibition, and the satisfactory-evidence identification methods.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/notary-frequently-asked-questions\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, Notary Statutes -- the agency's authoritative index of Neb. Rev. Stat. ch. 64 articles 1 and 2 with section titles, including '64-118 Seal; engraved or ink stamp; adopt; use' and '64-210 Ink stamp seal; contents'.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/notary-statutes\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, Online Notary Statutes -- the agency's index of the Online Notary Public Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-401 through 64-418, with section titles.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/online-notary-statutes\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-101 -- 'Each person appointed a notary public shall hold office for a term of four years from the effective date of his or her commission unless sooner removed'; age nineteen; residency and bordering-state exception; felony and five-year fraud bar; examination condition. Read from an archived copy dated June 6, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-101\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-102 -- 'A general commission shall not authorize the holder thereof to act as a notary public anywhere in the State of Nebraska until a bond in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, with an incorporated surety company as surety, has been executed and approved by and filed in the office of the Secretary of State.' Read from an archived copy dated June 6, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-102\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-102 -- 'The Secretary of State shall be entitled to the sum of thirty dollars for receiving an application for a commission... thirty dollars for receiving a renewal application.' Read from an archived copy dated July 5, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=33-102\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-133 -- the per-act fee schedule: 'for taking affidavits and seal, two dollars; for administering oath or affirmation, two dollars; for each certificate and seal, five dollars; for taking acknowledgment of deed or other instrument, five dollars', plus the government-employee limitation. Read from an archived copy dated June 6, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=33-133\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-210 -- 'Each notary public, before performing any duties of his or her office, shall provide himself or herself with an official ink stamp seal on which shall appear the words State of Nebraska, General Notary or State of Nebraska, General Notarial, his or her name as commissioned, and the date of expiration of his or her commission.' Read from an archived copy dated June 6, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-210\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-409 -- the online notary's secure electronic record, its required contents including the audio-video recording, and 'shall be maintained for at least ten years after the date of the transaction or proceeding.' Read from an archived copy dated June 6, 2026.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-409\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-412 -- 'In addition to any fee authorized under section 33-133, an online notary public or his or her employer may charge a fee in an amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars for each online notarial act.' Read from an archived copy dated April 14, 2025.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-412\"}, {\"label\": \"Neb. Rev. Stat. 64-105.03 -- the unauthorized-practice-of-law limits on non-attorney notaries, including the non-English advertising disclaimer and the prohibition on the term 'notario publico'. Read from an archived copy dated November 7, 2025.\", \"url\": \"https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=64-105.03\"}, {\"label\": \"Nebraska Secretary of State, Approved Online Notary Solution Providers -- the state's list of platforms an online notary may use.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/business-services/Notary/ApprovedOnlineNotarySolutionProviders.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ne-notary/" }, { "page_id": "nh-notary", "state": "New Hampshire", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "New Hampshire Department of State, Office of the Secretary of State (commissions are issued by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Executive Council)", "board_url": "https://www.sos.nh.gov/notary-public", "application_url": "https://www.sos.nh.gov/notary-public", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal repeats the original application in full, and the Secretary of State initiates it by mail. Per the Secretary of State: 'To renew your Notary Public commission, you will follow the same process you completed to apply. The Secretary of State's Office will mail you a renewal application approximately 12 weeks prior to the date your current commission is due to expire. Renewal applications are not available online.' Because the process is the same, a renewing notary again needs the two-notary-plus-one-registered-voter endorsement (RSA 455:2), the sworn conviction statement, the criminal record check acknowledgement, the $75 fee (RSA 5:10), Governor and Executive Council nomination and appointment, and a fresh oath. There is no examination, course or continuing education on renewal. Address and name changes matter operationally: 'If you move during the 5 years of your commission (or change your name), please notify the Secretary of State's Office. Otherwise, your renewal form will not reach you' -- because the renewal packet is mailed rather than published. A new stamp is needed each term since the rubber stamp carries the commission expiration date (RSA 455:3(II)).", "ce_hours": "None. New Hampshire requires no continuing education of notaries public. RSA 455:1, 455:2 and RSA 5:10 condition the commission and its renewal on appointment, endorsements, the sworn conviction statement and the $75 fee; the Secretary of State describes renewal as following 'the same process you completed to apply,' which contains no educational component. The only education obligation in the chapter runs the other way -- RSA 455:17 obliges the Secretary of State, with the Attorney General's advice and approval, to prepare, update and distribute the Notary Public and Justice of the Peace Manual free of charge and to spend RSA 5:10-b funds on 'the preparation, printing, and distribution of a notary public/justice of the peace manual, other education of notaries public/justices of the peace, or both.' Sources checked: RSA ch. 455 in full, RSA ch. 456-B in full, RSA 5:10, and the Secretary of State's Notary Public page including its renewal section, as of 2026-08-12.", "exam": "New Hampshire administers no notary examination. No examination is mentioned in RSA 455:1, 455:2, 455:2-a or 455:17, in RSA 456-B (including the remote-notarization section 456-B:6-a and the electronic-record notification section 456-B:8-b), in RSA 5:10, or anywhere in the Secretary of State's Notary Public page, which sets out the complete application sequence -- application with endorsements, criminal record check, Governor and Executive Council nomination and appointment, oath, seal -- without any test. The nearest thing to a competence screen is the human one written into RSA 455:2: the applicant must be 'endorsed for appointment by 2 notaries public and a registered voter of this state.' Sources checked, all on 2026-08-12: statute (RSA ch. 455 and RSA ch. 456-B in full, plus RSA 5:10), the Secretary of State's notary instructions, and the renewal instructions on the same page. Not checked: the New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules -- but RSA 455 delegates no rulemaking over notary qualification to the Secretary of State, and RSA 456-B's rulemaking grants (456-B:6-a(VIII), 456-B:8-b(III)) reach only the performance of electronic and remote notarial acts, not admission to the office.", "fees": "One state fee: $75 for the commission. RSA 5:10: 'the following fees shall be paid to the secretary of state for the use of the state: For every commission issued to a justice of the peace or to a notary public, $75, $25 of which shall be deposited into the fund established by RSA 5:10-b.' The Secretary of State charges the same amount and takes it only on paper: 'Please mail the ORIGINAL completed application along with the $75 fee (check made payable to \"State of New Hampshire\" or cash).' Code and agency reconcile exactly. Renewal costs the same $75, because RSA 5:10 prices 'every commission issued' and the Secretary of State says renewal follows 'the same process you completed to apply.' Related Secretary of State fees in the same section: 'for every apostille provided under the Hague Convention of 1961 and for every certificate for a notary public or justice of the peace, $10'; 'for expedited service of every 10 documents or any part thereof, $25.' Not state fees: the seal or rubber stamp -- 'The Secretary of State's Office does not provide stamps or seals. You are responsible for ordering one' -- and nothing else, because there is no bond, no course, no examination and no separate registration fee for electronic or remote authority (the RSA 456-B:6-a(VII) and 456-B:8-b(II) notifications carry no fee in the statute, and none is stated by the Secretary of State). No county step: the commission issues from the Governor and Executive Council through the Secretary of State; nothing is filed with a county.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 455 (Notaries Public and Commissioners)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment by the Governor and Executive Council, the 5-year commission, application and endorsement requirements, competency, powers, the seal/stamp requirement, notarial fees, commissioners of deeds, misconduct penalties, and the Secretary of State's manual duty.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/xlii/455/455-mrg.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 455:1 (Appointment)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"'Notaries public shall be appointed by the governor, with advice and consent of the executive council, and shall be commissioned for 5 years.'\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/455/455-1.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 455:2 (Application)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Residency or abutting-state employment nexus, the sworn statement about unannulled convictions, the requirement of endorsement by 2 notaries public and a registered voter, and the abutting-state affidavit added effective August 4, 2019.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/455/455-2.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 455:3 (Powers)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Justice-of-the-peace-equivalent powers over depositions, acknowledgments and oaths, and the requirement that every notarial act on a record bear an embossed seal or the legible imprint of an electronic or rubber stamp with three specified elements.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/455/455-3.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 455:11 (Notarial Fees)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $10 per-act maximum, the RSA 517:19 cross-reference for depositions, the no-fee rule for oaths of office of town officers, and the $25 fee for a notarial act performed for a remotely located individual.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/455/455-11.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 455:16 (Misconduct, Penalties)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The civil penalty of up to $1,000 for negligent or reckless false notarial acts and identity failures, class A misdemeanour liability for purposeful or knowing violations, and the Attorney General's enforcement and settlement authority.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/455/455-16.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 455:17 (Notary Public, Justice of the Peace Manual, Education, Enforcement)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's duty, with the Attorney General's advice and approval, to prepare, update within 6 months of an amending legislative session, and distribute free of charge the Notary Public and Justice of the Peace Manual.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/455/455-17.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 456-B (Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Definitions, personal appearance (456-B:2-a), identification of the individual (456-B:2-b), who may perform notarial acts in New Hampshire (456-B:3), notarial acts for remotely located individuals (456-B:6-a), certificates and short forms (456-B:7, 456-B:8), the official stamp and stamping device (456-B:8-a), the electronic-record notification (456-B:8-b), the journal (456-B:8-c), and the validity saving clause (456-B:8-d).\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/456-B/456-B-mrg.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 456-B:6-a (Notarial Act Performed for Remotely Located Individual), added by Laws 2021, 206:2, Pt. II, Sec. 7, eff. Feb. 6, 2022\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote notarization: the definition of communication technology, the in-state location of the notary, the three identification routes including two types of identity proofing, the mandatory audio-visual recording and its 10-year retention, the certificate statement, the pre-use notification to the Secretary of State, and the MISMO Version 1 default standard.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/456-B/456-B-6-a.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 456-B:8-c (Journal), added by Laws 2021, 206:2, Pt. II, Sec. 8, eff. Feb. 6, 2022\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The journal duty limited to notarial acts for remotely located individuals, its permitted formats, the six required entry fields, 10-year retention, and custody on loss, resignation, revocation, repository transfer, death or incompetency.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/456-B/456-B-8-c.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 456-B:8-b (Notification Regarding Performance of Notarial Act on Electronic Record; Selection of Technology; Rules)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary's right to select tamper-evident technology, the pre-use notification to the Secretary of State for electronic records, the Secretary of State's rulemaking limits, and the X.509 digital-certificate default.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/456-B/456-B-8-b.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 5:10 (Office Fees)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $75 fee for every commission issued to a notary public or justice of the peace, $25 of which goes to the RSA 5:10-b fund; the $10 apostille or notary/JP certificate fee; and the $25 expedited-service fee.\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/I/5/5-10.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 92:2 (oath of office), as applied by the Secretary of State\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The oath a newly appointed notary must take before two justices of the peace, two notaries public, or one of each, and return to the Secretary of State before the office may be exercised. Cited by the Secretary of State; the section's own text was not reviewed for this page.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nh.gov/notary-public\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"New Hampshire Secretary of State, Notary Public -- establishes the whole agency-side process: 'A Notary Public is a public official appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council'; the requirements 'At least 18 years of age; A New Hampshire resident'; 'Two notaries public and one registered New Hampshire voter must endorse your application'; 'Please mail the ORIGINAL completed application along with the $75 fee'; 'it will take 8-10 weeks to be processed'; the nomination-then-appointment sequence; 'your commission as a Notary Public will be valid for 5 years from the date the Governor and Executive Council confirm your appointment'; the oath before two JPs/notaries and 'You must take the oath to have the authority to act as a Notary Public (RSA 92:2)'; the seal and rubber-stamp content lists and 'The Secretary of State's Office does not provide stamps or seals'; the fee rules including 'For depositions, you can charge a fee of $5.00 but no more than $50.00' and '$0.20/mile'; 'Although New Hampshire law does not require notaries to keep a journal'; 'New Hampshire does not have commission numbers'; and the renewal process including 'The Secretary of State's Office will mail you a renewal application approximately 12 weeks prior.' plain automated access 403s;.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nh.gov/notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 455 (merged chapter text, General Court of New Hampshire) -- establishes RSA 455:1 ('shall be commissioned for 5 years'), RSA 455:2 (residency, sworn conviction statement, 'endorsed for appointment by 2 notaries public and a registered voter of this state', the abutting-state affidavit), RSA 455:2-a ('No person acting in the capacity of notary public shall notarize his or her own signature'), RSA 455:3(II) (embossed seal or legible stamp imprint with name, 'notary public, New Hampshire' and expiration date), RSA 455:11 (the $10 cap, the RSA 517:19 deposition cross-reference, the town-officer exception, and '$25 per act' for remote notarizations), RSA 455:12-:15 (commissioners of deeds), RSA 455:16 (civil penalty up to $1,000 and class A misdemeanour) and RSA 455:17 (the manual).\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/xlii/455/455-mrg.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 456-B, Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (merged chapter text) -- establishes RSA 456-B:2-a (personal appearance), 456-B:2-b (identification methods), 456-B:3 (who may perform notarial acts in New Hampshire, including marital masters, registers of probate and justices of the peace, plus the lawyer oath-administration provision), 456-B:6-a (the entire remote-notarization scheme with its Feb. 6 2022 effective date, the audio-visual recording duty and 10-year retention, the pre-use notification, and the MISMO Version 1 default), 456-B:7 (certificate contents), 456-B:8-a (stamping device security and disablement), 456-B:8-b (the electronic-record notification and X.509 default), 456-B:8-c (the remote-acts journal, its six entry fields and 10-year retention) and 456-B:8-d (the validity saving clause).\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XLII/456-B/456-B-mrg.htm\"}, {\"label\": \"N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 5:10 (Office Fees) -- 'For every commission issued to a justice of the peace or to a notary public, $75, $25 of which shall be deposited into the fund established by RSA 5:10-b... for every apostille provided under the Hague Convention of 1961 and for every certificate for a notary public or justice of the peace, $10... for expedited service of every 10 documents or any part thereof, $25.'\", \"url\": \"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/I/5/5-10.htm\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/nh-notary/" }, { "page_id": "nj-notary", "state": "New Jersey", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) - Business Services Bureau / Notary Public Unit; commissions are issued by the State Treasurer", "board_url": "https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/notary-public-law.shtml", "application_url": "https://www.njportal.com/DOR/Notary", "renewal_cycle": "Five-year renewal, filed the same way as an original application: 'Renewals shall be made in the same manner as the original application' (Manual, Ch. 4). DORES FAQ: 'Commissions may be renewed for additional 5 year periods. We will mail you a reminder notice before your commission expires providing information about the renewal application process.' A renewing notary who has already passed the exam once, or who was first commissioned before the October 22, 2021 effective date of P.L.2021, c.179, takes a three-hour continuing education course instead of the six-hour course and exam. The portal states renewals are 'NOT required to take the Notary Public Exam', but 'If it has been over 30 days since your Notary Commission has expired, you will be considered a New Notary Applicant & be required to take the Notary Public Exam.' A renewed commission also requires a fresh oath before the county clerk within three months of receipt. No early-renewal window is published on the portal, in the Manual, or in the FAQ (all three sources checked).", "ce_hours": "Three hours on renewal, for renewing notaries who have already satisfied the six-hour course and examination once, or who were first commissioned before October 22, 2021: 'A commissioned notary public applying to renew a commission who has satisfactorily completed the six-hour course of study and passed an examination prescribed by the State Treasurer at least one time, or those who were commissioned for the first time before the October 22, 2021 effective date of P.L. 2021, c.179 must complete a three-hour continuing education course' (DORES, 'Announcement - New Notary Educational and Testing Requirements'; same text in Manual Ch. 4). The statute leaves the detail to the Treasurer: such a notary 'shall comply with any additional educational requirements that the State Treasurer sets forth in rules adopted pursuant to the \"Administrative Procedure Act.\"' There is no mid-term annual CE obligation in the statute, the Manual or the FAQ - the requirement attaches to the renewal application.", "exam": "Required for non-attorney initial applicants; not required on timely renewal. Statute and Manual: the applicant must have 'Passed an examination prescribed by the State Treasurer.' The exam is prescribed and administered by the State Treasurer (DORES), not a private testing vendor - the portal's applicant steps read 'Complete the Notary Commissioning Application (Attorneys: Please skip to step 4) / Take & Pass the Notary Public Exam / Complete your Notary Registration Application.' Renewal: 'If you are an active Notary Public and need to renew, you are NOT required to take the Notary Public Exam and are only required to submit your Notary Renewal Application.' Lapse rule: 'If it has been over 30 days since your Notary Commission has expired, you will be considered a New Notary Applicant & be required to take the Notary Public Exam' (njportal.com/DOR/Notary). Fee: 'The State Treasurer may charge up to a $15.00 fee for each test administered online' (Manual, Ch. 4) - a statutory ceiling, not a confirmed charge; DORES does not publish the amount actually charged on its notary program pages or the portal's public pages. Format, question count, passing score and retake policy: not published in P.L.2021, c.179, the NJ Notary Public Manual, the DORES education/testing announcement, the DORES FAQ, or the portal's public pages - all five sources checked; the exam itself sits behind the authenticated portal.", "fees": "$25 application fee, statutory and non-refundable: 'The State Treasurer shall collect a nonrefundable fee of $25 for each commission or renewal. In collecting the fee, the State Treasurer shall accept the use of a credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer' (P.L.2021, c.179; Manual Ch. 4: 'The fee for each application for a commission is $25.00 and is non-refundable'). $5 online convenience fee - DORES FAQ: 'pay the filing fee of $25 (plus a convenience fee of $5 if filing online).' Up to $15 examination fee - Manual, Ch. 4: 'The State Treasurer may charge up to a $15.00 fee for each test administered online' (a cap; the amount actually charged is not published outside the authenticated portal). $15 county clerk oath recording fee - DORES FAQ: 'you must pay an additional fee of $15 to your County Clerk for the recording of your Oath of Office.' Remote/electronic notarization: no registration fee is published in P.L.2021, c.179 sec. 12(m), Manual Ch. 8 or Ch. 9, the DORES FAQ, or the portal's 'Remote/Electronic Notarization' entry screen (which asks only for Commission Number and Date of Birth) - all four sources checked; the filing is framed as a notification to the State Treasurer, not a paid registration. Seal/stamp: not a state-set fee - the stamping device is bought privately and 'is the property of the notary public and not of the notary public's employer, even if the employer paid for the stamping device' (Manual, Ch. 6).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"P.L.2021, c.179 (approved July 22, 2021), codified at N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.1 et seq., amending and supplementing P.L.1979, c.460 (N.J.S.A. 52:7-10 et seq.)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Notary Public Act - commissioning, five-year term, $25 fee, qualifications, education and testing, journal, official stamp, electronic and remote notarization, grounds for denial and revocation. Read from an archived copy dated November 21, 2021; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/PL21/179_.PDF\"}, {\"citation\": \"P.L.2021, c.179, sec. 2 (Commission; Term; Application; Renewal)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Term of five years, application on a Treasurer-prescribed form endorsed by a member of the Legislature, mandatory electronic filing. Read from an archived copy dated November 21, 2021; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/PL21/179_.PDF\"}, {\"citation\": \"P.L.2021, c.179, sec. 27 (N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.18)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Journal of all notarial acts - form, required entries, 10-year retention, and the attorney / title-company file alternative. Read from an archived copy dated November 21, 2021; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/PL21/179_.PDF\"}, {\"citation\": \"P.L.2021, c.179, sec. 12 (notarial acts for remotely located individuals)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization - prior notice to the State Treasurer, identification of the remotely located individual, audio-visual recording and 10-year retention, certificate wording. Read from an archived copy dated November 21, 2021; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/PL21/179_.PDF\"}, {\"citation\": \"P.L.2021, c.179, sec. 39 (effective dates)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"'Sections 6 and 7 of this act shall take effect on the 365th day following enactment. Sections 1 through 5 and sections 8 through 38 of this act shall take effect on the 90th day following enactment.' Read from an archived copy dated November 21, 2021; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/PL21/179_.PDF\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.J.A.C. 17:50\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Department of the Treasury rules implementing the Notary Public Act; the NJ Notary Public Manual states it 'is designed to implement the provisions of P.L. 2021, c.179 and N.J.A.C. 17:50.' The rule text itself was not read -.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/pdf/NotaryPublicManual.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"NJ Notary Public Manual (Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, dated October 22, 2021) - the official 26-page handbook. Establishes eligibility ('Be at least 18 years of age'), the commissioning process ('The fee for each application for a commission is $25.00 and is non-refundable'), the stamp elements, the journal duty ('A notary public shall maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed'), remote and electronic notarization, and the notarial fee schedule ('$2.50 per act ... $15.00 ... $25.00').\", \"url\": \"https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/pdf/NotaryPublicManual.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"DORES 'New Jersey Notary Public Program Frequently Asked Questions' - establishes the $25 fee 'plus a convenience fee of $5 if filing online', the legislator endorsement, the 90-day oath at the County Clerk with 'an additional fee of $15', the 5-year term, and the per-act $2.50 fees. Also the source of the journal conflict: 'Do I need to keep a journal of my notary actions? No. However, it is recommended that you do so.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/pdf/NotaryFAQ.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"DORES 'Announcement - New Notary Educational and Testing Requirements' - establishes the six-hour course plus 'examination prescribed by the State Treasurer' for initial non-attorney commissions and the 'three-hour continuing education course' for renewals, keyed to 'the October 22, 2021 effective date of P.L. 2021, c.179'.\", \"url\": \"https://nj.gov/treasury/revenue/notary-education-testing.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"DORES 'Notary Public Law' program page - establishes what P.L.2021, c.179 changed ('Allow for remote and electronic notarizations; Mandate electronic filing of commission applications; ... Set forth specific requirements for notary journals; ... Require education for and testing of non-attorney notaries public') and directs active notaries offering remote or electronic notarization to update their commission record through the portal.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/notary-public-law.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"DORES Notary Public Application portal (njportal.com/DOR/Notary) - the live application. Establishes the applicant step order ('Review the NJ Notary Public Manual and watch the entire series of Notary Public Manual Training Videos / Complete the Notary Commissioning Application (Attorneys: Please skip to step 4) / Take & Pass the Notary Public Exam / Complete your Notary Registration Application'), the renewal exam waiver, the 30-day lapse rule, and the 'Remote/Electronic Notarization' filing.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njportal.com/DOR/Notary\"}, {\"label\": \"DORES Notary Public Search - the public lookup. Establishes the searchable fields (Last Name, City, Zip Code, Commission ID), the count ('Currently 149276 Notaries on file'), the refresh stamp ('File updated on: 08/12/26 at 17:45 PM'), and the disclaimer that the file 'cannot be used for certification purposes'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/notary.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"P.L.2021, c.179 as enacted (New Jersey Legislature PDF, read through an Internet Archive copy dated November 21, 2021, because njleg.state.nj.us refused every connection). Establishes 'Notaries public shall hold their respective offices for a term of five years', 'The State Treasurer shall collect a nonrefundable fee of $25 for each commission or renewal', the journal section N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.18, the RON notice in sec. 12(m), and the split effective dates in sec. 39. The word 'bond' does not appear in the act. Read from an archived copy dated November 21, 2021; the address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/PL21/179_.PDF\"}, {\"label\": \"DORES notary application status check - establishes that application status is looked up by Payment Confirmation Number, separately from the active-notary search.\", \"url\": \"https://www.njportal.com/DOR/Notary/Status/Search\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/nj-notary/" }, { "page_id": "nm-notary", "state": "New Mexico", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division (Notary & Apostille). Discipline is not handled by the Secretary of State: under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts it is the New Mexico State Ethics Commission that 'may deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or impose a condition on a commissioned notary public.'", "board_url": "https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/", "application_url": "https://enterprise.sos.nm.gov", "renewal_cycle": "Four-year recommission, filed online: 'A Notary Public may be recommissioned every four years by submitting an online renewal at www.enterprise.sos.nm.gov.' Window: 'Renewals can be submitted as soon as 1 month prior to the notary commission expiration date', and the Secretary of State sends 'a notice of their term's expiration one month before the commission expiration date.' Late filing is still a renewal - 'If the renewal is received after the expiration date it will still be processed as a renewal with an expiration date of 4 years from the date of filing' - but the anniversary date moves. Education: 'Applicants who are renewing their commission do not need to retake the qualification course and exam (if taken after 01/01/2022) so long as their commission has not been expired more than one year'; past a year the course and exam must be repeated. Notaries commissioned before 2022 'are not required to take the required training and examination until renewal of their commission.' A fresh bond and a fresh Stamp Registration are part of the cycle: 'A stamp registration is required within 45 days of renewal.'", "ce_hours": "New Mexico publishes no continuing-education hour requirement for notaries. The education obligation is front-loaded and repeat-on-lapse rather than recurring: renewing notaries 'do not need to retake the qualification course and exam (if taken after 01/01/2022) so long as their commission has not been expired more than one year', which means the course and exam are repeated only when that condition fails. No CE hours, CE cycle or approved-CE-provider rule appears in the NM Notarial Officer Handbook (all sections), the Become a Notary page, the Renew a Notary Commission material summarised in the Handbook, the SOS Training Resources page, the RULONA FAQs, or 12.9.3 NMAC - all six sources checked.", "exam": "Required of every applicant, and of Automatic Notarial Officers as well. Passing score: 'required to pass the exam with an 80% score or higher' (SOS Training Resources page); 12.9.4.9 NMAC repeats the standard for the RON exam - 'An applicant must provide proof of passing the required examination with a score of eighty percent or higher.' Administration: the exam is delivered by a Secretary-of-State-approved vendor rather than by the agency itself - 12.9.4.9(A) NMAC provides that 'The secretary of state shall provide a remote notarization course and examination. Training may be administered in house or through any third-party training vendor approved by the secretary of state', and the SOS Training Resources page names the National Notary Association as the approved provider. Fee: paid to the vendor, not the State - 'There is also a separate $30 fee for the training and exam that will be paid directly to the vendor' (SOS RULONA FAQs); 12.9.4.9(B) NMAC confirms 'The fee for administering the training and examination is not included in the application fee.' Records: 'Examination records maintained by any third-party vendor, including the applicant's score, shall be retained for five years.' A Certificate of Completion must be uploaded with the application. Renewal: 'Applicants who are renewing their commission do not need to retake the qualification course and exam (if taken after 01/01/2022) so long as their commission has not been expired more than one year.' Format, question count and retake policy are not published on the Training Resources page, the Become a Notary page, the Handbook, the RULONA FAQs, or 12.9.3 / 12.9.4 NMAC - all six sources checked.", "fees": "$30 application fee to the Secretary of State - 'There is a $30.00 filing fee for the notary application which can be paid via e-check or credit card' (Handbook), and 12.9.3.9 NMAC requires 'a non-refundable application fee of $30.' The printed application form (Rev 01/2022) instead directs 'Your Check or Money Order should be made payable to the New Mexico Secretary of State ... DO NOT SEND CASH' - the paper route and the online route are both published and both are listed here. $30 to the training vendor for the course and exam - 'There is also a separate $30 fee for the training and exam that will be paid directly to the vendor' (SOS RULONA FAQs); 12.9.4.9(B) NMAC confirms the training fee 'is not included in the application fee.' $75 Remote Online Notary application fee - the Handbook and the RON page both say $75.00, and 12.9.4.8 NMAC requires 'a non-refundable application fee of $75'; note the RON page states the $75 both as payable 'via check, money order, or operating transfer' and, two paragraphs later, 'via e-check or credit card' - the amount is consistent, the payment channel is described two ways. $3.00 for a name change amendment (with a bond rider uploaded) and $3.00 for a duplicate certificate of commission. $0 to file an Automatic Notarial Officer Stamp Registration, and no fee to report a lost or stolen stamp or journal ('The report can be filed free of charge'). Surety bond premium: paid to a private surety, amount not set by the State. Official stamp: purchased privately by the notary; New Mexico sets the stamp's contents, not its price. No commission-issuance fee beyond the $30 is published in the Handbook, the Become a Notary page, the RULONA FAQs or 12.9.3 NMAC (all four sources checked), and New Mexico charges no county recording fee for a notary commission - the oath is uploaded with the application rather than filed with a county.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), Sections 14-14A-1 to 14-14A-32 NMSA 1978\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole notarial regime - commissioning, qualifications, notarial acts, official stamp, journal, remote notarization, fees, and grounds for discipline. It 'has replaced the previous Notarial Act [14-12A-1 to 14-12A-26 NMSA 1978]', and applies to all notarial acts performed after January 1, 2022.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/rulona-faqs/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Section 14-14A-22 NMSA 1978\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Disqualification from a notary public commission - cited by the Secretary of State as the eligibility backstop ('Not be disqualified to receive commission under Section 22 of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts').\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/become-a-notary/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Section 14-14A-28 NMSA 1978\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum fees a notary public may charge for notarial acts (the $5.00 / $.50-per-page schedule), referenced by 12.9.3.11 NMAC.\", \"url\": \"https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0003.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"12.9.3 NMAC - Notarial Procedures (Title 12, Chapter 9, Part 3), effective January 1, 2022, amended 6/16/2023\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application contents and 'a non-refundable application fee of $30', issuance of the certificate of commission, stamp registration and referral to the state ethics commission, education and examination procedures, technology fees ('not to exceed $25.00 for each remote notarial act'), and notarial procedures for tangible, in-person electronic and remote records.\", \"url\": \"https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0003.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"12.9.4 NMAC - Remote Online Notarization Standards (Title 12, Chapter 9, Part 4), effective January 1, 2022\", \"what_it_governs\": \"RON authorization and 'a non-refundable application fee of $75', the requirement that the officer be physically located in New Mexico, identity-proofing standards (five answer choices per question, 80% correct, two minutes each), the education and examination fee carve-out, and the retention of examination records for five years.\", \"url\": \"https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0004.html\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"New Mexico Notarial Officer Handbook (Secretary of State, revised July 2023, 17 pages) - the single fullest official source. Establishes eligibility, the $10,000 bond ('Each applicant is required to obtain a surety bond or its functional equivalent in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000)'), the four-year term ('A Notary Public is commissioned for a term of four (4) years'), the 45-day stamp registration and State Ethics Commission referral, stamp contents by officer type, journal duties ('A notarial officer is required to maintain a journal of every notarial act performed'), the fee caps, the travel and technology fees, and the prohibited acts including 'Use the term \\\"notario\\\" or \\\"notario publico\\\"'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Notary-Handbook-100223.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Notary Public Application Information + application form (Secretary of State, Rev 01/2022) - the live paper form. Establishes 'The application fee is $30', the bond acknowledgment rule, 'Each notary public must take the New Mexico State Notary Qualification exam and attach the issued certificate of completion to this application', the 45-day stamp proof, the combined Notary + RON filing rule, the Oath of Office wording, and 'The applicant may not perform notarial acts until they have received a certificate of commission from this office and have provided proof of their official stamp.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Notary-Application.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"SOS 'Become a Notary' - establishes the published eligibility list, the automatic-notarial-officer qualifications, the application uploads, and 'There is a $30.00 filing fee for the notary application which can be paid via e-check or credit card.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/become-a-notary/\"}, {\"label\": \"SOS 'Become a Remote Online Notary (RON)' - establishes the RON prerequisites, the $75.00 filing fee (stated once as check/money order/operating transfer and once as e-check/credit card), the physically-located-in-New-Mexico rule, the refusal criteria, and the named 'Approved Remote Online Providers' (EpicRiver, Expedite (formerly DocVerify), Notarylive.com, Notary Hub).\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/become-a-remote-online-notary/\"}, {\"label\": \"SOS 'Training Resources' - establishes that 'All Notarial Officers (including Automatic Notarial Officers) are required to complete the Notary Education Course and exam, and are required to pass the exam with an 80% score or higher', that RON needs a separate training and exam, that 'National Notary Association is the approved provider for the training and exam for the New Mexico Secretary of State', and the one-year grace period for Automatic Notarial Officers from the 6/16/2023 law changes.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/training-resources/\"}, {\"label\": \"SOS 'RULONA FAQs' - establishes that RULONA (14-14A-1 to 14-14A-32 NMSA 1978) replaced the prior Notarial Act, that 'The application fee is $30. There is also a separate $30 fee for the training and exam that will be paid directly to the vendor', that the journal is mandatory ('Do I have to keep a Journal as a commissioned notary public? Yes.'), and that 'All notaries public are required to comply with RULONA for any Notarial Acts performed after January 1, 2022.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/rulona-faqs/\"}, {\"label\": \"12.9.3 NMAC 'Notarial Procedures' (New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, the official NMAC publisher) - establishes 'a non-refundable application fee of $30', the certificate-of-commission issuance test, the stamp-registration referral to the state ethics commission, examination record retention, and TECHNOLOGY FEES: 'a fee not to exceed $25.00 for each remote notarial act.' Effective 1/1/2022, amended 6/16/2023.\", \"url\": \"https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0003.html\"}, {\"label\": \"12.9.4 NMAC 'Remote Online Notarization Standards' - establishes the RON rule's effective date ('January 1, 2022'), its statutory authority (Subsection H of Section 14-14A-5 and Section 14-14A-26 NMSA 1978), 'a non-refundable application fee of $75', the eighty-percent examination score, the identity-proofing question standards, and the physical-presence-in-New-Mexico requirement.\", \"url\": \"https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0004.html\"}, {\"label\": \"SOS 'Notary Search' - establishes that New Mexico publishes no standalone lookup page and routes verification to the filing portal: 'For a list of Notaries Public and approved Remote online Notaries, please visit https://enterprise.sos.nm.gov/'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/notary-search/\"}, {\"label\": \"SOS 'Notary Forms' - establishes the list of filings available at enterprise.sos.nm.gov (Notary Public Application, Notary Public Stamp Registration, Automatic Notarial Officer Stamp Registration, Remote Online Notary Application, Name Change, Address Change, Request for Duplicate Certificate of Appointment) and the separate System Provider Application for RON platforms.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/notary-forms/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/nm-notary/" }, { "page_id": "nv-notary", "state": "Nevada", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Nevada Secretary of State, Notary Division", "board_url": "https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/licensing/notary", "application_url": "https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/licensing/notary", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal repeats the full qualification path every 4 years. NRS 240.018(3)(b) puts 'A person renewing his or her appointment as a notary public' in the list of persons required to enroll in and complete the mandatory course of study -- with its 80% examination -- and the Secretary of State's page opens its requirements list with 'To become a notary or renew your notary commission in this state, you must meet the following requirements.' A fresh bond is required for the new 4-year term (NRS 240.033(3): the bond 'must cover the period of the appointment'), filed again with the county clerk, and the new term commences on that bond's effective date (NRS 240.030(5)). eNotary registrants must renew the registration at the same time (NRS 240.194(1)) and must retake the electronic-notarization course and examination (NRS 240.195(3)(b)). A grace provision exists for the electronic signature: a former eNotary whose registration was neither revoked nor denied need not destroy the signature technology if the registration is renewed 'using the same electronic signature, within 3 months after the expiration' (NRS 240.203(3)). If a registration lapses, NRS 240.194(2) suspends it by operation of law until the person is again an appointed notary. No renewal window in days is stated in NRS ch. 240 or on the Secretary of State's requirements page.", "ce_hours": "Nevada does not have a separate 'continuing education' scheme; instead, the mandatory 3-hour course of study and its examination must be repeated at every renewal. NRS 240.018(3)(b) expressly lists 'A person renewing his or her appointment as a notary public' among those 'required to enroll in and successfully complete a course of study provided pursuant to this section,' and NRS 240.018(1)(a)(1) fixes the course at 'at least 3 hours of instruction and an examination.' For electronic notaries, NRS 240.195(3)(b) requires 'A person renewing his or her registration as an electronic notary public' to retake the electronic-notarization course, which 'must... Be taken online and be of a duration of not more than 3 hours, including instruction and completion of an examination.' The Secretary of State frames both as a single requirement: 'All new and renewing Notaries are required to complete training.' No additional annual or biennial CE obligation appears in NRS ch. 240 or on the Secretary of State's requirements page.", "exam": "An examination is embedded in the state's mandatory course and must be passed. NRS 240.018(1)(a)(1) requires the course of study to include 'at least 3 hours of instruction and an examination relating to the functions and duties of notaries public.' The Secretary of State states the standard: 'Upon completion of training, you will be required to pass an exam and achieve a passing score of at least 80%.' It applies to renewing notaries as well as first-timers, because NRS 240.018(3)(b) puts renewers in the same required-course category. Separate eNOTARY exam: NRS 240.195(2) requires an eNotary registrant to '(a) Complete any course of study on electronic notarization that is required pursuant to subsection 1... and (b) Pass an examination at the completion of the course'; the SOS says 'Electronic and Remote Electronic notaries must also complete additional training and pass an additional electronic notary (eNotary) exam.' No separate exam fee is published apart from the $45 traditional and $45 eNotary training fees, which the SOS lists as training fees; NRS 240.018(1)(b) authorises a single enrollment fee for the course. Not located: the number of questions, the retake rules, or how long a passing score stays valid -- none appears in NRS 240.017, 240.018, 240.195 or on the Secretary of State's requirements page; those details would sit in the Secretary of State's regulations (NAC ch. 240), which were not reviewed for this page. This is an examination on the state's own course, not a standalone licensing examination administered independently of training -- the same shape as Texas.", "fees": "State fees, from the Secretary of State's application requirements: 'Application Fee: $35; Traditional Notary training fee: $45; eNotary registration (if applicable): $50; eNotary training (if applicable): $45.' Each is corroborated in statute where statute sets it: NRS 240.030(1)(a) -- 'At the time the applicant submits his or her application, pay to the Secretary of State $35'; NRS 240.192(1)(c) -- an eNotary registrant must 'Pay to the Secretary of State a registration fee of $50, which is in addition to the application fee required pursuant to NRS 240.030'. The two $45 training charges are agency-set under the authority in NRS 240.018(1)(b) and NRS 240.195, which fix no dollar amount. Other statutory fees: duplicate or amended certificate of appointment, $10 (NRS 240.030(6)) -- but free if the notary never received the original and asks within 60 days of issuance; replacement of a lost stamp, $10 with the amended-certificate request (NRS 240.045(1)); an eNotary who changes email address, county of residence, name, electronic signature or signature technology must file the change within 10 days with 'A fee of $10' (NRS 240.194(3)). Fingerprints: if the Secretary of State requires them, the applicant pays 'A fee established by regulation of the Secretary of State which must not exceed the sum of the amounts charged by the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for processing the fingerprints' (NRS 240.030(1)(f)(2)). Not a state fee: the $10,000 surety bond, bought from a surety company; and the rubber stamp, which a stamp maker may not produce without seeing the notary's certificate of appointment (NRS 240.045(3)). County step: the bond and oath are filed and recorded with the county clerk (NRS 240.030(4)); no county recording charge is stated in NRS ch. 240 or by the Secretary of State, and this page does not assert one.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. ch. 240 (Notaries Public and Commissioned Abstracters), Rev. AM--2025\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Nevada's entire notary law: appointment, qualifications, training, oath and bond, stamp, powers, fees, journal, the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts provisions, and the Electronic Notarization Enabling Act.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.010\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment by the Secretary of State, the disqualification list (misstatement, prior revocation, moral-turpitude and property/identity crimes, pending complaint, no course of study), the 10-year rehabilitation path, and unlawful representation as a notary.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.015\", \"what_it_governs\": \"General qualifications -- Nevada residency, age 18, civil rights, completed course of study -- and the conditions for appointing a resident of an adjoining state.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.018\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory course of study: at least 3 hours plus an examination, who must take it (including renewers), the enrollment fee, and the Notary Public Training Account.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.020\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The 4-year term and the statewide (but Nevada-only) scope of notarial authority.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.030\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The application: the $35 fee, the constitutional oath, proof of course completion, the $10,000 bond filed with the county clerk, the perjury declaration, optional fingerprints, county recording and certification back to the Secretary of State, the term commencing on the bond's effective date, and the $10 duplicate/amended certificate fee.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.033\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Bond execution by a Nevada-authorized surety, payability to the State of Nevada, indemnification scope, exhaustion notice, coverage period and release of surety.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.040 and 240.045\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The required rubber/mechanical ink stamp, its six content elements, the rectangle size limit, the no-embossed-seal rule since July 1 1965, secure storage, and replacement of a lost or inoperable stamp including the restriction on stamp manufacturers.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.100, 240.110 and 240.130\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The per-act fee maximums including $75 for performing a marriage ceremony, the hourly travel-fee caps by time of day, the duty to post a fee table in half-inch type as a condition of charging, and the bar on unauthorized fees.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.120\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory journal for every notarial act, its seven required entries, the bound-volume and public-inspection requirements, the 7-year retention, and loss/theft reporting to the Secretary of State and law enforcement.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.1635\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may perform a notarial act in Nevada, including judges, court clerks, justices of the peace, and persons authorized by a federally recognized tribe or nation.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Electronic Notarization Enabling Act, Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.181 to 240.206\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic notarization and audio-video (remote) notarization: the 'in the presence of' definition (240.1882), registration and the $50 fee (240.192), coterminous registration (240.194), the electronic-notarization course and exam (240.195, 240.1943), powers (240.196), the $25 electronic act fees (240.197), technology and location requirements (240.1991, 240.1993), mandatory recording and 7-year retention (240.1995), identity confirmation (240.1997), the electronic journal (240.201), and signature/seal safeguarding (240.202).\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.085\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Non-English advertising: the mandatory 'I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY' notice, the prohibition on 'notario,' 'notario publico' and 'licenciado,' and the suspension, revocation and civil-penalty consequences.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Nev. Const. art. 15, sec. 2 (oath of office), as applied by Nev. Rev. Stat. 240.030(1)(b)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The oath a notary applicant must take and subscribe 'as if the applicant were a public officer,' filed and recorded with the county clerk alongside the bond.\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Nev. Rev. Stat. ch. 240, 'NRS: CHAPTER 240 - NOTARIES PUBLIC AND COMMISSIONED ABSTRACTERS [Rev. AM--2025]' -- the full chapter text, read from a US vantage on 2026-08-12 (123,519 characters). Establishes every statutory quotation in this record, including NRS 240.030(1)(d) ('Enter into a bond to the State of Nevada in the sum of $10,000, to be filed with the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides'), NRS 240.020 ('for a term of 4 years, unless sooner removed'), NRS 240.018(1)(a)(1) ('at least 3 hours of instruction and an examination'), NRS 240.100(1) ('For taking an acknowledgment, for the first signature of each signer..... $15.00... For performing a marriage ceremony.... 75.00'), NRS 240.120(6) ('Be open to public inspection... Be in a bound volume with preprinted page numbers'), NRS 240.1882 (the audio-video 'appear before' definition) and NRS 240.192(1)(c) ('a registration fee of $50').\", \"url\": \"https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-240.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Nevada Secretary of State, 'Nevada Notary Requirements and Information' (notary division landing page) -- establishes the agency-side requirements list ('Be at least 18 years of age; Be a resident of this state; Possess your civil rights (a felon cannot be a notary); Have never had your notary commission revoked in another state'), the five bordering states ('California, Oregon, Utah, Idaho or Arizona'), the training rule ('All new and renewing Notaries are required to complete training... through the Nevada Secretary of State training site... any additional training completed through other websites or vendors is not sufficient'), the 80% passing score, the bond ('$10,000 (at a minimum) for a 4-year term. The bond is filed with the County Clerk's Office'), and the fee list ('Application Fee: $35; Traditional Notary training fee: $45; eNotary registration (if applicable): $50; eNotary training (if applicable): $45'). READ VIA INTERNET ARCHIVE SNAPSHOT DATED 2026-08-07 --.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/licensing/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"The Internet Archive's archived copy of the Nevada Secretary of State notary page, dated August 7, 2026 -- the text behind every agency quotation above, since nvsos.gov refuses automated access. The address above is the official one.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/licensing/notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Nevada Secretary of State, notary FAQs -- attempted live from a US vantage on 2026-08-12; returned an Imperva bot-protection interstitial ('Pardon Our Interruption... something about your browser made us think you were a bot'), recorded here as a documented BLOCKED source rather than as evidence of any fact.\", \"url\": \"https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/licensing/notary/notary-faqs\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/nv-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ny-notary", "state": "New York", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services (notaries public are appointed and commissioned by the Secretary of State). County clerks hold a secondary, non-issuing role: the Secretary of State transmits the commission, oath of office and official signature to the county clerk of the appointee's county, which maintains the record and authenticates notarial signatures on request.", "board_url": "https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public", "application_url": "https://dos.ny.gov/become-notary-public", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a reappointment, filed with the Secretary of State through NY Business Express, with a $60 non-refundable fee and a newly executed Oath of Office - 'An Oath of Office must be completed each time you apply for a new commission or for reappointment/renewal' (Executive Law s. 131(7)-(10); Department of State FAQ). Window: 'A notary public may apply for reappointment within 90 days of expiration of their commission, provided that the notary public continues to meet the requirements set forth in sections 130 and 131 of the Executive Law and this Part' (19 NYCRR 182.10(c)). Qualifying-requirement waiver: under Executive Law s. 130(1) the good-moral-character, common-school-education and familiarity requirements 'may be waived by the Secretary of State' where a notary applies for reappointment before the expiration of the term, or where a person whose term has expired applies within 6 months thereafter; the same waiver may be extended for applicants who could not re-apply because of induction or enlistment in the armed forces, if they apply within 1 year after a discharge other than dishonorable (with parallel one-year windows for applicants with a qualifying condition and for discharged LGBT veterans, as those terms are defined in section one of the veterans' services law). Eligibility bar on renewal: 'Any notary public who has failed to comply with any of the requirements of this Part relating to notarial or electronic notarial acts shall not be eligible for reappointment' (19 NYCRR 182.10(e)). Electronic notaries: on reappointment 'the electronic notary public must provide verification of the accuracy of all information on file with the secretary of state and affirm that such notary public is otherwise in compliance with all requirements of this Part' (19 NYCRR 182.10(d)). Name on renewal: 'If you are changing or have changed your name, you should use your new name when signing your renewal application,' and a notary who married mid-term may apply on renewal 'under his/her married name or the name under which he/she was formerly commissioned.' Note: Executive Law s. 130(1) still speaks of applying for reappointment 'with the county clerk'; the Department of State's current published procedure routes all applications and reappointments through the Department's own online system - 'All applications for appointment and reappointment of notaries public, and all registrations of capability to perform electronic notarial acts, shall be in the form and manner prescribed by the secretary of state and provided through the department of state's division of licensing' (19 NYCRR 182.10(f)). Both are recorded; no attempt is made to resolve the older statutory phrasing against the current rule.", "ce_hours": "None. New York requires no continuing education to keep or renew a notary public commission or an electronic notary registration. Sources checked: the Department of State's March 2026 Notary Public License Law booklet in full (the phrase 'continuing education' does not appear anywhere in it); Executive Law ss. 130, 131 and 135-c; 19 NYCRR Part 182, including s. 182.10 on applications, registrations and renewals, which conditions reappointment on continuing to meet ss. 130-131 and on compliance with Part 182, not on any coursework; and the Department's 'Become a Notary Public' and notary FAQ pages, whose renewal instructions are limited to the online application, the $60 fee and a newly executed Oath of Office. Note the one adjacent trap: examination results expire after two years, but that is a shelf life on a pass slip, not a recurring education requirement, and it does not apply to already-commissioned notaries seeking reappointment.", "exam": "Required, with two exemptions. Administered by the New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services as a walk-in written examination - 'No pre-registration is required. Seats are limited and assigned on a first-come/first-served basis.' Format: 'The exam is multiple choice'; applicants 'will be allowed 1 hour to complete the exam.' Topics: 'License law, general terms and information related to the duties and functions of a notary public, as outlined in the Notary Public License Law booklet available from the Division of Licensing Services.' Scoring: 'All exam results are reported as either passed or failed; you will not get a numerical score' - so New York publishes no numeric passing score, and results are mailed. Validity: 'Examination results are only valid for a period of two years.' Retakes: 'If you fail the written exam ... You may retake the exam on another date and time of your choice.' Fee: $15 per examination taken, payable on the date of the examination, by check, money order, MasterCard or Visa; cash is not accepted and the fee is non-refundable (19 NYCRR 182.11(d); Department of State exam schedule). What to bring: current government-issued photo signature identification from a published list, the $15 fee, and two #2 pencils ('Pencils will not be provided at the exam site'). Languages: 'This exam is offered in the following languages: Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian and Chinese,' on notice to a proctor at the exam centre; a Special Testing Arrangements Request form exists for disability accommodations. Pass slip: the license-law booklet states the applicant 'must submit a pass slip showing that s/he has taken and passed the notary public examination.' Exempt: 'NYS Attorneys and court clerks of the Unified Court System are exempt from the examination' - more precisely, 'An individual who is currently a member of the New York State Bar or a court clerk of the Unified Court System, appointed to that position after taking a Civil Service promotional examination in the court clerk series of titles, while not exempt from the application fee, may be appointed a notary public without an examination.' County clerk staff notaries designated under County Law s. 534 are exempt from the examination fee and the application fee.", "fees": "Paid to the Department of State (from the Department's own 'Become a Notary Public' fee list, as of 2026-08-12, and 19 NYCRR 182.11): $60 initial application (non-refundable; Executive Law s. 131(3): 'The Secretary of State shall receive a non-refundable application fee of $60 from applicants for appointment ... No further fee shall be paid for the issuance of the commission'); $60 renewal/reappointment (Executive Law s. 131(9); 19 NYCRR 182.11(c)); $15 written examination, per examination taken (19 NYCRR 182.11(d)); $10 change of personal name and/or address - 'No fee is required if a name change is the result of a change in marital status' (Executive Law s. 131(12) sets a $10 non-refundable fee for changing the name or address of a notary public, 'Except for changes made in an application for reappointment'); $10 duplicate license/registration request (Executive Law s. 131(13); 19 NYCRR 182.11(e)); $20 charged for any check returned by the bank. Payment by check or money order payable to the Department of State, or MasterCard/Visa via the Department's credit card authorization form; 'DO NOT SEND CASH.' Electronic notary registration - the rule and the agency's fee list differ: 19 NYCRR 182.11(b) states 'Registrants for electronic notarial acts must submit a non-refundable registration fee of sixty dollars to the secretary of state with their registration,' and Executive Law s. 135-c(3)(a) requires registration 'upon payment of a fee which shall be set by regulation'; but the Department of State's public 'Become a Notary Public' fee list, as of 2026-08-12, itemizes only Initial Application $60, Renewal $60, Written Exam $15, Change $10 and Duplicate $10, and does not separately list an electronic notary registration fee. The rule and the agency's published fee list are both given here as they stand; the rule figure is $60. Internal apportionment (not an extra charge to the applicant): '$20 apportioned from the application fee shall be transmitted by the Secretary of State to the county clerk in which the appointee resides' (Executive Law s. 131(5), (10)). Paid to a county clerk or the Secretary of State for certificates: certificate of official character - $1 collected by the Secretary of State for each certificate issued, $1 collected by a county clerk or register for filing one, and $1 for each certificate of official character issued with seal attached by a county clerk (Executive Law s. 132); certification/authentication of a notarial signature by the county clerk - 'upon payment of a fee of $3' (Executive Law s. 133). Fee-exempt applicants: county clerk staff notaries designated under County Law s. 534 'shall be exempt from the examination fee and application fee required by s. 131 of the Executive Law.' No bond premium and no seal cost are required - New York requires neither (see the seal details on this page).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 130\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment of notaries public by the Secretary of State, the 4-year term, statewide jurisdiction, the residency or New York office requirement, the good-moral-character and common-school-education test and its waivers, the criminal-conviction bar, and the Secretary's power to suspend or remove for misconduct\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 131\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Procedure of appointment and reappointment: the oath of office filed with the application, the $60 non-refundable application and reappointment fees, the identification card, transmission of the commission, oath, signature and $20 to the county clerk, and the $10 change and duplicate-card fees\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law ss. 132 and 133\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Certificates of official character ($1) and county clerk certification/authentication of a notarial signature ($3)\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 135\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Powers and duties of a notary public - oaths and affirmations, affidavits and depositions, acknowledgments and proofs, protests - and the 75-cent protest fee limit\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 135-b\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Advertising by notaries public: the required non-English disclaimer and the ban on foreign-language terms implying the notary is an attorney, with civil penalties up to $1,000 and suspension or removal on repeat violations\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 135-c (Electronic notarization)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic and remote notarization: definitions, authority to use audio-video communication technology, the registration requirement, identity standards, electronic signature standards, the 10-year audio-video retention duty, and the papering-out/recording provisions. Replaced the temporary 'Remote ink notarization' section of the same number on January 31, 2023\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 136\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial fees - $2 for an oath or affirmation, $2 per person for an acknowledgment or proof, $2 for swearing a witness, and a regulation-set fee for electronic notarial services\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Executive Law s. 137\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The required signature block: name, 'Notary Public State of New York', county of original qualification and commission expiration date beneath the signature in black ink, plus New York City official numbers\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"19 NYCRR Part 182 (ss. 182.1-182.11)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Department of State's notary rules: requirements for notaries (182.3), additional requirements for electronic notaries (182.4), satisfactory evidence of identity (182.5), credential analysis (182.6), identity proofing (182.7), communication technology (182.8), the universal recordkeeping/journal duty and 10-year retention (182.9), applications, registrations and reappointment including the 90-day window (182.10), and all fees including the $60 electronic-notary registration fee and the $25 electronic notarial act fee (182.11)\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Real Property Law s. 298\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Which officers other than notaries may take acknowledgments and proofs of conveyances within New York State\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. County Law s. 534\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Each county clerk must designate at least one staff notary to serve the public free of charge, exempt from the examination and application fees\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"citation\": \"N.Y. Public Officers Law ss. 3, 67 and 69\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Selective-draft-act disqualification from the office; the bar on charging more than the statutory fee, with treble damages; and the prohibition on charging for administering certain official oaths\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services - 'Notary Public License Law (March 2026)', the official 22-page notary handbook, downloaded and text-extracted live on 2026-08-12. This is the authority for the statutory text quoted throughout this record, including 'The appointment of a notary public shall be for a term of 4 years'; 'The Secretary of State shall receive a non-refundable application fee of $60 from applicants for appointment'; '$20 apportioned from the application fee shall be transmitted by the Secretary of State to the county clerk in which the appointee resides by the 10th day of the following month'; 'The laws of the State of New York do not require the use of seals by notaries public'; 19 NYCRR 182.9(a) 'all notaries public must maintain records sufficient to document compliance'; 182.11(b) 'Registrants for electronic notarial acts must submit a non-refundable registration fee of sixty dollars'; and 182.11(g) 'An electronic notary public shall be entitled to a fee of twenty-five dollars for each electronic notarial act performed, which shall be inclusive of all costs incurred by the notary public'\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-license-law-1\"}, {\"label\": \"New York State Department of State - 'Become a Notary Public'. The agency's own current requirements and fee list: 'Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State'; 'Pass the New York State notary public examination. NYS Attorneys and court clerks of the Unified Court System are exempt from the examination'; 'Be a resident of New York State or have an office or place of business in New York State'; and the itemized fees '$60 - Initial Application', '$60 - Renewal', '$15 - Written Exam', '$10 - Change of Personal Name and/or Address (No fee is required if a name change is the result of a change in marital status)', '$10 - Duplicate License/Registration Request', plus 'A $20 fee will be charged for any check returned by your bank'. Also establishes that applications are filed through NY Business Express and that the Oath of Office (DOS-2201) must be uploaded\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/become-notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"New York State Department of State - 'Notary Public - Frequently Asked Questions'. The source for the universal journal duty ('Beginning January 25th, 2023, all notaries, including those notaries that only provide traditional in-person services, are required to keep a journal of all notarial acts performed which includes the type of identification provided, for 10 years'); the electronic-notary registration opening ('On February 1, 2023, notaries wishing to provide electronic notary services will be able to register as an Electronic Notary'); the end of Remote Ink Notarization ('On January 31, 2023, only electronic notarization is permitted in New York State'); the license-type replacement rule ('Once your e-notary license is issued, your traditional notary license will automatically be cancelled'); 'NYS does not require platform certification'; the $25 electronic-act fee and the $2 papering-out fee; and the criminal-history practice statement\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-frequently-asked-questions\"}, {\"label\": \"New York State Department of State - 'July - December 2026 Notary Public Walk-In Written Examination Information and Schedule' (PDF. Establishes the exam format and rules: 'No pre-registration is required'; 'The exam is multiple choice'; 'Applicants will be allowed 1 hour to complete the exam'; 'All exam results are reported as either passed or failed; you will not get a numerical score'; 'Examination results are only valid for a period of two years'; the $15 non-refundable fee payable on the date of the exam; the accepted photo-ID list; and 'This exam is offered in the following languages: Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian and Chinese'\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/july-december-2026-notary-written-exam-info-and-schedule\"}, {\"label\": \"New York State Department of State - 'Notary Public' overview page: 'Notaries Public are commissioned (i.e., licensed) by the Secretary of State'; 'Term of commission is four years'; and the links to Become a Notary Public, Renew or Update Notary Public License, and Search Commissioned NYS Notaries Public\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"New York State Department of State - 'Search Commissioned NYS Notaries Public': 'Notary Public data is available on Open Data NY, where you will be able to browse, filter, sort, and export the data. The site will also allow the data to be accessed through an Application Programming Interface(API)' and 'information pertaining to residence addresses is not included on this database. Such information is protected by privacy law'\", \"url\": \"https://dos.ny.gov/search-commissioned-nys-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Open Data NY - 'Commissioned NYS Notaries Public' dataset, attributed to the New York State Department of State (DOS). Dataset metadata read live via the Socrata view API on 2026-08-12: 800,967 rows and the columns 'Commission Holder Name', 'Commission Number (UID)', 'Business Name (if available)', business address fields, 'Commissioned County', 'Commission Type (Traditional or Electronic)', 'Term Issue Date' and 'Term Expiration Date'; description 'This data contains active Commissioned Notaries Public from New York State Department of State (DOS)'\", \"url\": \"https://data.ny.gov/Economic-Development/Commissioned-NYS-Notaries-Public/rwbv-mz6z\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ny-notary/" }, { "page_id": "oh-notary", "state": "Ohio", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Ohio Secretary of State (Notary Commission / Notary Services)", "board_url": "https://www.ohiosos.gov/notary", "application_url": "https://notary.ohiosos.gov/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a fresh application filed electronically at notary.ohiosos.gov, not an automatic rollover. 'A notary public may apply to renew the notary's commission beginning three months prior to the expiration date of the commission' (R.C. 147.031(C)). Renewal requires a new criminal records check, a fee 'of not more than sixty dollars, set by the secretary of state in a rule' (the Secretary's share is set at $15 by O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(C)(3)), a renewal application on the prescribed form, and a one-hour education program completed no earlier than 12 months before expiration (R.C. 147.031(B); O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(C)). No grace period: 'If the notary public's commission expires before the notary submits the application for renewal, the secretary of state shall not renew that expired commission but shall permit the person to apply for a new notary commission' (R.C. 147.031(D)) -- and the SOS notes S.B. 263 made expired commissions require reapplication as a new notary. A RON authorization renews alongside the commission, but only on its own application, its own one-hour continuing education and its own $20 fee (R.C. 147.63(D)(3); O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(E)).", "ce_hours": "Continuing education in Ohio is built into renewal rather than accrued during the term. A non-attorney renewal applicant 'must successfully complete a one-hour education program, no earlier than twelve months prior to the expiration of their commission, conducted by an authorized provider', paying $45 to the provider (O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(C)(1),(2)). A RON authorization renewal requires its own one-hour program at $160 to the provider (O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(E)(3),(4)), and R.C. 147.63(D)(3)(b)(iii) requires the renewal to include 'Evidence of having completed continuing education.' The rule defines that continuing-education curriculum as covering 'any updates to Ohio notary law or the administrative rules' (O.A.C. 111:6-1-02(E)). No mid-term continuing-education hours are imposed by R.C. Chapter 147 or O.A.C. Chapter 111:6-1 -- both all sources checked, together with the SOS education-and-testing page.", "exam": "A pass/fail test administered by the Secretary of State-authorized education provider -- not a separate state licensing examination. Required for non-attorney initial applicants (R.C. 147.01(B)(4)(a), 147.021(A)(1)) and for RON authorization (R.C. 147.63(B)(1)). Not required for attorneys applying after Sept. 20, 2019 -- such an attorney 'shall not be required to pass a test as required in division (B)(4)(a) of this section, but shall be required to complete an education program required by that division' (R.C. 147.01(B)(4)(c)) -- and not required on non-attorney renewal, where O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(C) prescribes a one-hour education program with no test. Retake rule: an applicant who fails 'may apply to retake the exam not sooner than thirty days following the date of his or her last examination, and no later than six months following the issuance of the criminal records check'; a second failure means restarting with a new application and a new provider fee (O.A.C. 111:6-1-03(A)(3); the RON version is (D)(4)). The test is deliberately not uniform: 'An authorized education and testing provider must offer multiple curriculum tests so that there is not one uniform test in circulation' (O.A.C. 111:6-1-02(F)). Passing score: not published in R.C. Chapter 147, O.A.C. Chapter 111:6-1, or on the SOS education-and-testing page -- all three sources checked; the rule delegates test content to the authorized providers.", "fees": "To the Secretary of State (O.A.C. 111:6-1-03): $15 on filing an initial non-attorney commission application ((A)(4)); $15 on filing an initial attorney commission application ((B)(3)); $15 on filing a renewal application ((C)(3)); $20 on filing an application for authorization to perform online notarizations ((D)(5)); $20 on filing an online-authorization renewal ((E)(5)). To the authorized education and testing provider, paid directly (same rule, and identical on the SOS fee chart): $130 non-attorney initial (3 hrs + test); $75 attorney initial (3 hrs); $45 non-attorney renewal (1 hr); $250 RON authorization (2 hrs + test); $160 RON authorization renewal (1 hr). The SOS adds: 'Education and testing fees vary by provider. Fees are paid directly to the authorized provider. All fees are non-refundable, regardless of testing outcome or withdrawal.' Statutory ceilings: R.C. 147.37 caps the total commission fee at 'not more than one hundred fifty dollars' and caps the Secretary of State's share at 'not to exceed fifteen dollars'; R.C. 147.631(C) caps the online-notary course fee at four times the commission fee and the Secretary's share at twenty dollars. Other state fee: certified copy of a notary commission, $5 (R.C. 147.06). BCI criminal records check fee: set by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, not by the Secretary of State -- 'Each person requesting a criminal records check under this section shall pay to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the fee prescribed pursuant to division (C)(3) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code' (R.C. 147.022(C)). No dollar amount for it is published in R.C. Ch. 147, O.A.C. Ch. 111:6-1, or on the SOS notary pages (all three sources checked). No seal/stamp price is state-set; Ohio publishes no application form with a fee line because R.C. 147.01(E) requires all submissions to be electronic through notary.ohiosos.gov.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code Ch. 147 (Notaries Public and Commissioners)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Ohio notary scheme: appointment, qualifications, education, term, seal, fees, prohibited acts and online notarization.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.01 (eff. April 3, 2025; H.B. 315, 135th G.A.)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may be appointed and commissioned, the four qualification tests, electronic submission of all filings, and the in-person oath of office.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.01\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.021 and 147.022\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Mandatory education and testing; the BCI criminal records check, its six-month freshness rule, and who is exempt.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.03 (eff. April 3, 2025)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Five-year term for non-attorneys; indefinite term for Ohio-admitted attorneys in good standing.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.031\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Renewal: three-month filing window, new records check, fee ceiling, and the bar on renewing an expired commission.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.04\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The seal: Ohio coat of arms in a 3/4-inch to 1-inch circle, required wording, stamp or embosser, and the printed-name alternative.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.05 and 147.051\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's record of commissions, the 30-day name/address change notice, resignation, mandatory revocation on a disqualifying conviction, and the public notary database.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.05\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.07\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Jurisdiction: 'A notary public has statewide jurisdiction.'\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.08 (eff. April 3, 2025)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum notarial fees: $5 per non-online act, $30 per online notarization, a pre-agreed travel fee, and a $10 technology fee per online session.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.08\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.37 and 147.631\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Fee ceilings: total commission fee not more than $150 with not more than $15 to the Secretary of State; online-notary course fee capped at four times the commission fee with not more than $20 to the Secretary.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.60 to 147.66 (added by S.B. 263, eff. Sept. 20, 2019)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Online notarization: definitions, standards, the separate authorization (147.63), the online notary's authority (147.64), the electronic journal (147.65) and security duties (147.66).\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.63\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.141 and 147.142\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prohibited acts, including charging above the statutory fee; and the ban on advertising as an immigration consultant or as 'notario publico'.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Ohio Admin. Code Ch. 111:6-1 (Notary Commission Requirements)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Definitions (111:6-1-01, eff. June 10, 2025), education and testing standards (111:6-1-02, eff. June 10, 2025), every application/education/testing fee (111:6-1-03, eff. Sept. 22, 2019), and the RON platform standards (111:6-1-05).\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-111:6-1\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Ohio Secretary of State, Notary Application Process -- the qualifying criteria and the exact order of steps: 'Complete an Ohio criminal records check (BCI report). Complete notary education and testing through an approved education vendor. Submit your application online at notary.ohiosos.gov', plus 'Once your application is approved, you must personally appear before a notary public or another authorized official and take the oath of office before performing notarial duties' and 'A notary public may NOT perform remote online notarizations unless authorized to do so by the Ohio Secretary of State.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.ohiosos.gov/notary/become-a-notary-in-ohio/application-process\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Secretary of State, Notary Education and Testing -- the agency's own hours/fee chart: 'Non-attorney Initial Application $130 3 Yes; Attorney Initial Application $75 3 No; Non-attorney Renewal $45 1 No; Online authorization application for non-attorney and attorney notary public $250 2 Yes; Online authorization renewal ... $160 1 No', plus 'Education must be completed within 12 months before the date of your notary application or renewal' and the published list of authorized providers.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ohiosos.gov/notary/become-a-notary-in-ohio/education-and-testing\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Secretary of State, Notary Resources and Frequently Asked Questions -- 'For traditional notarizations, Ohio law does not require a journal; however, the Secretary of State strongly recommends logging every notarial act as a best practice. For Remote Online Notarizations, Ohio law requires all RON acts to be recorded in an electronic journal'; 'The notary must be physically in Ohio during the notarization; the signer may be outside Ohio'; and 'a personal appearance is always required for both traditional and electronic notarizations.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.ohiosos.gov/notary/become-a-notary-in-ohio/resources-and-frequently-asked-questions\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Secretary of State, Notary Law Updates -- dates every recent change: H.B. 315 'Effective Date: April 4, 2025' (in-person oath; RON maximum fee $25 to $30; $10 technology fee), S.B. 131 'Effective Date: December 29, 2023' ('Reciprocity Removed: Ohio law no longer provides reciprocity for notary commissions or remote online authorizations'), H.B. 567 'Effective Date: April 6, 2023', S.B. 263 'Effective Date: September 20, 2019', H.B. 96 'Effective Date: September 30, 2025'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.ohiosos.gov/notary/summary-of-notary-law-changes/\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Revised Code Chapter 147, full chapter text from the Ohio Legislative Service Commission -- the basis for the bond negative: 'bond', 'insurance' and 'errors and omissions' occur zero times across the entire chapter.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-147\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.01 -- 'The person has attained the age of eighteen years'; the attorney residency alternative; the six-month criminal-records-check rule; 'If the secretary of state revokes a person's commission, the person is ineligible for reappointment'; and '(G) Before entering upon the duties of office, a notary public shall personally appear before a notary public or any officer authorized by law to administer oaths, who shall administer an oath of office to the notary public.'\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.01\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.05 -- the Secretary of State's record of commissions, the 30-day name/address change notice, the resignation notice, and 'The secretary of state shall revoke the commission of any person who is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to a disqualifying offense, including an attorney licensed to practice law in this state.'\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.05\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.08 -- 'Up to five dollars for any notarial act that is not an online notarization; (2) For an online notarization, up to thirty dollars', 'shall not be calculated on a per signature basis', the pre-agreed travel fee, and the $10-per-session technology fee.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.08\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Rev. Code 147.63 -- 'A notary public who has been duly appointed and commissioned under section 147.01 of the Revised Code, and who is a resident of this state, may apply to the secretary of state to be authorized to act as an online notary public during the term of that notary public's commission'; the course-and-examination prerequisite; and 'The secretary of state shall approve one business entity comprised of bar associations with statewide scope and regional presence.'\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-147.63\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 111:6-1 -- rule 111:6-1-03 sets every fee ('An applicant must pay a fee of fifteen dollars to the secretary of state upon filing the application for a commission'; 'a fee of twenty dollars to the secretary of state upon filing the application for authorization to perform online notarizations'; $130/$75/$45/$250/$160 to the provider) and the retake rules; rule 111:6-1-02 fixes the curriculum and requires 'multiple curriculum tests so that there is not one uniform test in circulation'; rule 111:6-1-01(N) separates electronic notarial acts from online notarizations.\", \"url\": \"https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-111:6-1\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Secretary of State notary filing portal -- the live application intake, listing exactly the five filing types: 'New Notary Commission Application; Notary Commission Renewal Application; Remote Online Notarization Authorization Application; Remote Online Notarization Authorization Renewal; Commission Amendment, Duplicate Request and Resignation.'\", \"url\": \"https://notary.ohiosos.gov/\"}, {\"label\": \"Ohio Secretary of State Notary Commission Search -- the public lookup; the live form exposes First Name, Last Name and an 'Online Notary' filter with values -ALL-, No and Yes.\", \"url\": \"https://notarysearch.ohiosos.gov/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/oh-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ok-notary", "state": "Oklahoma", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Oklahoma Secretary of State, Notary Public Division", "board_url": "https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/default.aspx", "application_url": "https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/filing/Default.aspx", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a fresh application, and the window is narrow at both ends. 'A renewal application will not be accepted earlier than six (6) weeks prior to the expiration of the notary's current appointment, or after the expiration date' (Notary Public Guide). If it arrives late there is no renewal at all: 'An application that is received after a notary public commission has expired must be processed as a new appointment. A new commission number and date will be issued' (Guide) -- and the FAQ prices that at the new-commission fee. A renewal also requires a new notarial bond: 'A new notarial bond will also need to be filed with the Secretary of State' (FAQ). Since January 1, 2026 a renewal applicant must also complete the national criminal history record check (FAQ). A RON authorization does not ride along: 'The renewal of your commission as a notary does not constitute renewal of such authorization. A new application for authorization must be filed for each four-year term' (SOS Remote Online Notary Information).", "ce_hours": "None. Oklahoma imposes no continuing education on a notary public. Sources checked: no continuing-education requirement appears in Title 49 of the Oklahoma Statutes as published by the Oklahoma Senate, in the Secretary of State's Notary Public Guide (12/2025), in the application instructions, in the Notary FAQ or in the Remote Online Notarization FAQ -- all five sources checked. Renewal turns on the application, the fee, a new bond and (since January 1, 2026) the national criminal history record check, not on coursework.", "exam": "Oklahoma administers no notary examination. Sources checked: no examination is mentioned in the Notary Public Guide (12/2025), the application instructions, the application form, the agency's Notary FAQ, the agency's Remote Online Notarization FAQ, or Title 49 of the Oklahoma Statutes as published by the Oklahoma Senate. Sources checked: statute, agency handbook, live application form and instructions, agency FAQ and RON FAQ. The only screening step is the fingerprint-based national criminal history record check that became a requirement on January 1, 2026.", "fees": "Two official Oklahoma sources disagree, and both are on sos.ok.gov. Current set (the live Notary Public Guide dated 12/2025, the Instructions for Completing the Oklahoma Application for Notary Public Commission, the application form revision-stamped 1/1/2026, and the agency's Notary FAQ): new commission $50.00; renewal $45.00; expired commission processed as new, $50.00; bond filing fee $25.00; name change (new commission under the new name) $50.00; address change no fee. Older set (the 'Notary Filing Fee Schedule' table on the Secretary of State's own notary home page, and the agency's Remote Online Notarization FAQ): 'New Commission 49 O.S. 1 $25.00; Expired Commission 49 O.S. 1 $25.00; Notary Renewal 49 O.S., Sec. 1 $20.00; Notary Bond 49 O.S., Sec. 2(C) $10.00; Remote Online Notarization 49 O.S., Sec. 204(B) $25.00; Notary Amendment 49 O.S., Sec. 11 No Fee.' The older set matches the statutory text of 49 O.S. Secs. 1 and 2(C) in the Oklahoma Senate's published Title 49 ($25 new, $20 renewal, $10 bond), which is why it reads as the stale one -- the fee table cites the statute, while the guide and the live form reflect what the agency now charges. This page reports the live form figures as the operative amounts and also gives the fee-table figures verbatim. Undisputed: RON registration $25.00 to the Secretary of State (49 O.S. Sec. 204(B), the fee schedule and the RON FAQ all agree); same-day (walk-in) filing service $25.00 additional -- 'If filing a document in person, there will be an additional $25.00 fee if you want the document to be processed while you wait' (fee schedule; 49 O.S. Sec. 1); notary amendment/information update, no fee; notifying the Secretary of State of a new RON technology vendor, 'There is no filing fee associated with this notification' (RON FAQ). Not state-set: the seal or stamp price ('The Oklahoma Secretary of State does not provide notarial stamps or seals') and the national criminal history record check fee, which is not published in any of the four agency documents checked.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Okla. Stat. tit. 49 (Notaries Public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Oklahoma notary scheme -- appointment and term (Sec. 1), the application contents (Sec. 1.1), oath/signature/bond/seal (Sec. 2), the seal and the $5 fee cap (Sec. 5), authority and the immigration-advice bar (Secs. 6, 6.1), bank protest registers (Sec. 7), the three-year limitation on suits (Sec. 10), name and address changes (Sec. 11), and grounds to deny/refuse/revoke (Sec. 12).\", \"url\": \"https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/os49.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Okla. Stat. tit. 49, Secs. 111-121 (Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Who may perform notarial acts in Oklahoma (Sec. 114), recognition of acts performed in other states (Sec. 115) and by federal and foreign officers (Secs. 116-117), and short-form certificates (Sec. 119).\", \"url\": \"https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/os49.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Okla. Stat. tit. 49, Secs. 201-214 (Remote Online Notary Act; Laws 2019, c. 338, eff. Jan. 1, 2020)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization: definitions and the electronic-seal design (Sec. 202), rulemaking (Sec. 203), the mandatory $25 registration (Sec. 204), authority (Sec. 205), the electronic journal and 10-year retention (Sec. 206), the electronic signature and seal (Sec. 207), procedures (Sec. 208), the $25 fee cap (Sec. 209) and destruction of credentials on termination (Sec. 210).\", \"url\": \"https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/os49.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Okla. Admin. Code 655:25-11 (Secretary of State, remote online notarization)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The RON technology standards the agency applies -- vendor-change notification (655:25-11-3(d)) and the multi-factor identity process of credential analysis plus identity proofing (655:25-11-5), both cited by the Secretary of State's Remote Online Notarization FAQ.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/info/generalInformation.aspx\"}, {\"citation\": \"SB 1028 (2025), effective January 1, 2026\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The national (fingerprint-based) criminal history record check now required of new and renewal notary applicants, as announced by the Secretary of State.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/info/faqs.aspx\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Notary Public Online Services (notary home page) -- states the qualification rule ('The Oklahoma Secretary of State shall appoint and commission notaries public, who shall hold their office for four (4) years. An applicant for a notary commission must be at least eighteen (18) years of age, be able to read and write English, be a legal resident of or employed within Oklahoma, and never have been convicted of a felony') and carries the 'Notary Filing Fee Schedule' table -- New Commission $25.00, Expired Commission $25.00, Notary Renewal $20.00, Notary Bond $10.00, Remote Online Notarization $25.00, Notary Amendment No Fee -- which conflicts with the agency's own guide and application form (see fees).\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/default.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Notary Public Guide (PDF, dated 12/2025) -- the official handbook: four-year term, the $50 new / $45 renewal filing fees, '$10,000.00 surety bond ... and a $25.00 filing fee' within 60 days, statewide authority with the county named in the certificate, the seal rule and the 10-day lost-seal notice, 'State law does not require a notary to keep records of their official acts', and 'The maximum fee a notary may charge and collect for each notarial act is five dollars ($5.00).'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/forms/notary/NotaryPublicGuide.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Instructions for Completing the Oklahoma Application for Notary Public Commission and the application form itself (revision stamp '(1/1/2026)') -- 'Pay a filing fee of $50.00 for a new commission and $45.00 for a renewal commission'; 'Applicants must undergo a national criminal history record check, including fingerprinting'; 'Upon receipt of your commission, you must purchase a notary seal and a $10,000.00 surety bond, and file them with the Secretary of State'; 'The filing fee, payable to the Secretary of State, is $25.00'; and 'A notary public shall NOT perform any notarial act until his or her bond, official seal, oath of office, and loyalty oath have been received and approved.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/forms/notary/NotaryApplicationInstructions.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Notarial Bond form -- the live instrument: 'The bond MUST be filed with the office of the Secretary of State not more than sixty (60) days after your notary commission is issued. Submit the completed bond with a $25.00 fee', binding principal and sureties 'in the penal sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000.00) Dollars', with the Oath of Office and Loyalty Oath on page 2 and a space to impress the notary seal.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/forms/notary/NotaryBond.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Notary FAQ -- 'Effective January 1, 2026, and in accordance with SB 1028 (2025), the Secretary of State will require notaries public applicants to submit to a national criminal history check'; '$50.00 fee ... The fee is $45.00' for renewal; 'A surety bond in the amount of $10,000.00 signed by one or more sureties must be filed with the Secretary of State, along with a $25.00 filing fee'; 'Is a notary public required to keep any records? No'; and 'The maximum fee a notary may charge and collect for each notarial act is five dollars ($5.00).'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/info/faqs.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Remote Online Notary Information and RON FAQ -- 'Remote online notarization was authorized by SB 915 (2019), effective January 1, 2020'; the three-step sequence (commission, approved bond, then the RON application); 'Are remote online notaries required to submit a second bond ...? No'; the mandatory electronic journal and 'An electronic journal must be retained for at least ten (10) years ... An audio-visual recording must be retained for at least ten (10) years'; 'A remote online notary may charge and collect a fee not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00)'; the OAC 655:25-11-5 identity process and the OAC 655:25-11-3(d) vendor-change notice. This page also still shows the older $25.00 commission and $10.00 bond figures.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/info/generalInformation.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Notary Search -- the public lookup, with search methods Name, Commission Number, County at the time of appointment, City and Zipcode, and a 'Display Active or Pending Notaries Only' filter.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/notary/search.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Secretary of State, Privacy Act Statement and Applicant Notification (the SB 1028 background-check notice) -- establishes that the check is fingerprint-based and federal: 'The FBI's acquisition, preservation, and exchange of fingerprints and associated information is generally authorized under 28 U.S.C. 534', with comparison 'to other fingerprints in the FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ok.gov/forms/notary/PrivacyAct1028.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma Statutes Title 49 (Notaries Public), full text published by the Oklahoma State Senate -- source for Sec. 1 (four-year term; the citizenship clause; $25/$20 fees), Sec. 2 ($1,000 bond and $10 filing fee in the published text; who may sign; the bar on acting before approval), Sec. 5 (seal and the $5 cap; the electronic-seal provision), Sec. 6 and 6.1 (authority; the immigration-advice notice and its penalties), Sec. 7 (bank protest register), Sec. 11 (name and address changes), Sec. 12 (grounds to revoke), Sec. 114 (who may perform notarial acts in Oklahoma), and Secs. 201-214 (the Remote Online Notary Act). NOTE: this is a static publication, not the live code --.\", \"url\": \"https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/os49.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Oklahoma State Courts Network, index of Oklahoma Statutes Title 49 -- the section list the Secretary of State links to as 'Statutes'; used to confirm the current section inventory (Secs. 1, 1.1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 6.1, 7, 10, 11, 12; the Uniform Law on Notarial Acts Secs. 111-121; the Remote Online Notary Act Secs. 201-214) and that Secs. 2.1, 4, 8, 9 and 101-109 are repealed.\", \"url\": \"http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/index.asp?ftdb=STOKST49&level=1\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ok-notary/" }, { "page_id": "or-notary", "state": "Oregon", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division (Notary Public Program)", "board_url": "https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/pages/default.aspx", "application_url": "https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/commission-application-reapplication.aspx", "renewal_cycle": "Oregon does not renew commissions -- it reappoints. 'A notary public commission is not automatically renewed, and we do not send out a renewal notice. Notaries are responsible for tracking and reapplying for a new commission on their own' (2024 Notary Public Guide). The window is 30 days: 'You can submit a new application 30 days before the expiration of your current commission', and 'As of January 1, 2025, to obtain a new commission, the notary must take the basic notary training, take the test, and submit their application online or send in a paper application, not more than 30 days before the commission expires.' A reapplication therefore repeats the whole intake -- Basics training (no refresher substitute), the examination, the background check, a notarized oath of office and the $40 fee -- and issues a new commission number and expiration date. Practical consequences the state flags: 'The process to reapply may take up to 10 days or more'; the expiring stamp may not be used in the meantime ('My current commission has expired and I have reapplied. May I use my old stamp until my new stamp is made? No. The stamp with the expired date should be destroyed as soon as possible. [ORS 194.295(2)]'); and a RON notary 'will need to complete a new notice to continue to perform RON.'", "ce_hours": "Oregon imposes no hour-counted continuing education during a commission term -- but it achieves the same end by requiring the full Notary Basics course again at every reappointment. 'As of January 1, 2025, statute requires that notaries take the basic training every four years, before you can obtain a new commission. This enables us to make sure that all notaries receive the most current information about statute and rule changes' (2024 Notary Public Guide), and 'taking the Basic training every four years keeps notaries up to date on current issues of concern and changes in statute, rule, and best practices' (Notary Administration FAQs). The Secretary of State also offers a Notary Advanced instructor-led webinar and an Apostilles and Authentications webinar; neither is presented as a requirement. No mid-term continuing-education obligation appears in ORS Chapter 194, on the Notary Training page, on the Qualifications page or in either agency FAQ -- all four sources checked.", "exam": "A state examination is required of every applicant: 'An applicant for a commission as a notary public must pass an examination administered by the Secretary of State or an entity approved by the secretary. The examination must be based on the course of study described in subsection (3) of this section' (ORS 194.325(1)). The course must be completed before the exam (ORS 194.325(2)), and the exam is taken through the Secretary of State even when the training came from an approved provider: 'If you take the training from an approved provider rather than the Secretary of State's office, you will be directed back to us to take the mandatory notary test.' Applicants supply an education training number and an exam certificate ID when applying. The 2024 Notary Public Guide states the exam's scope: 'These are found in Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 194 and Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 160-100. The application examination is based on those laws and rules.' Passing score and exam fee: neither is published in ORS 194.325, on the Secretary of State's Notary Training page, on the Commission Application page or in the Notary Administration FAQs -- all four sources checked. The only state fee named anywhere is the $40 application processing fee.", "fees": "State fee: $40, once, per application. 'The processing fee is $40 for each application. Payment must be sent with the oath of office. It can't be sent separately' (SOS Commission Application/Reapplication page). The statute caps it: 'each applicant for a commission as a notary public shall pay in advance to the secretary a nonrefundable application fee not to exceed $40' (ORS 194.365(1)), deposited to the Corporation Division's operating account 'in lieu of any fee charged under ORS 177.130' (194.365(2)). Because a renewal is legally a new application, the same $40 applies each four-year cycle. Payment methods: 'The Secretary of State is unable to accept online payment for security reasons. You can provide payment by check, money order, or credit card, using the postal service, overnight post through UPS or Fed-Ex, or fax using this cover sheet.... If you wish to pay cash, you must bring the oath and payment in person to our office.' No charge for: the Secretary of State's Notary Basics, Advanced, Apostilles and RON training -- 'All notary trainings offered through the Secretary of State are free' -- and no fee is published for filing the IPEN or RON notice. Not state-set: the stamping device and journal, which the notary buys from any vendor ('The Secretary of State's office does not sell or provide stamps and journals, nor is it appropriate for us to recommend specific businesses'), and any charge by a private approved training provider ('The Secretary of State training is the only free training; be careful to check cost when considering approved providers'). Not published: an examination fee -- none appears in ORS 194.325 or 194.365, on the Notary Training page, on the Commission Application page or in the Notary Administration FAQs (all four sources checked).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Or. Rev. Stat. Ch. 194 (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Oregon notary scheme, adopted as RULONA -- 'This chapter may be cited as the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts' (ORS 194.205).\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.315\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Application, the eleven qualification tests, the oath of office as a precondition to issuance, the four-year term, the fee-waiver option, and the declarations that a notary commission is not a public office for constitutional purposes.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.325 (amended 2024 c.27 s.1)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The mandatory course of study and the examination administered by the Secretary of State or an approved entity -- the basis for Oregon's every-four-years retraining rule.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.290 and 194.295\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The official stamp's required contents and legibility, and the stamping device's security, disabling on expiry/resignation/revocation, disposal on death, and loss reporting.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.300\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The journal: universal duty with six optional act types, format, seven required entry fields, 10-year retention, batching, loss reporting, transfer on revocation or death, public-records treatment, and employer retention agreements.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.305\", \"what_it_governs\": \"In-person electronic notarization: the notary's free choice of tamper-evident technology, the mandatory notice to the Secretary of State before the first electronic act, and county-clerk acceptance of a certified tangible copy of an electronic record.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.277\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization: definitions, the notary's Oregon-location requirement, the three identification routes, the audiovisual recording and its 10-year retention, the outside-the-United-States conditions, certificate wording, the pre-act notice to the Secretary of State, and the rulemaking power.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ORS 194.345, 194.350, 194.365, 194.370 and 194.400\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The public database of notaries; prohibited acts including the 'notario'/'notario publico' ban and the advertising disclaimer; the $40 application-fee cap; the State Police background investigation and deemed consent; and the fee schedule ($10 per act, $25 for a remote act, travel fee on prior agreement, mandatory posted fee list).\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Or. Admin. R. Ch. 160, Div. 100 (Secretary of State, Corporation Division -- notaries public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The rules the exam is based on, including OAR 160-100-0140 (reliance on a vendor's NENS declaration for IPEN), OAR 160-100-0400 (fee posting), OAR 160-100-0420 (waiver of fees) and OAR 160-100-0805 / 160-100-0855 (RON vendor system requirements). Cited throughout the Secretary of State's notary pages and the 2024 Notary Public Guide.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Documents/notary-guide.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Qualifications for a Commission -- the eleven-item qualification list including 'Completed a notary training course within the last 6 months. All notaries, including current notaries, must complete the Notary Basics course before applying for a commission' and 'Passed the Secretary of State's Notary Public examination', ending with 'A background check is conducted on all applications for a notary public commission.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/notary-qualification.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Notary Training -- 'A mandatory \\\"Basics\\\" training course is required along with the application, exam and filing fee'; 'All notary trainings offered through the Secretary of State are free'; the self-paced online, instructor-led webinar and in-person formats delivered through Workday Learning; and 'RON - Remote Online Notarization Training[:] This is required training before applying to perform remote online notarization. It does not in any way replace or substitute for basic notary training.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/notary-training.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Commission Application/Reapplication -- the application sequence, 'Each notarial commission is unique, and a new notarial commission number and expiration date are issued once your application is accepted', and the payment rule: 'Once your application is approved, you will receive an oath of office by email.... The oath of office must be notarized by a commissioned notary.... The processing fee is $40 for each application. Payment must be sent with the oath of office. It can't be sent separately.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/commission-application-reapplication.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Official Notary Stamp Imprint Guidelines -- the exact stamp layout: state seal per ORS 186.020, then in descending uppercase 'OFFICIAL STAMP', the notary's printed name, 'NOTARY PUBLIC-OREGON', 'COMMISSION NO.' with the number, and 'MY COMMISSION EXPIRES' with the month spelled out, two-digit day and four-digit year.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/notary-stamp-guidelines.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Remote Online Notarization -- 'Training is required before you can begin'; 'The Notary must still be located in Oregon like traditional notarizations, but the signer can be located outside Oregon'; 'RON and IPEN ... are not the same and there are two separate application processes'; the OAR 160-100-0805 / 160-100-0855 vendor requirement; the notice-by-email process; and 'When you renew your commission, you will need to complete a new notice to continue to perform RON.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/remote-online-notarization.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, In Person Electronic Notarization -- 'IPEN is notarizing an electronic document while the signer is present before the notary. The same rules for paper notarizations apply.... The signer must be physically present, have the proper identification and the journal entry must be completed', plus the NENS vendor rule and 'Under OAR 160-100-0140, the notary may rely on a vendor's declaration.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/electronic-notarization.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Notary Practice FAQs -- the bond/E&O negative in the agency's own words: 'Am I required to have errors and omissions insurance or to take out a bond to become a notary? Bonds or E&O insurance are not currently required in Oregon'; plus the journal-confidentiality and employer-retention answers and the will and I-9 answers.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/oregon-notary-public-faq.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, Notary Administration FAQs -- 'Every applicant must take the Notary Basics course before applying for a commission, whether they are a current notary or not; this is required by law'; 'All Secretary of State notary trainings are free'; 'The Secretary of State training is the only free training; be careful to check cost when considering approved providers'; the commission-name rule under ORS 194.240(2); and 'The Secretary of State is unable to accept online payment for security reasons.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Pages/oregon-notary-online-system-faq.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State, 2024 Notary Public Guide (84-page official handbook) -- 'The term of office for Oregon Notaries Public is 4 years'; 'As of January 1, 2025, statute requires that notaries take the basic training every four years'; 'Oregon does not require its notaries public to be bonded or to have liability insurance'; 'A notary public commission is not automatically renewed, and we do not send out a renewal notice'; 'You can submit a new application 30 days before the expiration'; 'A notary may charge up to $10 per notarial act'; and the fee-waiver and travel-fee guidance citing OAR 160-100-0400, 160-100-0420 and 160-100-0610(57).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.oregon.gov/business/notary/Documents/notary-guide.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 194, full chapter text from the Oregon Legislative Assembly -- source for the four-year term and qualifications (194.315), the course and examination (194.325), the official stamp and stamping device (194.290, 194.295), the universal journal duty and its six exceptions (194.300), IPEN notice (194.305), RON (194.277), the database (194.345), prohibited acts and the 'notario' ban (194.350), the $40 fee cap (194.365), the State Police check (194.370), the $10/$25 fee schedule (194.400), and who may notarize in Oregon (194.255). Also the basis for the bond negative -- 'bond' and 'insurance' appear zero times in the chapter.\", \"url\": \"https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors194.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Oregon Secretary of State 'Active Notaries' dataset on data.oregon.gov -- the public notary database, described by the state as a 'List of current active Notaries' with creator 'Secretary of State - Corporation Division'; machine-readable at https://data.oregon.gov/resource/j2pk-zk6z.json.\", \"url\": \"https://data.oregon.gov/business/Active-Notaries/j2pk-zk6z/about_data\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/or-notary/" }, { "page_id": "pa-notary", "state": "Pennsylvania", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Pennsylvania Department of State, Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation (older Department material and its own application page also call it the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation and the 'Bureau of Notaries, Commissions & Legislation'). Notaries are appointed and commissioned by the Department of State. County offices hold a mandatory but non-issuing role: the Department sends the commission certificate to the recorder of deeds of the county where the appointee maintains an office, and the appointee must record the bond, oath of office and commission there and register an official signature before the commission takes effect.", "board_url": "https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries", "application_url": "https://www.pa.gov/services/dos/apply-to-be-a-notary-", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a reappointment: a fresh application, a fresh $42 fee, a fresh 3-hour education course - and, if the old commission has lapsed even by one day, the examination again. Window: 'A notary public must submit an application for renewal prior to the expiration of the commission under which the notary public is acting. A notary public may submit an application for renewal up to 90 days prior to the expiration of the commission under which the notary public is acting' (4 Pa. Code s. 167.12(c)). The Department advises more margin than the rule requires: 'Applications for reappointment should be filed at least two to three months prior to the expiration date of a commission to ensure an uninterrupted commission.' What renewal requires (s. 167.12(b)): be 18 or older; be a US citizen or permanent legal resident; be a Pennsylvania resident or have a place of employment or practice there; read and write English; not be disqualified under 57 Pa.C.S. s. 323(a); 'Have completed at least 3 hours of department-approved continuing education within the 6-month period immediately preceding submission of the application'; submit the prescribed form; and pay the $42 fee. The lapse penalty is the headline fact: s. 167.13(b) - an applicant 'who previously held a notary commission in this Commonwealth, but the commission has expired at the time the application for renewal is received by the department, must comply with s. 167.11', i.e. the full initial-appointment path including the Pearson VUE examination. The Department states it plainly: 'if a notary applies for reappointment even one day after his or her commission is expired, RULONA requires that the applicant take and pass the examination, even if the notary has already passed the examination previously.' After reappointment the 45-day county clock runs again: a renewing notary must again obtain and record a bond, take and record the oath, record the commission and register the official signature within 45 days of the appointment date, or the new commission is null and void. Electronic/remote capability does not carry over: the Department's steps document ends 'Steps 1-6 are repeated at the beginning of each four-year commission', and 4 Pa. Code s. 167.81(3) requires the notification to the Department 'at the beginning of each new commission.'", "ce_hours": "3 hours per four-year cycle - Pennsylvania is a continuing-education state, and the CE is a precondition to filing the renewal, not something accrued during the term. 57 Pa.C.S. s. 322(c), implemented at 4 Pa. Code s. 167.12(b)(6): a renewing applicant must 'Have completed at least 3 hours of department-approved continuing education within the 6-month period immediately preceding submission of the application, as required by 57 Pa.C.S. s. 322(c). The applicant shall submit a certificate of education evidencing successful completion of the continuing education course.' The Department states it as one rule covering both directions: 'As a condition for initial appointment and reappointment, all notaries public are required to complete a three-hour preapproved notary public education course within six months immediately preceding application', and 'New and renewing notaries must complete a mandatory three-hour educational course.' The course is tiered, and this is the part most often got wrong: 'Courses preapproved by the Secretary are designated as approved for initial appointment or approved for reappointment. All courses approved for initial appointment may be used to satisfy the education requirement for reappointment, in addition to the courses approved solely for reappointment. Courses approved for reappointment are more advanced in content and are designed to be relevant for the notary who has already completed the basic education course.' So a reappointment-only course does not satisfy an initial application, while an initial-appointment course does satisfy a reappointment. No exemption exists: 'There is no exemption to the mandatory education requirement ... All notaries public are required to complete an approved notary education course in order to be appointed or reappointed, including those notaries previously \"grandfathered\" by the Tritt v. Cortes court ruling.' The pre-RULONA exemption for notaries whose commission was in effect on July 1, 2003 was abolished when RULONA took effect on October 26, 2017. The 6-month window is the trap, not the hour count: a course taken seven months before the renewal application does not count, and the Department lists 'Not providing evidence of having completed the required notary education course within six months before the application' first among the reasons a commission is not issued.", "exam": "Required to become a notary, and required again at renewal only if the commission has lapsed. 57 Pa.C.S. s. 322(a), implemented at 4 Pa. Code s. 167.15. Who must take it: 'All applicants for appointment and commission who do not hold a current and unexpired notary public commission at the time the application is received by the Department of State must pass an examination administered by the Department's examination vendor, Pearson VUE. This includes applicants who have never held notary commissions and all applicants who previously held notary commissions but whose commissions have lapsed or expired at the time their application for reappointment is received by the Department, EVEN JUST FOR ONE DAY.' The Department repeats the point in its application guidance: 'Only applicants who apply while their commission is active are exempt from the examination - if a notary applies for reappointment even one day after his or her commission is expired, RULONA requires that the applicant take and pass the examination, even if the notary has already passed the examination previously.' Order of operations: 'An applicant may not take the examination prior to submission of and approval by the department of an application for appointment' (s. 167.15(b)) - the application and its $42 fee come first, then Pearson VUE emails testing instructions. Format and delivery: 'a proctored computer-based examination' (s. 167.2 definition of Examination), 'offered at Pearson VUE test centers in nearly all Pennsylvania counties.' Online option, one shot: the Department states that applicants get 'a one-time attempt opportunity to take the examination requirement from their home/office. If the initial attempt produces a failed result, any subsequent testing must be taken at an approved Pearson VUE testing center location.' Cost: 'The cost of the examination is $65 per test.' Passing score: 'An applicant shall attain a scaled score of 75 or higher to pass the examination' (s. 167.15(d)(1)) - Pennsylvania publishes the number, unlike several pass/fail-only states. Window and retakes: 'Upon approval by the department of an application for appointment, an applicant will be authorized to take the examination for a period of 6 months' and 'An applicant may retake the examination within the 6-month period, but no more than one time per 24-hour period' (s. 167.15(c)). Result shelf life: 'Examination results are valid for a period of 1 year from the date of the examination' (s. 167.15(d)(2)). Failing the window: 'Applicants who are unable to pass the examination within six months will be required to retake the basic education course and reapply for appointment and commission to the Department' - a new course and a new $42 application. Content: 'The examination is based on the basic education course of study, which must cover the statutes, regulations, procedures and ethics relevant to notarial acts, with a core curriculum including the duties and responsibilities of the office of notary public and electronic notarization.' Scoring route: 'Examination results will be electronically reported to the Department by Pearson VUE.' No exemption for attorneys or any other profession was found; all sources checked were 4 Pa. Code ss. 167.11-167.15 and Subchapter I, the Department's Examination Requirement page, its Application Information page and its Apply to be a Notary service page.", "fees": "Paid to the Commonwealth (4 Pa. Code s. 161.1, 'Schedule of fees', as amended March 27, 2026 effective March 28, 2026 at 56 Pa.B. 1672, as of 2026-08-13): 'Application for appointment and commission as a notary public $42'; 'Application for renewal of appointment and commission as a notary public $42'; 'Copies (per page) $1'; 'Master list of notaries public $50'; 'Other notary public-related lists and data requests $25'; 'Approval of notary public education course $1,013'; 'Renewal of approval of notary public education course $525' (the last two are charged to education providers, not to notaries); and for certificates, 'For certifying copies of any public papers or records on file with the office, the copy fee (if the office furnished the copy), plus $15' and the same $15 'For certifying matters of public record with the office (including no record).' The Department's own pages confirm the $42: 'An application fee of $42 is required', and 'Include a check in the amount of $42.00 made payable to the \"Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.\"' Paid to Pearson VUE: 'The cost of the examination is $65 per test.' Paid to a third party and not set by the state: the 3-hour approved education course (provider-priced); the surety premium for the $25,000 bond (surety-priced); the official stamp/stamping device; and any electronic or remote notarization technology - the Department's steps document says 'The notary and the selected electronic/remote notary technology provider work together directly to obtain and pay for an electronic/remote notary technology.' Paid to the county: recording the bond, oath and commission with the recorder of deeds, and registering the official signature, are county filings; no state source checked sets that county recording fee - the sources checked were 4 Pa. Code ss. 161.1 and 167.17-167.18 and the Department's Application Information, Bonding Requirement and Prothonotary and Recorder of Deeds Registration pages, none of which states an amount, and Pennsylvania recording fee schedules are set county by county. No state fee for the electronic/remote notary notification: the Department states the notice 'does not require the payment of any additional fees or any additional training.' No fee appears in s. 161.1 for a duplicate commission or for a name or address change - the amended schedule lists only the items quoted above.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3 (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, 'RULONA')\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The governing statute for Pennsylvania notaries public: appointment, commission and qualifications (s. 321), examination, basic education and continuing education (s. 322), sanctions and disqualification (s. 323), personal appearance (s. 306), notarial acts performed for remotely located individuals (s. 306.1), identification of individuals (s. 307), official stamp (s. 317), stamping device (s. 318), journal (s. 319), notification regarding notarial acts on electronic records and selection of technology (s. 320) and fees (s. 329.1). RULONA took effect in Pennsylvania on October 26, 2017. Not read directly for this page: palegis.us, the General Assembly's statute publisher, could not be reached on 2026-08-13, so every statutory provision cited on this page is quoted or characterized only as it is reproduced in the Department of State's regulations at 4 Pa. Code Chapter 167 or on the Department's own published pages\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter167/chap167toc.html&d=reduce\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 Pa. Code Chapter 167 (Notaries Public), added March 27, 2026, effective March 28, 2026, 56 Pa.B. 1672\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Department of State's comprehensive notary regulations, adopted under 57 Pa.C.S. ss. 327(a), 329.1(a) and 306.1: fees (167.3), qualifications and application for initial appointment and for renewal with and without a lapse (167.11-167.13), the commissioned name (167.14), the examination including the scaled-75 passing score and the 6-month window (167.15), the $25,000 bond (167.16), appointment and the 45-day recording and signature-registration duties (167.17-167.18), the official stamp and stamping device (167.21-167.22), the journal (167.31-167.36), scope of practice, personal appearance, satisfactory evidence of identity, interpreters and language of record (167.41-167.45), notarial acts and notarial certificates (167.61, 167.71), electronic and remote notarization including technology-provider approval standards (167.81-167.88), notary public education and provider approval (167.91-167.98), standards of conduct (167.111) and prohibited acts and sanctions (167.121)\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter167/chap167toc.html&d=reduce\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 Pa. Code s. 161.1 (Schedule of fees), amended March 27, 2026, effective March 28, 2026, 56 Pa.B. 1672\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The fees charged by the Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation: $42 for an application for appointment and commission as a notary public, $42 for an application for renewal, $1 per copy page, $50 for the master list of notaries public, $25 for other notary public-related lists and data requests, $1,013 for approval of a notary public education course and $525 for renewal of that approval, plus the $15 certification fees\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter161/chap161toc.html&d=reduce\"}, {\"citation\": \"4 Pa. Code Chapter 163 (Special Rules of Administrative Practice and Procedure), s. 163.1 amended March 27, 2026, effective March 28, 2026\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Makes 1 Pa. Code Part II, the general rules of administrative practice and procedure, applicable 'to the activities of and proceedings before the Department of State relating to commissions and notaries public' - the procedural rules for notary commissioning and disciplinary proceedings\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter163/chap163toc.html&d=reduce\"}, {\"citation\": \"56 Pa.B. 1672 (final-form rulemaking, Pennsylvania Bulletin vol. 56 no. 13)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The final rulemaking that added 4 Pa. Code Chapter 167 and amended Chapters 161 and 163, with the Department's preamble responding to public comment. It is the source the Department itself cites for the meaning of the receipt rule: 'In the preamble to the final regulations (56 Pa.B. 1672), the Department explained that this section of the regulation is intended to clarify 57 Pa.C.S. s. 329.1(c)(1), which dictates that \\\"fees of the notary public shall be separately stated\\\"'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol56/56-13/438.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Act 97 of 2020 (and Act 15 of 2020)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization in Pennsylvania. Per the Department: remote notarization began 'temporarily for limited transactions on March 25, 2020 and culminating with Act 97 of 2020, effective October 29, 2020. Act 97 made remote online notarization a permanent part of Pennsylvania law.' The Department's remote-notarization guidance dates the temporary Act 15 of 2020 authorization from April 20, 2020\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/resources/notaries-resources-and-information/electronic-or-remote-notarization\"}, {\"citation\": \"51 Pa.C.S. s. 9101 (acknowledgments and administering oaths without charge)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Cited by 4 Pa. Code s. 167.3(e) as the Department's own example of 'other applicable law' that bars a notary from charging a fee. The section itself could not be read (palegis.us could not be reached on 2026-08-13); it is listed here only as the Department's cross-reference, and nothing is asserted about its contents\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter167/chap167toc.html&d=reduce\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-13", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Notaries and Notary Services' program page. The agency's own overview: 'Notaries public are appointed by the Pennsylvania Department of State and hold their positions for four-year terms. An application fee of $42 is required, and the processing time for applications generally ranges from 2 to 4 weeks. All first-time notaries must pass a notary examination administered by the Department's examination vendor Pearson VUE. New and renewing notaries must complete a mandatory three-hour educational course.' Source of the full eligibility list including the three incompatible-office bars, the 'After You Apply' 45-day duties, the 'Common Reasons an Applicant Will Not be Issued a Commission' list, and the FAQ answers on term length, 45-day nullification and when the exam must be retaken\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Code, 4 Pa. Code Chapter 167 (Notaries Public) - full chapter text. Carries the authority note 'The provisions of this Chapter 167 added under 57 Pa.C.S. ss. 327(a), 329.1(a) and 306.1' and the source note 'added March 27, 2026, effective March 28, 2026, 56 Pa.B. 1672'. This is the authority for the maximum-fee table (167.3), the eligibility and application rules (167.11-167.13), the name rules (167.14), the examination rules including 'An applicant shall attain a scaled score of 75 or higher' and 'Examination results are valid for a period of 1 year from the date of the examination' (167.15), 'An applicant shall obtain a surety bond in the amount of $25,000' with its transitional provision (167.16), the 45-day duties (167.17-167.18), the official stamp content including the seven-digit commission number (167.21), the stamping-device rules (167.22), the entire journal subchapter (167.31-167.36), scope of practice and personal appearance (167.41-167.43), and the electronic and remote notarization subchapter including the 10-year audiovisual retention standard at 167.86(6)\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter167/chap167toc.html&d=reduce\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Code, 4 Pa. Code s. 161.1 'Schedule of fees'. The state fee schedule as amended March 27, 2026 effective March 28, 2026 at 56 Pa.B. 1672: 'Application for appointment and commission as a notary public $42', 'Application for renewal of appointment and commission as a notary public $42', 'Copies (per page) $1', 'Master list of notaries public $50', 'Other notary public-related lists and data requests $25', 'Approval of notary public education course $1,013', 'Renewal of approval of notary public education course $525'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/004/chapter161/chap161toc.html&d=reduce\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'New Notary Regulations to Take Effect on March 28, 2026'; page dated December 29, 2025). The Department's own summary of what changed: the bond increase from $10,000 to $25,000 with its transitional rule, the new seven-digit commission number on the official stamp with its transitional rule and a compliant example, the new $5 witnessing/attesting fee and the $20 electronic/remote surcharge, the expanded acceptable-ID list, the interpreter and non-English document rules, the 30-day change notifications to the Department, the certified-copy permitted and prohibited lists, and the appointment-date versus first-day-of-commission distinction\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/notary-regulations-changes\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Notary Public Fees'; page dated April 6, 2026). The maximum-fee table restated by the agency, the $20 electronic/remote surcharge, the itemized-receipt rule and the Department's 'Guidance on Receipts', the rule that clerical and travel fees are permitted but 'are not set by the Department', and 'Notary fees are presumed to be the property of the notary public'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/notary-public-fees\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Bonding Requirement'. 'Within 45 days after the date of his/her appointment, a notary public is required to execute a $25,000 bond'; 'A notary public may perform notarial acts in this Commonwealth only during the period in which a valid bond is on file'; and the explicit statement that 'Errors and omissions insurance is not required in order to obtain or maintain a Pennsylvania notary commission. A $25,000 bond is required to get and keep a Pennsylvania notary commission'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/bonding-requirement\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Examination Requirement'. Who must test (including a commission lapsed 'even just for one day'), Pearson VUE as the Department's vendor, 'The cost of the examination is $65 per test', the six-month window with unlimited retakes inside it, the consequence of failing the window (retake the basic education course and reapply), and the one-time at-home online attempt\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/examination-requirement\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Mandatory Education Requirement'. The three-hour course within six months immediately preceding application for both appointment and reappointment, the initial-versus-reappointment course designations, the Department's roster audit, and 'There is no exemption to the mandatory education requirement... including those notaries previously \\\"grandfathered\\\" by the Tritt v. Cortes court ruling'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/mandatory-education-requirement\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Application Information'. The $42 check made payable to 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania', the name-format rules and the duty to use the commissioned form consistently, the reappointment timing advice, 'Only applicants who apply while their commission is active are exempt from the examination', the full 45-day post-appointment sequence, the separate PennDOT agent services status, and 'The notary public commission expires four years after the date of appointment... There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms that may be served'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/application-information\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Prothonotary and Recorder of Deeds Registration'. The signature-registration duty within 45 days, the clerk-of-courts variant for counties of the second class, 'Starting January 3, 2023, applicants may register their signature in the office of Recorder of Deeds instead of the Prothonotary or Clerk of Courts', the 30-day re-registration duty on moving the office to another county, and the null-and-void consequence of missing the 45 days\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/prothonotary-and-recorder-of-deeds-registration\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Notary Public Equipment'. The official stamp specification and dimensions, the optional embosser, the placement and custody rules, the destruction duty at the end of a commission and 'DO NOT send your old notary stamp to the Department unless your commission has been suspended or revoked'; plus the journal section ('Formerly called the notary register...'), the tangible-versus-electronic format rules, the six required entry elements and the Department's worked example journal page\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/resources/notaries-resources-and-information/notary-public-equipment\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Electronic or Remote Notarization'. The Department's own distinction between eNotarization (signer still physically present) and remote notarization, the dates 'The electronic notarization program was established on January 30, 2006. Remote notarization came in phases, beginning temporarily for limited transactions on March 25, 2020 and culminating with Act 97 of 2020, effective October 29, 2020', and the requirement to notify the Department and select approved technology before performing either kind of act\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/resources/notaries-resources-and-information/electronic-or-remote-notarization\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Remote Notarization' general information and requirements (PDF; document dated November 4, 2020, revised 11/30/2020). Source for 'Notice is given to the Department in an online form provided by the Department and does not require the payment of any additional fees or any additional training'; the technology standards including two identity-proofing technologies and an audio-visual recording 'retained by the notary public or a person acting on his or her behalf for at least ten years'; 'Skype, Zoom and FaceTime alone are NOT acceptable remote notarization technologies'; the certificate wording 'This notarial act involved the use of communication technology'; the location rules for the notary and for a signer outside the United States; and the meaning of the 'e-notary capable' database flag\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dos/programs/notary/electronic-notarization/Remote-notarization-General-Info-and-Req.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'The Steps to Becoming an Electronic or Remote Notary in Pennsylvania' (PDF; last revised 4/20/2020). The six-step sequence, 'The same form is used for electronic notaries and remote notaries', the authorization running 'until the end of the notary public's current four-year commission', 'The notary and the selected electronic/remote notary technology provider work together directly to obtain and pay for an electronic/remote notary technology', and 'Steps 1-6 are repeated at the beginning of each four-year commission'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dos/programs/notary/electronic-notarization/eight_steps_to_becomng_an_electronic_notary_public.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Apply to be a Notary' service page. The five authorized notarial acts, 'more than 85,000 people are commissioned as notaries in the Commonwealth', the eligibility list, the initial-versus-reappointment application checklists each ending in the '$42 filing fee', and the 'Verify your commission status' route to the Department's notary search\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/services/dos/apply-to-be-a-notary-\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Department of State - 'Notaries vs Notario Publico - Know the Difference'. The Department's own consumer warning that a US notary public is not the 'notario publico' found in other countries, the list of what a Pennsylvania notary may not do (help write legal documents or give legal advice, act as an immigration expert or consultant, represent someone in immigration or citizenship matters, or charge for those activities), the advertising-disclaimer duty, and 'Notaries who charge fees are required to give the customer an itemized receipt'\", \"url\": \"https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/notario-fraud\"}, {\"label\": \"Pennsylvania Bulletin, 56 Pa.B. 1672 - the final-form rulemaking adopting 4 Pa. Code Chapter 167 and amending Chapters 161 and 163 from the official Pennsylvania Bulletin database. Cited by the Department as the preamble explaining the itemized-receipt rule against 57 Pa.C.S. s. 329.1(c)(1)\", \"url\": \"https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol56/56-13/438.html\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/pa-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ri-notary", "state": "Rhode Island", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division - Notary Public Section (the \"commissioning agency\"); the Governor of Rhode Island is the \"commissioning officer\" who appoints notaries", "board_url": "https://www.sos.ri.gov/Divisions/NotaryPublic", "application_url": "https://www.sos.ri.gov/Divisions/NotaryPublic/ApplyForNewCommission", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a reappointment on the same $80 four-year application form, with the existing commission ID number entered. 'Approximately two months prior to the notary commission expiration date, a courtesy renewal notice is mailed to the notary's address of record.' 'NOTE: Renewal applications will ONLY be processed two months prior to the expiration date' - so there is no early renewal beyond that two-month window. Filing before the expiration date keeps the same expiration day and month; filing after it resets the expiration date. Grace period: 'Per RI General Law 42-30.1-15(g) Every notary public appointed by the commissioning officer and not reappointed may continue to officiate for a space of thirty (30) days after the date on which his or her commission expires.' After 30 days the person 'is no longer a notary public and cannot perform notarial acts', and a renewal filed after that point is treated as a new application, including taking the Notary Knowledge Assessment. A renewing notary keeps the original notary ID number. (All quotes: Notary Public Manual rev. 7/2024, p.4.) Separately, notaries must report changes of name, address, employment, phone, email, or public-listing preference within 10 days, and changes to electronic-notarization status within 5 days, using the Notary Public Information Update form.", "ce_hours": "None. Rhode Island imposes no continuing-education requirement on notaries public for renewal: the renewal path is the same $80 application form with the commission ID number, and the Department's renewal instructions (Notary Public Manual p.4, Apply for a New Commission page) state no hour requirement. The only education-hour item the Department publishes runs the other way: 'RI attorneys and CPAs can earn two continuing education credits by attending our free notary public training' - i.e. the notary training earns CE for those professions rather than being CE required of notaries. Sources checked: Notary Public Manual (rev. 7/2024), Standards of Conduct (eff. 9/22/2022), application/renewal form (rev. 4/2025), Apply for a New Commission page, Become an Electronic/Remote Notary page, RON Performance Guide. R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-30.1 was not readable.", "exam": "Rhode Island has no proctored licensing examination for notaries public. What exists is the Department of State's own 'Notary Knowledge Assessment', described in the Notary Public Manual (p.4) as 'a multi-question tool available on our website to help notaries fullfil the requirement of demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the powers and duties of the Office. It is available on our website as well as in paper form. A score of 80% or higher demonstrates sufficient knowledge of the powers and duties of the Office. Notaries who receive a score of less than 80% are strongly encouraged to review the notary manual and if necessary, take the assessment again.' The Apply for a New Commission page lists, under things an applicant 'should' do, 'Take the Notary Knowledge Assessment and achieve a score of at least 80%.' Neither the application form nor the apply page requires a score to be submitted or attached; the application instead carries an attestation that the applicant 'ha[s] gained sufficient knowledge of the powers and duties pertaining to the Rhode Island Office of Notary Public.' On that basis this page treats the exam as not required (self-administered, no score filed, no stated consequence below 80%). There is no fee for the assessment separate from the $80 application fee. Separately, for RON the state says outright: 'Do I need training or have to take a test? You do not have to take a test' (RON Performance Guide FAQ). A notary who renews more than 30 days after expiration 'is considered a new notary applicant for qualification purposes' and 'must meet all new notary filing requirements. This includes demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the powers and duties pertaining to the office by taking the Notary Knowledge Assessment' (Manual p.4).", "fees": "State fees published by the Rhode Island Department of State, verified 2026-08-12 on both the live application form and the live apply page (they agree exactly): new commission - $80.00, non-refundable, for a four-year commission ('Filing Fee: $80.00 (Four year commission)' on the form; 'The non-refundable fee to apply is $80' on the apply page). Renewal - the same $80 form and fee; the form is a single 'Application for/Renewal of Appointment' with a New/Renewing checkbox. Payment - 'payable either by mail via check made payable to RI Department of State or in person via cash, credit card, or check at the Business Services Division, 148 W. River Street, Providence, RI 02904.' Electronic / remote online notarization registration - no state fee: the Become an Electronic/Remote Notary page states 'There is no fee to file this form' for the Notary Public Information Update form used to register. Apostille / certification of a notary's signature - '$5.00 per apostille or certification being requested' (Manual p.21). Not state fees: the notary stamp and journal - 'The Rhode Island Department of State does not sell or issue notary tools'; the RON/eNotary solution-provider subscription, which is bought from a private approved provider. No county recording fee applies: the commission is issued and recorded by the Department of State, and nothing in the manual, form or apply page routes the commission through a city or town clerk.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-30.1 (Uniform Law on Notarial Acts)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire notary public regime in Rhode Island - definitions, notarial acts, qualifications, commissioning, stamps and electronic notarization; identified as the governing chapter by the Department of State ('Notarial practices in the State of Rhode Island are governed by RIGL 42-30.1 and the Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public', Manual p.3).\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/INDEX.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 42-30.1-2\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Definitions, including 'commission', 'notarial act', 'notary public', 'official stamp' and 'journal of notarial acts'; also the source of a notary's authority over protests of bills of exchange and promissory notes.\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/42-30.1-2.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 42-30.1-6(b)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"'Satisfactory evidence of the identity' - the identification standard a notary must apply, incorporated by reference into the Standards of Conduct.\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/42-30.1-6.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 42-30.1-14\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic notarization - the provision under which 'a notary public may perform electronic notarizations by selecting one or more tamper-evidence technologies approved by the Rhode Island Department of State' and must register with the Department before doing so (Manual p.8).\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/42-30.1-14.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 42-30.1-15\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment and qualifications of notaries public - the section cited on the face of the application form; subsection (g) gives the 30-day post-expiration grace period.\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/42-30.1-15.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 42-30.1-16\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Denial, refusal to renew, revocation, suspension or conditioning of a commission, and the disqualifying conduct list; complaints are handled by the Governor and investigated by the Department of Administration.\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/42-30.1-16.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 42-30.1-21\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notary public - fraud or deceit in office: a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment of not more than one year, or both.\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30.1/42-30.1-21.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island, effective September 22, 2022 (issued by Governor Daniel J. McKee and Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Scope of duties, the stamp specification, prohibited acts and conflicts, journal best practice, duties at the end of a commission, and Sec. 8 'Authority to Perform Secure Remote Online Notarization'. History: Executive Order 09-08 (4/9/2009), supplemented by Executive Order 09-25 (10/1/2009), amended 11/18/2009, amended and restated 1/1/2019 and 2020.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/notary-standards-of-conduct-for-notaries-amended.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 9-17-3 and Sec. 8-8.2-4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"A Rhode Island notary's power to issue subpoenas to witnesses in civil or criminal cases and before the traffic tribunal (Manual p.17).\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE9/9-17/9-17-3.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Sec. 9-18-1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"A Rhode Island notary's power to take depositions of witnesses for use in civil proceedings in which the notary is not an interested party, counsel or attorney (Manual p.17).\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE9/9-18/9-18-1.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-30\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Justices of the Peace - the separate Rhode Island commission administered by the same Department of State Notary Section (cited on the Department's Justice of the Peace application page).\", \"url\": \"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-30/INDEX.htm\"}, {\"citation\": \"10 U.S.C. Sec. 1044a; 22 U.S.C. Sec. 4221\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Federal military and consular notarial powers recognised in Rhode Island, reproduced at Manual p.6.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/Notary-Public-Manual.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Rhode Island Department of State, Notary Public Manual (revised 7/2024, 24 pp.) - the state's official handbook. Establishes the four-year gubernatorial appointment ('A Notary Public is an official of integrity commissioned to a four-year term by the Governor'), the six qualification requirements, the Notary Knowledge Assessment and its 80% threshold, the $80 fee ('Mail in the completed application along with the $80 fee for a four-year commission'), the mandatory inked stamp, the fee cap ('A notary public may charge a fee not to exceed $25 per document/notarization'), the non-mandatory journal ('RI general law does not mandate that notaries use a journal of notarial acts'), electronic-notarization registration, the 30-day renewal grace period and the 'notario' prohibition. Contains no bond or E&O requirement.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/Notary-Public-Manual.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Rhode Island Department of State - Apply for a New Commission. Establishes the live requirement list, the education/assessment steps ('Take the Notary Knowledge Assessment and achieve a score of at least 80%'), the Oath of Office before an RI notary, the fee ('The non-refundable fee to apply is $80'), the 3-5 business-day processing, the stamp specification and 'Although a notary journal is not required by law, it is strongly suggested that you use one.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ri.gov/Divisions/NotaryPublic/ApplyForNewCommission\"}, {\"label\": \"Application for/Renewal of Appointment to Office of Notary Public (official form, revised 4/2025) - the live form actually filed. Establishes 'Filing Fee: $80.00 (Four year commission)', the payment methods, the New/Renewing structure, the attorney/CPA and non-resident boxes, the attestation of age, citizenship or permanent legal residency and English ability, the notarial-signature rules, the Oath of Office certificate, and that there is no bond field or bond attachment.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/Notary-Application-Renewal-Form.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island, effective September 22, 2022 (Governor McKee and Secretary of State Gorbea). Establishes the stamp specification verbatim ('The stamp shall be in round (circular) or rectangular form with an edge border...'), Sec. 3(e) 'The keeping of a journal is recommended as best practice but not required', Sec. 7(b) seven-year journal retention, Sec. 8 RON authority and the pre-registration duty ('Prior to commencing remote online notarization, a duly commissioned Rhode Island notary public must register with the commissioning agency'). The words 'bond' and 'insurance' do not appear in this document.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/notary-standards-of-conduct-for-notaries-amended.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Rhode Island Remote Online Notarization Performance Guide (Department of State, 4 pp.). Establishes the six-step 'Before You Begin' registration sequence, 'The recording must be kept by the notary public for at least ten (10) years', the KBA identification requirement, the paper-document 30-day mail-back procedure, 'You do not have to take a test', the ban on Zoom/FaceTime, and 'The maximum fee for any notarial act is $25, whether the notarization is performed in person or remotely.'\", \"url\": \"https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/Remote-Notary-Guide.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Rhode Island Department of State - Become an Electronic/Remote Notary. Establishes the five-step registration ('Submit Request - Mail/deliver the Notary Public Information Update Form with samples'), 'There is no fee to file this form', 'You must receive this confirmation before conducting an Electronic or Remote Online Notarization', the approved-provider table, and that a digital certificate 'is not required by the State of Rhode Island but may be required by the solution provider'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ri.gov/Divisions/NotaryPublic/BecomeRemoteNotary\"}, {\"label\": \"Rhode Island Department of State - Notary Public division home page. The authority's landing page for the commission, the manual, training, the assessment and the lookup.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ri.gov/Divisions/NotaryPublic\"}, {\"label\": \"Rhode Island Department of State - Notary Public and Justice of the Peace (JP) Status Lookup. Establishes the public verification portal and its stated scope: 'This search tool can be used to verify that a Notary Public or JP has an active commission or to find a notary to perform notarial services.'\", \"url\": \"https://business.sos.ri.gov/PublicNotarySearch/Home\"}, {\"label\": \"Rhode Island Department of State - Apply for or Update a Justice of the Peace Commission. Establishes that the JP is a separate four-year, $80 commission under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-30 and that 'Justices of the Peace do not have the power to perform marriage ceremonies in Rhode Island.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.ri.gov/Divisions/NotaryPublic/JusticeOfThePeace/ApplyForJusticeOfPeace\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ri-notary/" }, { "page_id": "sc-notary", "state": "South Carolina", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "South Carolina Secretary of State's Office (the Secretary commissions notaries and keeps their oaths of office on file; the Governor appoints, and the applicant's county legislative delegation must endorse the application first)", "board_url": "https://sos.sc.gov/services-and-filings/notaries", "application_url": "https://sos.sc.gov/sites/sos/files/Documents/Mail%20In%20Service/Notaries/NP_Application_3.18.26.pdf", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a fresh application on the identical form, through the identical county-legislative-delegation route, for the identical $25 fee. 'To renew your commission as a notary public, you will complete the same application as when you initially applied to become a notary public.' There is no grace period and no state reminder: 'There are no automatic renewals or reminders, so notaries must keep track of when to reapply. When reapplying, be sure to send in your application at least 8-12 weeks in advance of your term expiration date in order to allow time for processing by your legislative delegation and by the Secretary of State's Office' (Notary Public Reference Manual). Acting after expiration is an offence - it is a misdemeanor for a person to perform 'a notarial act if the person's commission has expired or been suspended or restricted' (Sec. 26-1-160(A)(2)), punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to 30 days' imprisonment. Name/address changes must be filed before renewing: 'If you are renewing your notary commission, and if your name and/or home address has changed since the issuance of your current commission, you must file the Change in Status form regarding these changes prior to renewing your commission. If your commission has already expired, or you are within 30 days of expiring, you will not need to complete the Change in Status form' (application form, instruction 5). A renewed commission must be re-enrolled with the Clerk of Court, and a notary who moves counties 'should enroll your commission with the Clerk of Court in your new county.' The electronic-notary registration is not separately renewed - it 'shall continue as long as the notary public's current commission remains valid' (Sec. 26-2-20(B)).", "ce_hours": "None. South Carolina requires no continuing education of notaries public: renewal is the same application, endorsement and $25 fee as the original commission, with no hour requirement stated in S.C. Code Title 26 ch. 1, on the application form (rev. March 2026), in the Notary Public Reference Manual or in the SOS FAQ (all four sources checked). The electronic-notary course and examination under Sec. 26-2-30 are a one-time registration prerequisite, not recurring CE, and the registration itself 'shall continue as long as the notary public's current commission remains valid' (Sec. 26-2-20(B)) - the statute states no periodic re-testing. Chapter 113, Article 4 of the S.C. Code of Regulations could not be reached, so any CE rule placed there would not be reflected here.", "exam": "No examination for the ordinary paper notary commission - South Carolina has no notary test for the traditional commission, in Title 26 ch. 1, the application form, the Reference Manual or the SOS FAQ (all sources checked). Required for electronic-notary registration: Sec. 26-2-30 requires the applicant to 'pass an examination' of the Secretary-approved course, and Sec. 26-2-20(C)(1) requires the registration application to include 'proof of the successful completion of the course and examination required pursuant to Section 26-2-30'. The Secretary administers it online: 'After the successful completion of the electronic notary test, the notary public will then select the approved vendor that will provide the technology to perform an electronic notarization.' Not published in the sources read: the passing score, the number of questions, the time limit and whether retakes are allowed - none appears in Sec. 26-2-30, on the notaries page or in the 2023 Reference Manual (which predates none of it but does not cover the portal). No separate examination fee is stated; the $50 in Sec. 26-2-20(A) is a registration fee.", "fees": "State fees, verified 2026-08-12 against both the statute and the live application form, which agree: new commission or renewal - $25.00. 'The fee for the issuance or renewal of a commission is twenty-five dollars, collected by the Secretary of State as other fees' (S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-30); the form repeats it - 'The statutory filing fee is $25.00 (USD), payable to \"SC Secretary of State\"' - and the Reference Manual confirms 'The fee is $25.00 for both new applications and renewals.' Credit/debit card surcharge - '$1.43 will be charged by SC.GOV when paying by credit/debit card' (application, Page 3); check, money order and cash are also accepted, though 'some legislative delegation offices do not accept cash'. Change of status / duplicate commission - $10.00 filing fee, due within 45 days of a change of name, residence, business or mailing address, county or telephone number (Sec. 26-1-130(B); Reference Manual). Resignation - 'There is no filing fee for a resignation.' Electronic notary registration - $50.00: 'A registration fee of fifty dollars must be submitted to the Secretary of State with the registration form' (Sec. 26-2-20(A)). Clerk of court enrollment - a county fee that the state does not set: 'Generally, you will be asked to provide photo identification and a fee when you enroll' (Reference Manual); the amount varies by county and is not published by the Secretary of State. Certificate of authority / apostille - 'The Secretary of State may charge a reasonable fee for issuing a certificate of authority or an Apostille' (Sec. 26-1-220); no dollar amount is fixed in the statute. Not a state fee: the seal or stamp, which is bought privately ('Both seals and stamps can be purchased and personalized at any office supply store'), and the electronic-notary vendor's technology subscription.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"S.C. Code of Laws Title 26, Chapter 1 (Notaries Public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole traditional notary regime - definitions, appointment, ten-year term, delegation endorsement, $25 fee, oath, clerk-of-court enrollment, seal, powers, fees, certificates, status changes, offences. Substantially rewritten by 2014 Act No. 185 (S.356), effective June 2, 2014.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-10\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment and term: the Governor appoints from the qualified electors for a ten-year term, and 'the record of the appointment must be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-15\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications for a notarial commission: registered voter, English literacy, and an application with no significant misstatement or omission, signed in pen and ink and acknowledged before a person authorized to administer oaths.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-20 and Sec. 26-1-25\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The county legislative delegation endorsement, its permitted methods, and the alternative of the delegation chair or secretary signing on a legislator's behalf.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-30\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The $25 fee for issuance or renewal of a commission, collected by the Secretary of State.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-40 and Sec. 26-1-50\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The constitutional oath of office, recorded with the Secretary of State; and enrollment of the commission with the clerk of court of the county of residence within fifteen days of being commissioned.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-60, Sec. 26-1-5(18) and Sec. 26-1-110\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The seal of office and its required content; the rule that a missing seal or expiration date does not invalidate the act if the official title is affixed; and the requirement to sign paper records by hand in ink (with a disability exception for an approved signature stamp).\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-90 and Sec. 26-1-100\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The powers of a notary, the prohibitions (including the personal-presence rule, the 'notario publico' ban and the foreign-language advertising notice) and the $5 maximum fees plus the travel-fee conditions.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 26-1-130 through Sec. 26-1-160\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Change-of-status filings within 45 days with a $10 fee; resignation; death; and the unlawful-acts list with forfeiture of commission, a fine of up to $500 or 30 days' imprisonment, and the Secretary's power (added by 2021 Act No. 85) to terminate a commission on a charge, appealable to the SC Administrative Law Court.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code of Laws Title 26, Chapter 2 (Electronic Notaries Public) - the South Carolina Electronic Notary Public Act, 2021 Act No. 85 (S.631), effective May 18, 2021\", \"what_it_governs\": \"In-person electronic notarization: registration with the Secretary of State, the $50 fee, the required course and examination, the electronic seal and signature, the mandatory electronic journal, technology-vendor registration, $10 fee caps, and termination of registration. Section 6 of the Act delayed processing of registrations until the administrative rules were in effect and vendors approved - a condition the Secretary states has now been met - its November 30, 2022 news release records that 'regulations for electronic notarization were finalized in June 2022'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c002.php\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 113, Article 4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of State's regulations on registration as an electronic notary public, registration of electronic notarization technology vendors, and requirements for executing electronic notarizations - cited by the Secretary of State but not reviewed for this page.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/services-and-filings/notaries\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.C. Code Sec. 20-1-20\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Marriage ceremonies: 'a person authorized to administer oaths in South Carolina may perform marriage ceremonies. This includes notaries public' (as stated and applied in the Secretary of State's Notary Public Reference Manual).\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/sites/sos/files/Documents/Mail%20In%20Service/Notaries/Notary%20Public%20Reference%20Manual%202023.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"South Carolina Secretary of State - Notaries (the authority's live landing page). Establishes the application route ('you must complete the paper application Notary Public Application and Renewal Application (PDF) to mail to your county delegation office or the House of Representatives'), the voter requirement ('You must be a registered voter to become a notary public'), the 45-day change-of-status duty, and the electronic-notary program: 'The Electronic Notary Portal is now available... Online registration as an electronic notary public is now open to commissioned notaries', 'Electronic notarization, also known as IPEN, requires that the notary public and the signer must be in the presence of one another when the notarization takes place', and the citation of 'Title 26, Chapter 2 of the S.C. Code of Laws and Chapter 113, Article 4 of the S.C. Code of Regulations'. Also carries the unique-identification-number banner that contradicts FAQ item 4.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/services-and-filings/notaries\"}, {\"label\": \"South Carolina Secretary of State - FAQs about Notaries Public. Establishes the bond negative verbatim ('South Carolina notaries public are not required to be bonded'), the journal negative ('South Carolina notaries public are not required to keep notary journals. However, it is STRONGLY encouraged'), the residency bar ('South Carolina law does not allow out-of-state residents to become South Carolina notaries public, even if they are employed within the State of South Carolina'), 'Attorneys are not automatically notaries public', that the Secretary 'is not authorized to investigate or penalize notaries public', and the contradicting statement that notaries are NOT issued an identifying number.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/faqs-about-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"South Carolina Notary Public Reference Manual (Notary Public Online Manual, 2023) - the state's official handbook. Establishes the ten-year term, the 2-12 week processing time, the 8-12 week renewal lead time and the absence of renewal reminders, the clerk-of-court enrollment practice ('Generally, you will be asked to provide photo identification and a fee when you enroll... there is no penalty for late enrollment'), the $10 change-of-status fee, the $5 fee cap and the travel-fee conditions, the seal content and the stamp-vs-embosser guidance, and the marriage-ceremony authority under Sec. 20-1-20 with the three-copy Probate Court filing procedure.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/sites/sos/files/Documents/Mail%20In%20Service/Notaries/Notary%20Public%20Reference%20Manual%202023.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Application/Renewal for Notary Public (official Secretary of State form, file NP_Application_3.18.26.pdf, read on August 12, 2026) - the live form actually filed. Establishes 'The statutory filing fee is $25.00 (USD)', the $1.43 SC.GOV credit-card service fee, the mailing route to the county legislative delegation, the delegation endorsement block on Page 4 with its three permitted signature methods, the voter-registration-number field, the English-literacy certification checkbox, the constitutional oath text, and the UPL warning citing Sec. 26-1-90(J)-(K). Contains no bond field and no criminal-history question.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/sites/sos/files/Documents/Mail%20In%20Service/Notaries/NP_Application_3.18.26.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"S.C. Code of Laws Title 26, Chapter 1 - Notaries Public (South Carolina Legislature, unannotated). The primary source for the ten-year term (Sec. 26-1-10), the qualifications (Sec. 26-1-15), delegation endorsement (Sec. 26-1-20, 26-1-25), the $25 fee (Sec. 26-1-30), the oath (Sec. 26-1-40), fifteen-day clerk-of-court enrollment (Sec. 26-1-50), the seal (Sec. 26-1-60), powers and prohibitions (Sec. 26-1-90), the $5 fee schedule and travel fee (Sec. 26-1-100), and the offences (Sec. 26-1-160). Full-text checked: the words 'bond' and 'insurance' appear zero times in this chapter.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c001.php\"}, {\"label\": \"S.C. Code of Laws Title 26, Chapter 2 - Electronic Notaries Public (the South Carolina Electronic Notary Public Act). Establishes the $50 registration fee and registration contents (Sec. 26-2-20), the mandatory course and examination (Sec. 26-2-30), the IN-PERSON requirement for electronic notarization (Sec. 26-2-50(A)(1)), the electronic seal (Sec. 26-2-60), the $10 electronic fee caps (Sec. 26-2-70), the mandatory electronic journal (Sec. 26-2-90), vendor registration (Sec. 26-2-120) and the Act's delayed-operation clause (SECTION 6). Full-text checked: the word 'remote' appears zero times.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t26c002.php\"}, {\"label\": \"S.C. Code of Laws Title 26 chapter index. Establishes that Title 26 contains only four chapters - 1 Notaries Public, 2 Electronic Notaries Public, 3 Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act, 6 Uniform Electronic Transactions Act - i.e. there is no remote-online-notarization chapter in South Carolina law.\", \"url\": \"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/title26.php\"}, {\"label\": \"South Carolina Secretary of State news release, 'Registration Now Open for Electronic Notaries Public', November 30, 2022. Establishes that 'The South Carolina Electronic Notary Public Act was signed into law in May 2021, and regulations for electronic notarization were finalized in June 2022' (i.e. the Act's delayed-operation condition is satisfied), that the portal 'allows a notary public to watch an educational video and complete statutorily required testing', and the explicit RON negative: 'Electronic notarization differs from remote notarization in that electronic notarization requires the notary to be in the physical presence of the signer. At this time, South Carolina has not legalized remote notarization.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/news/2022-11/registration-now-open-electronic-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"South Carolina Secretary of State - Searches. Establishes that the office's public-database list includes a 'Notaries Search' alongside its business, charity and UCC searches; this is the page the public reaches the notary lookup from.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.sc.gov/searches\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/sc-notary/" }, { "page_id": "sd-notary", "state": "South Dakota", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "South Dakota Secretary of State - Notary Division (the Secretary of State both appoints and commissions notaries public; there is no board and no gubernatorial step)", "board_url": "https://sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Notary/Default.aspx", "application_url": "https://sdsos.gov/general-services/assets/NotaryApplicationandChecklist.pdf", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a fresh application on the same form for the same $30 fee: 'The process for renewing a notary public commission is the same as when you first applied.' Window: 'The application to renew your commission may be submitted no more than sixty (60) days prior to your expiration date.' Filing before the current expiration date preserves the same commission month and day; otherwise the applicant names the date on which the new six-year term should begin, and the office 'cannot back date an application'. A new seal imprint is required at renewal where the seal carries an expiration date: 'At the time of renewal, an imprint of the NEW seal with the new expiration date must be presented on the application or it will be rejected.' There is no grace period - acting after expiry is an offence: 'It is a Class 2 misdemeanor for any notary public to exercise the duties of his office after the expiration of his commission or when he is otherwise disqualified' (SDCL 18-1-12). And a renewing notary must keep using the old expiration date until the old commission actually expires: 'A notary public who is renewing his or her notary commission must use the current commission expiration date until that date of expiration before beginning the new commission.' Separately, any change of name, address, seal or e-notary status must be filed on the Notary Change Request Form and approved before use - 'If the name and/or seal of the notary changes, a confirmation/approval from the Secretary of State's office MUST be received before the notary can begin using the new name or seal.'", "ce_hours": "None. South Dakota requires no continuing education of notaries public. Renewal is the same $30 application and oath as the original commission, and neither SDCL ch. 18-1, ARSD ch. 5:04:03, the application form (rev. 20260522) nor the July 2025 Notary Public Handbook - whose renewal section and FAQ 8 and 9 describe the renewal in full - states any hour, course or refresher requirement (all four sources checked). Adding or keeping e-notary status carries no education requirement either; SDCL 18-1-11.4 requires only the selection of a tamper-evident system and notice of its name to the Secretary of State.", "exam": "There is no examination of any kind for a South Dakota notary public commission, and none for e-notary status. No test, score, proctoring or assessment appears in SDCL ch. 18-1, in ARSD ch. 5:04:03 (whose rule 5:04:03:01 enumerates every item the application must contain, and no test is among them), on the Notary Public Application & Oath (rev. 20260522) or in the July 2025 Notary Public Handbook - and the Handbook's own FAQ, which answers the cost, term, bond, e-notary and renewal questions, never mentions one (all four sources checked). The only knowledge-related requirement is the attestation in the oath that the applicant will 'faithfully and impartially perform the duties of a NOTARY PUBLIC... according to the law and to the best of my ability.'", "fees": "State fees, verified 2026-08-12 against the statute, the administrative rule, the live application form and the Handbook, all four in agreement: new commission or renewal - $30.00. 'The applicant shall submit a fee of thirty dollars' (SDCL 18-1-1); the application form's header reads 'Filing Fee: $30.00 (Must be included to file)'; ARSD 5:04:03:01(1) requires the form to carry 'A statement indicating the application fee of thirty dollars'; Handbook FAQ 13: 'The filing fee for processing a Notary Public Application and Oath is $30.' Renewal uses the identical form and fee. Payment - check or money order by mail, or credit card: 'Do you accept credit card payments for the notary fees? Yes, simply supply a phone number that we may call for credit card information at the time of processing' (Handbook FAQ 14); no card surcharge is published. E-notary - no separate state fee: e-notary status is elected on the same application or by a Notary Change Form, and neither SDCL 18-1-11.4 nor ARSD 5:04:03:01 attaches a charge. Notary change request form (name, address, seal, or status change) - no fee is stated in the Handbook, the rule or the statute; the Handbook simply says to complete the fillable form and mail it. Not state fees: the seal itself - 'The State of South Dakota DOES NOT provide the official notary seal/stamp'; the optional separate 'My Commission Expires' date stamp; and the e-notary vendor's tamper-evident system subscription. No county fee: South Dakota does not route the commission through a county officer - the Secretary of State issues it directly and 'shall keep in his office a record of such appointments and the date of their expiration' (SDCL 18-1-4). Not published in the sources checked: the apostille/authentication fee charged by the Secretary's Notary Division - the Handbook names the service but publishes no amount, and no separate fee schedule was reviewed.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment by the Secretary of State, the six-year term, South Dakota residence per SDCL 12-1-4, the $30 fee, the required application contents, the requirement to apply in the same name as the seal imprint, the absolute felony bar, and the bordering-county alternative for out-of-state residents who work in South Dakota.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-1.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-1.1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Definitions, including 'notarial officer', 'official seal', 'personal knowledge' (with its demanding three-part test), 'remotely located person', 'tamper-evident' and 'video communication technology'. Amended SL 2019 ch. 100, SL 2021 ch. 89 and SL 2024 ch. 71.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-1.1.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-2 and 18-1-3 (as amended by SL 2025 ch. 90, House Bill 1133)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The oath of office required by SDCL 3-1-5, and the duty to obtain an official seal and file its impression together with the oath in the Office of the Secretary of State. These are the two sections HB 1133 amended to delete the former $5,000 bond requirement, effective July 1, 2025.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-3.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-3.1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The seal's required contents - name, 'South Dakota', 'notary public', a surrounding border, the word 'seal' inside the border for rubber-stamp and electronic seals - and the requirement to indicate the commission expiration date below the seal. Amended SL 2019 ch. 100 and SL 2024 ch. 71.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-3.1.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-9 (as amended by SL 2025 ch. 91)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial fees: a notary may charge and receive a fee for each instrument notarized, with no statutory maximum, except that no fee may be charged for notarizing a request for an absentee ballot.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-9.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-11 through 18-1-11.8\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The offence of notarizing without appearance (18-1-11, Class 2 misdemeanor); remote notarization of tangible documents by video with personal knowledge (18-1-11.1, SL 2019); remote online notarization of electronic records with two methods of identity proofing (18-1-11.2, SL 2024 ch. 71); ten-year retention of the audio-visual copy (18-1-11.3); selection of and notice to the Secretary of tamper-evident systems (18-1-11.4); recording of printed electronic records by a register of deeds and its certificate form (18-1-11.5, 18-1-11.6); the Secretary's rulemaking authority (18-1-11.7); and the saving clause that a failure of duty does not invalidate the act (18-1-11.8).\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-11.2.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-1-12, 18-1-13, 18-1-14\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Class 2 misdemeanor for acting after expiration or while disqualified; mandatory removal from office by the Secretary of State on conviction of a chapter misdemeanor or any felony; and written notice to the notary of a revoked commission.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-12.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 18-4-29 and 18-4-30\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The statutory certificate-of-acknowledgment forms for a video-communication notarial act on a tangible document (18-4-29) and for a remote online notarial act on an electronic record (18-4-30).\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-4-29.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"ARSD 5:04:03:01 (Notary public application and oath), effective as last amended 52 SDR 32, September 29, 2025\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Every item the application form must contain - the $30 fee statement, the applicant's identifying fields, the same-name-as-seal rule, the felony question, the SDCL 3-1-5 oath, the bordering-county questions, the e-notary election with an image of the electronic seal and the vendor names, and the seal imprint with its content and border rules. The rule was retitled from 'Notary public application, oath, and bond form' when the bond was repealed.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Rules/05:04:03:01.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 3-1-5\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The general oath of office for civil officers, incorporated by SDCL 18-1-2 as the notary's oath. Its generic reference to 'giving a bond, when one is required' no longer reaches notaries after HB 1133.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/3-1-5.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"SDCL 12-1-4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The definition of 'resident' incorporated by SDCL 18-1-1: an actual fixed permanent dwelling where the individual lives and usually sleeps for at least thirty consecutive days, with residence in only one place.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/12-1-4.html\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"South Dakota Notary Public Handbook, July 2025 (Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson, 38 pp.) - the state's official handbook, published after HB 1133. Establishes the six-year term running from issuance ('The expiration date is exactly six (6) years from the commission date'), the 60-day renewal window, the seal rules including 'There are no size or color requirements for a South Dakota notary public seal', the two remote regimes with their statutory text, the E-Notary registration route, the ten-year audio-visual retention, the fee rule with no cap and the absentee-ballot exception, and FAQ 19: 'Am I still required to obtain a bond to become a notary public? No.'\", \"url\": \"https://sdsos.gov/general-services/notary-public/docs/SDNotaryPublicHandbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"South Dakota Notary Public Application & Oath with checklist (official Secretary of State form, Revised 20260522) - the live form actually filed. Establishes 'Filing Fee: $30.00 (Must be included to file)', the mandatory seal imprint on the application ('Imprint Required for Processing'), the physical-residence-address rule, the felony question, the e-notary election with electronic-seal image and vendor names, the oath text attesting legal age and SDCL 18-1-1 residency, and 'ONLY after you have received a Notary Commission Certificate issued by the Secretary of State are you authorized to notarize documents.' Contains no bond or surety block.\", \"url\": \"https://sdsos.gov/general-services/assets/NotaryApplicationandChecklist.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"South Dakota Secretary of State press release, 'Bond Requirement for South Dakota Notaries Removed Effective July 1' (June 25, 2025). Establishes the repeal and its scope verbatim: 'HB 1133, signed into law earlier this year, eliminates the statutory requirement for a $5,000 notary bond. This change applies to all new and renewing notaries on or after July 1, 2025... All other steps to become a notary, such as submitting an application, taking the oath of office, and paying the $30 application fee, remain unchanged. Notaries who were commissioned before July 1, 2025, are not affected until their next renewal.'\", \"url\": \"https://sdsos.gov/about-the-office/assets/Press%20Releases/NotaryLawChanges2025.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"SDCL 18-1-1 (South Dakota Legislature). Establishes appointment by the Secretary of State, the six-year term, the $30 fee, the felony bar and the bordering-county alternative, verbatim.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-1.html\"}, {\"label\": \"SDCL 18-1-3.1 - seal requirements, verbatim, including the border rule and the requirement that the expiration date be indicated below the seal.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-3.1.html\"}, {\"label\": \"SDCL 18-1-9 - the fee section as amended by SL 2025 ch. 91: a fee per instrument with no statutory maximum, and no fee for notarizing an absentee-ballot request.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-9.html\"}, {\"label\": \"SDCL 18-1-11.2 - remote online notarization of electronic records (SL 2024 ch. 71), verbatim, including the two-methods-of-identity-proofing requirement and the audio-visual copy.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-11.2.html\"}, {\"label\": \"SDCL 18-1-11.4 - the e-notary notice requirement: select at least one tamper-evident electronic notarization system and notify the Secretary of State of each system's name; no person may require a notary to use a system the notary has not selected.\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/18-1-11.4.html\"}, {\"label\": \"ARSD 5:04:03:01 - 'Notary public application and oath', with the amendment history showing the current version effective September 29, 2025 (52 SDR 32) and General Authority SDCL 18-1-1 and 18-1-11.7. Establishes the twelve required contents of the application form, including the e-notary election and the seal-imprint rules, and evidences that the rule was conformed after the bond repeal (the chapter index lists it without the former 'and bond form' in the title).\", \"url\": \"https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Rules/05:04:03:01.html\"}, {\"label\": \"South Dakota Secretary of State - Notary Public Commissions (Business Services portal home). The authority's live landing page; carries the processing status notice ('Please expect a minimum of 7 business days for the complete processing of a notary application') and links to the handbook, the seal guidance, E-Notary information and the search.\", \"url\": \"https://sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Notary/Default.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"South Dakota Secretary of State - Search Notary Public Commission Records. Establishes the public verification portal, its search fields (last name, first name, expiration date range, county of commission) and the 'Only Show E-Notaries' filter, plus the instruction to enter only one piece of search criteria.\", \"url\": \"https://sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Notary/NotarySearch.aspx\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/sd-notary/" }, { "page_id": "tn-notary", "state": "Tennessee", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Tennessee is a split-authority state and this is the single most important structural fact about its notary commission. A traditional notary public is elected by the county legislative body (the county commission) of the county where the applicant resides or maintains a principal place of business; the application is obtained from and filed with the county clerk; the bond is filed with the county clerk; and the Tennessee Secretary of State, Department of State, Division of Business Services then issues the commission and returns it to the county clerk for the notary to collect. The Secretary of State's own steps read: 'Obtain and complete an application from your County Clerk's office ... Be elected by the county legislative body (county commission) in the county in which the applicant, resides or maintains his/her principal place of business at the time of his/her election ... Your documents will be submitted to the state. The Secretary of State's office will issue the Notary Commission and return it to the County Clerk's office for you to pick up.' Despite the county election, the office is a state office: 'Notaries are state officials' (Secretary of State FAQ, citing an Attorney General opinion), and Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 07-157 opined that 'a notary public is a state official whose duties are prescribed by statute.' The online notary public commission is different: it is issued directly by the Secretary of State, with no county step.", "board_url": "https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/guides/how-to-become-a-notary", "application_url": "https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/guides/how-to-become-a-notary", "renewal_cycle": "There is no lighter renewal path in Tennessee - you run the whole election again. The Secretary of State's answer is one sentence: 'The renewal process for a notary is the same process as obtaining your original commission.' That means a new application from the county clerk with its fee, a new election by the county legislative body, a new surety bond, proof of the bond to the county clerk, re-issuance by the Secretary of State, and delivery through the county clerk. No grace period is published, and acting after expiry is criminal: 'It is a Class C misdemeanor for a Notary to act in an official capacity after the expiration of their notary commission.' The seal must go back at the end of the term - this is unusual and easy to miss: 'The seal must be surrendered to the county legislative body (through the county clerk) upon expiration of the notary's term of office or resignation, and the personal representative must surrender the seal in the event of the death of the notary. T.C.A. s. 8-16-114.' Online notary renewal is filed with the Secretary of State 'in the same manner and on the same form as if filing an initial application for commission', must be 'received by the Secretary of State no later than the expiration date of the online notary public's current commission', and is judged fresh - 'The Secretary of State shall determine eligibility for renewals according to the same standards as initial applications, and shall not be bound by prior determinations of eligibility' (Rule 1360-07-03-.02(3)). The Secretary of State adds the sequencing rule: 'Should you successfully reapply to be a notary public in your county, you then will be allowed to reapply to be an online notary' - county first, state second. No continuing education is required at renewal for either commission type; see the continuing-education details on this page. Whether the online course and examination must be repeated at each online renewal is not stated in any source checked (the Secretary of State's guides describe the course and exam under initial application, and Rule 1360-07-03-.02(3) requires renewal 'in the same manner and on the same form'), so nothing is asserted about it here.", "ce_hours": "None. Tennessee requires no continuing education to keep or renew either a traditional notary public commission or an online notary public commission. Sources checked: the Secretary of State's How to become a Notary guide (whose seven steps contain no education at all); its FAQ 'How do I renew a Notary Commission?', whose complete answer is 'The renewal process for a notary is the same process as obtaining your original commission'; its How to become an Online Notary Public guide and Online Notary Public Guide; its seven remote-online-notary FAQs; and the full text of Rule 1360-07-03, whose renewal provision (.02(3)) conditions renewal only on filing the same application on the same form by the expiration date and on the Secretary of State's fresh eligibility determination - it imposes no hours. The adjacent trap: Tennessee does require a course and an examination to obtain an online notary commission, and that is an entry requirement, not continuing education; whether it must be repeated at each online renewal is not stated in any source read and is deliberately not asserted here (see the renewal details on this page).", "exam": "No examination is required for a traditional Tennessee notary commission. The Secretary of State's seven-step 'How to become a Notary' contains no examination, and none of the Department's traditional-notary FAQs mentions one. Sources checked are listed in eligibility. An examination is required for the online notary commission: 'To apply to be an online notary, you must have completed a course of instruction concerning online notarization and pass an examination administered by a course provider approved by the Secretary of State.' The exam is given by the approved course provider, not by the state and not by a state testing vendor, and the applicant uploads 'A certificate or other document evidencing completion of the course and passage of the exam' with the application. What Tennessee does not publish, and what is therefore not asserted here: the number of questions, the time allowed, the passing score, the retake policy, the fee charged by the provider, and how long a passing result stays valid. None of those appears in the Secretary of State's How to become an Online Notary Public guide, its Online Notary Public Guide, its seven remote-online-notary FAQs, its Approved Online Notary Course Providers page, or the full text of Rule 1360-07-03 (January 2020 revision) - the rule does not mention the examination at all. The fee-side gap matters commercially: because the state approves the provider but does not set the course price, the cost of qualifying as a Tennessee online notary is set entirely by the approved provider.", "fees": "Tennessee publishes only one notary fee at the state level, and it is the online one. Paid to the Secretary of State: '$75.00' - 'An application fee of $75.00' (Rule 1360-07-03-.02(1)(p)); the Secretary of State's guide repeats it as 'This application must be submitted and paid online. There is an initial fee of $75.' The same $75 applies on renewal, because 'An online notary public may renew his or her online notary public commission by filing an application for renewal in the same manner and on the same form as if filing an initial application for commission.' Adding a second or third technology vendor is free: 'You have the option to add new vendor technologies in your dashboard for free. The same documents are required to be uploaded.' Paid to the county clerk, amount not set by the state: the traditional notary application fee ('Submit the completed application to your County Clerk with the application fee') and the fee for a name or address change ('Contact the county clerk's office you were commissioned in to submit a name and/or address change along with a fee for the change'). No state source checked states either county amount (the sources checked are listed in the eligibility section), and Tennessee county clerk fees are set county by county, so no figure is asserted. Paid to a third party, not set by the state: the $10,000 surety bond premium; the notary seal, which by statute the notary buys at their own expense; the online notarization course and its examination, priced by the Secretary-of-State-approved provider; and the online notary technology vendor. The one state-capped third-party charge: for the seal, 'At the notary's request, the county clerk may obtain an official seal for the notary, and the county clerk may charge a fee for this service NOT TO EXCEED 20 PERCENT OF THE COST OF THE SEAL. T.C.A. s. 8-16-114.' No state fee exists for the traditional commission itself in any source read - the state's role is issuance, and the money changes hands at the county and with the surety.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Tenn. Code Ann. Title 8, Chapter 16 (Notaries Public), ss. 8-16-101 et seq.\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The traditional notary public commission: qualifications, election by the county legislative body, approval and issuance, the bond, the official seal (s. 8-16-114) and the four-year term. The Secretary of State's own answer to 'What are the notary statutes?' is 'T.C.A. s. 8-16-101 and T.C.A. s. 8-18-101', and its answer to 'Where can I find the notary law?' is 'Tennessee Code unannotated s. 8-16 et al.' Not read directly: Tennessee's official code is published as Tennessee Code Unannotated by LexisNexis under contract with the state, and the Secretary of State's link to it redirects into a JavaScript container that did not display the statutory text when checked on 2026-08-13; every provision cited from this chapter on this page is quoted as reproduced by the Secretary of State, by the Attorney General, or by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/what-are-the-notary-statutes\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-16-114 (official seal)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requires all notaries to use an official seal prescribed and designed by the Secretary of State, purchased by the notary at their own expense; permits a county clerk to obtain the seal for a notary and to charge for that service 'not to exceed 20 percent of the cost of the seal'; preserves impression seals until the end of the current term and provides that use of an embossed seal after May 12, 2003 does not render an acknowledgment defective; and requires the seal to be surrendered to the county legislative body through the county clerk on expiry, resignation or death\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/what-are-the-requirements-for-notary-seals\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-21-1201, as amended by 2014 Tenn. Pub. Acts ch. 805 (effective October 1, 2014)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial compensation and the recordkeeping duty in one sentence: 'Notaries public are entitled to demand and receive reasonable fees and compensation for the notaries public's services. The notaries public shall keep a record in a well-bound book of each of the notaries public's acts, attestations, protestations, and other instruments of publications.' Chapter 805 deleted the old itemized fee schedule and Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-16-118, so the recordkeeping duty no longer depends on charging a fee\", \"url\": \"https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/ops/2014/op14-089.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tenn. Code Ann. ss. 8-16-301 et seq. (Online Notary Public Act)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarization in Tennessee. The Secretary of State: 'The enacting statute is the Online Notary Public Act, TCA 8-16-301 et. seq.' The Department dates the Act to Senate Bill 1758 passed in April 2018 and 'in effect as of July 1, 2019'; the implementing rules cite the same authority as 'Public Chapter 931, effective April 18, 2018'. Both official statements are recorded and neither is preferred here\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/guides/how-to-become-an-online-notary-public\"}, {\"citation\": \"Rules of the Tennessee Department of State, Division of Business Services, Chapter 1360-07-03 (Online Notaries Public) - original rules filed October 9, 2019, effective January 7, 2020; January 2020 revision\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Online notarization (.01); the application, its contents and the $75 fee, plus renewal and the rule that an online commission expires with the county commission (.02); performance of notarial acts, the in-state location rule, identity verification, the duress check, refusal grounds, the electronic notarial certificate, and the 5-year record-and-backup retention (.03); the electronic signature and seal, including the required seal design and the PKI/X.509 technology floor (.04); credential analysis and identity proofing standards (.05); the $25 per-online-notarization fee cap (.06); changes after commissioning (.07); and termination of the commission for non-compliance (.08)\", \"url\": \"https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1360/1360-07/1360-07-03.20200107.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 14-89 (September 29, 2014), 'Duty of Notary Public to Maintain Record'\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Holds that from October 1, 2014 a Tennessee notary must keep a record of every act in a well-bound book regardless of whether a fee is charged, and that the record may instead be maintained 'in any appropriate electronic medium' if the conditions of Tenn. Code Ann. s. 10-7-121(a)(1) are met. Also records that 2014 Tenn. Pub. Acts ch. 805 amended Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-16-102 so that notaries are 'approved,' not commissioned, by the governor. Requested by Secretary of State Tre Hargett and cited by the Secretary of State's own FAQ\", \"url\": \"https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/ops/2014/op14-089.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tenn. Att'y Gen. Op. 07-157 (November 26, 2007)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Opines that 'a notary public is a state official whose duties are prescribed by statute'; that the District Attorney General prosecutes criminal acts by notaries under Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-7-103; and that a notary may be removed from office through the ouster proceedings in Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-17-101. Cited by the Secretary of State in two FAQs\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/how-do-i-handle-a-complaint-about-the-conduct-of-a-notary\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tenn. Code Ann. s. 66-22-113 (liability of officer taking acknowledgment)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"As quoted by the Secretary of State: a notary who 'fails or refuses to comply with and discharge the duties required of a notary ... shall forfeit and pay the sum of $100 for the use of the county of the notary's residence and shall, moreover, be liable to the party injured for all damages, including costs.' The Department adds that 'Liability is not limited to the amount of the statutorily mandated bond'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/what-is-the-liability-of-a-notary\"}, {\"citation\": \"Public Chapter No. 255 of the 112th General Assembly (effective April 28, 2021)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Allows Tennessee notaries public to solemnize marriages. Per the Secretary of State: 'There are no additional provisions to regulate how Notaries perform marriages, but they must follow the rules required of all officiants'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/can-a-notary-perform-marriages\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-13", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - 'How to become a Notary'. The agency's complete seven-step path: 'Obtain and complete an application from your County Clerk's office'; 'Submit the completed application to your County Clerk with the application fee'; 'Be elected by the county legislative body (county commission) in the county in which the applicant, resides or maintains his/her principal place of business at the time of his/her election'; 'Secure a surety bond. Bonds are available through Tennessee insurance companies/agencies that sell surety bond coverage'; 'Provide proof of the bond to the County Clerk'; 'Your documents will be submitted to the state. The Secretary of State's office will issue the Notary Commission and return it to the County Clerk's office for you to pick up'; 'Obtain your Notary seal'. Notably contains no education step and no examination step\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/guides/how-to-become-a-notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - 'How to become an Online Notary Public' / 'Online Notary Public Guide' (both; same text). Source for the Online Notary Public Act framing ('In April of 2018 the Tennessee Legislature passed Senate Bill 1758... This Act is in effect as of July 1, 2019'), the definition of online notarization, the requirement to be an existing active notary, the course-and-examination requirement ('you must have completed a course of instruction concerning online notarization and pass an examination administered by a course provider approved by the Secretary of State'), the vendor-first rule and the three technologies the vendor must supply, the six documents to upload, 'There is an initial fee of $75', and 'Your online notary commission will run concurrently with your existing notary public commission and will expire on the same day, regardless of when the online commission was granted'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/guides/how-to-become-an-online-notary-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Rules of the Tennessee Department of State, Division of Business Services, Chapter 1360-07-03 'Online Notaries Public' (PDF, January 2020 revision; this is the exact file the Secretary of State links as the current rules). Full text of.01 through.08 - the application contents and '$75.00' fee at.02(1)(p), the renewal and concurrent-expiry rule at.02(3), the in-state location rule at.03(2), identity verification at.03(4)-(5), the duress and refusal rules at.03(3) and.03(6), the electronic notarial certificate at.03(7), the 5-year record and backup retention at.03(8) and.03(12), the papering-out provision at.03(13), the electronic seal design at.04(3), the PKI/X.509 requirement at.04(5), the audio-video appearance wording at.04(6), the $25 fee cap at.06, the change-before-use duties at.07, and termination at.08. Every section carries the authority note 'T.C.A. ss. 8-16-301, et seq. (Public Chapter 931, effective April 18, 2018)' and the administrative history of the 2019 emergency rules\", \"url\": \"https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1360/1360-07/1360-07-03.20200107.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Attorney General Opinion No. 14-89, 'Duty of Notary Public to Maintain Record' (September 29, 2014; PDF.gov 2026-08-13, a successful response). Quotes Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-21-1201 as amended by 2014 Tenn. Pub. Acts ch. 805 in full, holds the record duty applies 'regardless of whether the notary public receives a fee or compensation', reproduces the repealed pre-2014 itemized notarial fee schedule, holds that an electronic medium satisfies the 'well-bound book' if Tenn. Code Ann. s. 10-7-121(a)(1)'s four conditions are met (quoted verbatim in this record), establishes that the notary's record is a public record, and records the ch. 805 change of 'commissioned' to 'approved' in Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-16-102\", \"url\": \"https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/ops/2014/op14-089.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury - 'Bonds to be filed with County Clerk', the state's official statutory bond schedule (PDF. The notary row reads 'Notary Public | 8-16-101 thru 104 | $10,000 | County Bd. Elect - 4 yrs' - the source for the $10,000 bond amount, which the Secretary of State's own pages do not state\", \"url\": \"https://comptroller.tn.gov/content/dam/cot/la/documents/officialstatutorybonds/BondSnapshot.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - Notary Search portal at the TNCaB business portal. Search fields (Individual's Last Name, First Name, Business Zip Code, County, 'Online Notaries Only'), result columns (Notary Name, Commission Expires, County, Business Zip Code, Online Notary), and the published limitation: 'This database reflects information about Notary Commissions issued by the Secretary of State, but does not reflect whether the persons elected have thereafter taken the oath of office and executed the bond required for such county officials, and does not reflect their current status. For information concerning the status of such persons, please contact the appropriate County Clerk's office'\", \"url\": \"https://tncab.tnsos.gov/portal/notary-search\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - notary FAQ set, each page. 'What is a Notary?' (the four authorized acts); 'What are the duties and responsibilities of a Notary?' ('A Notary's powers and duties can be exercised in all counties in the State of Tennessee'); 'How long does a notary commission last?' (four years from issuance by the Governor; Class C misdemeanor to act after expiry); 'How do I renew a Notary Commission?' ('The renewal process for a notary is the same process as obtaining your original commission'); 'Is a Notary a state or county official?' ('Notaries are state officials'); 'What are the requirements for Notary Seals?' (design, colour rule, impression-seal transition, 20 percent county clerk service fee, surrender duty, T.C.A. s. 8-16-114); 'What fee can a notary charge for their services?' (Tenn. Code Ann. s. 8-21-1201 reasonable-fees standard); 'Does the \\\"well-bound book\\\" need to be a specific format?' (AG Op. 14-89); 'Are notary commissions assigned numbers?' ('The State of Tennessee does not assign numbers to Notary Commissions'); 'Can a notary perform marriages?' (Public Chapter No. 255, effective April 28, 2021); 'What are the requirements of a notary signing agent?' (the state has none); 'What is the liability of a notary?' (Tenn. Code Ann. s. 66-22-113; liability not capped by the bond); 'How do I handle a complaint about the conduct of a Notary?' (local law enforcement, District Attorney General, ouster under s. 8-17-101); 'How do I check on the status of my notary commission?' (county clerk plus the Notary Search URL); 'Where do I obtain my notary stamp?' ('through the county clerk's office or from an office supply company'); 'Should I have my expiration date added to my notary stamp?' ('Yes, it is optional and not required by law'); 'Where can I find the notary law?' ('Tennessee Code unannotated s. 8-16 et al'); and 'How do I change my name and/or address of my notary commission?' ('Contact the county clerk's office you were commissioned in... along with a fee for the change')\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/what-are-the-requirements-for-notary-seals\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - remote-online-notary FAQ set, each page. 'Does the State of Tennessee offer e-notaries?' ('No, the State of Tennessee only offers notaries and remote online notaries'); 'What is the difference between E-Notaries and Remote Online Notaries?' (the Department's own definition of each); 'What is an Online Notary Public?'; 'What documentation do I need to submit with my remote online notary application?' (the six items, each mapped to its rule cite); 'What are the online notary seal requirements?' (Rule 1360-07-03-.04 design); 'What are the storage requirements for online notarization records?' (five years, backup, custodian or repository, protection from unauthorized use); 'What is the fee that can be charged for an online notarization?' ('not to exceed $25 for each online notarization'); and 'I'm registered with multiple vendors; do I have to update my remote online notary information with all their information?' ('Yes... You have the option to add new vendor technologies in your dashboard for free')\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/faqs/what-is-the-fee-that-can-be-charged-for-an-online-notarization\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - 'Register as an Online Notary' service page: 'You must have been previously commissioned as a notary public by a county legislative body prior to submitting an application for commissioning as an online notary public', and the instruction to enter the legal name as shown on the notary commission, the county of commissioning, and the commission and expiration dates\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/services/register-as-an-online-notary\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - 'Approved Online Notary Course Providers'. The state's approved-provider list, read in full on that date, contains exactly one entry: the National Notary Association. Recorded here as a fact about the state's approval list; no provider page was consulted or cited as a source for any requirement in this record\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/pages/approved-online-notary-course-providers\"}, {\"label\": \"Tennessee Secretary of State - 'Search Notary Commissions' service page: 'Search for unexpired Notary Commissions issued by the Tennessee Secretary of State'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/services/search-notary-commissions\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/tn-notary/" }, { "page_id": "tx-notary", "state": "Texas", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Texas Secretary of State, Notary Public Unit", "board_url": "https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notary-public.shtml", "application_url": "https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notary-public.shtml", "renewal_cycle": "Reappointment on a new application, not renewal of the existing commission. Gov't Code 406.011(a): 'Not earlier than 90 days prior to the expiration date of the notary's term, a notary public may apply for reappointment on submission of a new application to the secretary of state' - so 90 days is the early-filing window. No grace period is published; a notary not reappointed by the expiration date simply receives a new four-year term dated from the new qualification (406.011(b)). Since September 1, 2025, 406.011(c) requires that 'A notary public who has applied for reappointment must successfully complete the continuing education requirements established under Section 406.023 before being reappointed.' Renewal is filed in the SOS Notary Portal using the same Form 2301 at $21.00. To keep an online commission the traditional commission must be renewed first, because the online term runs concurrently (SOS FAQ).", "ce_hours": "Continuing education is required for reappointment and is capped at two hours; it applies to reappointment applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026. Gov't Code 406.011(c), added by S.B. 693 (89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 298, eff. Sept. 1, 2025): 'A notary public who has applied for reappointment must successfully complete the continuing education requirements established under Section 406.023 before being reappointed.' Gov't Code 406.023(d)(1) provides that the rules 'may not require a person to complete more than two hours of education for appointment or two hours of continuing education for reappointment,' and 406.023(d)(3) requires that the hours 'may only be completed through a course established and offered by the secretary of state.' The SOS charges $20.00 for the course (Forms & Fees) and its application guide states 'All applicants and renewing notaries must successfully pass the education requirement.' The exact adopted hour figure and passing standard sit in 1 TAC ch. 87, which the SOS says it is 'updating... to align with the educational requirements' of SB 693 and which could not be retrieved.", "exam": "Texas has no standalone notary licensing examination, but an assessment inside the Secretary of State's own education course must be passed. It applies to applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026. SOS application guide (Revised 12/16/2025): 'All applicants and renewing notaries must successfully pass the education requirement established and offered by the Secretary of State's office before you may renew or apply as a Texas notary public,' and, after watching four videos, 'You must complete the assessment within 30 minutes. Failure to complete the assessment within the required timeframe will result in potentially failing of the assessment... Upon completion of the assessment, you will be notified of the passing or unsuccessful attempt at completing the education requirement.' Administered by the Secretary of State through the SOS Notary Portal; there is no separate exam fee published - the charge is the $20.00 course fee. A numeric passing score is not published on sos.state.tx.us (Notary Public page, Forms & Fees, Notary FAQs and both application guides checked); the SOS says only that failing to click Submit 'will result with a 0 score and you will forfeit the attempt to complete the educational requirement.' 1 TAC ch. 87, where a passing standard would be set, was not retrievable.", "fees": "State fees, from the Secretary of State's published Forms & Fees schedule (sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notaryforms.shtml): Notary Education Course (non-refundable) $20.00 for Traditional Notary Education and $20.00 for Online Notary Education; Form 2301 Application to Become a Traditional Notary Public $21.00 ($11.00 for State Employee Notaries Public); Form 2301ON Application to Become an Online Notary Public $50.00 for all applicants; Form 2305 Name Change Request $20.00 ($10.00 for state employees); Request for a Replacement Commission $10.00. The $21.00 traditional fee equals the statutory components in Gov't Code 406.007: '$10 for approving and filing the bond of the notary public, if required', '$1 to be appropriated to and used by the secretary of state only for hiring an investigator and for preparing and distributing the materials', and 'a fee of $10 for a notary public commission.' The $50.00 online fee is set by the SOS under 406.105(d) ('The secretary of state may charge a fee for an application submitted under this section in an amount necessary to administer this subchapter'), so there is no fixed statutory amount to conflict with. Not state-set: the surety bond premium (paid to a private bonding company), the seal or stamp (bought from a vendor), and the RON digital certificate and electronic seal (bought from a third party; SOS: 'Our Office cannot advise, or recommend which platform or company to use for this service'). No county recording or county qualification fee is published for Texas notaries - the Secretary of State issues the commission and holds the bond (406.008(a), 406.010(b), 406.012).", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Tex. Gov't Code ch. 406, Subchapter A (406.001-406.025)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Appointment, four-year term, statewide jurisdiction, eligibility, application, qualification, state fees, bond and oath, reappointment, seal, record book, authority, and maximum notarial fees.\", \"url_note\": \"Texas publishes its statutes through an application that returns the same 250,874-byte page for every address (.htm and .pdf return identical bytes, with zero occurrences of 'notary'), so the chapter text cannot be linked from the state's own publisher and no URL is given here. The citation stands as text; the operative facts on this page are sourced to the Secretary of State's own readable pages and, for the 2025 amendments, to the enrolled bill.\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tex. Gov't Code ch. 406, Subchapter C (406.101-406.113)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Online Notary Public commission, standards for online notarization, the electronic record and audio-video retention, the $25 online notarization fee cap, and termination duties.\", \"url_note\": \"Texas publishes its statutes through an application that returns the same 250,874-byte page for every address (.htm and .pdf return identical bytes, with zero occurrences of 'notary'), so the chapter text cannot be linked from the state's own publisher and no URL is given here. The citation stands as text; the operative facts on this page are sourced to the Secretary of State's own readable pages and, for the 2025 amendments, to the enrolled bill.\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.B. 693, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 298 (2025), amending Gov't Code 406.006, 406.009, 406.011, 406.014 and 406.023, eff. Sept. 1, 2025\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary education requirement for appointment and continuing education for reappointment, capped at two hours each and available only through a course established and offered by the Secretary of State.\", \"url\": \"https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB00693F.HTM\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code ch. 121 (121.001)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Which officers other than notaries may take acknowledgments or proofs inside Texas, elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad, including commissioned military officers for service members and their spouses.\", \"url_note\": \"Texas publishes its statutes through an application that returns the same 250,874-byte page for every address (.htm and .pdf return identical bytes, with zero occurrences of 'notary'), so the chapter text cannot be linked from the state's own publisher and no URL is given here. The citation stands as text; the operative facts on this page are sourced to the Secretary of State's own readable pages and, for the 2025 amendments, to the enrolled bill.\"}, {\"citation\": \"Tex. Gov't Code ch. 603 (603.006, 603.007, 603.008)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary's fee book, itemization of fees, and the duty to keep the authorized fee list posted - quoted by the Secretary of State in its notary educational materials.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/edinfo.shtml\"}, {\"citation\": \"1 Tex. Admin. Code, Part 4, ch. 87 (Secretary of State notary rules; 1 TAC 87.4 digital certificate standard)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notary rules including the RON digital certificate standard and, per the SOS's own notice, the education rules being adopted under S.B. 693. Not reviewed for this page.\", \"url\": \"https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?chapter=87&interface=VIEW_TAC&part=4&title=1\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Texas Government Code ch. 406, full chapter text - 'The term of a notary public expires four years after the date the notary public qualifies' (406.002); the $10,000 bond 'payable to the governor' (406.010(a)); the seal contents and sizes (406.013); 'retain the records required by Subsection (a) until the 10th anniversary of the date of notarization' (406.014(g)); the maximum notarial fee table (406.024); and the online notary subchapter including the '$25' online notarization cap (406.111). [NOT MACHINE-READABLE: this address returns a 250,874-byte application shell containing zero occurrences of 'notary', identically for .htm and .pdf, so it cannot be re-verified or monitored. Retained to name the chapter, not as a readable source.]\", \"url\": \"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.406.htm\", \"unreadable\": true}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS Notary Public page - eligibility ('Be a Texas Resident; Be at least 18 years of age; and Maintain no convictions for a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude'), the three commission types, and the step order including 'Complete your Notary Education Requirement through the SOS Notary Portal' and 'Obtain proof of a Notary Public Surety Bond from a Texas licensed bonding company'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notary-public.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS Notary Forms & Fees - the published fee schedule: 'Notary Education Course (non-refundable) $20.00 for Traditional Notary Education / $20.00 for Online Notary Education'; 'Form 2301 - Application to Become a Traditional Notary Public $21.00 for Traditional Notaries Public / $11.00 for State Employee Notaries Public'; 'Form 2301ON - Application to Become an Online Notary Public $50.00 for all applicants'; name change $20.00; replacement commission $10.00; and 'A notary public must secure a $10,000 surety bond.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/notaryforms.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS Notary Public FAQs - 'Errors and Omission policies are additional insurance purchased by the notary to protect the notary, and not the public'; 'Do online notaries public need to obtain a bond in addition to the bond required to be a traditional notary? No.'; the online term 'runs concurrently with the term of that notary's traditional commission'; the electronic record kept 'Five (5) years from the date of notarization'; 'Use of the phrase \\\"notario publico\\\" is prohibited'; and 'The notary should turn in their notary record book to their local county clerk's office.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/faqs2300.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS Notary Public Educational Information - the state's official notary materials published under Gov't Code 406.008(b); reproduces the 406.024 maximum fee table with identical amounts, warns that charging more subjects the notary to 'possible criminal prosecution and suspension or revocation', and quotes Gov't Code 603.006-603.008 on the fee book, itemization and posting.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/edinfo.shtml\"}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS guide 'Submit/Renew a Traditional Notary Application' (PDF, Revised 12/16/2025) - 'All applicants and renewing notaries must successfully pass the education requirement established and offered by the Secretary of State's office'; the course 'must be completed within 90 days from the date of payment and is a non-refundable fee'; four unskippable videos then a Notary Education Assessment - 'You must complete the assessment within 30 minutes.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/guides/TraditionalNotaryApplication.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS guide 'Submit an Application to become an Online (RON) Notary Public' (PDF) - the separate Online Notary Education course and the third-party digital certificate step required for the RON commission.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/guides/OnlineNotaryApplication.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code ch. 121 - 121.001 lists the officers other than notaries who may take acknowledgments, including 'a clerk of a district court', 'a judge or clerk of a county court', and 'A commissioned officer of the United States Armed Forces' for a member or a member's spouse. [NOT MACHINE-READABLE: this address returns a 250,874-byte application shell containing zero occurrences of 'notary', identically for .htm and .pdf, so it cannot be re-verified or monitored. Retained to name the chapter, not as a readable source.]\", \"url\": \"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.121.htm\", \"unreadable\": true}, {\"label\": \"Texas SOS Form 2301-B, Texas Notary Public Surety Bond Form - the bond form the licensed surety agency completes and the applicant uploads to the SOS Notary Portal.\", \"url\": \"https://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/forms/2301B.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/tx-notary/" }, { "page_id": "ut-notary", "state": "Utah", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Utah - Notary Office", "board_url": "https://notary.utah.gov/", "application_url": "https://notary.utah.gov/qualifications-and-process/", "renewal_cycle": "Utah has no light-touch renewal: an expiring notary must re-apply from the beginning. Utah Code 46-1-3(5)(b), as reproduced in the handbook: '(i) After an individual's commission expires, the individual may not perform a notarial act until the individual obtains a new commission. (ii) An individual whose commission expires and who wishes to obtain a new commission shall submit a new application, showing compliance with the requirements of this section.' Because 46-1-3(6) requires 'Each applicant for a notarial commission' to take the approved examination, a renewing notary sits the exam and pays the $95 again, posts a new bond and takes a new oath. A new official seal is also mandatory on renewal: 46-1-16(3)(a) - 'A notary shall obtain a new official seal: (i) When the notary receives a new commission; or (ii) If the notary changes the notary's name of record at any time during the notary's commission.' Remote notaries must re-apply for RON separately at every renewal: 'You must reapply for a Remote Notary commission each time you renew your Notary Public commission.' Early/overlap rule from the bond FAQ: a reapplying notary whose old commission has not expired puts the old commission's expiration date on the new bond, and the state warns 'Ensure your commission dates do not overlap.' Bonds must be dated within 90 days of commission approval. No grace period is published; the statute bars notarial acts the moment the commission expires.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required in Utah. Renewal is instead a fresh application with a fresh examination: Utah Code 46-1-3(5)(b)(ii) requires an individual whose commission expires to 'submit a new application, showing compliance with the requirements of this section', and 46-1-3(6)(a) requires 'Each applicant for a notarial commission' to take the approved examination - so the re-testing is Utah's competence-refresh mechanism, in place of CE hours. Sources checked: the Process and Qualifications page (all seven steps), the FAQs page cost table and process section, the Resources & Forms page, the 43-page Study Guide and Handbook (the phrase 'continuing education' does not occur in it), the 2026 Study Guide Supplement, and the S.B. 139 amendments announcement. No CE requirement, hour count or approved-provider scheme appears in any of them. Not verified against: any Utah administrative rule, because the state code and rule portal at le.utah.gov could not be reached.", "exam": "Required of every applicant. Utah Code 46-1-3(6)(a), as reproduced in the state's handbook: 'Each applicant for a notarial commission shall take an examination that the lieutenant governor approves', and the statute contemplates denial of a commission for 'failure to pass the examination described in subsection (6).' Administered online through the Lieutenant Governor's notary application system - the applicant creates an account, then takes the test as step 2 of the process. Fee: the Process and Qualifications page states 'After taking the test, be ready to pay the $95 administration fee immediately. Results are provided instantly upon payment.' The FAQs page breaks that $95 into a $55 application fee and a $40 test fee, both non-refundable. Retakes: 'If you fail, you must pay an additional $40 re-testing fee each time until you pass. (Note: this offer is valid for 30 days from the first test date.)' The FAQs page adds that 'If you take the test later than 30 days after the original test date you will be charged the full $95.00.' Passing score and format not published: no number of questions, time limit or passing score is stated by the Lieutenant Governor. Sources checked: the Process and Qualifications page, the FAQs page, the Resources & Forms page, and the 43-page Study Guide and Handbook. The score also could not be checked against the statute or any administrative rule because le.utah.gov is unreachable.", "fees": "Paid to the state (FAQs cost table and Process and Qualifications page, as of 2026-09-17, unchanged by the September 15, 2026 application-system replacement): Application fee $55.00, non-refundable. Test fee $40.00, non-refundable. Total initial cost $95.00, described by the state as 'Paid to the state' and collected as a single '$95 administration fee' immediately after the exam is taken. Retake fee $40.00 each time the test is failed, valid within 30 days of the first test date; after 30 days the full $95.00 is charged again. Remote online notary: $50.00 application fee, billed after the Lieutenant Governor's office reviews the submitted documents ('you will receive an email with instructions on how to pay the $50.00 application fee'). The state states explicitly that 'The $50.00 RON application fee is separate from the initial notary application fee.' Paid to third parties, not the state: the four-year notarial bond, which the state's FAQ estimates at approximately $50.00 paid to a surety company, and the notary stamp, estimated at approximately $25.00 paid to a vendor. The state supplies neither: 'you must purchase a notarial stamp and journal through a third-party company. The notary office does not provide stamps or journals.' Journal cost is not estimated by the state. No county recording fee: nothing in the sources read routes any part of a Utah notary application, oath or bond through a county clerk or recorder - the oath and bond are filed with and approved by the Lieutenant Governor under 46-1-4. Caution on the bond and stamp figures: the ~$50 bond and ~$25 stamp are the state's own estimates of private-market prices, not state-set fees, and the state disclaims any preferred vendor.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Utah Code Title 46, Chapter 1 (Notaries Public Reform Act)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole commissioning scheme: qualifications, examination, bond, term, powers, seal, fees, journal, revocation and remote notarization.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-3\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications, the required examination, the four-year term, the bar on acting after expiry, and the requirement that an expired notary file a new application.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S3.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Bond - the commission 'is not effective until' the constitutional oath is taken and a $5,000 four-year surety bond is filed with and approved by the lieutenant governor.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S4.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-12\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum notarial fees ($10 per act; $25 for remote acts), the travel-fee rule, the posted English-language fee schedule, and the $10 immigration-forms cap.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S12.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-16\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Official signature and seal - purple ink in person, black for remote, required elements, the one-inch by two-and-a-half-inch rectangular border, new seal on new commission or name change, and the electronic-message exception.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S16.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-17\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Obtaining an official seal - a vendor may not supply a seal without a copy of the commission plus a notarized declaration in the statutory form.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S17.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-13\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Journal of notarial acts, including the requirement that remote notaries keep a secure electronic journal.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S13.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-3.7\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Rulemaking authority for remote notarization, including the electronic-seal standard and the identity-proofing methods (dynamic knowledge-based authentication, biometric analysis).\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S3.7.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"Utah Code 46-1-19 and 46-1-21\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Revocation or suspension on any ground for which a commission could be denied; resignation, including the mandatory resignation of a notary who leaves the state or its employment.\", \"url\": \"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title46/Chapter1/46-1-S19.html\"}, {\"citation\": \"S.B. 139 (2026 General Session) - Notary Amendments, effective May 6, 2026\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Adds the journal requirement for notaries commissioned or renewed on or after May 6, 2026, requires unexpired ID, allows credible witnesses who personally know the signer, creates a journal-inspection process, and criminalizes unauthorized use or possession of a notary seal or journal.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/announcements/s-b-139-notary-amendments-updates-and-guidance/\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - Process and Qualifications. Establishes the seven qualifications ('Be 18 years of age or older... Be a U.S citizen or have permanent resident status under Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act... Must lawfully reside in the State of Utah or be employed in the state for at least 30 days prior to applying') and the seven process steps, including 'be ready to pay the $95 administration fee immediately' and 'The notary office does not provide stamps or journals.'\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/qualifications-and-process/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - Notarial Bond & Oath of Office. Establishes the bond amount and term ('a four-year notarial bond of $5,000 is required. The bond must be executed by a company authorized to write surety bonds'), the liability notice ('A notary bond is not insurance for the notary, but protection for the public'), the 90-day dating rule, and that the Oath of Office 'must be notarized prior to submitting your documents'.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/notarial-bond/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - FAQs. Establishes the state fee breakdown (Application Fee $55.00, Test Fee $40.00, Total Initial Cost $95.00 'Paid to the state', Retake Fee $40.00, bond ~$50 to a surety company, stamp ~$25 to a vendor) and the journal rule ('A notary who receives a commission on or after May 6, 2026 is required to keep a physical journal... All remote notaries are required to keep a secure electronic journal (UCA 46-1-13)'). CAUTION: this page's own byline reads 'Source: Utah Code Title 46, National Notary Association' -.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/faqs/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - S.B. 139 Notary Amendments, Updates and Guidance (announcement dated April 15, 2026). Establishes the effective date and scope: 'S.B. 139 - Notary Amendments was signed into law and will take effect on May 6, 2026... requiring the use of notary journals for new and renewing notaries on or after May 6, 2026' and 'Notaries who have a current commission are not required to keep a journal until they renew their commission after May 6, 2026.'\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/announcements/s-b-139-notary-amendments-updates-and-guidance/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - 2026 Study Guide Supplement: Notary Journal (official PDF). Establishes journal form ('A journal is a physical journal... Only remote online notarizations may be recorded in an electronic journal'), the full entry field list, the public-inspection procedure, the 10-year retention and mandatory destruction, and the attorney/law-firm/title-agency exemption.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/Notary-Journal-5-6.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - Utah Notary Public Study Guide and Handbook (official PDF, dated 5-16-2022). Reproduces the text of Utah Code chapter 46-1 relied on here for the four-year term (46-1-3(5)), the bond (46-1-4), the fee caps (46-1-12), and the seal (46-1-16, including 'Each official seal used for an in-person notarization shall be in purple ink').\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/UtahNotaryPublicStudyGuideandHandbook-5-16-2022.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - Remote Online Notary (RON) Application Process. Establishes the prerequisite ('you must already be a commissioned Notary Public'), the approved-vendor rule ('you must be hired or contracted by an approved vendor'), the $10,000 bond increase with both options, the electronic seal/timestamp requirement, the $50.00 fee ('separate from the initial notary application fee'), and the re-application-at-every-renewal rule.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/2023/01/27/remote-online-notary-ron-application-process/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office - Resources & Forms. Establishes the official document set (Official Study Guide, 2026 Study Guide Supplement Notary Journal, Notary Law Title 46, certificate wordings, Oath of Office Form) and that commission administration - remote notary applications, complaints, name and address changes, resignation - runs through the Utah Notary Request Portal.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/resources-forms/\"}, {\"label\": \"State of Utah Registered Notary Search - the official public lookup. Establishes the searchable fields and the disclaimer that the site 'only validates the notaries public current commission by the state of Utah, and is not responsible for the validity of the notary public representing self as a licensed attorney or a licensed escrow agent.'\", \"url\": \"https://secure.utah.gov/notary/search.html\"}, {\"label\": \"Utah Notary Request Portal - the state system used for remote notary applications, complaints, name changes, address changes and resignations.\", \"url\": \"https://cs.utah.gov/s/notaries-request\"}, {\"label\": \"Utah Notary Application — the new application system the Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office launched on September 15, 2026, replacing the retired one. Reached from the Process and Qualifications page's 'Create an Account & Start the Process' button and named in the office's own announcement: 'You can go to notaryapplication.utah.gov to access the new application.' Confirmed live on September 17, 2026; it redirects to Utah's single sign-on at sso.mylogin.utah.gov, so the application itself sits behind a login and we cannot re-check its contents.\", \"url\": \"https://notaryapplication.utah.gov/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office — 'New Notary Application Live', announcement dated September 16, 2026. Establishes that the replacement actually happened and the transition rules: 'The new notary application is now live... You can go to notaryapplication.utah.gov to access the new application'; 'Any applicants with incomplete submissions in the previous application must start over in the new application. Incomplete submissions cannot be transferred to the new application.' Read live 2026-09-17.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/uncategorized/new-notary-application-live/\"}, {\"label\": \"Lieutenant Governor's Notary Office — 'NEW NOTARY APPLICATION LAUNCHING 9/15/2026', announcement dated August 28, 2026: 'the current notary application will be retired and replaced by a new system on September 15, 2026. All applications must be completed by this date, including submitting a background check and uploading all required documents. Any incomplete applications will be returned and applicants will be required to submit a new application.' Read live 2026-09-17.\", \"url\": \"https://notary.utah.gov/announcements/new-notary-application-launching-9-15-2026/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/ut-notary/" }, { "page_id": "va-notary", "state": "Virginia", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Notary Division (notaries are appointed by the Governor)", "board_url": "https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/official-documents/notary-commissions/", "application_url": "https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/official-documents/notary-commissions/become/notary-application-process/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is a fresh application every fourth year, not a light-touch renewal. Per the Secretary's August 2026 guidelines: 'A notary's commission may be renewed every fourth year by filing a new application with the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office.' The handbook uses the same formula. The fee is the same $45 as an initial commission, and the Secretary's FAQ treats 'become or renew' as one fee. The Secretary recommends the Notary Management account, which 'will allow you to check the status of notary applications, update your contact information, and, if eligible, renew online.' Note the qualifier 'if eligible' - online renewal is not universal. No grace period: 'After their term has expired, notaries must not act as such unless a new commission has been obtained. Acting under an expired commission may constitute a criminal offense.' The guidelines put it more sharply: 'It is a felony to act as a notary without having a valid commission and doing so may result in imprisonment for each offense.' The electronic commission must be renewed at the same time as the traditional commission and expires with it. Mid-term changes: contact information (address, phone, business address, business phone) must be updated promptly through the online notary account, and 'only contact information may be updated online' - name changes are handled separately. Future-effective and specifically aimed at renewals: from July 1, 2027 the enacted course-of-instruction and written-examination requirements apply to 'both initial commissions and recommissions', with training completed within six months before application. Renewing Virginia notaries should expect their first post-July-2027 renewal to look materially different from this one.", "ce_hours": "No continuing education is required in Virginia today, and renewal is instead a fresh application every fourth year. Sources checked: the Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public revised August 10 2026 in full, the Important Guidelines for Virginia Notaries revised July 2026, the Notary Application Process page, the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Notary Commissions page and FAQ, the eNotary page, and Va. Code Title 47.1 chapters 1 and 3. No continuing-education requirement, hour count, approved-provider scheme or CE fee appears in any of them; the renewal instruction is simply 'filing a new application with the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office' plus the $45 fee. Watch July 1, 2027: the enacted 'Course of Instruction & Examination Requirements' apply to 'both initial commissions and recommissions' with 'Training must be completed within 6 months prior to application' (Secretary of the Commonwealth, Virginia's Notary Spotlight Vol 02, under 'Effective July 1, 2027'). Because it attaches to recommissions and carries a six-month window before application, it will function much like a pre-renewal education requirement for existing notaries even though Virginia does not call it continuing education. It is not in force today and this page does not treat it as such.", "exam": "No examination is required in Virginia today. A written examination has been enacted and takes effect July 1, 2027. Today there is no notary examination of any kind. Virginia's qualification list contains no exam, the application process is an online interview plus a notarized paper application plus a circuit-court oath, and no exam fee exists - the only charges are the $45 application fee and the $10 court fee. Sources checked: Va. Code Title 47.1 chapters 1 and 3 (including 47.1-3, 47.1-4, 47.1-5, 47.1-5.1, 47.1-8 and 47.1-9 as cited by the handbook), the Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public revised August 10 2026 in full, the Important Guidelines revised July 2026, the Notary Application Process page and the Secretary's FAQ. None mentions an examination as a condition of commissioning. Future-effective, July 1, 2027: per the Secretary of the Commonwealth's newsletter, under the heading 'Effective July 1, 2027... The following laws have been passed but will take effect next year', the new 'Course of Instruction & Examination Requirements' apply to 'both initial commissions and recommissions' and include a 'Written examination required', with training 'completed within 6 months prior to application'. Until the July 1 2027 date arrives, Virginia does not require an exam for the whole of the 2026-27 commissioning year.", "fees": "To the Secretary of the Commonwealth: $45.00, non-refundable, for a new commission or a renewal. The Secretary's FAQ: 'The application fee to become or renew a notary commission is $45 (non-refundable). The fee may be paid online by credit card at the time the application is created or it can paid by check or money order and mailed to our office with the notarized application. If paying by check or money order, please make payment payable to Treasurer of Virginia.' The handbook states the same $45 figure. To the circuit court clerk: $10.00, paid when the applicant appears to claim the commission and take the oath of office - 'At that time, the applicant will be required to pay a fee of $10 to the Clerk.' This is a genuinely separate payment to a different body and is easy to omit; the all-in cost of a Virginia commission is therefore $55.00 in government fees. Electronic notary: a further $45.00 non-refundable fee, 'submitted via online payment using a Visa, Mastercard or American Express at the end of the online application.' There is no separate RON fee - remote online notarization runs under the electronic commission. Seal/stamp: not a state fee. 'Stamps/seals must be ordered through an outside vendor... The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth does not sell or make notary stamps/seals.' Since July 1, 2026 a vendor may only supply one on proof of commission. The electronic seal likewise must be bought from an electronic notary seal provider before applying, at a price the state does not set or publish. No Code-versus-form divergence found. The $45 appears identically on the Secretary's live FAQ, the Notary Application Process page and the August 2026 handbook, and the $10 court fee appears in both the application-process page and the handbook. Virginia's application is generated as a PDF by the online interview rather than published as a standing fee-bearing form, so there is no separate printed fee schedule that could disagree. Restart cost: if the commission is not claimed at the circuit court within 60 days it becomes invalid and 'you must submit a new application and a new fee' - the $45 is forfeited.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Code of Virginia, Title 47.1 (Notaries and Out-of-State Commissioners)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Virginia notary scheme - appointment, qualifications, electronic notaries, powers and duties, seals, fees, records, and offences.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-3 and 47.1-4\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Gubernatorial appointment of an unlimited number of notaries, and the qualifications - age 18, legal US residency, English literacy, Virginia residency or employment nexus, and the felony bar subject to pardon, writ of actual innocence or restoration of civil rights.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter1/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-8\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Secretary of the Commonwealth's responsibility for commissioning notaries public in Virginia.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter2/section47.1-8/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-7\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Electronic notary registration - the required contents of the registration form, including the technology description, certification of compliance with the 47.1-6.1 standards, and a valid email address.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter2/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-6.1\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Development of the electronic notarization standards to which an electronic notary's electronic signature and seal must conform.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter2/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-12 and 47.1-13\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The notary's powers (the five basic notarial acts) and jurisdiction - notaries at-large throughout the Commonwealth, with limited extraterritorial authority; 47.1-13.1 for electronic acts deemed performed in Virginia.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/chapter3/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-14\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The record of notarial acts - since July 1, 2026 a journal is required of all notaries, with six mandated fields and at least five years' retention; electronic notaries must additionally keep a backup, and remote acts require a retained video record.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/chapter3/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-16\", \"what_it_governs\": \"What every notarization must show - date and place; the requirement that an electronic notarial certificate state the Virginia county or city where the notary was physically located and 'indicate whether the notarization was done in person or by remote online notarization'; the commission-expiration statement; and the duty to affix a sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible seal. Historical citation runs to 2024, c. 832.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter3/section47.1-16/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-19 and 47.1-20\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Allowable fees - up to $10.00 per notarial act, actual travel expenses by prior agreement, and the employer's right to require uncompensated notarial acts in the course of employment or to require that fees charged be turned over.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/chapter3/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-21, 47.1-5.1 and 47.1-29\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Term of office - four years expiring on the last day of the notary's birth month - and the consequences of acting under an expired commission.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/chapter3/\"}, {\"citation\": \"Va. Code 47.1-22 and 47.1-30\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Resignation and the duty of a notary who moves out of state to surrender the commission unless still regularly employed in Virginia; and conflicts of interest.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/chapter3/\"}, {\"citation\": \"2026 Acts of Assembly - House Bill 163 / Senate Bill 316 (Chapter 365)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The July 1, 2026 changes: the journal requirement extended to all notaries with five-year retention; proof of commission required to obtain a seal, retained five years by both notary and vendor; and a statutory standard of care for settlement agents. The same legislative package carries course-of-instruction and written-examination requirements for initial commissions and recommissions that take effect July 1, 2027. Note: the bill text itself could not be read -.\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/secretary-of-the-commonwealth/pdf/notary/Notary-News-Letter-July-1-Changes-2026.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - Notary Commissions (landing page). Establishes the commissioning authority ('The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth is responsible for the commissioning of Notaries Public in Virginia, pursuant to Section 47.1-8 of the Code of Virginia'), the scale ('approximately 120,000 Virginians are commissioned as a Notary Public'), the $45 fee FAQ, and links to 'New Notary Laws Effective July 1, 2026'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/official-documents/notary-commissions/\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - A Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public, revised 8.10.2026 (official 25-page PDF, THE CURRENT EDITION). Establishes qualifications, the four-year birth-month term, the $45 and $10 fees, the 60-day claim rule, the $10 fee cap, the no-bond/no-insurance rule, the NEW all-notary journal with six fields and five-year retention, seal duties including proof of commission, and the electronic/remote framework.\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/secretary-of-administration/pdf/Notary-Handbook_Final_8.10.2026.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - Important Guidelines for Virginia Notaries, revised July 2026 (official PDF, dated 8.11.26). Establishes the seven items required on every notarized document, the seal contents ('must be photographically reproducible and contain the name of the notary exactly as it appears on the notary's commission, the words \\\"Notary Public\\\" and \\\"Commonwealth of Virginia\\\"'), the proof-of-commission seal rule, the $10 cap, and the journal duty: 'All notaries are required by law to keep and maintain a notary journal for a period of at least five (5) years from the date of the transaction starting July 1, 2026.'\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/secretary-of-the-commonwealth/pdf/notary/Important-Guidelines-for-Virginia-Notaries-8.11.26.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - Virginia's Notary Spotlight, Vol 02: New Notary Laws July 1, 2026 (official newsletter PDF). Establishes the July 1 2026 changes (House Bill 163/Senate Bill 316: proof required to obtain seal; 'Journal Requirement of ALL Notaries'; duty of settlement agents) AND, under 'Effective July 1, 2027 - The following laws have been passed but will take effect next year', the future course-of-instruction and written-examination requirements for initial commissions and recommissions.\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/secretary-of-the-commonwealth/pdf/notary/Notary-News-Letter-July-1-Changes-2026.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - Notary Application Process. Establishes the seven-step application sequence, the $45 fee payable to Treasurer of Virginia, the mailing address, the circuit-court oath with its $10 clerk fee, the ~3-week processing time and the 60-day claim deadline that 'is not excused for ANY REASON'.\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/official-documents/notary-commissions/become/notary-application-process/\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - Learn About Becoming an Electronic Notary. Establishes the eNotary prerequisite ('you must first be a commissioned Virginia notary public'), the $45 non-refundable fee, the Va. Code 47.1-7 registration contents, the electronic seal/signature elements, the 90-day technology-change notification, and the sole-control and security duties.\", \"url\": \"https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/official-documents/notary-commissions/enotary/\"}, {\"label\": \"Virginia General Assembly (law.lis.virginia.gov) - Va. Code 47.1-16, live statute text read on 2026-08-12 (page stamped 8/13/2026). Establishes the date-and-place requirement, the electronic-certificate location and in-person-versus-RON indication, the commission-expiration statement form, and the duty to affix 'a sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible image of the official seal'. History runs to 2024, c. 832.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter3/section47.1-16/\"}, {\"label\": \"Virginia General Assembly - Code of Virginia Title 47.1, Notaries and Out-of-State Commissioners (full title). The governing statute.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title47.1/\"}, {\"label\": \"Virginia General Assembly - Va. Code Title 47.1 Chapter 1, read live on 2026-08-12. Qualifications and general provisions.\", \"url\": \"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title47.1/chapter1/\"}, {\"label\": \"Secretary of the Commonwealth - Virginia Notary Search / verification portal, the official public lookup by name or Notary ID (see the license-verification details on this page for the caveat that the application returned an error to an automated reader on 2026-08-12).\", \"url\": \"https://notary.solutions.virginia.gov/search\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/va-notary/" }, { "page_id": "vt-notary", "state": "Vermont", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), Office of the Secretary of State", "board_url": "https://sos.vermont.gov/notaries-public/", "application_url": "https://sos.vermont.gov/notaries-public/forms-instructions/", "renewal_cycle": "Renewal is biennial, in January of odd-numbered years, through OPR's Online Services System. Window: 'Renewal applications open six weeks before the expiration date and are submitted through the Online Services System' (February 2026 Notary Renewal Instructions). OPR sends courtesy email reminders - the FAQ says three of them - but Rule 4-8 disclaims reliance: 'non-receipt of such reminders shall not excuse a Notaries public from the obligation to continuously maintain a Commission.' The FAQ is blunter: 'It is solely your responsibility to know the date your commission expires and to renew on time.' Steps: submit the online renewal application and pay the non-refundable renewal fee; and 'Upload proof of your 1 hour of approved continuing education, unless your profession is exempt from CE.' A Special Endorsement renewal requires one additional CE hour on electronic or remote acts. OPR asks for 3-5 business days for processing, and all convictions since the last renewal must be reported on the renewal application. It is a renewal, not a re-examination: nothing in 26 V.S.A. 5343 or the 2025 Rules requires a renewing notary to re-sit the examination. 5343(a) provides that on 'receipt of a notary public's completed renewal, payment of the fee as set forth in section 5324 of this chapter, and evidence of eligibility, the Office shall issue to him or her a new commission.' Lapse: 'A Commission and any associated Special Endorsement expires if not renewed by midnight at the conclusion of the date of expiration. Practice under an expired Commission or an expired Special Endorsement is a violation of 3 V.S.A. 127' (Rule 4-7). Late renewals draw reinstatement penalty fees, waivable on request. Practical consequence: because Vermont stamps carry the expiration date, 'stamps that include a commission expiration date must be replaced upon expiration of the commission, every two years.' Name change mid-term: within 30 days a notary must update their online file and, for a name change, submit court documentation and 'an updated notarized oath of office signed with the notary public's new signature.' Rule 4-5(b): 'Notaries public shall not perform notarial acts after a name change until the updated oath is submitted.'", "ce_hours": "One hour per two-year cycle, plus one additional hour for the special endorsement. Vermont is one of the few states with genuine notary CE, and it is a renewal condition, not an entry condition. Rule 9-1(a): 'Except as exempted under Parts 4-3 and 4-6, above, and 26 V.S.A. chapter 103, as a condition of Commission renewal, notaries public shall complete no fewer than one hour of continuing education over the full two-year biennial period preceding the application for renewal.' Rule 9-1(b): 'Special Endorsement renewal requires one additional hour of continuing education. The additional hour must pertain to the performance of notarial acts on electronic records or for remotely located individuals or both.' So an endorsed notary owes two hours per cycle. Statutory ceiling: 26 V.S.A. 5343(b) requires continuing education 'approved by the Office, which shall not be required to exceed two hours, during the preceding two-year period', with the Office to 'establish by rule guidelines and criteria for continuing education credit' with the advice of the advisor appointees. Course form: 'A continuing education course shall be at least one hour in length. One hour means 60 minutes.' It 'may be synchronous or asynchronous, recorded or live, or in-person or remote' and 'may be interactive but does not have to be', but 'must include both audio and visual content.' Credit is granted 'only for actual time a notary public spends as a learner during the course. Breaks, business meetings, and lunches do not count.' Content must be 'directly related to the maintenance and enhancement of the skill, knowledge, and competency to perform notarial acts in accordance with Vermont's laws and requirements.' Approval: courses 'provided or approved by the following organizations are approved without prior approval from the Office: American Bar Association, Vermont Bar Association, and any Vermont State government agency.' All other providers must apply to the Director for approval through OPR's online portal and may not advertise a course as Vermont-approved until approved; courses not pre-approved 'may be reviewed as part of a notary public's renewal application.' OPR publishes an approved-course list and warns applicants to search the term 'notaries public'. Documentation and audit: proof must be uploaded with the renewal and must show 'the name and date of the course, proof of attendance, and the number of continuing education credit hours awarded.' OPR 'shall conduct continuing education audits of randomly selected notaries public.' Exempt from CE: attorneys licensed and in good standing in Vermont (26 V.S.A. 5342(b)(1)(B), exempting them from 'the continuing education requirement set forth in section 5343'; Rule 4-3(b)(ii)); Judiciary-Related Employees (Rule 4-3(a)(i)(C)); and Law-Enforcement-Related Employees, who need no commission within the scope of their duties. Town clerks, town clerk assistants and justices of the peace are exempt only from the fee, not from CE. Newly commissioned notaries get a first-cycle grace under Rule 4-9 where the commission issued within 90 days of the end of a biennial period.", "exam": "Required, and required by statute rather than only by rule. 26 V.S.A. 5341(b)(5): an applicant shall 'pass a basic examination approved by the Office based on the statutes, rules, and ethics relevant to notarial acts.' The Administrative Rules Part 4-2(e) repeat it: 'Pass an examination approved by the Office based on the statutes, rules, and ethics relevant to the provision of notarial acts.' When it started: OPR's FAQ dated the requirement, in text the page carried until late August 2026 - 'For applications received prior to February 1, 2021, no examination is required. Initial applicants submitting an application on or after February 1, 2021 will need to pass an examination based on the statutes, rules, and ethics relevant to notarial acts.' The FAQ now states the standing rule without the date (read September 2, 2026): 'Yes, successful passage of a jurisprudence examination based on the statutes, rules and ethics relevant to notarial acts is required.' Any source describing Vermont as an exam-free state is describing pre-2021 law. Who is exempt: attorneys licensed and in good standing in Vermont are exempt from the examination by statute - 26 V.S.A. 5342(b)(1)(A) exempts them from 'the examination requirement set forth in subsection 5341(b)'; Rule 4-3(b)(i) repeats it. Judiciary-Related Employees are exempt from 'Passage of the examination required under Part 4-2(e)' (Rule 4-3(a)(i)(A)). Law-Enforcement-Related Employees need no commission at all within the scope of their official duties, so the exam does not reach them. Town clerks, town clerk assistants and justices of the peace are not exempt from the exam - they are exempt only from the fee (Rule 4-3(c)). Administered by: the Office of Professional Regulation approves the examination; it is taken as part of the online application. Not published: the number of questions, the time limit, the passing score, any separate examination fee, and the retake policy. Sources checked: 26 V.S.A. 5341 and 5324 (the fee section sets only the $30 commission fee and the $30 endorsement fee - no exam fee), the February 26, 2025 Administrative Rules in full, the Notary FAQs, the Forms & Instructions page and the renewal instructions. None states a score or a separate exam charge.", "fees": "State fees are set by statute and are short. 26 V.S.A. 5324: '(a) For the issuance of a commission as a notary public, the Office shall collect a fee of $30.00. (b) For issuance of a special endorsement authorizing the performance of electronic and remote notarial acts in accordance with subsection 5341(d) of this chapter, the Office shall collect a fee of $30.00.' So: $30.00 for the commission, and a further $30.00 for the Special Endorsement if the notary wants to notarize electronic records or for remotely located individuals. OPR's FAQ confirms the intake figure in the same terms - 'To complete the application, you will need to pay a $30.00 fee with a debit card, credit card or ACH (savings or checking account).' Statutory fee and agency-collected fee agree; there is no divergence of the kind seen in some states between a published regulatory fee and what the agency actually charges, and Vermont publishes no separate paper application form that could carry a different figure. Renewal: the renewal fee is described as a 'non-refundable renewal fee' payable through the Online Services System (February 2026 Notary Renewal Instructions); 26 V.S.A. 5343(a) routes renewal through 'payment of the fee as set forth in section 5324', which is the $30.00 figure. Fee exemptions: town clerks, town clerk assistants and justices of the peace 'are exempt from the fee set forth in section 5324' (26 V.S.A. 5342(c)(2); Rule 4-3(c) - they 'are subject to all the requirements of these Rules and 26 V.S.A. Chapter 103 except for paying the required fee'). Judiciary-Related Employees are exempt from 'Paying the required fee' (Rule 4-3(a)(i)(B)). Law-Enforcement-Related Employees need no commission within the scope of their duties and so pay nothing. Late fees: 'Late renewals are subject to penalties' and 'Late renewal applications are subject to reinstatement penalty fees' under 3 V.S.A. 127(d)(1); Rule 4-10 notes waivers 'may be requested through the online licensing system.' The penalty amount is set by 3 V.S.A. 127(d) and is not stated on the notary pages. No county fees: since the 2019 transfer of notary commissioning to OPR, no part of the process runs through a town or county. OPR's FAQ: 'Town and county clerks and other agencies are no longer accepting notary public commission renewals.' Not a state fee: the stamp. Vermont does not require one at all, and where a notary chooses to buy one it is a private purchase with no state-set price. Continuing-education course costs are likewise private and not published by OPR.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. chapter 103 (Notaries Public)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire Vermont notary scheme - definitions, OPR's authority, fees, qualifications, disqualification, renewal and continuing education, notarial acts, certificates, stamps, and notarial acts on electronic records and for remotely located individuals. Added 2017, No. 160 (Adj. Sess.), section 1, effective July 1, 2019; amended 2021, No. 171 (Adj. Sess.), section 5, effective July 1, 2022.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/26/103\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5324\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Fees - $30.00 for issuance of a commission; $30.00 for issuance of a special endorsement authorizing electronic and remote notarial acts.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05324\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5341\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Qualifications (age 18, citizenship or permanent legal residency, Vermont residency or place of employment, non-disqualification, passing a basic approved examination), the oath of office, and subsection (d)'s requirement of a special endorsement before notarizing an electronic record or for a remotely located individual.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05341\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5342\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Disqualification grounds and the statutory exemptions - attorneys from the examination and continuing education; justices of the peace, town clerks and their assistants from the fee.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05342\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5343\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Biennial renewal and continuing education, including the statutory ceiling that CE 'shall not be required to exceed two hours' per two-year period.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05343\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5305\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Authority to perform notarial acts and the law-enforcement-related employee exemption at 5305(a)(1)(B)(i), plus the criminal penalty (fine up to $5,000.00 or up to one year imprisonment).\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05305\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5367, 5368, 5369 and 5370\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial certificate contents; short-form certificates; the official stamp (name, jurisdiction, other information required by the Office, and copyability); and security of the stamping device including the duty to report loss or theft.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05369\"}, {\"citation\": \"26 V.S.A. 5379 and 5380\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals - the mandatory audiovisual recording, its retention for at least 10 years, conditions for signers outside the United States, and the requirement that communication-technology, identity-proofing and storage providers be registered with the Secretary of State to do business in Vermont.\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/26/103/05379\"}, {\"citation\": \"Administrative Rules for Notaries Public, effective February 26, 2025\", \"what_it_governs\": \"OPR's permanent rules: eligibility (Part 4-2), exemptions (Part 4-3), the in-Vermont location rule (4-4), name change (4-5), the fixed biennial period and renewal (4-7 to 4-10), notarial acts (Part 5), the Special Endorsement (Part 6), notarial acts on electronic records and tamper-evident technology standards (Part 7), and continuing education (Part 9).\", \"url\": \"https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/notary_public/notary_public_administrative_rules.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"3 V.S.A. 127(d)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Late-renewal penalties and reinstatement fees applicable to OPR credentials, including notary commissions; also the unauthorized-practice provision referenced at 26 V.S.A. 5305(d).\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/03/005/00127\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-09-02", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Vermont Secretary of State, OPR - Notaries Public landing page. Establishes the authority (OPR within the Secretary of State's office) and routes to the governing documents via Statutes, Rules & Resources, which as of September 2, 2026 lists the Administrative Rules for Notaries Public effective February 26, 2025 as the operative rules.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.vermont.gov/notaries-public/\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Notary FAQs. Establishes the $30.00 application fee ('you will need to pay a $30.00 fee with a debit card, credit card or ACH'), the examination answer ('Yes, successful passage of a jurisprudence examination based on the statutes, rules and ethics relevant to notarial acts is required'), the expiration rule ('Notary commissions expire January 31st of odd years'), the stamp-optional rule, the law-enforcement exemption list, the conviction-reporting duty, the spouse/beneficial-interest bar, and the statement that remote notarization by all notaries is allowed under the Emergency Rules.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.vermont.gov/notaries-public/notary-faqs\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Administrative Rules for Notaries Public, EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 26, 2025 (official 23-page PDF). Establishes eligibility Part 4-2(a)-(g), the exemption structure Part 4-3, the in-Vermont location rule 4-4, the fixed two-year period 4-7, and critically Part 4-1: 'Notaries public holding a Commission may perform notarial acts only on tangible records and only for people appearing physically before the notary public. For all other notarial acts, notaries public shall obtain a Special Endorsement.' Part 6-1 and Part 9 (continuing education) likewise.\", \"url\": \"https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/notary_public/notary_public_administrative_rules.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont General Assembly - 26 V.S.A. chapter 103, Notaries Public, full chapter text. Establishes the $30.00 fees (5324), the qualifications and the special-endorsement requirement (5341), the attorney and town-clerk exemptions (5342), biennial renewal and the two-hour CE ceiling (5343), the official stamp (5369), and the remote-notarization audiovisual recording with at least 10-year retention (5379).\", \"url\": \"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/26/103\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Notary Renewal Instructions, February 2026 (official PDF). Establishes the renewal window ('Renewal applications open six weeks before the expiration date'), the CE upload ('Upload proof of your 1 hour of approved continuing education, unless your profession is exempt from CE'), and that 'The Remote and Electronic Specialty renewal requires 1 additional hour of continuing education.'\", \"url\": \"https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/notary_public/notary_public_renewal_instructions.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Stamps & Certificates. Establishes that 'A notary public is not required to have an official stamp or to affix an official stamp on a record', what must be printed instead, that 'The shape and style of the stamp may be determined by each notary', the commission-number digit rule, and the prohibition on using the Vermont State Seal.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.vermont.gov/notaries-public/stamps-certificates/\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Find a Professional. Establishes the public lookup's fields and returns - 'Name; City, State, Zip; License number & type; Issue, Effective & Expiration Dates; License Status' plus 'information regarding supervision, endorsements/specialties and disciplinary action'.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.vermont.gov/opr/find-a-professional/\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Notary Forms & Instructions. The official route to the initial application and renewal instructions.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.vermont.gov/notaries-public/forms-instructions/\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - Emergency Rules for Remote and Electronic Notarial Acts, effective 3/4/2024 (official PDF). Cited here only because OPR's FAQ still relies on it for the claim that remote notarization is open to all notaries; the permanent Administrative Rules effective February 26, 2025 supersede it. Both sources are listed so the conflict is visible.\", \"url\": \"https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/notary_public/notary_public_emergency_rules_remote_electronic_notarial_acts.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Vermont OPR - approved continuing education courses for notaries public (official PDF list). Establishes that OPR publishes the approved-course list itself.\", \"url\": \"https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/notary_public/notary_public_approved_continuing_education_courses.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/vt-notary/" }, { "page_id": "wa-notary", "state": "Washington", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL), Notary Public Program - not the Secretary of State, which is where most states put notaries and which is the first thing to get wrong about Washington. RCW 42.45.010 defines 'Department' as 'the department of licensing' and 'Director' as 'the director of licensing or the director's designee', and every commissioning, endorsement, discipline and rulemaking power in chapter 42.45 RCW runs to that director. The Secretary of State's remaining role is downstream and separate: DOL states 'We don't currently provide Apostilles and Certificates of Authority ... The Office of the Secretary of State provides Apostilles and Certificates of Authority.' DOL calls the credential a license throughout its own consumer-facing pages ('Get your license', 'Renew or update your license', 'License fees') while the statute calls it a commission - both words are the state's own and both are recorded.", "board_url": "https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public", "application_url": "https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/get-your-license-notaries-public", "renewal_cycle": "Renew early or start over - Washington has no grace period and no late renewal. DOL: 'You must renew your notary public license every 4 years'; 'You can renew up to 120 days before your license expires'; and 'IF YOUR LICENSE EXPIRES, YOU CAN'T RENEW IT AND MUST APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE.' What renewal takes: your license number, 'Copy of your signed $10,000 surety bond', and the renewal fee - $42 without an endorsement, $57 with the electronic records endorsement. Renew online through SecureAccess Washington, or mail the Notary Public Commission Renewal Application with a copy of the surety bond and a cheque. Order of operations, stated by DOL as an FAQ because people get it backwards: 'Do I renew my bond first or my notary license? Renew your bond first. You need to have a surety bond with an issue date and expiration date before you can renew your license. You must also submit a copy of your surety bond along with the renewal.' No education, no exam, no continuing education at renewal - see the continuing-education details on this page. The new term is again bound by the new bond (WAC 308-30-050(1)), so a short bond shortens the new term exactly as it did the first. A new stamp follows a new commission, and the old one may not be used past its own expiry date even if the new one has arrived (RCW 42.45.150(4)). Mid-term changes are free but deadlined: name and address changes carry 'No fee', and a name change requires 'a copy of your surety bond RIDER with your new name' before DOL issues a new certificate you can take to a stamp vendor; separately, any change to information submitted on the commission or endorsement application 'shall be report[ed] ... to the department in writing within fifteen days' (WAC 308-30-280). Ending a credential: 'A notary public may terminate the electronic records notary public endorsement or the remote notary endorsement and maintain the underlying notary public commission' (WAC 308-30-270(3)), and a notary whose commission is terminated or expired 'shall disable their official stamp by destroying, defacing, damaging, or securing the device against use' while still keeping the journals for ten years.", "ce_hours": "None. Washington requires no continuing education to hold or renew a notary public commission, an electronic records notary public endorsement or a remote notary endorsement. Sources checked: chapter 42.45 RCW in full, which contains no continuing-education provision anywhere and conditions renewal only on reapplication (WAC 308-30-030(8) - 'A notary public shall reapply with the department for each commission term before performing notarial acts'); chapter 308-30 WAC in full, whose renewal-relevant rules (308-30-030, 308-30-050, 308-30-060) require an application, a bond and a fee and nothing else; and DOL's Renew or update your license page, whose complete 'Gather what you'll need' list is 'Your license number', 'Copy of your signed $10,000 surety bond' and 'Payment for the renewal fee'. What DOL does instead of requiring hours is recommend them: 'Take an optional notary education class. Contact education providers for more information', and 'we strongly urge you to take a class.' It also publishes a free training video on notarial acts. No state approval scheme for notary education providers was located in any source read, so the 'list of education providers' DOL links is a convenience list, not an approved-provider register - a real difference from states that approve curricula.", "exam": "Not required, stated by the agency in one line: 'Will I have to take a test before I can become a notary? No, testing isn't required in Washington.' Sources checked: RCW 42.45.200 (the qualification provision, which lists age, residency or place of employment or practice, English literacy and non-disqualification, and nothing else); the whole of chapter 42.45 RCW, which contains no examination provision; the whole of chapter 308-30 WAC, whose application rule WAC 308-30-030 requires only bond evidence, the fee and a notarized oath of office; and DOL's Get your license, Fees, Renew or update, FAQ, Laws and rules and Resources and publications pages. No examination exists for the endorsements either - the electronic records endorsement is granted on application, fee and disclosure of the tamper-evident technology provider (WAC 308-30-030(3)-(5)), and the remote notary endorsement on application plus the name of the remote notarization software; neither rule nor page mentions a test. What Washington substitutes for an exam is the sworn oath of office filed with the application and the $10,000 bond standing behind every act.", "fees": "Paid to the Department of Licensing (WAC 308-30-060 and DOL's published fee page, both as of 2026-08-13, and they agree): application for a notary public commission $40; application for an electronic records notary public endorsement $15; renewal of a notary public commission $42; renewal of an electronic records notary public endorsement $15; license print fee $5. DOL's page expresses the renewals as a combined figure - 'Renewal fee without endorsement $42' and 'Renewal fee with endorsement $57', which is the $42 plus the $15 - and adds two free items: 'Name change - No fee' and 'Address change - No fee'. No fee is published anywhere for the remote notary endorsement: it appears in neither the WAC 308-30-060 fee table nor DOL's fee page, and DOL's instructions for adding it (email notaries@dol.wa.gov or mail the program with the name of your remote notarization software) mention no payment. That silence is recorded as a silence, not converted into a claim that it is free. Payment rules: 'We cannot accept payments over the phone'; online payment by 'Visa, MasterCard, or American Express (no gift cards)'; cheques and money orders payable to Department of Licensing; and 'All fees are non-refundable.' Fees can be forfeited: an application left incomplete for 30 days 'shall be canceled and any application fees forfeited' (WAC 308-30-040(2)). Paid to a third party and not set by the state: the $10,000 surety bond premium ('our office doesn't regulate how much the bonding company charges'); the official stamp, ordered 'from your bonding company or any stamp provider such as an office supply store'; any optional notary education class; and the tamper-evident and communication technology for electronic and remote acts, though WAC 308-30-130(5) does require that 'A technology provider shall provide prorated fees to align the usage and cost of the tamper-evident technology with the term limit of the notary public electronic records notary public endorsement.' Veteran fee relief exists: 'If you're a U.S. veteran, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement of your fees.'", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Chapter 42.45 RCW - Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (short title: 'the 2018 revised uniform law on notarial acts')\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole Washington notary framework: definitions and the assignment of authority to the Department of Licensing (42.45.010); authority to perform notarial acts (42.45.020); requirements for particular acts (42.45.030); personal appearance and its remote exception (42.45.040); identification of individuals (42.45.050); refusal to perform (42.45.060); certificates and short forms (42.45.130-.140); the official stamp (42.45.150); stamping-device security (42.45.160); fees (42.45.170); the journal and its ten-year retention (42.45.180); electronic-records notarization and technology notification (42.45.190); commission qualifications, oath, surety bond and term (42.45.200); grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition a commission (42.45.210); the public database of notaries (42.45.220); prohibited acts including the 'notario publico' ban (42.45.230); validity of notarial acts (42.45.240); rulemaking (42.45.250); application of the Uniform Regulation of Business and Professions Act (42.45.270); and remote notarization for remotely located individuals (42.45.280)\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.45&full=true\"}, {\"citation\": \"RCW 42.45.280 - Electronic records notary public (two versions are on the books: 'Effective until January 1, 2027' [2019 c 154 s 1] and 'Effective January 1, 2027' [2026 c 21 s 1])\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote notarization. The current version, in force since October 1, 2020, defines communication technology, identity proofing, outside the United States and remotely located individual; deems a remotely located individual to comply with RCW 42.45.040 by appearing through communication technology; sets the three identity routes including 'at least two different types of identity proofing'; requires an audiovisual recording retained at least ten years; sets the foreign-signer conditions; requires the certificate to indicate the use of communication technology; and requires pre-act notification to the director. The January 1, 2027 version keeps all of that and adds: remote acknowledgment of a tangible record physically present before the notary if the record is displayed to and identified by the remote signer on the recording (new subsection (4)); a full procedure for a tangible record not physically present, including a penalty-of-perjury declaration the signer signs on camera and sends within three days, and a certificate stating 'I (name of electronic records notary public) witnessed, by means of communication technology, (name of remotely located individual) sign the attached tangible record and declaration on (date)' (new subsection (5)-(6)); express authority to administer a remote oath or affirmation (new subsection (7)); and an appointment of the director as agent for service of process on any communication-technology, identity-proofing or storage provider that facilitates a Washington remote notarial act (new subsection (14))\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.45&full=true\"}, {\"citation\": \"Chapter 308-30 WAC - Notaries public (Department of Licensing rules, adopted under RCW 42.45.250)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The operating detail: the application process and the $10,000 bond evidence, commission-name rule and endorsement prerequisites (308-30-030); approval or denial and the 30-day cure-or-forfeit rule (308-30-040); term of commission tied to the bond expiry (308-30-050); application fees (308-30-060); size and form of the official seal or stamp, including the commission number, the 8-point type minimum and the dimensions (308-30-070); acquiring the stamp and its status as the notary's exclusive property (308-30-080); lost or stolen stamps (308-30-090); the notary signature (308-30-100); authorized electronic notarial acts (308-30-120); requirements for technologies and technology providers, including prorated vendor fees (308-30-130); the electronic notarial signature and stamp (308-30-170, -180); the journal, its format, and its prescribed destruction at ten years (308-30-190 to -210); maximum fees for notarial acts, the protest prohibition, copying costs and the travel-fee disclosure rule (308-30-220); the testimonial ban (308-30-230); change of name or address (308-30-250); termination or suspension of a commission or endorsement (308-30-270); the 15-day duty to report changed application information (308-30-280); authorized remote notarial acts (308-30-290); standards for identity proofing including the dynamic knowledge-based authentication quiz specification (308-30-300); standards for communication technology (308-30-310); the remote notarial certificate forms (308-30-320); and retention of audio-visual recordings and the rules for third-party repositories (308-30-330)\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=308-30&full=true\"}, {\"citation\": \"Chapter 18.235 RCW - Uniform Regulation of Business and Professions Act\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Applied to notaries public by RCW 42.45.270 and invoked by WAC 308-30-270(1); supplies the Department of Licensing's general disciplinary authority, procedures and sanctions for notary commissions and endorsements. Listed by DOL among the 'Current laws and rules' for notaries\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.235\"}, {\"citation\": \"Chapter 308-08 WAC - Practice and procedure\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The Department of Licensing's procedural rules for administrative proceedings, listed by DOL among the current laws and rules governing notaries public\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=308-08\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-13", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Get your license: Notaries public'. The agency's own requirements ('At least 18 years old', 'Able to read and write English', 'Live in Washington or have a place of employment or practice in Washington'), the document list ('Electronic copy of your notarized Oath of Office form', 'Electronic copy of your signed $10,000 surety bond', 'Payment for the application fee'), the SAW and mail-in routes with 'don't send the Errors and Omissions policy', the electronic notary endorsement instructions with 'You must give us the name of the software you'll be using within 30 days of receiving the endorsement. You can't notarize electronic records until we've received the name of your software', the remote notary endorsement request route ('Email us at notaries@dol.wa.gov... include the name of your remote notarization software' and 'Wait until we've issued approval before remotely notarizing signatures'), the stamp-vendor consumer test, and the journal summary including 'You must keep a physical journal of all your notarizations. You may also keep an electronic journal for your own records, but it can't replace the physical book' and 'Kept for 10 years after the last notarization recorded in the journal'\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/get-your-license-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Legislature - Chapter 42.45 RCW, Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, full chapter text.leg.wa.gov on 2026-08-13 (a successful response). Source for every statutory quotation in this record, including RCW 42.45.200(2)'s four qualifications, RCW 42.45.200(4)'s assurance provision ending 'A notary public may perform notarial acts in this state only during the period that a valid assurance is on file with the department', RCW 42.45.200(5)'s 'for a term of four years or for a term that expires on the date of expiration of the assurance, whichever comes first', RCW 42.45.150's stamp contents and the unlawful-possession-before-commission rule, RCW 42.45.160's stamping-device security and disabling duties, RCW 42.45.170's delegation of fee-setting to the director, RCW 42.45.180's journal provisions including the attorney documentation exception and the one-tangible-journal rule, RCW 42.45.190(1)'s bar on electronic notarization without the endorsement, RCW 42.45.220's database mandate, RCW 42.45.230's prohibited acts including the 'notario publico' ban, and BOTH versions of RCW 42.45.280 with their effective-date notes\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.45&full=true\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Legislature - Chapter 308-30 WAC, Notaries public, full chapter text.leg.wa.gov on 2026-08-13 (a successful response). Source for the $10,000 bond evidence and commission-name rules (308-30-030), the 30-day cure-or-forfeit rule (308-30-040), 'The term of a notary public commission shall expire on the expiration date of the notary public's surety bond, no more than four years after their commission date' (308-30-050), the fee table (308-30-060), the full stamp specification including the commission number, 8-point type minimum, one-and-five-eighths-inch dimensions and 'The seal or stamp shall not contain the Washington state seal' (308-30-070), the stamp-property rule (308-30-080), the ten-business-day lost-or-stolen rule (308-30-090), the journal format and remote-notation rules (308-30-190 to -210), the maximum notarial fees, the protest prohibition and the travel-fee disclosure conditions (308-30-220), the testimonial ban (308-30-230), termination rules (308-30-270), the 15-day change-reporting duty (308-30-280), the list of authorized remote acts (308-30-290), and the complete dynamic knowledge-based authentication specification (308-30-300)\", \"url\": \"https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=308-30&full=true\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Fees: Notaries public'. 'Application fee $40', 'Electronic notarization endorsement $15', 'Renewal fee without endorsement $42', 'Renewal fee with endorsement $57', 'Name change No fee', 'Address change No fee', 'License print fee $5', plus 'All fees are non-refundable' and the payment-method rules. Notably contains no line for the remote notary endorsement\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/fees-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Renew or update your license: Notaries public'. 'You must renew your notary public license every 4 years'; 'You can renew up to 120 days before your license expires'; 'If your license expires, you can't renew it and must apply for a new license'; the renewal document list; and the name-change procedure requiring 'a copy of your surety bond rider with your new name'\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/renew-or-update-your-license-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Frequently asked questions: Notaries public'. The criminal-history practice statement ('convicted within the past 5 years of any felony or gross misdemeanor relating to the practice of a notary... We look at each case on an individual basis'); 'No, a training class isn't required in Washington'; 'No, testing isn't required in Washington'; 'Allow at least 30 days (we don't have expedited service)'; the 'Why am I issued a 2-year license?' answer tying the term to the bond; the bond answers including 'our office doesn't regulate how much the bonding company charges', 'Does my Errors and Omissions Policy cover the surety bond requirements? No', and 'Do I renew my bond first or my notary license? Renew your bond first'; 'Can my former employer keep my notary seal/stamp, license, and bond? No, these are the exclusive property of the notary public'; 'When and how can I dispose of my notary stamp?'; 'Am I required to keep a journal? Yes. As of July 1, 2018...'; and the consumer answers pointing to the license lookup and to the Request Public Records portal\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/frequently-asked-questions-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Resources and publications: Notaries public'. The three-part practice summary (personal appearance, proper identification, notarial certificate) and the acceptable-ID description ('Be current or expired for less than 3 years'); the notarial certificate contents; 'Although you aren't required to complete an education course to become a notary in Washington, we recommend it'; the remote notarization section - 'You must have both endorsements before practicing remote notarial acts', 'You can also conduct notarization for clients who aren't located in Washington', 'Temporary remote notary licenses expired on August 31, 2021', 'You will record the transaction physically in your notary journal. You must reference that you performed the notarial act remotely'; DOL's own electronic-versus-remote definition; and 'We don't currently provide Apostilles and Certificates of Authority... The Office of the Secretary of State provides Apostilles and Certificates of Authority'\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/resources-and-publications-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Laws and rules: Notaries public'. The 'Notarial acts fee changes' notice restating the six maximum fees and attributing them to 'recent changes to Chapter 308-30-220 WAC', and the agency's own list of governing law: chapter 18.235 RCW, chapter 42.45 RCW, chapter 308-08 WAC and chapter 308-30 WAC\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public/laws-and-rules-notaries-public\"}, {\"label\": \"Washington State Department of Licensing - 'Notaries public' program landing page. Establishes the Notary Public Program's place inside DOL's Professional Licenses division and publishes the program's contact details: 360-664-1550, notaries@dol.wa.gov, and separate mailing addresses for forms with payment (PO Box 3777) and mail without payment (PO Box 3917)\", \"url\": \"https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/notaries-public\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/wa-notary/" }, { "page_id": "wi-notary", "state": "Wisconsin", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (WDFI), Division of Corporate and Consumer Services -- Notary Section", "board_url": "https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryForms.aspx", "application_url": "https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryFileOnline.aspx", "renewal_cycle": "Every four years, as a reappointment rather than an automatic renewal, and the exam must be passed again. Handbook: 'IS A NOTARY COMMISSION RENEWED AUTOMATICALLY? No, but notaries may be reappointed. The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions will send notice of an upcoming commission expiration by email or mail. The reappointment procedure is the same as the initial appointment.' The statutory notice duty is s. 140.02(1)(g): 'At least 30 days before the expiration of a commission the department shall provide notice of the expiration date to the holder of a commission', and s. 140.02(1)(h) guarantees the right to come back: 'A notary shall be entitled to reappointment.' Window: six months. FAQ -- 'You may renew your four year commission within 6 month period prior to the expiration of your most recent commission. However, we recommend that you accurately submit your application at least three weeks prior to the expiration of your previous commission to avoid any lapses in commission appointments. If you renew after the previous commission expires be sure to refrain from notarizing any documents between the expiration date and the date of the new commission.' The Bond Information page states the same six-month lead time. What must be redone: the exam ('You will need to complete the Notary Tutorial Exam and obtain the Completion Certificate and the Four Year Notary Public Application'), the $500 bond ('required for all applicants applying or reapplying'), the oath, and the $20 fee. What need not be redone: the stamp -- DFI's consumer alert says 'a renewing notary does not need to buy a new stamp every four years, unless the current seal or stamp is worn out.' Permanent attorney commissions have no renewal cycle at all; they persist with the law license. A name change mid-term does not force a renewal: 'You may continue to use your current signature and notary stamp/seal until the commission expires', though a new stamp plus the Address/Name/Seal Change form may be filed at no fee, and 'The bond and oath will be valid through the expiration date of your current commission.'", "ce_hours": "None as continuing education, but Wisconsin is not a state where you simply pay to stay: every four-year reappointment requires passing the state exam again at 90 percent or better. DFI's FAQ, 'How do I renew my commission?' -- 'You will need to complete the Notary Tutorial Exam and obtain the Completion Certificate and the Four Year Notary Public Application.' There is no hours-based CE obligation: no CE requirement appears in Wis. Stat. s. 140.02, in the handbook's 'MAINTENANCE' section or its renewal answer ('The reappointment procedure is the same as the initial appointment'), in the DFI FAQ, or on the DFI Forms and File Online checklists. Attorneys holding permanent commissions have neither CE nor a re-exam, since their commission does not expire. RON carries its own non-state training obligation instead of CE -- DFI: 'Notaries should not perform remote online notarizations until they have been trained on (and feel comfortable using) their chosen technologies', with the training supplied by the approved provider. Sources checked: Wis. Stat. s. 140.02 in full, the September 2024 handbook, the DFI Notary FAQ, Forms, File Online, Bond Information and RON pages, and the March 2024 RON guidance. Not read: ch. DFI-CCS 25 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, which the handbook names alongside ch. 140 as governing notaries -- a CE or training condition sitting only in that rule cannot be excluded from the sources read.", "exam": "Required for the four-year commission; not required for an attorney's permanent commission. DFI's application checklist states the standard exactly: 'Have passed the notary exam (print certificate) with 90% or better within one year of applying' -- marked '4yr only'. The exam is administered by the state itself, online, as the final assessment of DFI's own Notary Public Tutorial/Exam application; the handbook describes the tutorial as including 'knowledge quizzes and a final assessment exam' and calls the course free. The passing score is 90 percent and the certificate has a one-year shelf life relative to the application date. The certificate is printed (paper filers) or downloaded (online filers) by the applicant and submitted with the application -- the DFI Bond Information page lists the package as 'an application form, the application fee, the completed bond form, a passing exam certificate, and oath of office form'. The exam must be retaken at every reappointment: DFI's FAQ answer to 'How do I renew my commission?' is 'You will need to complete the Notary Tutorial Exam and obtain the Completion Certificate and the Four Year Notary Public Application.' Not published in the sources checked: the number of questions, the time limit, whether retakes are limited, and whether any separate exam fee exists. DFI publishes no exam fee anywhere in the sources read and calls the tutorial free, but the exam application at apps.dfi.wi.gov could not be opened on 2026-08-12 to confirm the exam's own screens. Sources checked: Wis. Stat. s. 140.02, the September 2024 handbook, the DFI Notary Forms page, File Online page, FAQ and Bond Information page.", "fees": "State fees. Four-year commission application: $20 -- Wis. Stat. s. 140.02(1)(a), 'Applicants who are not attorneys shall file an application with the department and pay a $20 fee', matched by the handbook ('submit all forms to the WDFI with the required $20 fee') and the FAQ ('Mail all completed paperwork to DFI with $20 check or money order'). Statute and agency agree; there is no code-versus-form divergence in Wisconsin. Attorney permanent commission: $50 -- s. 140.02(2)(a), 'upon application to the department and payment of a $50 fee', matched by the handbook's 'The completed permanent application and $50 filing fee should be submitted to the WDFI.' Rejected applications are refunded: s. 140.02(1)(c), 'If an application is rejected the fee shall be returned.' Replacement commission certificate: $10 -- 'A new certificate may be ordered by submitting a written request and $10 fee to the Department of Financial Institutions.' Name/address/seal change: no fee -- FAQ, 'you may do so for no additional fee.' RON: no state fee at all; the notary registers with a private approved technology provider, not with DFI. Non-state costs the state publishes. Certificate of good standing from the Clerk of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (permanent commissions only): 'this will cost $3 from the Clerk of the Supreme Court' and it 'must be dated within 2 months of submission of your notary application.' The $500 bond is bought on the open market and DFI publishes the price range and a warning: 'PRICES VARY GREATLY -- from approximately $25 to more than $100 -- for a $500, four-year notary bond. Some insurance companies include other products in their sales packages, such as notary stamps, extra insurance, or magazine subscriptions to their association. Please be aware that a notary applicant does not need to \"join\" a notary association in order to become a notary public in Wisconsin ... You are encouraged to be wary of notary bond mailing or internet sites that offer \"one-step\" notary commissions. These companies may charge an applicant much more than is necessary to become a notary.' The seal or stamp is likewise bought privately and its price is not state-set. DFI summarises the total: 'The costs of becoming a notary depends on the type of official notarial seal or stamp you purchase and the cost of the surety bond you obtain. Additionally, you must pay a $20 application filing fee.' There is no county filing, recording or qualification fee -- Wisconsin commissions are issued and recorded entirely by DFI, and a Wisconsin commission is valid in every county.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. ch. 140 (Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), s. 140.01 et seq.\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Wisconsin's entire notary law -- definitions, appointment, notarial acts, certificates, official stamps, remote notarization and DFI rulemaking. Created by 2019 Wis. Act 125.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.02\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notaries: the $20 four-year and $50 permanent-attorney routes, the eligibility conditions, the $500 bond, the official oath, the stamp imprint filing, the four-year term and reappointment right, attestation, confidentiality, change of residence, deposit of official records on leaving office, misconduct liability, and the maximum fee schedule at sub. (9).\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/02\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.145\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial acts for remotely located individuals: identity proofing, the audio-visual recording and its seven-year retention, certificate disclosure, the pre-act notice to DFI, the Remote Notary Council, and the exclusion of estate-planning transactions.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/145\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.147\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The separate procedure for remote execution of estate planning documents -- attorney supervision, the affidavit of compliance, and the requirement that both notary and signer be physically in Wisconsin.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/147\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.04\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Authority to perform a notarial act, and the rule voiding an act in which the notary, spouse or domestic partner has a direct beneficial interest.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/04\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.17\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requirements for the official stamp, cross-referenced by s. 140.02(3)(a).\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/17\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.27\", \"what_it_governs\": \"DFI rulemaking authority, including the s. 140.27(1)(a)1. power to establish fees different from the s. 140.02(9) schedule.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/27\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Admin. Code ch. DFI-CCS 25\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The administrative rules governing notaries and notarial acts, named by the official handbook alongside ch. 140; DFI-CCS 25.03 supplies the remote-online-notarization procedures.\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Documents/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryHandbook.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"2019 Wisconsin Act 125 (signed March 3, 2020)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Recreated Wisconsin notary law as ch. 140, authorized remote online notarization for the first time, and created the five-member Remote Notary Council.\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/RemoteOnlineNotary.aspx\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wis. Stat. ss. 111.321, 111.322, 111.335\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The fair-employment conviction-record provisions that s. 140.02(1)(b) makes the arrest-or-conviction screen subject to -- the reason a record is reviewed rather than an automatic bar.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/02\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, Notary Public Handbook (NOT70P, Revised September 2024, 20 pp., PDF) -- 'A $500 surety bond is required for all applicants applying or reapplying for a four-year notary public commission'; 'No bond is required for permanent commissions'; 'Keeping a notarial logbook, or journal, is not required in Wisconsin'; 'An individual may NOT perform a notarial act until the applicant receives notice that the WDFI has issued the applicant a notary commission.'\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Documents/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryHandbook.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, 'Notary Public Forms' -- the application checklist with DFI's own 4yr/Permanent applicability markers, including 'Have passed the notary exam (print certificate) with 90% or better within one year of applying' (4yr only) and 'Purchase a Certificate of Good Standing from the Wisconsin Supreme Court (this will cost $3 from the Clerk of the Supreme Court) that must be dated within 2 months of submission' (Permanent only).\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryForms.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, 'File Online' -- the same checklist plus the MY Wisconsin ID login requirement for the online portal and the note that forms are uploaded rather than mailed.\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryFileOnline.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, 'Notary FAQ' -- the two eligibility tracks; 'In Wisconsin, a notary applicant must have a seal/stamp prior to applying for a commission'; the six-month renewal window; 'You will need to complete the Notary Tutorial Exam and obtain the Completion Certificate' on renewal; and 'Does Wisconsin permit remote online notarizations? Yes, subject to several legal safeguards.'\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryFAQ.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, 'Notary Bond Information' consumer alert -- 'PRICES VARY GREATLY -- from approximately $25 to more than $100 -- for a $500, four-year notary bond'; 'a notary applicant does not need to \\\"join\\\" a notary association in order to become a notary public in Wisconsin'; and the application package list 'an application form, the application fee, the completed bond form, a passing exam certificate, and oath of office form'.\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotaryBondInformation.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, 'Remote Online Notary' -- Act 125 signed March 3, 2020; the five-member Remote Notary Council; 'Act 125 does not permit the use of unapproved technologies'; and the registration mechanic 'The provider will inform DFI of the RON registration and it will be noted that the notary is now a RON on the notary search.'\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/RemoteOnlineNotary.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, 'Guidance for Notaries Seeking to Perform Notarial Acts for Remotely Located Individuals' (NOT71P, Revised March 2024, 14 pp., PDF) -- the seven-year recording retention, the two approved identity-proofing types, the 14-day database-update check, and Part 3's estate-planning procedure including 'remote notarization of estate planning documents does not require the notary to use a communication technology provider that has been approved by the Remote Notary Council'.\", \"url\": \"https://dfi.wi.gov/Documents/ConsumerServices/NotaryPublic/NotariesBecomingRON.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.02, 'Notaries' -- the $20 and $50 fees, the 8th-grade-education and arrest-or-conviction conditions, 'execute and file an official bond in the sum of $500', 'A certificate of appointment as a notary public for a term of 4 years', 'A notary shall be entitled to reappointment', the deposit-of-records duty at sub. (7), and the fee schedule at sub. (9). Read on August 12, 2026 through the Internet Archive's copy of May 15, 2026 (web.archive.org/web/20260515233744/) because the live site refused all connections; that archived copy's own certification line reads '2023-24 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2025 Wis. Act 16 ... (Published 9-17-25)' and the section history ends '2023 a. 258'.\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/02\"}, {\"label\": \"Wis. Stat. s. 140.145, 'Notarial act performed for remotely located individual' -- 'at least 2 different types of identity proofing'; 'the recording must be retained for a period of at least 7 years after the recording is made'; the sub. (7) notice duty; and the sub. (10) exclusion of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, marital property agreements and health-care instruments. Read on August 12, 2026 through the Internet Archive's copy of October 7, 2025 (web.archive.org/web/20251007161603/). Section history: '2019 a. 125; 2023 a. 129.'\", \"url\": \"https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/140/145\"}, {\"label\": \"Wisconsin DFI, Notary Public Search -- the public verification portal DFI links from its notary pages. URL recorded from DFI's own link and confirmed as the redirect target of dfi.wi.gov/apps/NotarySearch/SearchCriteria.aspx; the page itself could not be loaded from this vantage on 2026-08-12.\", \"url\": \"https://apps.dfi.wi.gov/apps/NotarySearch/SearchCriteria.aspx\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/wi-notary/" }, { "page_id": "wv-notary", "state": "West Virginia", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "West Virginia Secretary of State, Licensing Division (Notary Division)", "board_url": "https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/applying-notary-public-commission", "application_url": "https://erls.wvsos.gov/", "renewal_cycle": "Every five years, and it is a fresh application rather than a renewal in the usual sense. Handbook: 'Notary public commissions are valid for a five-year period. If your commission is about to expire, please note that renewals are not automatic. Every appointment requires a new application to be filed with the Secretary of State. Renewals cannot be processed more than 60 days prior to expiration.' The SOS calls this a 'recommission' and routes it through the same online application and the same $52.00 fee ('Complete the application online to apply for your initial appointment or to apply for recommission'). One legacy instruction remains on the SOS page for paper filers: 'Recommission -- If you are applying for a recommission and your current commission end date is on or after June 3, 2018, you must use the new notary application with the revision date \"Rev. 6/2018\" in the upper left box of the application.' Electronic-notary authorization is renewed with the commission: 'The commission for electronic notarization runs concurrently with the traditional commission, expiring on the same date. Renewal of an electronic notary registration follows the same process identified above.' Resignation: 'If you wish to resign your commission or if you no longer live or work in West Virginia, the law requires you to notify the Secretary of State within thirty days', and 'Any resignation of the commission of a notary public also terminates any existing registration as an electronic notary, remote online notary, or remote ink notary.'", "ce_hours": "None. No continuing education is required to keep or renew a West Virginia notary commission. Sources checked: the handbook's 'Renewal' section states only that 'Every appointment requires a new application to be filed with the Secretary of State' and 'Renewals cannot be processed more than 60 days prior to expiration', with no education condition; the recommission route on the SOS application page is the same online application and the same $52.00 fee as an initial appointment; and W. Va. Code 39-4-20(b), which sets the qualifications an applicant 'must' meet, contains no continuing-education item. Sources checked: statute (39-4-20, 39-4-21), the September 2025 official handbook (both the traditional 'Renewal' and the electronic 'Renewal' sections), the SOS application page, the forms-and-fees page, the e-Notarization page and Form N-2. Not read in full: 153 CSR 45, the Secretary of State's e-notarization legislative rule -- so a CE condition buried in that rule for electronic notaries specifically cannot be ruled out from the sources read, though neither the handbook's electronic-renewal section nor Form N-2 mentions one.", "exam": "No examination. Sources checked: no exam appears in W. Va. Code 39-4-20(b) (qualifications), in the handbook's 'Qualifications to be Commissioned as a Notary Public' or 'Application Process' sections, or in the SOS's six published application steps -- the steps run application, commission letter, order stamp, receive certificate, review handbook, with no testing step anywhere. The handbook instead states that after the application is approved 'you will receive your Secretary of State commission letter', and the application page says 'When you receive your commission certificate, you may begin notarizing documents.' Sources checked: statute (39-4-20/21/30/31/37), SOS application page, forms-and-fees page, e-Notarization page, Form N-2 (Rev. 7/2021), and the September 2025 handbook.", "fees": "Published in one table on the SOS 'Notary Public Forms and Fees' page (Filing / Form / Fee), all filings made through the Enterprise Registration & Licensing System: Application for Appointment as a Notary Public -- Online -- $52.00*; Application for E-Notarization Authorization -- Online -- No Fee; Name and/or Address Change -- Online -- No Fee; Recording Lost or Stolen Seal -- Online -- No Fee; Notary Public Resignation -- Online -- No Fee. The asterisk footnote: 'The $52.00 fee is waived for state and local government notaries. To have the fee waived, a letter from the head of your state or local government office certifying that the application is made for the purpose of the government office must be included with your application. Federal employees are not eligible.' The $52.00 is the same figure the SOS application page gives ('The filing fee is $52.') and the same figure the September 2025 handbook calls 'the statutory $52.00', so agency page, fee table and handbook agree -- there is no code-versus-form divergence here. The handbook adds one optional charge: 'Applicants have the option to voluntarily pay for expedited services at an additional charge' (the amount of the expedite charge is not published on the notary pages). RON/RIN/e-notary registration costs nothing ('There is no fee to register as an e-Notary' -- SOS e-Notarization page; 'NO FEE' printed at the head of Form N-2). The rubber stamp seal is bought from a private vendor at the notary's own cost and its price is not state-set: 'Search online or in the yellow pages for \"Rubber Stamps\" or \"Office Supplies\" to find a company that makes official seals.' There is no county recording or county qualification fee -- West Virginia commissions are issued and filed entirely at the state level. No fee is published for the General Complaint Form.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code ch. 39, art. 4 (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), 39-4-1 et seq.\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The entire body of West Virginia notary law -- commissioning, notarial acts, certificates, seals, fees, discipline and electronic/remote notarization.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-20\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Commission as notary public: online application, the six qualification requirements, the sworn statement replacing the oath of office, and the five-year term.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-20/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-21\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or condition a commission, and the right to notice and hearing under ch. 29A art. 5.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-21/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-30\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Maximum fees a West Virginia notary may charge: $10.00 per signature, $10.00 per certified facsimile page, $10.00 for any other notarial act.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-30/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-31\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Government notaries public: office-head certification in place of the fee, remittance of fees to the employing office, and the bar on operating privately.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-31/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-37\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Remote online notarial acts for remotely located individuals: identity proofing, audio-visual recording and five-year retention, certificate disclosure, advance notice to the Secretary of State, and the out-of-country conditions.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-37/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-19\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notification to the Secretary of State regarding performance of a notarial act on an electronic record and selection of technology -- the statute the SOS cites as the basis for the E-Notarization Authorization filing.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-19/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-18(a)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Duty to disable the stamping device on resignation or expiration of the commission.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-18/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-33\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Criminal penalties for official misconduct, impersonating a notary, and unlawful possession of a notary's seal or notarial papers.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-33/\"}, {\"citation\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-15 and 39-4-16\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requirements for the certificate of notarial act and the sufficient short-form certificates reproduced in the official handbook.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-15/\"}, {\"citation\": \"153 CSR 45 (W. Va. Secretary of State legislative rule on electronic notarization)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Technology standards an e-notary's chosen vendor must satisfy -- cited by the SOS e-Notarization page as the controlling rule for selecting technology.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/e-notarization-electronic-notarization\"}, {\"citation\": \"House Bill 4207 (2018 Regular Session), effective June 3, 2018\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Amended W. Va. Code 39-4-20 to authorize online application, replace the oath of office with a sworn application statement, and eliminate the $1,000 notary bond.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/applying-notary-public-commission\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"WV Secretary of State, 'Applying for a Notary Public Commission' -- the six application steps, the eligibility list, the $52 fee, and the June 3, 2018 change: 'eliminating the $1,000 bond requirement'; 'Receive your commission certificate, valid for five (5) years'.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/applying-notary-public-commission\"}, {\"label\": \"WV Secretary of State, 'Notary Public Forms and Fees' -- the fee table ('Application for Appointment as a Notary Public | Online | $52.00 *'; 'Application for E-Notarization Authorization | Online | No Fee') and the waiver footnote 'The $52.00 fee is waived for state and local government notaries ... Federal employees are not eligible.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/notary-public-forms-and-fees\"}, {\"label\": \"WV Secretary of State, 'The Notary Seal' -- 'The size must be a rectangle no larger than 1 inch high by 2 1/2 inches wide'; 'A notary must use the rubber stamp seal on every notarization'; 'The embossed seal is permitted by West Virginia law, but not required. Also, it is not acceptable as a substitute for a rubber stamp seal.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/notary-seal\"}, {\"label\": \"WV Secretary of State, 'e-Notarization (Electronic Notarization)' -- 'There is no fee to register as an e-Notary'; the 153 CSR 45 technology rule; the courtesy vendor list with its non-endorsement disclaimer; and the RON/RIN carve-out 'unless notarial services are provided under WV Code 39-4-6a, 39-4-37, or 39-4-38.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/licensing/notary-public/e-notarization-electronic-notarization\"}, {\"label\": \"West Virginia Notary Handbook, Rev. September 2025, official SOS publication (17 pp., PDF) -- 'No surety bond is needed to become a Notary Public in the State of West Virginia'; 'West Virginia does not require a notary public to keep a journal'; the $10.00 fee caps; the E-Notary/RON/RIN definitions and the five-year audio-visual retention rule.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/media/339/notary-handbookpdf\"}, {\"label\": \"WV Secretary of State Form N-2, 'West Virginia Electronic Signature Verification Authorization' (Rev. 7/2021), PDF -- 'NO FEE'; the single checkbox group 'E-Notary / Remote Online Notarization / Remote Ink Notarization'; 'YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM ELECTRONIC NOTARIAL ACTS ... UNTIL THIS AUTHORIZATION APPLICATION IS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE SECRETARY OF STATE LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION'.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wv.gov/media/340/download?inline\"}, {\"label\": \"WV Secretary of State, Notary Public Search (ERLS) -- the public lookup; reading the live page confirmed the searchable fields First/Middle/Last Name, Suffix, Notary ID, Filing Date, Status (Active/Expired/Resigned/Revoked/Suspended), City, State and County.\", \"url\": \"https://erls.wvsos.gov/NotarySearchOnline/NotarySearchExternal\"}, {\"label\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-20, 'Commission as notary public; qualifications; no immunity or benefit; disposition of fees' -- the six qualifications and 'the Secretary of State shall issue a commission as a notary public to an applicant for a term of five years.' Read on August 12, 2026 in the Internet Archive's archived copy of November 14, 2025 (web.archive.org/web/20251114052957/), because the live page blocks automated requests.\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-20/\"}, {\"label\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-21, 'Grounds to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or condition commission of notary public' -- including the dangling assurance cross-reference at (a)(9). Read on August 12, 2026 in the Internet Archive's archived copy of November 16, 2025 (web.archive.org/web/20251116222508/).\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-21/\"}, {\"label\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-30, 'Maximum fees' -- '$10.00 for each signature notarized'; '$10.00 for each eight and one-half by eleven inch page retained in the notary's file'; '$10.00 for any other notarial act performed.' Read on August 12, 2026 in the Internet Archive's archived copy of October 18, 2025 (web.archive.org/web/20251018200909/).\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-30/\"}, {\"label\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-31, 'Government notaries public' -- office-head certification, remittance of fees, and 'a government notary public may not operate privately.' Read on August 12, 2026 in the Internet Archive's archived copy of October 9, 2025 (web.archive.org/web/20251009213419/).\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-31/\"}, {\"label\": \"W. Va. Code 39-4-37, 'Remote online notarial act performed for remotely located individual' -- identity proofing, audio-visual recording retained 'for a period of at least five years', the pre-act notice duty at (g), and the out-of-country Out-of-State Commissioner condition at (c)(4). Read on August 12, 2026 in the Internet Archive's archived copy of November 7, 2025 (web.archive.org/web/20251107084920/).\", \"url\": \"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/39-4-37/\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/wv-notary/" }, { "page_id": "wy-notary", "state": "Wyoming", "occupation": "Notary Public", "cluster": "notary", "credential_holder": "individual", "licensing_level": "", "board_name": "Wyoming Secretary of State (Compliance Division -- Notaries)", "board_url": "https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Notaries.aspx", "application_url": "https://sos.wyo.gov/Forms/NotariesPublic/WYNotaryApp.pdf", "renewal_cycle": "Every six years, by filing the same form again in full, with the education and examination redone each time. The application instruction is explicit that renewal is not a lighter process: 'You must complete all four parts of this form for a renewal and an initial application', and the form's Part II offers 'I am applying for a renewal of my current commission which expires on ____'. W.S. 32-3-120(b): 'To be eligible for a new or renewed commission, an applicant shall pass an examination and shall meet the education requirements as provided in rule and in W.S. 32-3-121 and shall not have been disqualified as provided in W.S. 32-3-122.' Notary Rules Chapter 6 Section 5 requires review of the state's Notary Education Presentation 'for every term'. W.S. 32-3-121(c) applies the education duty 'upon any renewal filed on or after July 1, 2021'. The full $60 fee is due again, and a new stamp is required each term -- W.S. 32-3-116(a)(ii)(G) says the official stamp shall 'Be replaced with a new stamp upon each renewed commission term', and the Secretary of State's stamp sheet opens 'A NEW stamp/seal is required (whether physical or electronic) every time a notary public renews.' Not published in the sources checked: whether the Secretary of State sends an expiration reminder, and whether an early-renewal window or a grace period exists. No such provision appears in W.S. 32-3-120, 32-3-127 or 32-3-128, in Notary Rules Chapter 6, on the notary page, or in the January 2026 application instructions -- the all sources checked. Mid-term changes are handled separately: any change to information on file must be reported within 30 days (W.S. 32-3-127(a)), and a name change additionally requires a signature sample and a $10 fee, filed on the Secretary of State's Notary Name Change Form.", "ce_hours": "Wyoming has no hours-based continuing education, but it is not a state where renewal is a formality: education and examination are both required again at every six-year renewal. Notary Rules Chapter 6 Section 5: 'A notary public shall review the Notary Education Presentation ... for every term. They shall certify that the presentation has been completed on their application.' W.S. 32-3-121(c) applies the education duty to any renewal filed on or after July 1, 2021, and W.S. 32-3-120(b) makes passing an examination a condition of a renewed commission as much as a new one. No number of continuing-education hours, no annual or biennial CE obligation, and no approved-CE-provider scheme appears anywhere: not in W.S. 32-3-120, 32-3-121 or 32-3-127, not in Notary Rules Chapter 6 (which has six sections and covers identification credentials, the journal, remote notarizations, education and travel fees), not on the Secretary of State's notary page, and not in the January 2026 application or its instruction sheet -- the all sources checked. The only recurring obligations between renewals are administrative: report any change in the information on file within 30 days (W.S. 32-3-127(a)), report a lost or stolen journal or stamping device promptly (W.S. 32-3-118(j), 32-3-117(b)), and keep the journal current for every act.", "exam": "Required for every new commission and every renewal, and in the ordinary case it is printed on the application form itself. W.S. 32-3-121(a): 'An applicant for a new or renewed commission as a notary public in this state must pass an examination administered by the secretary of state or an entity approved by the secretary of state. The examination must be based on the course of study described in subsection (b) of this section.' Format and passing score, read off the live form: Part III of WYNotaryApp.pdf is captioned 'PART III: WYOMING NOTARY PUBLIC EXAMINATION - Circle the correct answer. At least fourteen (14) correct answers are required for a passing grade. These questions reflect the changes in Wyoming notary law in effect as of July 1, 2021.' It is 20 true/false questions, so the pass mark is 14 of 20 (70 percent), self-administered on paper and submitted with the application. There is no separate exam fee published and no proctoring requirement stated. Alternative route: an applicant who has taken education and examination from a state-approved vendor attaches the certificate of completion and skips Part III entirely ('If you have already completed the education and examination by an approved vendor, please include your certificate of completion with this application and skip Part III'). The 20 questions are themselves a compact statement of the traps in Wyoming law -- among them 'A Wyoming notary public commission term is valid for six years', 'A bond is required for all new and renewing notary public commissions', 'The maximum fee a notary public may charge is $5.00 per notarial act', 'Remote ink notarizations (RIN) may be performed for any notarial act', 'The county of residence shall not be included on a notary public stamp' and 'Notarizations can never be performed in bordering states'. Caution: these are exam items, not statements of law, and several are deliberately false -- Wyoming's cap is $10 not $5 (W.S. 32-3-126(b)(i)), no bond is required (W.S. 32-3-123(g)), RIN is limited to acknowledgments (W.S. 32-3-111(m)), and bordering-state acts are allowed on conditions (W.S. 32-3-104(b)). Every substantive figure in this page is sourced to the statute or the rules, never to an exam item. Sources checked: statute W.S. 32-3-121 and 32-3-120, Notary Rules Chapter 6, the notary page, and the January 2026 application.", "fees": "State fees. Commission filing fee, new or renewal: $60. W.S. 32-3-120(d)(ii) requires the applicant to 'Pay a filing fee of sixty dollars ($60.00)', and the January 2026 application instructions say 'Include a filing fee of $60. Make your check or money order payable to the Wyoming Secretary of State. Unfortunately, credit cards are not accepted.' Statute and live form agree exactly -- there is no code-versus-form divergence in Wyoming, and note the payment restriction: check or money order only, on a paper filing that must be 'delivered or mailed'. Name or contact-information change: $10 for a name change. W.S. 32-3-127(a) requires notice to the Secretary of State 'within thirty (30) days of any change in the information on file', and W.S. 32-3-127(b) adds that in the case of a name change the notary shall also include '(i) A sample of the officer's handwritten official signature on the notice; and (ii) A ten dollar ($10.00) filing fee.' No fee is stated for a non-name change of contact information. RON/RIN/electronic notarization: no separate fee. The W.S. 32-3-120(g) notification is made by checking a box and listing the platforms on the same $60 application; no additional charge appears in the statute, the rules, the notary page or the form. Education and examination: no fee published. W.S. 32-3-121(d) permits the Secretary of State to 'collect reasonable fees commensurate with the cost incurred by the secretary of state's office for providing notary public education and examination', but no such fee is listed on the application, in the rules or on the notary page -- the state's education presentation and the Part III examination are supplied with the free application packet. An applicant who instead uses a state-approved outside vendor pays that vendor's price, which is not state-set. Non-state costs. The stamp is bought privately and after commissioning; its price is not state-set, and a new stamp is required at every renewal (W.S. 32-3-116(a)(ii)(G)), so it is a recurring six-year cost. A bond or E&O policy is optional and is not filed with the state or a county. There is no county recording, qualification or filing fee anywhere in the Wyoming process.", "legal_basis": "[{\"citation\": \"Wyoming Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, W.S. 32-3-101 through 32-3-131 (2021 Senate File 0029 / Enrolled Act No. 10, Sixty-Sixth Legislature, effective July 1, 2021)\", \"what_it_governs\": \"The whole of Wyoming notary law -- commissioning, authority and venue, notarial acts, certificates, stamps, journals and recordings, remote and remote-ink notarization, fees, prohibited acts and discipline.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-120\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notary public commissions and renewals: the five qualification conditions, the $60 filing fee, the certification of examination and education, the six-year term, the one-commission rule, and the duty to notify the Secretary of State before a first electronic or remote act.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-121\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Examination and education: the mandatory exam administered by the Secretary of State or an approved entity, the course of study, the education requirement on every new or renewed commission, and the Secretary of State's power to charge cost-based fees.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-116 and 32-3-117\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Official signature and stamp -- the rectangular 1 x 2.5 inch design, the five required text elements, the ban on the Great Seal and any other image, the no-hand-corrections rule and the new-stamp-every-term rule -- plus stamping-device ownership, disablement on expiry and loss reporting.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Stamp-Requirements-and-Sample.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-118\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Audiovisual recordings and the mandatory journal: the recording duty for any act using communication technology, sole possession, the duty to chronicle all notarial acts, tangible or electronic format, security, the employer rule, access by law enforcement or court order, and loss reporting.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-111\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Requirements for particular notarial acts, including subsection (j) on where a remote principal may be located, subsection (k) authorizing RON for any notarial act, subsection (m) limiting RIN to acknowledgments, and subsection (o) fixing Wyoming as the place of performance.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-126\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Notarial officer fees: the $10.00 per-act and per-signer caps, the conditional technology fee, the travel fee capped at the IRS standard mileage rate, prepayment and refund rules, and the employer's right to bar charging.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-123\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Prohibited acts and penalties, including the conflict-of-interest bars, the vital-records and official-records copy prohibition, the immigration-consultant and unauthorized-practice bars, the 'notario' prohibition, and subsection (g) confirming that a bond or E&O policy is voluntary.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-104 and 32-3-105\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Authority and venue -- including the bordering-state provision at 32-3-104(b) -- and the list of officials who may perform notarial acts in Wyoming without a notary commission.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"W.S. 32-3-127\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Change of name or contact information: 30-day notice, and for a name change a handwritten signature sample plus a $10.00 filing fee.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"citation\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State Rules, Chapter 6 -- Notarial Acts (Reference No. 002.0012.6.12022021, effective 12/02/2021 to current), promulgated under W.S. 32-3-125\", \"what_it_governs\": \"Identification credentials, journal loss reporting and private supplementation of journal content and retention, the requirement that a remote notarial certificate name the technology used, the education requirement for every term, and the travel-fee refund rules.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Notary-Rules_current.pdf\"}]", "last_verified": "2026-08-12", "source_urls": "[{\"label\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State, Notary Public page -- the resource hub, and the source of the state-published approved-vendor sentence: 'Pursuant to W.S. 32-3-121, the following entities are approved to administer notary public education and examinations in Wyoming: National Notary Association; Notary Public Association.' Also the page whose absence of a lookup link supports the verification_portal negative.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Notaries.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State, 'Notary Public Commission Instructions' and NOTARY PUBLIC COMMISSION APPLICATION/RENEWAL (WYNotaryApp.pdf, Revised January 2026, 3 pp.) -- 'A Notary Public Commission is valid for a six-year term'; 'Include a filing fee of $60 ... Unfortunately, credit cards are not accepted'; 'You have the option to obtain a bond or E&O insurance for yourself if you choose. These will NOT be filed with the County or the State'; Part II's remote-platform declaration; and Part III's 'At least fourteen (14) correct answers are required for a passing grade.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Forms/NotariesPublic/WYNotaryApp.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, effective July 1, 2021 (Secretary of State's published text of 2021 SF0029 / Enrolled Act No. 10, 49 pp., PDF) -- W.S. 32-3-101 through 32-3-131 verbatim, including 'The secretary of state shall issue a commission for a six (6) year term', 'A notary public shall maintain one (1) or more journals in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts', 'Not more than ten dollars ($10.00) per notarial act', and 'A remote ink notarization may be performed ... for the notarial act of an acknowledgment'.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Wyoming-Revised-Uniform-Law-on-Notarial-Acts_Effective-07.01.2021.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State Rules, Chapter 6 -- Notarial Acts (effective 12/02/2021 to current, 3 pp., PDF) -- Section 5, 'A notary public shall review the Notary Education Presentation ... for every term. They shall certify that the presentation has been completed on their application'; Section 4(a), 'For all remote notarizations, the notarial certificate shall include the name of the electronic notarization system or other form of communication technology used'; Section 6's travel-fee refund rules.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Notary-Rules_current.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State, 'Notary Public Stamp/Seal Requirements' with sample (PDF) -- 'A NEW stamp/seal is required (whether physical or electronic) every time a notary public renews'; the rectangular 1 inch by 2 1/2 inch specification; 'Not include images of the Great Seal of the State of Wyoming or any other image or content other than as prescribed in this statute. Your county of residence CANNOT be included on the stamp/seal.'\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/Docs/Stamp-Requirements-and-Sample.pdf\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State, Business & UCC home page -- read to list the office's notary links; its sole notary link is to /Services/Notaries.aspx, supporting the finding that no notary lookup is published.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Business/Default.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming Secretary of State, Notary Public duties page -- byte-identical to the Notaries page (both 42,380 bytes on 2026-08-12), confirming it is the same content at a second URL and contains no lookup.\", \"url\": \"https://sos.wyo.gov/Services/NotariesDutiesPrinciples.aspx\"}, {\"label\": \"Wyoming statutes, Title 32 (Notaries Public and Commissioners) compiled PDF from the Wyoming Legislature -- read to confirm the chapter structure: 'CHAPTER 1 - Notaries Public', 'CHAPTER 2 - Commissioners of Deeds' and 'CHAPTER 3 - NOTARIES PUBLIC', the last being the 2021 Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts quoted throughout this page.\", \"url\": \"https://www.wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title32.pdf\"}]", "page_url": "https://licensingatlas.com/notary/wy-notary/" } ] }