How to Become a Notary in Arkansas: 10-Year Term, Exam

How to become a notary public in Arkansas: a 10-year commission, a surety bond, an exam, remote online notarization — verified from official sources.

Source-verified

Requirements below are drawn from Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division (official site) and last verified August 12, 2026. Boards change fees and rules often — confirm before acting.

Requirements at a glance

The Handbook sets out a nine-step process. Step 1 — OBTAIN THE SURETY BOND FIRST: 'A surety bond in the amount of $7,500 is required', and you must 'List your name on your surety bond as you want it to appear on your official seal of office' (the handbook warns: 'if you don't commonly sign your middle name or middle initial, don't put it on your bond application'). Step 2 — create a free online account at bcs.sos.arkansas.gov; 'You will need to create a new account even if you already have an online account created prior to 01/25/2024.' Step 3 — COMPLETE THE EXAM: '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.' Step 4 — complete the Secretary of State application, uploading the surety bond and the notary exam certificate, and pay the filing fee. Steps 5-8 — the Secretary of State issues Oath of Commission Certificates; the applicant takes the oath and FILES the completed Oath of Commission Certificate with the county recorder of deeds (obtaining the circuit clerk's file mark) and returns one certificate to the Secretary of State. THE COMMISSION IS NOT VALID UNTIL BOTH FILINGS ARE DONE — the handbook states: '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.' It adds a warning about relying on the county: 'Your county may offer to send the certificate in for you. It is still your responsibility to ensure it has been filed with the Secretary of State's Office in a timely manner.' Step 9 — SEAL LAST: 'After you receive your Certificate of Commission, you may purchase your official seal of office... Many stamp makers will want to see a completed Certificate of Commission before issuing the seal of office.' The Secretary of State's Office 'does not make or issue stamps.' FOR eNOTARY, additionally: be a notary in good standing, apply by online amendment, complete the required eNotary training and pass the exam, upload the training certificate by filing the eNotary Training Amendment, and select an approved electronic notary solution provider.

Legal basis

Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division commissions notaries public in Arkansas. Every figure below is verified against the commissioning authority’s own official pages and dated.

What it’s called

The statutory noun is COMMISSION — Arkansas issues a ‘Certificate of Commission’ after an ‘Oath of Commission Certificate’ is filed, and the Secretary of State’s Business and Commercial Services Division ‘records and certifies Notaries Public for the State of Arkansas.’ ‘Arkansas notary license’ is a folk term; Arkansas issues no notary license, and no official Arkansas source read when this page was last verified uses ’license’ for a notary. Other folk terms: ’notary certification’, ‘becoming a notary in Arkansas’. A SEPARATE REAL CREDENTIAL: ’eNotary’ / ’electronic notary’ names a distinct Arkansas commission with its own application, training, exam and biennial refresher — not a nickname for the traditional commission. ‘RON’ / ‘remote online notary’ is performed UNDER the eNotary commission through an approved solution provider, and Arkansas does not issue a separate RON commission, so treating RON as its own Arkansas credential is wrong. RESTRICTED BY LAW: ’notario publico’ — Arkansas restricts advertising use of that and similar terms and requires a bilingual disclaimer; the Secretary of State publishes a ‘Notario Publico Disclaimer’ form. It is not an Arkansas synonym for notary public. NOT A STATE CREDENTIAL: ’notary signing agent’ and ’loan signing agent’ are private designations sold by commercial vendors; Arkansas issues no such appointment and neither term appears in the handbook or on the Secretary of State’s notary pages.

Types of notary commission

Notary Public (traditional / paper commission) — Arkansas residents, residents of an adjoining state who are employed or operate a business in Arkansas, and nonresident spouses of U.S. military service members employed or operating a business in Arkansas TEN-YEAR term — the longest in this batch by a wide margin. The Arkansas Notary Public & eNotary Handbook states: ‘A notary’s commission is for a term of ten (10) years.’ The commission is issued by the Secretary of State but is not valid until the oath of commission is filed with BOTH the county recorder of deeds and the Secretary of State.
eNotary (electronic notary commission) — any Arkansas notary public ‘in good standing’ A separate commission applied for by online amendment. The handbook: ‘Any Arkansas notary public in good standing is eligible to apply for an electronic notary commission.’ It ‘runs concurrently with the traditional commission, expiring on the same date’, and ‘The date the electronic notary applicant successfully passes the required exam is the date upon which their electronic notary commission will begin.’ It requires its own training and exam, and biennial refresher training. The eNotary commission is what enables both in-person electronic notarization and remote online notarization.
Remote online notarization (RON), performed under the eNotary commission via an approved solution provider — eNotaries who register with an Approved Electronic Solution Provider offering a RON solution Arkansas does not issue a third, separate RON commission. The handbook describes eNotarization as something that ‘can be done in-person or remotely (also known as remote online notarization or RON) using an approved RON solution provider’, and notes ‘Some providers offer both eNotary and RON solutions… RON solutions include additional capabilities.’ Approved RON technology ‘includes secure video capabilities, identity proofing, credential analysis tools, and a recording of the notarial act.’

Who can be commissioned

The Handbook lists the eight statements an applicant must make in the application: ‘1. The applicant is a legal resident of Arkansas, or a legal resident of an adjoining state and employed or operating a business in Arkansas, or a nonresident spouse of a United States military service member employed or operating a business in Arkansas. 2. The applicant is a United States citizen or a permanent resident alien. (Include a copy of a recorded Declaration of Domicile.) 3. The applicant is at least eighteen (18) years old. 4. The applicant is able to read and write English. 5. A prior notary commission has not been revoked in the past ten (10) years. 6. The applicant has not been convicted of a felony. 7. The applicant’s residential address, or if the applicant lives in an adjoining state, or a nonresident spouse of a United States military service member, employed or operating a business in Arkansas, list both the business and residential address. 8. The applicant has reviewed the law concerning notaries public and understands the duties of a notary public.’ NON-RESIDENT ELIGIBILITY IS UNUSUALLY BROAD: Arkansas commissions residents of ADJOINING STATES who work or run a business in Arkansas, and the handbook has a dedicated section ‘Arkansas Notaries Who Live Out of State.’ MILITARY SPOUSES: under Act 215 of 2019 the Secretary of State invites direct contact — ‘if you are a non-resident spouse of a United States military service member working in Arkansas, or operating a business in Arkansas, and wish to become an Arkansas Notary Public, please contact our office at 501-682-1010.’ LEGAL PRESENCE: U.S. citizenship or permanent resident alien status is required, and a recorded Declaration of Domicile must be included; the Secretary of State publishes a Declaration of Domicile form for this purpose. CRIMINAL HISTORY: the felony bar is stated flatly (‘has not been convicted of a felony’) with no restoration-of-rights proviso on the face of the application statement. REVOCATION LOOKBACK: ten years, which matches the penalty provision under which a revoked notary ‘cannot be recommissioned for ten (10) years.’

Requirements

The Handbook sets out a nine-step process. Step 1 — OBTAIN THE SURETY BOND FIRST: ‘A surety bond in the amount of $7,500 is required’, and you must ‘List your name on your surety bond as you want it to appear on your official seal of office’ (the handbook warns: ‘if you don’t commonly sign your middle name or middle initial, don’t put it on your bond application’). Step 2 — create a free online account at bcs.sos.arkansas.gov; ‘You will need to create a new account even if you already have an online account created prior to 01/25/2024.’ Step 3 — COMPLETE THE EXAM: ‘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.’ Step 4 — complete the Secretary of State application, uploading the surety bond and the notary exam certificate, and pay the filing fee. Steps 5-8 — the Secretary of State issues Oath of Commission Certificates; the applicant takes the oath and FILES the completed Oath of Commission Certificate with the county recorder of deeds (obtaining the circuit clerk’s file mark) and returns one certificate to the Secretary of State. THE COMMISSION IS NOT VALID UNTIL BOTH FILINGS ARE DONE — the handbook states: ‘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.’ It adds a warning about relying on the county: ‘Your county may offer to send the certificate in for you. It is still your responsibility to ensure it has been filed with the Secretary of State’s Office in a timely manner.’ Step 9 — SEAL LAST: ‘After you receive your Certificate of Commission, you may purchase your official seal of office… Many stamp makers will want to see a completed Certificate of Commission before issuing the seal of office.’ The Secretary of State’s Office ‘does not make or issue stamps.’ FOR eNOTARY, additionally: be a notary in good standing, apply by online amendment, complete the required eNotary training and pass the exam, upload the training certificate by filing the eNotary Training Amendment, and select an approved electronic notary solution provider.

Training

Arkansas requires training for some commission types.

NOT required for the traditional paper commission; REQUIRED, with recurring refreshers, for the eNotary commission. TRADITIONAL: no course is mandated. The application asks only that ‘The applicant has reviewed the law concerning notaries public and understands the duties of a notary public’, and the Secretary of State offers optional help — the handbook points to ‘study resources such as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), Apostille & Certification brochure, and free online notary training’ on its website, and the notary page links an ‘Online Notary Public Exam’ and free training. What is mandatory for a traditional applicant is the exam, not a course. eNOTARY: ‘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.’ The Secretary of State’s eNotary FAQ states the training and exam cost $30 and are delivered through the American Society of Notaries, a private notary association the State designates for this purpose (the fee and the designation are stated here on the authority of the Secretary of State’s own published FAQ;. REFRESHER — A REAL RECURRING OBLIGATION: ‘Electronic notaries must complete training through the Secretary of State’s Office every two years to remain current on requirements, best practices, and protocols. Your solution provider is aware of these requirements, and the Secretary of State’s Office will certify completion of training to the solution provider.’ Enforcement is by cut-off rather than fine: ‘One month prior to that two-year training date, you may receive notification that you must complete refresher training… 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.’ After training, the applicant must ‘Upload the training certificate by filing the eNotary Training Amendment.’

Exam

Arkansas requires an 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 tier searched 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. Do not state those details for Arkansas — unlike Arizona, Arkansas does not publish them.

Your surety bond

REQUIRED — a $7,500 surety bond, obtained BEFORE applying. The Handbook’s Step 1: ‘A surety bond in the amount of $7,500 is required. You must purchase either a surety bond executed by a surety insurer authorized to do business in the state of Arkansas or a surety contract from a general business Arkansas corporation which has registered with the Arkansas Insurance Department and otherwise complied with all requirements under Arkansas law.’ Arkansas therefore allows two instruments: a conventional surety bond, or a surety contract from a registered Arkansas business corporation. NAME ON THE BOND IS LOAD-BEARING: ‘List your name on your surety bond as you want it to appear on your official seal of office’ — the handbook cautions ‘Use a name you are comfortable with; if you don’t commonly sign your middle name or middle initial, don’t put it on your bond application’, because the bond name propagates to the seal and to the official signature. COUNTY OF COMMISSION FOLLOWS THE BOND: the seal must show ‘The notary’s county of commission – the county where his/her bond is filed.’ ON RENEWAL: ‘A new bond will need to be secured and submitted with the amendment and application fee.’ E&O INSURANCE: NOT REQUIRED. Errors-and-omissions insurance is not mentioned as a requirement anywhere in the 31-page Notary Public & eNotary Handbook, the Secretary of State’s notary or eNotary pages, or the eNotary FAQ — the four tiers searched on 2026-08-12. Only the $7,500 surety bond (or equivalent surety contract) is required, and a bond protects the public rather than the notary. NO EXTRA BOND FOR eNOTARY: no additional or increased bond is imposed for the electronic commission in any source read; the eNotary FAQ’s cost answer lists only the $20 filing fee, the $5 convenience fee, the $30 training/exam and the $30 biennial refresher.

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 tier searched (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.

How long the commission lasts, and renewing it

10 years — by far the longest ordinary notary term in this batch (Alabama, Alaska and Arizona are all four). The Notary Public & eNotary Handbook states under Renewing Your Notary: ‘A notary’s commission is for a term of ten (10) years.’ THE TERM DOES NOT RUN FROM ISSUANCE ALONE: the commission is not effective until the oath of commission certificate has been filed with both the county recorder of deeds and the Secretary of State — ‘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’ — and the Certificate of Commission issues only after one completed certificate is returned. The eNotary commission does not get its own term: it ‘runs concurrently with the traditional commission, expiring on the same date’, begins on the date the eNotary exam is passed, and ‘shall not extend past the expiration date of the surety bond for the traditional notary public commission.’ 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. 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 tiers searched on 2026-08-12. 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 tier searched; do not state one.

Your seal or stamp

REQUIRED, with an unusual set of PROHIBITED elements. The Handbook: ‘Each notary public must have a seal of office, which can be either a rubber stamp or a metal embosser. The seal MUST be in blue or black ink and include the following information: The notary public’s official name as written in his/her official signature; The notary’s county of commission – the county where his/her bond is filed; The words “Notary Public” and “Arkansas”; Notary public’s commission expiration date; Notary public’s commission number.’ WHAT THE SEAL MAY NOT CONTAIN: ‘Great Seal of the State of Arkansas’ and ‘Outline of the State of Arkansas.’ Arkansas is distinctive in barring the state seal and the state silhouette from a notary stamp. QUALITY AND USE: ‘The notary seal must be clear, legible, and capable of photographic reproduction. When using an embosser, you must use blue or black ink with the embosser to ensure it can be photocopied.’ On every notarization the notary ‘must sign his or her official signature, as on file with the Secretary of State’s Office, on every notary certificate, in blue or black ink, and affix his or her seal under or near his or her signature in blue or black ink.’ TIMING: the seal is bought only after the Certificate of Commission is in hand. ON NAME CHANGE OR EARLY RESIGNATION: ‘When a notary obtains a new seal of office due to a change in personal information, or if a notary resigns a commission before its expiration date, the notary should immediately destroy the previous seal of office.’ The Forms page adds the sequencing rule for a name change: ‘Do not perform notarizations under your new name until you obtain a new notary seal. It is ok to continue performing notarizations under your old name using your old seal until you have the new seal. It is important that your signature always match the name on your notary seal.’ EMPLOYER CANNOT CLAIM IT: ‘An employer may pay for an employee’s notary commission, seal and bond, but the employer may not “revoke” the commission, even if the notary leaves employment. The notary commission is issued to the individual and remains valid until its expiration date or until resigned by that individual. This includes the bond, seal of office, and any supporting documents.’ FACSIMILE SIGNATURE AND SEAL — a distinct Arkansas feature: a notary ‘may use a facsimile signature and seal, such as a stamp or engraved reproduction, in blue or black ink, in lieu of the manual signature and rubber or embossed seal on commercial documents, except on deeds or other documents for conveying real estate’, but only after first filing with the Secretary of State ‘his or her manual signature, a description of the type of commercial documents to be notarized, and the name, manual signature, and written consent of any other persons signing the commercial documents.’

Keeping a journal

Arkansas recommends a journal but does not require one.

NOT REQUIRED, and Arkansas says so in terms rather than by silence. The Notary Public & eNotary Handbook: ‘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.’ It explains why anyway: ‘A register or journal offers an excellent way of recalling past notarial acts. If a notary is called upon to testify in court, a register or journal may help establish what actually took place. The notary’s records and official papers are admissible as evidence in all Arkansas courts.’ SUGGESTED (not mandatory) FORMAT, per the handbook: ‘1. Date of notarial act 2. Type of act performed 3. Type of document involved 4. Name and address of each person’ for whom the act is performed. ELECTRONIC NOTARIZATION — STILL NOT MANDATORY, WHICH IS THE SURPRISE: even for eNotaries the handbook only encourages a journal — ‘You are encouraged to maintain a notarial journal. Some solution providers include features that automatically create a journal entry as you complete the notarial certificate; others have optional journaling. Remember that your notary journal is admissible as evidence in Arkansas courts and can be valuable protection for you.’ The eNotary FAQ likewise describes automatic journaling as a provider feature: ‘in [some] instances, an electronic journal entry is automatically created as a part of the notarization process.’ So in Arkansas the journal duty is provider-driven rather than state-mandated. Note separately that approved RON technology must include ‘a recording of the notarial act’ — that is a technology standard for the solution provider, not a notary journal, and no retention period for it is published in the tiers searched. Tiers searched on 2026-08-12: the 31-page handbook (including its electronic-notarization chapter and glossary), the Secretary of State’s notary and eNotary pages, and the eNotary FAQ PDF.

Online (remote) notarization

Arkansas authorizes remote online notarization, and it requires a registration separate from your commission.

AUTHORIZED, but reached through the eNotary commission rather than a separate RON commission — a structure that is easy to describe wrongly. WHAT THE COMMISSION IS: the handbook defines an eNotary as ‘a Notary Public who notarizes documents electronically via the use of a digital signature and digital notary seal to notarize digital documents and validate with a digital certificate. This can be done in-person or remotely (also known as remote online notarization or RON) using an approved RON solution provider.’ So one credential covers both in-person electronic notarization and RON; what distinguishes RON is the SOLUTION PROVIDER’s capabilities, not a further state authorization. HOW TO GET IT: ‘Any Arkansas notary public in good standing is eligible to apply for an electronic notary commission. The application will be done through an online amendment. 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.’ Then: ‘You will find a list of approved solution providers on the Secretary of State’s website… After you have received your certificate of electronic commission from the Secretary of State’s Office, you may apply to the solution provider of your choice.’ The provider issues the working credentials: ‘When you have registered with a solution provider, they will provide your electronic signature and seal.’ APPROVED PROVIDERS ONLY: the Secretary of State’s eNotary FAQ states ‘Only companies who are Approved Electronic Solution Providers are eligible to provide eNotary services to Arkansas eNotaries’ and, as of that FAQ, refers to ’the five approved solution providers’. A ‘Solution Provider’ is defined in the handbook glossary as ‘A business entity… that has submitted an application, meets standards, and has been approved by the Arkansas Secretary of State to offer electronic notarial acts or online notarial acts or solutions to duly commissioned electronic notaries public.’ SEQUENCING TRAP: a new notary cannot apply for eNotary in parallel — the FAQ states ‘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 with the eNotary application.’ TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS: ‘Approved RON technology also includes secure video capabilities, identity proofing, credential analysis tools, and a recording of the notarial act.’ The handbook glossary defines the supporting concepts — ‘Identity proofing: a process or service operating according to criteria approved by the Secretary of State through which a third person affirms the identity of an individual through review of personal information from public and proprietary data sources’; ‘Real-time audio and visual: approved technology by which all parties can see and hear the other parties simultaneously’; ‘Tamper Evident: Any changes to an electronic document display evidence of the change’; ‘Non-repudiation: The inability of the signer of an electronic document to deny his or her electronic signature without a factual basis’; and ‘Unique to the notary public/under the sole control: The device or system the notary uses to sign and seal the document must be accessible only by the notary, and attributed to the specific notary, not any other person or entity.’ ‘Online notary public’ is defined as ‘an electronic notary public who has been authorized by the Secretary of State to perform online notarial acts.’ WHERE THE NOTARY MUST BE: the notary must be physically located in Arkansas while the signer may be elsewhere. TERM: tied to and expiring with the traditional commission, beginning on the date the eNotary exam is passed, and never extending past the surety bond’s expiration. FEES: $20 filing plus a $5 convenience fee (credit card only), $30 training and exam, $30 refresher every two years, plus whatever the chosen solution provider charges. DISCIPLINE: the handbook has a section on ‘Denial or Revocation of Electronic Commission’.

What you may charge

NO DOLLAR CAP — Arkansas regulates the fee by reasonableness and prior agreement instead, which is a genuinely different model from the fixed per-act maximums used by Alabama ($10) and Arizona ($10). The Notary Public & eNotary Handbook states: ‘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)’. The same rule is restated for electronic work: ‘Electronic Notaries are not required to charge for their services. If a fee is charged, it must be reasonable and agreed upon by both the notary and the document signer(s) prior to the notarial act taking place.’ Two consequences worth stating on any page: the fee must be agreed BEFORE the act, not presented afterwards; and there is no published schedule to point a consumer to. TRAVEL FEES: not addressed. No travel, mileage or separately itemised charge provision appears in the 31-page handbook, the Secretary of State’s notary or eNotary pages, or the eNotary FAQ — the four tiers searched on 2026-08-12. Arkansas publishes no rule authorising, capping or prohibiting a separate travel fee in the sources read, so do not assert one either way. PENALTY CONTEXT: a notary who violates Arkansas law with respect to witnessing signatures ‘shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to one (1) year in jail. In addition, his or her commission shall be revoked and he or she cannot be recommissioned for ten (10) years.’

Who does NOT need a commission — exemptions

WHO MAY NOTARIZE FOR AN EMPLOYER: Arkansas permits it with a conflict-of-interest limit — ‘A corporate employee may notarize documents to which his/her employer is a party, as long as he/she is not personally involved or acting as a representative of the corporation. However, if the notary is personally involved or acting as a representative of a corporation which is a party to the document, the notary may not perform any notarial acts concerning that document.’ NON-RESIDENTS WHO NEED NO SEPARATE CREDENTIAL: residents of adjoining states employed or operating a business in Arkansas, and nonresident spouses of U.S. military service members employed or operating a business in Arkansas (Act 215 of 2019), are eligible for an ordinary Arkansas commission rather than a special one. POSTMASTERS: Alaska-style ex officio provisions do have an Arkansas analogue in the general law, but NOT one I could confirm — see the sourced negative below. EX OFFICIO NOTARIAL AUTHORITY — SOURCED NEGATIVE WITH A NAMED UNSEARCHED TIER: no provision conferring ex officio notarial authority on judges, circuit or county clerks, or other Arkansas officials appears in the tiers searched on 2026-08-12 — the 31-page Notary Public & eNotary Handbook in full, the Secretary of State’s Notary Public and eNotary pages, the eNotary FAQ PDF, and the July 2026 Notary/Apostille Customer Manual. The Arkansas Code itself (A.C.A. § 21-14-101 et seq., and the acknowledgment provisions in Title 16 and Title 18) was NOT read directly when this page was last verified — the handbook reproduces rules and cites sections but is not the code. Treat officer-by-office authority as an UNSEARCHED TIER, not as an established absence. What the handbook does establish is that the circuit clerk / county recorder of deeds has a mandatory role in commissioning: the oath of commission certificate must be filed there, with the clerk’s file mark, before the commission is valid. MILITARY: 10 U.S.C. 1044a is federal law of general application and is not addressed by any Arkansas source read when this page was last verified; this record makes no claim about its operation in Arkansas. NO ATTORNEY EXEMPTION: unlike Alabama, no attorney carve-out from the exam or any other step appears in any Arkansas source read.

How to apply

Applications are handled by Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division. Start at the official application page .

Verify a license in Arkansas

Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division publishes a public license search , searchable by Notary name (per the Secretary of State’s linked ‘Notary Search’ on the BCS online filing system). It covers Arkansas notary public commissions recorded by the Business and Commercial Services Division, which ‘records and certifies Notaries Public for the State of Arkansas’. The Secretary of State treats this portal as the authoritative public status check for the purpose of the eNotary application, instructing applicants that they may proceed with the eNotary filing ‘Once your traditional notary status shows “good standing” on our website’ — so the portal exposes a good-standing status, not merely a name match.

Records come from Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division’s own system. LicensingAtlas does not hold license records and cannot confirm any individual’s status — the date on this page refers to the requirements described above, not to anyone’s credential.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an Arkansas notary commission last?

Ten years — the longest ordinary notary term of any state in this group, and more than double the four-year term used in Alabama, Alaska and Arizona. The Arkansas Notary Public & eNotary Handbook states: ‘A notary’s commission is for a term of ten (10) years.’ Be careful about when it starts: the Secretary of State issuing your paperwork is not the end of the process. ‘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.’ You take the oath, file the certificate with the county recorder (getting the circuit clerk’s file mark), and return one certificate to the Secretary of State, who then sends your Certificate of Commission. Only after that do you buy your seal. If you also hold an eNotary commission, it does not get its own clock — it ‘runs concurrently with the traditional commission, expiring on the same date.’

Is there an exam to become an Arkansas notary?

Yes. The handbook’s application steps state: ‘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 your online application, and you upload the resulting exam certificate with the rest of your filing. The Secretary of State also publishes free online notary training and an FAQ to help you prepare. The exam comes back at renewal too — ‘You will also need to pass the notary exam’ when you file the renewal amendment. Arkansas does not publish how many questions the traditional exam has, how long you get, whether it is open-book, or how many retakes are allowed, so treat any source stating those details with suspicion. If you go on to become an eNotary, that is a separate exam with its own training.

What bond does Arkansas require?

A $7,500 surety bond, and you must have it in hand before you apply — it is Step 1. The handbook allows two forms: ‘You must purchase either a surety bond executed by a surety insurer authorized to do business in the state of Arkansas or a surety contract from a general business Arkansas corporation which has registered with the Arkansas Insurance Department and otherwise complied with all requirements under Arkansas law.’ Pay attention to the name you use, because it propagates: ‘List your name on your surety bond as you want it to appear on your official seal of office’, and the handbook advises ‘if you don’t commonly sign your middle name or middle initial, don’t put it on your bond application.’ Your county of commission is defined as ’the county where his/her bond is filed’, and that county goes on your seal. Errors-and-omissions insurance is not required in Arkansas — it appears nowhere in the handbook or the Secretary of State’s notary pages as a condition of commissioning. A new bond is required each time you renew.

What does an Arkansas notary commission cost?

$20 for the full ten-year term, which is the lowest annualised notary fee in this group. The Secretary of State’s eNotary FAQ states it plainly while comparing costs: ‘The traditional notary filing fee is $20 for ten years.’ Note that neither the handbook nor the July 2026 customer manual prints that figure — both tell you to ‘Review the filing fee displayed in the web cart’ — so confirm the amount at checkout. On top of the filing fee you pay a private surety for the $7,500 bond and buy your own seal, since ‘The Secretary of State’s Office does not make or issue stamps.’ Becoming an eNotary costs more: ‘$20 (plus $5 convenience fee) payable by credit card only’ for the application, ‘$30’ for the training and exam, and ‘$30’ again for the refresher training every two years, plus whatever your chosen solution provider charges. A name change during your term costs $5.00 and must be mailed on paper.

How much can an Arkansas notary charge for a notarization?

Arkansas sets no dollar maximum — it regulates by reasonableness and advance agreement instead, which is unusual. The handbook states: ‘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)’. The same rule governs electronic work: ‘Electronic Notaries are not required to charge for their services. If a fee is charged, it must be reasonable and agreed upon by both the notary and the document signer(s) prior to the notarial act taking place.’ Two practical points follow: the price must be settled before the act rather than presented afterwards, and there is no published state fee schedule to check a charge against. Arkansas’s notary sources do not address travel or mileage fees at all, so no rule permitting or capping a separate travel charge is published. Violating Arkansas law on witnessing signatures is a Class A misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail, plus revocation and a ten-year bar on being recommissioned.

Does Arkansas require a notary journal?

No — and Arkansas says so outright rather than leaving it to inference. The handbook states: ‘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.’ It makes the case for keeping one anyway: a journal helps you recall past acts, may help establish what happened if you are called to testify, and ‘The notary’s records and official papers are admissible as evidence in all Arkansas courts.’ If you do keep one, the suggested entries are the date of the notarial act, the type of act performed, the type of document involved, and the name and address of each person. Even electronic notaries are only encouraged, not required: ‘You are encouraged to maintain a notarial journal. Some solution providers include features that automatically create a journal entry as you complete the notarial certificate; others have optional journaling.’ So in Arkansas any journaling you end up with for electronic work comes from your solution provider’s software rather than from a state mandate.

How do I perform remote online notarizations in Arkansas?

Through an eNotary commission plus an approved solution provider — Arkansas does not issue a separate RON commission. The handbook describes an eNotary as someone who notarizes electronically ‘in-person or remotely (also known as remote online notarization or RON) using an approved RON solution provider.’ The steps: be a notary ‘in good standing’, apply by online amendment, ‘complete eNotary specific training through the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office and pass a required exam’, then choose from the Secretary of State’s list of approved providers — ‘After you have received your certificate of electronic commission from the Secretary of State’s Office, you may apply to the solution provider of your choice’, and ‘When you have registered with a solution provider, they will provide your electronic signature and seal.’ Only approved companies may serve Arkansas eNotaries. You cannot do this in parallel with a first-time application: ‘You will need to wait until your regular notary commission has been fully processed before you can submit your eNotary application.’ Approved RON technology must include ‘secure video capabilities, identity proofing, credential analysis tools, and a recording of the notarial act.’

What are the rules for an Arkansas notary seal?

The seal ‘can be either a rubber stamp or a metal embosser’, ‘MUST be in blue or black ink’, and must include five things: ‘The notary public’s official name as written in his/her official signature; The notary’s county of commission – the county where his/her bond is filed; The words “Notary Public” and “Arkansas”; Notary public’s commission expiration date; Notary public’s commission number.’ Arkansas is unusual in also listing what the seal may NOT contain: the ‘Great Seal of the State of Arkansas’ and the ‘Outline of the State of Arkansas’. It ‘must be clear, legible, and capable of photographic reproduction’, and if you use an embosser ‘you must use blue or black ink with the embosser to ensure it can be photocopied.’ On each notarization you sign your official signature as filed with the Secretary of State, in blue or black ink, and affix the seal under or near your signature. Buy the seal only after your Certificate of Commission arrives — most stamp makers will ask to see it. If you change your name or resign early, ’the notary should immediately destroy the previous seal of office.’ And an employer who paid for your commission, seal and bond still cannot take them: the commission ‘is issued to the individual and remains valid until its expiration date or until resigned by that individual.’

See every license and certification LicensingAtlas covers in Arkansas.

Sources & verification

Last verified against these sources: August 12, 2026.

We re-fetch every cited source on a weekly schedule: see what changed at the agencies, or every correction we have ever made.

LicensingAtlas states licensing and certification requirements categorically from official sources. It is a reference, not legal or career advice, and requirements change frequently — confirm details with the issuing board before you act.