How to Become a Notary in Idaho — Requirements & Fees

How to become a notary public in Idaho: a surety bond, remote online notarization — verified from Idaho Secretary of State, Notary Division (Notary & Apostille).

Source-verified

Requirements below are drawn from Idaho Secretary of State, Notary Division (Notary & Apostille) (official site) and last verified August 12, 2026. Boards change fees and rules often — confirm before acting.

Requirements at a glance

The Secretary of State publishes the process in three steps, and the ORDER matters because the bond comes first (sos.idaho.gov Notary Information, 'How To Become A Notary'): (1) 'Purchase an Idaho notary bond. You can do so by contacting an insurance agent.' The Handbook is more precise - 'Obtain a notary surety bond from a licensed bonding agent (usually an insurance agent)' - and the statute requires an assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent for $10,000, issued by 'A surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in this state' (51-121(4)). (2) 'Complete the Notary Public Application Form' - the Handbook adds that you 'Complete the online application, print it out, and have it notarized', because the application incorporates the oath of office: 'Before issuance of a commission as a notary public, an applicant for the commission shall execute an oath of office and submit it to the secretary of state' (51-121(3)). (3) 'Submit the bond and application form to the Secretary of State with the $30.00 filing fee' - the Handbook stresses 'You must send the required documentation and the filing fee together... Incomplete submissions will be rejected' and 'THE FILING FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.' (4) The Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Commission showing 'the notary's official name, address, the term of the commission, the commission number, and the commission expiration date'. (5) 'The Notary Certificate that you receive from the Secretary of State grants you the authority to purchase a stamping device. Once you have purchased your stamping device your commission is complete.' NAME CONSISTENCY IS A REAL REQUIREMENT: 'You do not have to use your full legal name for the commission. We can accept an application that uses at least one initial and your surname, or your nickname and surname... The important thing is that you are consistent: The name on the bond, on the application, and the signatures on those documents must be exactly the same. This becomes your official notary name and signature and must be used consistently on every notarial act you perform.' STATE EMPLOYEES TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE: they must obtain the bond through the Department of Administration's Risk Management Program (208-332-1869) - the statute permits the assurance to be issued by 'The risk management office in the department of administration for the state of Idaho if the applicant is regularly employed by the state and the commission is required in the scope of that employment' (51-121(4)(a)(ii)) - then mail a paper application with the bond to the Notary Division; 'State employees do not pay the $30 filing fee.'

Legal basis

Idaho Secretary of State, Notary Division (Notary & Apostille) commissions notaries public in Idaho. Every figure below is verified against the commissioning authority’s own official pages and dated.

What it’s called

The statutory noun is a notary public COMMISSION, and the document is a ‘Certificate of Commission’ - the Secretary of State issues it ‘showing the notary’s official name, address, the term of the commission, the commission number, and the commission expiration date’, and calls it ’the official proof that the person is a notary public for the state of Idaho’. The Secretary of State’s own page also uses the plain-language gloss ‘A notary is a public official who verifies the authenticity of documents and witnesses signatures on legal documents. Notaries are also known as notaries public.’ Folk terms, named as folk terms: ‘Idaho notary license’ and ’notary certification’ are the common searches; Idaho issues neither - it issues a commission, and the statute is careful that the commission ‘does not provide the notary public any immunity or benefit conferred by law of this state on public officials or employees’ (51-121(6)). ‘Notary renewal’ is a folk term for something Idaho does not do: ‘Notary commissions are not renewed. You simply re-apply for another 6-year commission.’ Two terms name private products rather than Idaho credentials, and the Secretary of State says so itself: ’notary signing agent’ and ‘mobile notary’ - signing agents ‘are not certified or commissioned by the State of Idaho beyond the normal notary application process’ and the office ‘urges notaries to exercise caution in considering signing agent or mobile notary offers.’ The instrument has two official names in Idaho’s own materials: the statute headings use both ‘Seal’ (51-117 pre-2018, and the SOS FAQ’s phrase ‘Notary Public seal’) and ‘official stamp’ / ‘stamping device’ (51-117 as amended in 2018, and 51-118) - they are the same object.

Types of notary commission

Notary public commission — Anyone 18 or older who is a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, resides in Idaho or has a place of employment or practice in Idaho, can read and write, and is not disqualified under Idaho Code 51-123 Six-year term. Idaho adopted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) in 2017 - Idaho Code 51-101: ‘This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts’, and the Legislature’s own chapter heading is ‘REVISED UNIFORM LAW ON NOTARIAL ACTS (2018)’. One consequence worth stating: ‘A commission to act as a notary public authorizes the notary public to perform notarial acts. The commission does not provide the notary public any immunity or benefit conferred by law of this state on public officials or employees’ (51-121(6)).
Electronic notary (eNotary) authorization — An already-commissioned Idaho notary who wants to notarize electronic records Not a separate commission - an authorization added to the existing one. ‘You must be commissioned as an Idaho notary, before you can register to be an electronic notary. However, you may submit both forms at the same time.’ Filed as an ‘Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary’ amendment on sosbiz.idaho.gov, or on the paper Authorization for Electronic Notarization form. Statutory hook: 51-120(2) - ‘Before a notary public performs the notary public’s initial notarial act with respect to an electronic record, a notary public shall notify the secretary of state… and identify the technology the notary public intends to use.’ The notary picks the technology and the state does NOT vet it: ‘Does the Secretary of State verify that the chosen technology is compliant? No, it is the responsibility of the notary to choose an appropriate, tamper-evident technology to use.’
Remote online notarization (RON) authorization — A commissioned Idaho notary who is also authorized for electronic notarization and has notified the Secretary of State of the communication technology to be used Authorized since January 1, 2020 under Idaho Code 51-114A. Filed through the same ‘Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary’ amendment. IDAPA 34.07.01.011.01 requires the notary to (a) be duly commissioned under 51-121, (b) ‘Be authorized by the Secretary of State to perform electronic notarizations’, and (c) ‘Provide notice by application to the Secretary of State that the notary public will be performing notarial acts facilitated by communication technology.’ So RON in Idaho stacks on top of eNotary authorization - it is not an independent credential.

Who can be commissioned

Idaho Code 51-121(2), reproduced in the Secretary of State’s Notary Public Handbook: ‘An applicant for a commission as a notary public must: (a) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age; (b) Be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States; (c) Be a resident of or have a place of employment or place of practice in this state; (d) Be able to read and write; and (e) Not be disqualified to receive a commission under section 51-123, Idaho Code.’ NOTE THE RESIDENCY ALTERNATIVE - Idaho does not require residency; a place of employment or place of practice in Idaho is enough, which is why an out-of-state worker can hold an Idaho commission. It cuts the other way too: ‘If the notary moves out of state, and/or ceases to maintain a place of business or practice in Idaho his/her commission is automatically terminated’, and the SOS FAQ puts it bluntly - ‘If I move out of state, is my commission still valid? No - unless you are still working in Idaho. [51-121, Idaho Code]’. CHARACTER SCREEN: there is no separate character-reference or background-check step; the screen is 51-123, which lets the Secretary of State ‘deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend or impose a condition on a commission as notary public for any act or omission that demonstrates the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence or reliability to act as a notary public’, expressly including failure to comply with the chapter and ‘A fraudulent, dishonest or deceitful misstatement or omission in the application’. The oath of office is taken as part of the notarized application rather than before a judge or clerk. NOT PUBLISHED IN ANY TIER SEARCHED: any fingerprinting or criminal-history background check, and any language requirement beyond ‘able to read and write’ (which the statute does not tie to English). Tiers searched on 2026-08-12: Idaho Code Title 51 ch. 1 as reproduced in full in the Secretary of State’s 2024 Notary Public Handbook; IDAPA 34.07.01 as reproduced in the same Handbook; the live sos.idaho.gov Notary Information page including its full FAQ; and the official Notary Public Application form.

Requirements

The Secretary of State publishes the process in three steps, and the ORDER matters because the bond comes first (sos.idaho.gov Notary Information, ‘How To Become A Notary’): (1) ‘Purchase an Idaho notary bond. You can do so by contacting an insurance agent.’ The Handbook is more precise - ‘Obtain a notary surety bond from a licensed bonding agent (usually an insurance agent)’ - and the statute requires an assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent for $10,000, issued by ‘A surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in this state’ (51-121(4)). (2) ‘Complete the Notary Public Application Form’ - the Handbook adds that you ‘Complete the online application, print it out, and have it notarized’, because the application incorporates the oath of office: ‘Before issuance of a commission as a notary public, an applicant for the commission shall execute an oath of office and submit it to the secretary of state’ (51-121(3)). (3) ‘Submit the bond and application form to the Secretary of State with the $30.00 filing fee’ - the Handbook stresses ‘You must send the required documentation and the filing fee together… Incomplete submissions will be rejected’ and ‘THE FILING FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.’ (4) The Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Commission showing ’the notary’s official name, address, the term of the commission, the commission number, and the commission expiration date’. (5) ‘The Notary Certificate that you receive from the Secretary of State grants you the authority to purchase a stamping device. Once you have purchased your stamping device your commission is complete.’ NAME CONSISTENCY IS A REAL REQUIREMENT: ‘You do not have to use your full legal name for the commission. We can accept an application that uses at least one initial and your surname, or your nickname and surname… The important thing is that you are consistent: The name on the bond, on the application, and the signatures on those documents must be exactly the same. This becomes your official notary name and signature and must be used consistently on every notarial act you perform.’ STATE EMPLOYEES TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE: they must obtain the bond through the Department of Administration’s Risk Management Program (208-332-1869) - the statute permits the assurance to be issued by ‘The risk management office in the department of administration for the state of Idaho if the applicant is regularly employed by the state and the commission is required in the scope of that employment’ (51-121(4)(a)(ii)) - then mail a paper application with the bond to the Notary Division; ‘State employees do not pay the $30 filing fee.’

Training

Idaho does not require a training course.

NOT REQUIRED, BUT THE STATE IS REQUIRED TO OFFER IT - an unusual inversion worth stating precisely. Idaho Code 51-122: ‘The secretary of state or an entity approved by the secretary of state shall offer regularly a course of study to applicants who do not hold commissions as notaries public in this state. The course must cover the laws, rules, procedures and ethics relevant to notarial acts.’ The duty runs to the Secretary of State, not to the applicant. The Secretary of State’s own FAQ confirms the applicant side: ‘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.’ The free Notary Training Course sits at sos.idaho.gov/notary-information/notary-training/ and the office promotes it - ‘Do you want to become a Notary? Take our Notary Training Course to learn how. You can also review the Notary Handbook and Stamp Requirements’ - but nothing in Idaho Code 51-121 (the qualification and issuance section), in the application form, or in the published three-step process conditions a commission on completing it. No hour count, provider-approval rule or completion certificate is published for applicants. Tiers searched on 2026-08-12: Idaho Code Title 51 ch. 1 in full as reproduced in the 2024 Handbook (including 51-121, 51-122 and 51-132); IDAPA 34.07.01 as reproduced there; the live SOS Notary Information page and its FAQ; and the Notary Public Application form.

Exam

Idaho does not require an exam.

SOURCED NEGATIVE, ANSWERED BY THE STATE IN THOSE 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 tier searched 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 training_requirement). CAUTION FOR A VERIFIER: do not confuse the RON knowledge-based-authentication quiz - minimum five questions, five answer choices each, 80% correct, two-minute limit - with a notary exam. That quiz is administered to the remotely located SIGNER as identity proofing.

Your surety bond

$10,000 ASSURANCE, AND THE STATUTE DELIBERATELY DOES NOT CALL IT ONLY A BOND. Idaho Code 51-121(4): ‘Before issuance of a commission as a notary public, the applicant for a commission shall submit to the secretary of state an assurance in the form of a surety bond OR ITS FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENT in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000).’ Issued by ‘A surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in this state’ or, for state employees whose job requires the commission, by ‘The risk management office in the department of administration for the state of Idaho’. ‘The assurance must cover acts performed during the term of the notary public’s commission and must be in the form prescribed by the secretary of state. If a notary public violates law with respect to notaries public in this state, the surety or issuing entity is liable under the assurance.’ THE BOND IS THE COMMISSION’S LIFELINE, NOT JUST A FORMALITY: ‘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’, the surety must give the Secretary of State thirty days’ notice before cancelling, and must report any payment to a claimant within thirty days. The practical consequence the Secretary of State spells out in its FAQ: if an employer paid for your commission and later cancels the bond, that cancels the commission and ‘you would be required to apply for a Notary commission again.’ Cancelling a bond even has its own $5 filing fee (51-132(5)). WHO THE BOND PROTECTS - THE STATE SAYS IT PLAINLY, TWICE: FAQ - ‘Who is covered by my bond? Your surety bond protects the signer of the document and not the notary public. You can purchase an Errors and Omissions policy (malpractice insurance), for your own protection.’ Handbook - ‘Many notaries think that the bond is insurance that protects them; that is not the case. The bond is posted to cover damages incurred by the victim of the notary’s negligence or malfeasance. If a successful claim is made against the notary’s bond, the notary will have to pay the bonding company back and cover any losses in excess of $10,000 as well.’ ERRORS AND OMISSIONS IS OPTIONAL AND THE STATE SAYS SO: ‘Idaho does not require notaries to obtain liability insurance; however, it is wise to discuss the need for such coverage with an insurance professional.’ Any source presenting Idaho E&O as mandatory is contradicting the Secretary of State’s own handbook.

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 sosbiz.idaho.gov is a JavaScript application whose checkout was not 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 renewal_cycle).

How long the commission lasts, and renewing it

6 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.’ 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. Tiers searched on 2026-08-12: 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.

Your seal or stamp

THIS FIELD CONTAINS A DIRECT CONFLICT BETWEEN THE CURRENT STATUTE AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OWN 2024 HANDBOOK, AND THE HANDBOOK IS THE ONE THAT IS OUT OF DATE. CURRENT STATUTE - Idaho Code 51-117, titled ‘Official stamp’, read from the Legislature’s own page (via a May 19, 2026 Internet Archive snapshot; the live host was unreachable,, with history ‘[51-117, added 2017, ch. 192, sec. 6, p. 453; am. 2018, ch. 77, sec. 1, p. 174.]’: ‘The official stamp of a notary public: (1) Must include the notary public’s name, the words “Notary Public,” the words “State of Idaho,” and the notary’s state-issued commission number; (2) Must include a serrated or milled-edge border in a rectangular or circular form; (3) May include the words “my commission expires:” followed by the notary’s current commission expiration date; (4) Must be capable of being copied together with the record to which it is affixed or attached or with which it is logically associated; and (5) May not include anything more than that which is allowed in subsections (1) through (3) of this section.’ THE LIVE SOS PAGE MATCHES THAT: the stamp must ‘be an inked stamp’, ‘have a serrated or milled-edge border’, ‘be in rectangular or circular form’, and may ONLY include ‘Notary Public’, ‘State of Idaho’, your name exactly as it appears on your certificate, your state-issued commission number, and optionally ‘My commission expires:’ with the date in MM/DD/YY. THE HANDBOOK, REVISED 2024, REPRODUCES THE PRE-2018 TEXT: its section 51-117 is titled ‘Seal’ and reads ‘Each notary public shall provide and keep an official seal, which shall be a rubber stamp with a serrated or milled-edge border in a rectangular or circular form and includes the words “Notary Public,” the notary public’s name, the words “State of Idaho,” and nothing more.’ That version omits the commission number and forbids the expiration date - the opposite of current law. The Handbook itself discloses why: ‘This edition reflects statutory changes made by the 2019 Legislature’, and its statute reprint carries the superseded wording. USE THE STATUTE AND THE LIVE PAGE; DO NOT QUOTE THE HANDBOOK’S 51-117. SIZE - from Idaho Code 51-118(1), reproduced in the Handbook: ‘The stamping device for tangible records must be an inked stamp… readily visible upon copying. The stamp shall not exceed two and one-fourth (2.25) inches by one (1) inch if rectangular or one and three-fourths (1.75) inches in diameter if circular.’ For electronic records the device ‘must be an electronic device or process that provides an image of the notary’s official stamp… readily visible upon copying’. WHEN THE STAMP IS USED: both the stamp and the signature are required for a notarial act, and the expiration date is required on the certificate whenever you notarize (SOS FAQ, both citing 51-115). SECURITY AND END OF LIFE - 51-118(3)-(4): ‘A notary public is responsible for the security of the notary public’s stamping device and may not allow another individual to use the device to perform a notarial act. On resignation from, or the revocation or expiration of, the notary public’s commission, the notary public shall disable the stamping device by destroying, defacing, damaging, erasing or securing it against use in a manner that renders it unusable.’ A personal representative or guardian must do the same on death or adjudication of incompetency, and loss or theft must be reported promptly to the commissioning officer or agency. A new stamp is required whenever the information on it changes.

Keeping a journal

Idaho recommends a journal but does not require one.

NO JOURNAL IS REQUIRED IN IDAHO - FOR ANY ACT, INCLUDING REMOTE ONES - AND THE STATE SAYS SO TWICE. Secretary of State FAQ: ‘Is a notary journal required? No, but it is strongly recommended and is a notary best practice.’ The Handbook: ‘It’s a good idea for Idaho notaries to keep a notary journal in which all notarial acts are recorded.’ Even the remote-notarization rule is permissive: IDAPA 34.07.01, as reproduced in the Handbook, says ‘A notary public MAY maintain one or more journals in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that he notary public performs with respect to remotely located individuals.’ WHAT IS MANDATORY FOR REMOTE ACTS IS THE RECORDING, NOT THE JOURNAL - see ron_detail; conflating the two is the easiest mistake to make in Idaho. IF YOU DO KEEP ONE, the Handbook’s guidance is: use ’either a permanent, bound paper journal designed to deter fraud or a permanent, tamper-evident electronic journal’; each entry should include the date and time of the act; and for a remote-act journal the rule adds that a tangible journal ‘must be a permanent, bound register with numbered pages’ and ‘An entry in a journal must be made contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act.’ OWNERSHIP AND CUSTODY - Idaho’s answer differs from most states: ‘It is the notary’s personal responsibility to maintain possession of all journals created during the entire time the notary holds an active commission. A notary does not have to turn his/her journal in when the commission is renewed; one journal may, in fact, contain the records for several years.’ And on leaving an employer: ‘If you keep a journal it is the property of the notary.’ There is no surrender-to-the-state rule for the paper journal, because there is no state journal duty. NO retention period is prescribed for a voluntary journal in any tier searched on 2026-08-12 (Idaho Code Title 51 ch. 1 as reproduced in the 2024 Handbook; IDAPA 34.07.01 as reproduced there; the live SOS page and FAQ) - the ten-year retention rule in Idaho law attaches to the RON audio-visual recording, not to a journal.

Online (remote) notarization

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

AUTHORIZED SINCE JANUARY 1, 2020, AND IT REQUIRES NOTICE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE - BUT NOT A SEPARATE COMMISSION. AUTHORIZING LAW: Idaho Code 51-114A, ‘Notarial act performed by remotely located individual’, within the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (2018) as enacted by Idaho. The Secretary of State’s Handbook states the start date: ‘Effective January 1, 2020, Idaho notaries will be authorized to perform notarial acts for remotely located individuals. Idaho Code 51-114A.’ HOW YOU GET AUTHORIZED: IDAPA 34.07.01.011.01 requires the notary to ‘Be duly commissioned as a notary public under Section 51-121, Idaho Code; Be authorized by the Secretary of State to perform electronic notarizations; and Provide notice by application to the Secretary of State that the notary public will be performing notarial acts facilitated by communication technology.’ The statute puts the notice duty in 51-114A(7): ‘Before a notary public performs the notary public’s initial notarial act under this section, the notary public shall notify the secretary of state that the notary public will be performing notarial acts facilitated by communication technology and identify the technology.’ In practice both eNotary and RON are added through one filing - an ‘Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary’ amendment on sosbiz.idaho.gov, or the paper Authorization for Electronic Notarization form, which ‘will incur a $20 manual processing fee’. THE STATE DOES NOT APPROVE YOUR VENDOR: ‘Does the Secretary of State verify that the chosen technology is compliant? No, it is the responsibility of the notary to choose an appropriate, tamper-evident technology to use. Remote Online Notarization technology must comply with IDAPA 34.07.01.’ Idaho publishes no approved-vendor list and instead points notaries to the National Association of Secretaries of State’s national electronic notarization standards for guidance - so compliance risk sits with the notary, not with a state whitelist. IDENTITY: under 51-114A(3)(a) the notary must have personal knowledge, or satisfactory evidence by oath or affirmation of a credible witness, or ‘satisfactory evidence of the identity of the remotely located individual by using at least two (2) different types of identity proofing.’ The rule specifies both types in unusual detail. Knowledge-based authentication: ‘The remotely located individual must answer a quiz consisting of a minimum of five questions related to the individual’s personal history or identity; Each question must have a minimum of five possible answer choices; At least 80% of the questions must be answered correctly; All questions must be answered within two minutes; If the remotely located individual fails the first attempt, the individual may retake the quiz one time with 24 hours; During a retake of the quiz, a minimum of 40% of the prior questions must be replaced; If the remotely located individual fails the second attempt, the individual is not allowed to retry with the same notary public within 24 hours of the second failed attempt; and The notary public must not be able to see or record the questions or answers.’ Credential analysis must use automated software, an authenticity test of the credential’s security features, issuing- or authoritative-source data, and a real-time visual comparison. A credible witness may themselves be remote, and must meet the same identity-proofing requirements unless personally known to the notary. RECORDING IS MANDATORY AND KEPT TEN YEARS: 51-114A(3)(c) requires that ‘The notary public, or a person acting on behalf of the notary public, creates an audio-visual recording of the performance of the notarial act’, and 51-114A(6) requires the notary - or a guardian, conservator, agent, or the personal representative of a deceased notary - to retain it, or have a designated repository retain it, ‘for at least ten (10) years after the recording is made’. The rule adds that the recording must be password- or cryptographically protected, in an industry-standard format, and ’not include images of any record in which a remotely located individual made a statement or on which a remotely located individual executed a signature’ - the document itself must be kept OUT of the video. CERTIFICATE WORDING: 51-114A(4) requires the certificate to ‘indicate that the notarial act was performed using communication technology’, and a short-form certificate suffices if it contains substantially ‘This notarial act involved the use of communication technology.’ SIGNERS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES: permitted only if the record is to be filed with or relates to a matter before a U.S. court, governmental entity, public official or other entity subject to U.S. jurisdiction, or involves U.S. property or a transaction substantially connected with the United States, AND ‘The act of making the statement or signing the record is not prohibited by the foreign state in which the remotely located individual is located.’ NOTE ON THE ‘PERSONAL APPEARANCE’ RULE: Idaho’s FAQ answers ‘Does the person I am notarizing for have to be present when I do the notarization? Yes’ and quotes 51-106 and the physical-proximity definition in 51-102 - that FAQ answer describes ordinary notarization; 51-114A(2) is the statutory exception, providing that ‘A remotely located individual may comply with the provisions of section 51-106, Idaho Code, by appearing before a notary public by means of communication technology.’

What you may charge

$5.00 PER NOTARIAL ACT, PLUS ACTUAL AND REASONABLE TRAVEL. Idaho Code 51-133, reproduced in the Secretary of State’s Handbook: ‘(1) A notary public may, for any notarial act, charge a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5.00). (2) In addition to the fee, a notary public may be compensated for actual and reasonable expense of travel to a place where the notarial act is to be performed. (3) An employer shall not require a notary public in his employment to surrender a fee, if charged, or any part thereof to the employer. An employer may, however, preclude such notary public from charging a fee for a notarial act performed in the scope of the notary’s employment.’ One flat cap for every act type - Idaho does not price acknowledgments, jurats and oaths differently, and it does not set a higher cap for remote acts. The travel allowance is expressly authorised, which many states leave silent. THE CAP BINDS THIRD PARTIES TOO, and the Secretary of State says so in the context it matters most - signing agents: ‘If a bank or mortgage company wants to employ a notary to perform notary services, act as a signing agent or mobile notary officer and wants to pay more than the statutory rate that is up to them. However, the fee a notary may charge for their services is set forth in state laws as described above. Neither the notary nor a third party charging notary fees as part of the services they provide should exceed the statutory fees in charging for notary services. Please be sure to explain the fees assessed to the customer as to what portion of the fee is for the notarial services.’ The Handbook adds the employer rule in plain words: ‘Employers can’t require a notary to surrender the notary fee to the employer. However, an employer can prohibit a notary from charging a notary fee for notarial acts performed in the scope of the notary’s employment.’

Who does NOT need a commission — exemptions

WHAT IDAHO PUBLISHES. (a) FEE EXEMPTION, NOT COMMISSION EXEMPTION - government employees still get commissioned, they just pay 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.’ State employees additionally obtain the assurance through the Department of Administration’s risk management office rather than buying a bond (51-121(4)(a)(ii)), and ‘If you are a state employee and your bond has been obtained through the Bureau of Risk Management you are required to resign your commission upon termination of your state job.’ (b) OTHER OFFICERS WHO CAN PERFORM NOTARIAL ACTS - Idaho’s RULONA recognises acts performed under other authority rather than exempting people from the notary law: 51-111 (notarial act in another state), 51-112 (‘Notarial act under authority of federally recognized Indian tribe’), 51-113 (‘Notarial act under federal authority’) and 51-114 (foreign notarial act) each provide when such an act ‘has the same effect under the law of this state as if performed by a notarial officer of this state’. Idaho Code 51-113 is the section a military-notary question would be answered from; its text was NOT read in full for this record, so nothing is asserted here about 10 U.S.C. 1044a specifically. (c) WHO A NOTARY MAY NOT ACT FOR - the disqualification side: ‘Anyone, except for: Yourself; Your spouse; Anyone signing a document in which YOU have a beneficial interest [51-104, Idaho Code]’. (d) A CREDENTIAL THE STATE EXPRESSLY DOES NOT ISSUE - ‘What is a Notary Signing Agent? Notary signing agents are employed by private companies. They are not certified or commissioned by the State of Idaho beyond the normal notary application process. A notary signing agent has no special powers and must adhere to Idaho notary law in all transactions.’ The Secretary of State goes further and warns about the business model: ‘It is illegal for a notary or a notary signing agent to give legal advice, explain legal documents or aid customers in completing legal or immigration forms’, and ‘The Idaho Secretary of State’s office urges notaries to exercise caution in considering signing agent or mobile notary offers. We recommend contacting the Department of Insurance and the Department of Finance before venturing into a business as a Mobile Notary or Signing Agent to ensure that you are not in violation of the Independent Escrow Act or Closing Agent licensing.’ (e) A LEGAL-ADVICE BOUNDARY THAT REMOVES WORK FROM NOTARIES: ‘If the notarial certificate is not provided on the document, can I decide which certificate to use? No. Deciding which certificate to use is considered as providing legal advice. Either the person who prepared the document, or the signer, must tell the notary which certificate to use for the notarial act, unless the notary is also a licensed attorney. [51-125, Idaho Code]’ NOT PUBLISHED IN THE TIERS SEARCHED: a list of Idaho officials (judges, county clerks, court officers) who may take acknowledgments ex officio without a notary commission. Tiers searched on 2026-08-12: Idaho Code Title 51 ch. 1 as reproduced in the 2024 Handbook, IDAPA 34.07.01 as reproduced there, the live SOS page and its full FAQ, and the application form. A reader wanting that list should start at Idaho Code 51-110 (‘Notarial act in this state’), whose full text was not read for this record.

How to apply

Applications are handled by Idaho Secretary of State, Notary Division (Notary & Apostille). Start at the official application page .

Verify a license in Idaho

Idaho Secretary of State, via the SOSBiz portal publishes a public license search , searchable by Not confirmable from the fetched page - see notes. The Secretary of State markets it as ‘Find A Notary’ and ‘Notary Public Online Search’, and tells notaries ‘Where can I find my commission number? Your commission number is printed on your notary certificate. You can also find your commission number using the Notary Public Online Search’, which establishes that a name search returns the commission number. It covers Idaho’s public notary lookup. Its statutory backing is Idaho Code 51-124: ‘The secretary of state shall maintain an electronic database of notaries public.’ The Secretary of State links it from the main navigation as ‘Find A Notary’ and separately prices a bulk ’notary public database extraction’ at $25.00 under 51-132(6), so the public search and the bulk data product are distinct services.

Records come from Idaho Secretary of State, via the SOSBiz portal’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 do you become a notary in Idaho?

Three steps, and the bond comes first. Buy a $10,000 notary surety bond from a licensed bonding agent; complete the Notary Public Application - the application carries your oath of office, so it must itself be notarized; then send the application, the original bond and the $30 filing fee to the Secretary of State together, because incomplete submissions are rejected and the fee is non-refundable. The Secretary of State then issues a Certificate of Commission showing your official name, address, term, commission number and expiration date, and ‘The Notary Certificate that you receive from the Secretary of State grants you the authority to purchase a stamping device. Once you have purchased your stamping device your commission is complete.’ There is no exam and no required course. State employees follow a different bond route through the Department of Administration’s Risk Management Program and pay no filing fee.

Does Idaho require a notary exam or training course?

Neither. The Secretary of State’s FAQ answers it directly: ‘Is a test required to apply as a notary public? No.’ Idaho Code 51-121 conditions a commission only on the five qualifications, the oath and the $10,000 assurance. Training is offered but not required - and the duty is on the state, not on you: Idaho Code 51-122 says ‘The secretary of state or an entity approved by the secretary of state shall offer regularly a course of study to applicants who do not hold commissions’, covering ’the laws, rules, procedures and ethics relevant to notarial acts’. The free online Notary Training Course and the 48-page Notary Public Handbook are the materials that duty produced. Nothing in the application process asks for a certificate of completion.

How much is an Idaho notary bond, and does it protect me?

$10,000 - and no, it protects the public, not you. Idaho Code 51-121(4) requires ‘an assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000)’ before the commission issues. The Secretary of State is blunt about who it covers: ‘Your surety bond protects the signer of the document and not the notary public. You can purchase an Errors and Omissions policy (malpractice insurance), for your own protection.’ The Handbook adds the part people miss: ‘If a successful claim is made against the notary’s bond, the notary will have to pay the bonding company back and cover any losses in excess of $10,000 as well.’ E&O insurance is optional - ‘Idaho does not require notaries to obtain liability insurance.’ One thing to watch: your ability to act is tied to the bond staying on file, so if an employer who paid for your commission cancels the bond, the commission ends and you must apply again.

How long does an Idaho notary commission last, and how do I renew it?

Six years - and you do not renew it, you reapply. The Secretary of State: ‘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.’ That means a fresh $30 fee and a fresh $10,000 bond every cycle. Your existing stamp usually carries over, with one exception: if you had the optional expiration date engraved on it, you need a new one. There is no limit on how many terms you may serve - ‘Term limits don’t apply to notaries. You may serve for as long as you wish.’

Do Idaho notaries have to keep a journal?

No. The Secretary of State’s FAQ: ‘Is a notary journal required? No, but it is strongly recommended and is a notary best practice.’ That holds even for remote online notarizations - the rule says a notary ‘may maintain one or more journals’ for remote acts. What IS mandatory for a remote act is the audio-visual recording, which must be retained at least ten years. If you do keep a journal voluntarily, the Handbook recommends a permanent bound paper journal or a permanent tamper-evident electronic one, with the date and time of each act; and note that the journal is yours - ‘It is the notary’s personal responsibility to maintain possession of all journals created during the entire time the notary holds an active commission’, and if you leave an employer, ‘If you keep a journal it is the property of the notary.’

What must an Idaho notary stamp show?

Five things, per Idaho Code 51-117 as amended in 2018: your name, the words ‘Notary Public’, the words ‘State of Idaho’, your state-issued commission number, and a serrated or milled-edge border in rectangular or circular form. It may also include ‘my commission expires:’ with your current expiration date, and it may include nothing else at all. It must be an inked stamp, capable of being copied along with the document, and no larger than 2.25 by 1 inch if rectangular or 1.75 inches in diameter if circular (51-118). Both your stamp and your signature are required for every notarial act. One warning: the Secretary of State’s Notary Public Handbook, though marked ‘Revised 2024’, reprints the pre-2018 version of 51-117, which omits the commission number and says ‘and nothing more’ - that reprint is out of date. The live stamp requirements on the Secretary of State’s website match the current statute.

Can an Idaho notary perform remote online notarizations?

Yes, since January 1, 2020, under Idaho Code 51-114A - but you must first be authorized for electronic notarization and give the Secretary of State notice of the technology you will use, before your first remote act. Both are filed as an ‘Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary’ amendment on sosbiz.idaho.gov, or on paper for a $20 manual processing fee. Idaho does not approve your vendor: ‘it is the responsibility of the notary to choose an appropriate, tamper-evident technology to use’, and the state points to the National Association of Secretaries of State’s national standards for guidance. Every remote act must be recorded on audio-visual media and kept at least ten years, the recording must exclude images of the document itself, and the notarial certificate must state that communication technology was used. Identity is proved by personal knowledge, a credible witness, or two different types of identity proofing - a credential analysis plus a knowledge-based quiz of at least five questions with five choices each, 80% correct, inside two minutes.

How much can an Idaho notary charge?

Up to $5.00 for any notarial act, plus actual and reasonable travel expenses to the place where the act is performed (Idaho Code 51-133). It is one flat cap for every act type, including remote ones. Your employer cannot take the fee from you - ‘An employer shall not require a notary public in his employment to surrender a fee, if charged, or any part thereof to the employer’ - though an employer may forbid you to charge for acts done in the scope of your job. The cap also reaches third parties: the Secretary of State warns that ‘Neither the notary nor a third party charging notary fees as part of the services they provide should exceed the statutory fees’, and asks that customers be told which portion of a larger charge is the notarial fee.

Is a 'notary signing agent' a credential issued by Idaho?

No. The Secretary of State answers this in its own FAQ: ‘Notary signing agents are employed by private companies. They are not certified or commissioned by the State of Idaho beyond the normal notary application process. A notary signing agent has no special powers and must adhere to Idaho notary law in all transactions.’ The office also warns that ‘It is illegal for a notary or a notary signing agent to give legal advice, explain legal documents or aid customers in completing legal or immigration forms’, and recommends contacting the Idaho Department of Insurance and Department of Finance before starting a mobile-notary or signing-agent business, ’to ensure that you are not in violation of the Independent Escrow Act or Closing Agent licensing.’ Relatedly, an Idaho notary may not choose which notarial certificate a document should carry - ‘Deciding which certificate to use is considered as providing legal advice’ - unless the notary is also a licensed attorney.

See every license and certification LicensingAtlas covers in Idaho.

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.