To get a notary commission and stamp, you confirm you meet your state’s eligibility rules, complete any required training, file an application with a surety bond and oath of office, and then order your official stamp once the commission is approved. Every state runs its own program through the Secretary of State’s office, so the details shift from state to state, but the sequence is nearly identical everywhere. Expect to spend somewhere between $50 and $200 in total, and expect the whole process to take anywhere from a few business days to six weeks.
Check Whether You Qualify
Before you pay for anything or sign up for a class, verify that you meet the basic requirements. Most states apply the same core criteria:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You generally need to live or work in the state where you’re applying. A handful of states require both.
- You must be able to read and write in English.
- You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
- A felony conviction typically disqualifies you, though some states allow applicants whose civil rights have been restored. Certain misdemeanors involving dishonesty can also disqualify you.
If your criminal history is complicated, read your state’s statute carefully before you apply. Some states weigh convictions case by case; others draw a hard line. The commissioning authority is almost always the Secretary of State, and that office’s website publishes the exact criteria.
Complete Any Required Training
About a third of states require you to take an approved course, pass an exam, or both before you can apply. Requirements range from a short open-book test attached to the application to a mandatory six-hour course followed by a proctored exam. States that require training usually approve both in-person and online providers.
Even where training isn’t mandatory, spend a few hours with your state’s notary handbook. These are often free from the Secretary of State’s website, and they cover the acts you’re authorized to perform, how to verify identification, and the exact certificate wording your state requires. Notary mistakes can expose you to personal liability and invalidate documents that other people are depending on, so the preparation is worth the time.
Submit Your Application
Once you’ve confirmed eligibility and finished any required training, send your application to the commissioning authority. Most states now accept online applications; a few still use paper forms. The application collects your personal information, asks background questions about criminal history, and may ask you to disclose prior commissions in other states.
Along with the form, you’ll typically need to provide:
- An application fee, usually between $10 and $60, though a few states charge more.
- A surety bond. Most states require one, with coverage amounts anywhere from $500 to $50,000. Common amounts fall in the $5,000 to $25,000 range. You buy the bond from a surety company, and the annual premium is a small fraction of the bond amount.
- An oath of office. You swear or affirm that you’ll faithfully perform your duties. Some states have you file the oath with a county clerk after your commission is approved; others fold it into the application.
- Proof of training or exam results, where required.
Processing times vary widely. Some states turn applications around in a few business days; others take four to six weeks. If you have a date by which you need to start notarizing, plan backward from it.
Order Your Notary Stamp
After your commission is approved and your certificate arrives, order your official stamp. Don’t notarize anything until it’s in your hands. In most states the stamp is legally required to validate the notarization, and anything you sign without it may not hold up.
Stamps are available from office supply stores and online vendors that specialize in notary supplies. Enter the information from your commission certificate exactly, because any discrepancy between the stamp and your commission can invalidate the notarizations you perform with it. The stamp must typically include:
- Your full legal name as commissioned
- The words “Notary Public”
- Your state of commission
- Your commission expiration date
- Your commission number, where the state requires it
- Your county of commission, where the state requires it
Ink Stamps and Embossers
Most states require an ink stamp, because the impression photographs and scans cleanly. About half of states also accept an embosser, the raised-seal type, and roughly two dozen allow either. A few states, including some in New England, don’t require any seal at all, though most notaries in those states still use one. A small number of states permit an embosser only when it’s used alongside an ink stamp, not on its own.
Check your state’s format rules before you buy. A stamp that doesn’t meet specifications is worse than useless; it can make every notarization performed with it defective.
Keep the Stamp Secure
Your stamp carries your official authority, and you’re responsible for it. Keep it somewhere locked. Never leave it in a car, an unlocked drawer, or anywhere someone else can reach it. If a stamp of yours is used to notarize a fraudulent document, you can face liability for the resulting harm.
If your stamp is lost or stolen, notify the commissioning authority immediately. Many states set specific reporting deadlines, and some require a written statement describing what happened. File a police report too if theft is likely. You’ll need a replacement stamp before you can resume notarizing.
When your commission expires and you don’t renew, destroy the old stamp. The standard method is to remove the rubber die and cut it into pieces so it can’t be reassembled. Some states require destruction of expired seals.
Understand What Your Bond Does, and What It Doesn’t
New notaries often misunderstand their surety bond, so this is worth getting straight before you start working. The bond does not protect you. It protects the public. If you make a mistake or commit misconduct and someone suffers financial harm, that person can file a claim against the bond to recover their loss. The surety pays the claim and then comes after you for reimbursement.
Errors and omissions insurance is the policy that protects you. E&O covers your legal defense and any damages if you’re sued for a notarial error. It’s optional in most states, but it’s inexpensive, often under $50 a year for basic coverage. If you’ll be notarizing documents with significant financial consequences, like real estate closings, powers of attorney, or loan documents, carrying E&O coverage is a reasonable precaution.
Plan for Renewal From the Start
Commission terms run anywhere from four to ten years, with four years being the most common. Your commissioning authority may notify you as your expiration approaches, but don’t rely on that. Track it yourself. Renewal usually means a new application, a renewal fee, a new bond, and in some states a refresher course or another exam. You’ll also need a new stamp with the updated expiration date.
If you let the commission lapse without renewing, your authority to notarize ends immediately. Some states then treat you like a brand-new applicant, which can mean repeating education and testing. A calendar reminder six months before expiration gives you enough runway to renew without a gap.
A few other maintenance points worth knowing from day one. If your legal name changes, you’ll generally need to notify the commissioning authority, get an amended commission, file a new oath, and order a new stamp in your updated name; you can’t keep working under the old name. Address changes also need to be reported in most states, though usually without a new stamp. And many states require you to keep a bound journal of every notarial act, with the date, type of act, signer’s name, identification used, document description, and fee charged. Even where a journal isn’t required, keeping one is the single best record you’ll have if a notarization is ever challenged.
One boundary to keep in mind as you plan: your standard commission authorizes in-person notarizations. If you want to perform remote online notarizations using audio-video technology, most states require a separate registration or endorsement, additional training, and use of an approved platform on top of the commission described here.1NASS. Remote Electronic Notarization