John R. Ashcroft Missouri Secretary of State

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. Who is eligible to become a notary public?
  2. Is my commission automatically renewed?
  3. How do I become a notary public?
  4. How do I renew my notary public commission?
  5. Do I need to keep a notary journal?  What information should be included?
  6. Is a notary public seal required?
  7. May I notarize for my relatives?
  8. Can I notarize my own signature?
  9. May I make a copy of a birth certificate?
  10. May I take an acknowledgement over the phone?
  11. May I perform notarial acts in all counties in Missouri?
  12. Is there a limit as to how much I can charge to notarize a document paper or electronic?
  13. What do I do if my notary seal is lost or stolen?
  14. What do I do if my notary journal is lost or stolen?
  15. I have a criminal history. May I still be commissioned in Missouri as a notary public?
  16. How do I update my address information when I move?
  17. How do I update my employer information?
  18. What do I do if my name has changed?
  19. How do I resign my notary commission?
  20. Where do I get my surety bond?  
  21. Does the state issue my notary seal?
  22. Is training required for notaries in Missouri?
  23. What determines my county of commission?
  24. My employer paid for my notary commission, do I have to turn my notary supplies over to my employer when I stop working there?
  25. Do I have to get a new seal when I renew my commission?
  26. Can I notarize a document if I witnessed it being signed over a webcam?
  27. Where do I send my application?
  28. After the Secretary of State’s office processes my application, am I ready to begin notarizing documents?
  29. Do I send my surety bond to the Secretary of State?
  30. I moved to Missouri but I was a notary in my previous state, can I just transfer that commission to Missouri?
  31. What qualifies as proper identification?
  32. What are the General Qualifications to become a Notary Public in the State of Missouri?
  33. What is a Surety Bond?
  34. What does it mean to 'Qualify'?

 

  1. Who is eligible to become a notary public?
    • You are eligible to be a notary in Missouri if you are a resident of Missouri or if you live in another state you would be eligible to apply as a non-resident notary if you are employed and will use the commission for your work within the state of Missouri.

  2. Is my commission automatically renewed?
    • Your commission is good for a period of four years (example:  commissioned on 7/27/2020, expires 7/27/2024).  In order to be a commissioned notary, you must reapply for your commission every four years.


  3. How do I become a notary public?
    1. Meet the general qualifications of becoming a Notary Public
    2. Read the Missouri Notary Public Handbook
    3. Take the Online Notary Training Course or the Written Notary Training Course
    4. Apply for Commission as a Notary Public (Resident)
    5. Apply for Commission as a Notary Public (Non-Resident)
    6. Purchase Notary Public surety bond and qualify at your county clerk's office


  4. How do I renew my notary public commission?
    • Meet the general qualifications of becoming a Notary Public
    • Refer to the Missouri Notary Public Handbook as needed
    • Take the Online Notary Training Course or the Written Notary Training Course when your term of office expires
    • Secure your Reappointment as a Notary Public (Resident)
    • Secure your Reappointment as a Notary Public (Non-Resident)
    • Purchase Notary Public surety bond
    • Qualify at your County Clerk’s office
    • Update personal information that applies to your Commission as a Notary Public


  5. Do I need to keep a notary journal? What information should be included?
    • A notary shall keep, maintain, protect, and provide for lawful inspection a chronological journal of notarial acts that is a permanently bound book with numbered pages.
    • A notary shall maintain only one active permanently bound journal at the same time. 
    • A notary shall keep the permanently bound journal for a period if no less than ten years from the date of the last entry.
    • For every notarial, the notary shall record in the journal at the time of the notarization the following: 
      • The date and time of day of the notarial act;
      • The type of notarial act;
      • The type, title, or a description of the document or proceeding;
      • The signature, printed name, and address of each principal;
      • The printed name and address of each requester of fact;
      • The evidence of identity of each principal in the form of either:
        • A statement that the person is personally known to the notary;
        • A notation of the type of identification document, its issuing agency, its serial or identification number, and its date of issuance or expiration; or
        • The handwritten signature and the name and address of each credible witness swearing or affirming to the principal's identity, and for credible witnesses who are not personally known to the notary, a description of the identification documents relied on by the notary;
      • The fee, if any, charged for the notarial act; and
      • The address where the notarial act was performed, if not the address of the notary's regular place of work or business.
      • A notary shall not record a Social Security number or credit card number in the journal.
      • A notary may record in the journal the circumstances for not performing or completing any requested notarial act.
      • A notary shall append to the pertinent entry in the journal a notation of the nature and date of the notary's correction of a completed notarial certificate corresponding to the entry.

  6. Is a notary public seal required?
    • Every notary shall keep an official notarial seal.
    • "Official seal": A device authorized by the secretary for affixing on a paper notarial certificate an image containing a notary's name, title, jurisdiction, commission expiration date, and other information related to the notary's commission.
    • The official seal shall include the following elements:
      • The notary's name exactly as stated on the commission;
      • The identification number of the notary's commission;
      • The words "Notary Public", "Notary Seal", and "State of Missouri" and "My commission expires (commission expiration date)"; and
      • A border in a rectangular or circular shape no larger than one sixteenth of an inch, surrounding the required words.
    • Illegible information within a seal impression may be typed or printed legibly by the notary adjacent to but not within the impression, or another impression may be legibly affixed nearby.
    • An embossed seal impression that is not photographically reproducible may be used in addition to, but not in place of, the official seal.
    • The notary seal shall not be affixed over printed or written matter.

  7. May I notarize for my relatives?
    • A notary shall not notarize for a spouse, domestic partner, ancestor, descendant, or sibling of the principal, including in-law, step, and half relatives.


  8. Can I notarize my own signature?
    • A notary shall be disqualified from performing a notarial act if the notary:
      • Is a party to or named in the document that is to be notarized;
      • Will receive as a direct or indirect result any commission, fee, advantage, right, title, interest, cash, property.

  9. May I make a copy of a birth certificate?
    • Copies of Missouri birth certificates are to be obtained from the office of Vital Records.


  10. May I take an acknowledgement over the phone?
    • No


  11. May I perform notarial acts in all counties in Missouri?
    • A Missouri resident notary may notarize in any county in Missouri.  A non-resident notary may notarize in any county in Missouri, provided it is with the course of their employment.


  12. Is there a limit as to how much I can charge to notarize a document paper or electronic?
    • The maximum fees that may be charged by a notary for performing any notarial acts are:
      • For an acknowledgment, five dollars per signature;
      • For a jurat, five dollars per signature;
      • For a signature witnessing, five dollars per signature;
      • For a certified copy, one dollar per page certified with a minimum total charge of three dollars; and
    • A notary may charge a travel fee to perform a notarial act if:
      • The notary and the person requesting the notarial act agree upon the travel fee in advance of the travel; and
      • The notary explains to the person requesting the notarial act that the travel fee is a separate from the notarial fee
    • A notary can’t charge or collect a fee for notarizing the signature on any absentee ballot or absentee voter registration.

  13. What do I do if my notary seal is lost or stolen?
    • Within ten days after the official seal of a notary is discovered to be stolen, lost, damaged, or otherwise rendered incapable of affixing a legible image, the notary, after informing the appropriate law enforcement agency in the case of theft or vandalism, shall notify the secretary by any means providing a tangible receipt, including certified mail and electronic transmission, and also provide a copy or number of any pertinent police report. Upon receipt of such notice, the secretary shall issue to the notary a new commission.  You will then need to obtain a new notary seal.


  14. What do I do if my notary journal is lost or stolen?
    • Within ten days after a notary's journal is discovered to be stolen, lost, destroyed, damaged, or otherwise rendered unusable or unreadable, the notary, after informing the appropriate law enforcement agency in the case of theft or vandalism, shall notify the secretary by any means providing a tangible receipt, including certified mail and electronic transmission, and also provide a copy or identification number of any pertinent police report.

  15. I have a criminal history. May I still be commissioned in Missouri as a notary public?
    • The Secretary of State's Office may deny an application based on:
      • Submission of an application containing a material misstatement or omission of fact;
      • The fact that the applicant has been finally adjudicated and found guilty, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, in a criminal prosecution under the laws of any state or of the United States, of any felony or any offense involving dishonesty or moral turpitude, provided that a commission shall not be issued to the applicant within five years after such conviction or plea;
      • A finding or admission of liability against the applicant in a civil lawsuit based on the applicant's deceit.

  16. How do I update my address information when I move?
    • Within ten days after the change of a notary's residence, business, or mailing address, the notary shall send to the secretary by any means providing a tangible receipt, including certified mail and electronic transmission, a signed notice of the change, giving both old and new addresses, along with a fee of five dollars. The notary must notify their bonding company in writing of the change.
      • The notary can file an amendment – change of address on-line; or print off an amendment – change of address form and send the completed form to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, Commissions Division

  17. How do I update my employer information?
    • The notary can file an amendment – change of employer on-line; or print off an amendment – change of employer form and send the completed form to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, Commissions Division along with the required five dollar fee.


  18. What do I do if my name has changed?
    • Within ten days after the change of a notary's name by court order or marriage, the notary shall send to the secretary by any means providing a tangible receipt, including certified mail and electronic transmission, a signed notice of the change, giving both the former and the new name, with a copy of any official authorization for such change, along with a fee of five dollars.
      • The notary can file an amendment – change of address on-line; or print off an amendment – change of address form and send the completed form to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, Commissions Division.
      • The must notify their bonding company in writing of the change and submit a amended bond to the Secretary of State's Office.
      • The notary will purchase a new seal bearing the new name exactly as in the confirmation has been obtained.

  19. How do I resign my notary commission?
    • A notary who resigns his or her commission shall send to the Secretary of State's Office by any means providing a tangible receipt, including certified mail and electronic transmission, a signed notice indicating the effective date of resignation. Once resignation is received by the notary the Secretary of State's Office will update it's records.
    • A notary who ceases to reside in or to maintain a regular place of work or business in this state, or who becomes permanently unable to perform their notarial duties, shall resign their commission.

  20. Where do I get my surety bond?
    • Many local insurance providers, such as the ones you use for your car, home or renters insurance also provide surety bonds.
    • The notary may also use once of the vendors listed on the Missouri Secretary of State's website.


  21. Does the state issue my notary seal?
    • No. You are responsible for obtaining your own notary seal.
    • A vendor or manufacturer shall register with the secretary prior to selling or manufacturing notary seals.  The Secretary of State's Office will have a list of registered vendors on the website.


  22. Is training required for notaries in Missouri?
    • Every applicant for a notary commission shall:
      • Attest to having read the Missouri notary public handbook or having received training in a manner prescribed by the secretary; and
      • Receive a score of eighty percent or better on an examination administered by the secretary prior to being issued a commission.

  23. What determines my county of commission?
    • As a Missouri resident you must reside in Missouri or have a regular place of work or business in the state of Missouri.  You will be commissioned in either the county if your residence or county of business.
    • As a non-resident of Missouri, your county of commission is the county where your employer is located. You may only notarize in the course of your employment.


  24. My employer paid for my notary commission, do I have to turn my notary supplies over to my employer when I stop working there?
    • The notary seal and notary journal are to be maintained by the notary. The notary seal is the exclusive property of the notary and may not be used by any other person or surrendered to an employer upon termination of employment.


  25. Do I have to get a new seal when I renew my commission?
    • Yes. With each new commission (re-commission), the Secretary of State’s Office will issue a new date of expiration.  You will need to obtain a new seal with the updated information.


  26. Can I notarize a document if I witnessed it being signed over a webcam?
    • No, unless using Remote online notary as prescribed in 486.1100-1205.

  27. Where do I send my application?
    • You may apply on-line at: https://s1.sos.mo.gov/business/Notary/
    • You may send it to:

      Missouri Secretary of State 
      Commissions Division
      P.O. Box 784
      Jefferson City, MO  65102 

  28. After the Secretary of State’s office processes my application, am I ready to begin notarizing documents?
    • Once your application is processed, you will receive a commission letter from the Secretary of State’s office.  You must appear at your county clerk’s office within 60 days, from the approval date of your application, to be sworn in.  Items that you need to take to the county clerk’s office are:
      • Your commission letter
      • Your notary bond
      • Your photo ID
      • A means of paying a fee to be sworn in. Each office is permitted to charge a small fee for the swearing in services.  The fee may vary from office to office.  


  29. Do I send my surety bond to the Secretary of State?
    • You must take your surety bond to the county clerk’s office with you for you sign and the county clerk to sign.  The notary oath and bond will then be given back to you as the notary.
    • The notary is required to mail the the oath and bond to the Secretary of State's Office with a postmarked date not exceeding seven days from the date of the oath.

  30. I moved to Missouri but I was a notary in my previous state, can I just transfer that commission to Missouri?
    • No, since each state regulates the commissioned notaries public of that state, you will need to start the application process from scratch in Missouri.


  31. What qualifies as proper identification?
    • The Secretary of State’s Office recommends using a government issued identification card that includes the signer’s picture and signature, such as a drivers’ license or passport.
    • What you will accept as proper identification is up to you, but it must satisfactorily prove the signer’s identity.

  32. What are the General Qualifications to become a Notary Public in the State of Missouri?

    • Qualifications for a Missouri resident are:
      • Be at least eighteen years of age;
      • Reside or have a regular place of work or business in the state of Missouri;
      • Reside legally in the United States;
      • Be able to read and write the English language; and
      • Not have had his commission revoked during the past five years
      • Not been found guilty, or entered a pleas of guilty or nolo contendere, in a criminal prosecution under the laws of any state or of the United States, of any felony or any offense involving dishonesty or moral turpitude during the past five years
    • Qualifications for a non-resident (living outside of Missouri) are:
      • Be at least eighteen years of age;
      • Work in Missouri and will use the notary seal in the course of his employment in Missouri;
      • Have a work address in the county within and for which applying to be commissioned;
      • Be able to read and write the English language;
      • Not have had a commission revoked in any state during the past five years
      • Not been found guilty, or entered a pleas of guilty or nolo contendere, in a criminal prosecution under the laws of any state or of the United States, of any felony or any offense involving dishonesty or moral turpitude during the past five years; and
      • Authorizes the Secretary of State as the agent and representative of such person to accept service of any process or service of any notice or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon such person.

    • Any person is eligible to apply for a commission as a notary public if they are a permanent resident alien under Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If the applicant qualifies under Section 245, they must send a copy of their “green card” with a completed application to our office.
    • If the notary is presently commissioned as a non-resident notary public and they move into Missouri, the notary may immediately be appointed and commissioned as a notary upon becoming a resident. The notary will need to return their nonresident notary certificate with a request to cancel that commission, along with a completed reapplication as a resident and the $25 fee for issuing another commission. 

       

  33. What is a Surety Bond?
    • The $10,000 notary bond may be purchased from a personal insurance agent, a bank or from a bonding company. The notary bond is separate from any other bond coverage the notary might presently have and is required in addition to other bond coverage. The bond should be executed by the insurance company within 60 days after the application is submitted to our office. The bond must be written for a term of four years, covering the same dates and county as the term of office.
    • An errors and omissions policy does not replace a bond. An errors and omissions policy is not required by law, but may be purchased as it protects the notary public and pays for any charges the notary might owe for legal fees and costs should the notary be sued.

       

  34. What does it mean to 'Qualify'?
    • The law allows up to sixty days from the date the commission is issued for the applicant to qualify. Failure to qualify within 60 days will result in the commission being cancelled. To meet the qualifications provided by law, the applicant must appear in person and present a $10,000 surety bond to insure their four-year term as a notary public. The clerk or deputy will administer the oath of office, after which the applicant must submit a handwritten specimen of their official signature on the oath of office. This signature MUST match the exact name typed on their commission certificate. The notary will then have seven days to return their oath and bond to the Secretary of State's Office. The clerk or deputy will then present the notary with their commission certificate.
    • The commission certificate will contain the notary’s exact official name as a notary public, the commission number, the commission beginning and expiration dates and the date the commission was issued by our office. The notary should keep the commission in a safe place throughout their term as a notary public.
    • Any notary who fails to qualify within the sixty days will be required ti reapply for a notary commission.