FORM MUST BE COMPLETE, LEGIBLE AND CORRECT OR APPLICATION MAY BE REJECTED OR DENIED
PLEASE PRINT IN BLACK INK OR TYPE
ASSISTANCE: The Notary Public Section is available for assistance from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, with the exception of State Holidays. You may
contact us by phone at (919) 814-5400, by e-mail at notary@sosnc.gov, or by fax at (919)807-2210. Visit our web site at www.sosnc.gov
FEE: Make check or money order payable to NC Secretary of State in the amount of $50.00. Fees are non-refundable (see N.C. General Statute § 10B-13).
PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH. The Secretary of State’s Notary Public Section will process your application within 72 hours of receipt under normal
circumstances.
MAIL APPLICATION AND FEE TO: Notary Public Section Please allow two weeks to receive your oath notification letter.
Department of the Secretary of State
PO Box 29626
Raleigh, NC 27626-0626
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS - ALL INFORMATION REQUESTED IS REQUIRED BY N.C.G.S. 10B-5, 10B-6 &10B-7
1. Enter your full legal name. This name should match the name on your official identification.
2. Enter the name you wish to use for your notary public commission. You may use one initial for the first or middle name or any combination of your full legal
name but not two initials. No nicknames are permitted. This name should appear on your seal and must be used in signing all notarized documents.
3. Reappointment applicants must enter the name you used for your previous notary public commission, including the expiration date and county of that
commission. You must place an imprint or stamp of your notary seal in the space provided. Do not purchase a new seal until you have taken the new oath.
4. Enter your complete mailing and residence addresses. The mailing address can be a P. O. Box, however, if your residence address is different from your mailing
address, enter your residence address in the space allowed. The residence address must show a physical location with a street number and name.
5. Enter your business phone with area code including your extension, if applicable. Enter your home or cell phone with area code. Enter your fax number with area code.
6. Enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Only the last four digits are required, however, providing the full Social Security number is recommended.
7. If you are not a U.S. citizen, attach a copy of an unexpired U.S. government-issued document that permits you to reside and work in the United States, such as a permanent
resident card (Form I-551), an employment authorization card/document or a visa. Please note: you must continue to prove your federal permission to reside and work in
the U.S. if the document submitted expires before your notary commission.
8. Enter your complete home and business email address clearly and legibly. This should be updated as needed by email to our office at notary@sosnc.gov .
9. Enter the month, day and year of your birth.
10. Enter your county of residence. If you are a North Carolina resident, this is the county where you will be commissioned.
11. Enter your occupation (i.e., bank teller, paralegal, attorney, realtor, etc.). If you are unemployed, retired, a student, or self-employed,
check the appropriate box. Enter your employer’s name. Enter your employment address including city, state and zip code and the county of your principal
employment. If you are not a North Carolina resident but your principal employment is in North Carolina, you must send proof of employment from
your employer on company letterhead to be commissioned in the county of your employment.
12. If you chose to take the reappointment exam after attending an in-person notary class, enter the name of the college where you took the course, the name of your
instructor, the date that you completed the course and the number of hours. This section should be left blank if you took the online reappointment exam.
13. If you were commissioned on or before July 10, 1991, check yes. If not, check no and proceed to # 14. Enter the date of your initial appointment (if known). If
you were commissioned on or before July 10, 1991, indicate whether your commission has been continuous or not. If your commission has been continuous since
July 10, 1991, indicate whether you have or have not had any disciplinary actions against your notary commission from the Secretary of State’s office.
14. If you are an attorney licensed to practice law in North Carolina, check yes. (N. C. Licensed attorneys, although exempt, are strongly encouraged to take the
notary course. Attorneys are required to possess the most current notary manual.)
15. Indicate whether you can speak, read and write in the English language by checking the appropriate box.
16. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-5 requires that you purchase and keep the most recent edition of the N.C. Notary Public Manual. The Notary Public Manual
for North Carolina may be purchased from the School of Government, UNC Chapel Hill, through their website at www.sog.unc.edu. Please visit the
School of Government's website, email sales@sog.unc.edu, or call (919) 966-4119 for information about the latest edition.
17. If you answered “Yes” to this question, send a certified copy of your criminal record background check from the Clerk of Courts office, judgment and probation
release letter, if applicable, from each county where a violation occurred including the county you currently reside in. Disclose in a signed written explanation
attached to this application the date and place of arrest or violation, the name of court and court case number, the code section of the violation, a brief description of
the offense, and the sentence imposed. Include the date you were released from probation, parole, or incarceration and for felony charges, send a copy of your
citizenship restoration. Minor traffic offenses such as speeding are not applicable to this question unless it resulted in a misdemeanor or felony charge.
To be considered for commission as a notary public, you are required to submit three completed Certificates of Moral Character (obtained from our
website at www.sosnc.gov ) from three individuals (i.e., your employer, minister, or another person, other than a family member) who can each provide
a statement as to why these charges should not prevent you from being appointed as a notary. Your application will be denied if you answered “Yes” to this
question and fail to provide the information listed above.
18. If you answered “Yes” to this question, attach written details on the type of license or commission, the name under which it was issued, the date and reason of
the revocation, denial, suspension, restriction, or resignation, and the name and address of the licensing agency.
19. Complete the applicant’s declaration by printing the name you will be commissioned in (same as line #2). Do not sign until you are in the presence of the notary.
20. The final step before submitting your application to the Department is to have a notary public other than yourself administer an oath or affirmation to you to confirm
that the information provided in the application is true. DO NOT NOTARIZE YOUR OWN SIGNATURE.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR REAPPOINTMENT N.C.G.S. 10B-5 & 10B-11
1. An applicant must be at least 18 years of age or legally emancipated.
2. An applicant must reside in this state or if a nonresident, be employed in this state.
3. An applicant must reside legally in the United States and must be able to speak, read, and write the English language.
4. Reappointment applicants must pass a written examination approved by the Secretary of State with a score of 80% or better. Exempt from this requirement
are licensed members of the North Carolina State Bar and notary publics who have been continuously commissioned in North Carolina since July 10, 1991,
and have not had any disciplinary actions against their notary commission from the Secretary of State’s office.
5. An applicant must purchase and keep as a reference the most recent manual (Notary Public Guidebook for North Carolina) approved by the Secretary that describes
the duties, authority, and ethical responsibilities of Notaries Public.
6. An applicant must submit an application containing no significant misstatement or omission of fact. The application form shall be provided by the Secretary of State
and be available at the Register of Deeds Office in each county. Every application shall bear the signature of the applicant written in pen and ink, and the signature
shall be signed by the applicant before a person authorized to administer oaths. (Example: Clerk of Court, Register of Deeds, or a Notary Public)
7. Article VI, Section 8 of the Constitution of North Carolina disqualifies the following persons from holding office: any person who has been adjudged guilty of
treason or any other felony against this state of the United States, or any person who has been adjudged guilty of a felony in another state that would also be a
felony if it had been committed in this state, or any person who has been adjudged guilty of corruption or malpractice in any office and who has not been restored
to the rights of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law. Also see G.S. 10B-5(d) for additional reasons that an application may be denied.
PROCEDURES FOR TAKING OATHS N.C.G.S. 10B-10
If you are granted a notary commission you will receive an oath notification letter. When you receive the oath notification letter go to the Register
of Deeds in the county in which the commission is issued to take the oaths of office. The oaths must be taken within 45 days of the issue date listed on the oath
notification letter. If 45 days lapse before the oaths are taken, a new application and $50.00 fee must be resubmitted. Notary reappointments are NOT valid until
the oaths of office are taken. The oaths must be taken with each appointment of commission. The Register of Deeds fee for administering the oaths is $10.00.
