Become an Oregon notary public with Notary Rotary, Inc.

Qualifications:

A person appointed and commissioned as a notary public for the state of Oregon must:

• Be 18 years of age or older at the time of appointment.
• Be a resident of this state at the time of appointment, or be a resident of an adjacent state and be regularly employed or carry on a trade or business within this state at the time of appointment.
• Be able to read and write the English language at the time of appointment.
• Be of good moral character.
• Not have had a notary commission revoked for official misconduct during the five-year period preceding the date of application.
• Not have been convicted of a felony, or of a lesser offense incompatible with the duties of a notary public, during the 10-year period preceding the date of application.
• Have satisfactorily completed a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State to determine the fitness of the person to exercise the functions of the office of notary public in preparation for the official exam.

Term of Appointment:

The term of office of a notary public is four years commencing with the effective date specified in the notarial commission. A notary public may perform notarial acts during the term of the commission, or until the commission is revoked, but may not perform notarial acts during any period when the commission is suspended.

Step 1: Complete the mandatory education requirements and submit your application. 

Oregon Notary Public Application

If you have never been a notary before, or if your notary commission has expired or will expire before your application reaches the office of the Secretary of State, you must take the required three-hour class before applying. The office of the Secretary of State offers classes at various locations around the state as well as an online tutorial, followed by an online exam.

Please follow the links to register for the notary public education program of your choice.

If you take a class in person:

• You must fill out the notary application and test. Click here for packet. We recommend you wait until after the class to take the test. Although the packet is titled for re-applying notaries it is also valid for first time applicants.

If you take the online tutorial:

• Once you have completed the three hours online, the system will make an online test available to you. Please be patient; after the three hours, it takes a few more minutes before you will see the test icon. When the test has been successfully completed, you will receive an email within 2 business days with an education certificate attached. Write the number from the certificate on your application in the space provided. The email will also provide a link to the notary application. You do NOT take the test that accompanies the application if you access it through the link on the website rather than the email. The application is the same for reapplying and new notaries. Click here for packet

NOTE: If you have any questions regarding the application process or the exam, please call (503) 986-2593, BEFORE sending the application in. Please allow about 2 weeks for your application to be processed.

Step 2: Receive your commission from the Secretary of State's office and order your supplies from Notary Rotary, Inc.

When you receive your commission from the Secretary of State's office, proof read the commission for the spelling of your name and make note of the expiration date. If you question any of the information, call the office of the Secretary of State at (503) 986-2593 before ordering the seal

If everything is correct, you may order your supplies from Notary Rotary, Inc.

Please visit the Notary Rotary online store by clicking the following link: Oregon Notary Supplies.  Choose Oregon from the menu, and enter the store to purchase your official seal, modern journal of notarial events, and any other supplies you may need. To order, enter the required information, scroll down through the page to locate and select the desired products, and follow the instructions through checkout. When you have finished placing your order send the certificate of authorization to:

Notary Rotary, Inc.
PO Box 41400
Des Moines, IA 50311-0507

Or, if you wish to use an overnight courier service rather than the post office, send the certificate to:

Notary Rotary, Inc.
925 29th St
Des Moines, IA 50312-3612

Your order will be processed as soon as possible, usually shipping within a day or two of our receiving your certificate of authorization.

Step 3: File an imprint of your stamp with the Secretary of State's office.

After you receive your official seal and other supplies from Notary Rotary, Inc. proof read the seal ensuring that the spelling of your name, commission number and expiration date are correct and read EXACTLY as printed on your certificate. Stamp a clean imprint of your seal on the Certificate of Authorization to complete the requirement of filing your imprint with the Secretary of State. If it is not 100% clear, please stamp again. If necessary, stamp on a separate piece of paper and send that in with your Certificate. Mail the completed certificate of authorization to the office of the Secretary of State at the following address:

Secretary of State Corporation Division
Notary Section
255 Capitol Street NE, Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310-1327