Become a Missouri notary public with Notary Rotary, Inc.

Qualifications:

To qualify for a notary commission as a Missouri resident, an applicant
must meet certain legal qualifications:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a registered voter of the county within and for which the applicant is to be commissioned, or a resident alien of the United States
• Apply for the county in which they legally reside and be commissioned for this same county
• Be able to read and write the English language
• Must not have had a commission revoked during the past ten years

A non-resident of Missouri may apply for a commission as a notary public. A non-resident must also meet certain legal requirements in order to qualify:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Employed in Missouri and use the notary seal in the course of their employment only
• Has a work address within and for which he is commissioned
• Be able to read and write the English language
• Must not have had a notary commission revoked in any state during the past ten years
• Must authorize the Secretary of State as their agent and representative to accept service of any process or service of any notice or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon them

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 the Secretary of State's office.

Term of Office

All commissions as a notary public are issued for a four-year (4) term of office. This term is set by law.

Step 1: Download and read the Missouri notary public handbook and complete the appropriate training.

Prior to submitting an application to the Secretary of State, each new applicant or reapplication for appointment shall read the Missouri notary public handbook, available here: Missouri Notary Handbook, and complete computer-based training or other notary training in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of State. Each new applicant or reapplication shall attest to reading such handbook and receiving such training at the time of submitting the application for appointment and commission as a notary public.

he mandatory training to become a Missouri notary public is available at the Missouri Secretary of State website in either online or written format.  Please visit the following address to access the online training: https://www.sos.mo.gov/Notary/NotaryExam/

Or you may download the written training course here: Missouri Notary Public Training Course

Once you have read the handbook, completed one of the available options for training, and received your certificate of completion, you will be ready to move to Step 2.

Step 2: Download and complete the Missouri notary public application

Missouri Notary Public Application 

Please complete the application according to the instructions provided. The application must be typed. Once the application is complete review it for accuracy and to make sure there are no empty fields, then mail it and the application fee to the following address.

Secretary of State, Commissions
PO Box 784
Jefferson City, MO 65102

After the staff in the office of the Secretary of State, Commissions section, has approved the application, your commission will be issued and mailed to the appropriate office in the county where you reside. The Commissions office is required by law to forward all completed commissions to the appropriate county office.

The same day the commission is issued, a letter will be mailed to you advising that your commission has been issued and mailed to the appropriate county authority. The letter contains the address where the applicant is to be sworn in, their commission number and the dates the commission begins and expires.

Step 3: Order your $10,000 surety bond and errors and omissions insurance from Notary Rotary, Inc.

After you receive the letter containing your commission information and details regarding your being sworn in, you will need to order your official bond.

Please visit the Notary Rotary online store, enter the store to purchase your $10,000 notary bond and errors and omissions insurance package.  To order, enter the required information, scroll down through the page to locate and select the desired products, and follow the instructions through checkout. Your supplies will be shipped as soon as possible, usually within two to three days. Once you receive your official surety bond and insurance from Notary Rotary, Inc. make copies for your records.  

Step 4: File your surety bond and be sworn in by the appropriate county authority.

Follow the instructions provided in the letter from the commissions' office and proceed to the appropriate county authority to be sworn in. To meet the qualifications provided by law, you must appear in person and present your $10,000 surety bond to insure your four-year term as a notary public. The clerk or deputy will administer the oath of office, after which you must submit a handwritten specimen of your official signature on the oath of office. This signature must match the exact name typed on your commission certificate. The clerk will staple the bond to the oath of office and official signature filing and mail them to the office of the Secretary of State. The clerk or deputy will then present you with your commission certificate.

The commission certificate will contain your exact official name as a notary public, your commission number, the commission beginning and expiration dates and the date the commission was issued by the office of the Secretary of State. You should keep your commission certificate in a safe place throughout your term as a notary public.

The Secretary of State may prohibit, for a period not less than 30 days and not more than one year, such person from reapplying for an appointment and commission as a notary public following the failure to appear and qualify within 90 days after the commission is issued.

Step 5: Order your official seal and other supplies from Notary Rotary, Inc.

Once you have received your Commission Certificate, you should obtain a legally suitable notarial seal. Missouri law requires every notary to use either an engraved Missouri embosser seal or a black inked Missouri notary seal stamp on every notary certificate.

Missouri law also requires that a notary public keep a journal except those notarial acts connected with judicial proceedings, and those for whose public record the law provides and the public record is publicly filed within 90 days of execution. The journal is to record all notarial acts performed. The Modern Journal of Notarial Events makes an excellent Missouri notary journal as it was designed specifically for use by notaries public and is available Notary Rotary's online store.

Please go to Missouri Notary Supplies for your official seal stamp, journal, and any other supplies you may need. Enter the store to view all products available to Missouri notaries.  Follow the onscreen instructions through the order process and your order will ship as soon as we are able to process it, usually within 2-3 days.

Only after being properly commissioned, bonded, and obtaining his or her seal and journal should the notary perform notarial acts.