Become an Illinois notary public with Notary Rotary, Inc.

Qualifications:

To become a commissioned Illinois notary public you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
• Be a resident of the State of Illinois for at least 30 days or employed in the state of Illinois for at least 30 days.

• Be at least 18 years of age.

• Be able to read and write the English language.
• Have not been convicted of a felony.
• Have not had a notary commission revoked during the past 10 years.

The Secretary of State appoints Illinois residents as notaries for a term of four years. Out-of-state residents are appointed for a one-year term.

Step 1: Download and complete the Illinois notary public application.

The Illinois notary public application and bond form is available for download here: Illinois Notary Public Application

You may print the application and complete it or you may fill it out online and then print.

Complete the application according to the instructions, you will need to contact a commissioned notary public in your area to witness and notarize your signature on the application. The Find a Notary feature at the following link can be helpful in contacting a notary public, simply enter your home ZIP code and click search for a list of notaries public in your area:  The Find a Notary feature from Notary Rotary can be helpful in contacting a notary public. Simply click the link below, enter your home ZIP code, and click search for a list of notaries public in your area: Find a Notary

Step 2: Order the $5000 Illinois notary bond and application form from Notary Rotary, Inc.

Please visit the online store from Notary Rotary by clicking the following link: Notary Supplies, choose Illinois from the drop down menu, and enter the store for your official surety bond and application form, included with your bond and application form is a redeemable voucher for a notary errors and omissions insurance policy. To order, enter the required information, scroll through the product page to locate and select the bond and application, and follow the instructions through checkout.

The application includes detailed instructions regarding how it is to be completed. Please be sure to follow the instructions provided exactly.

Step 3: Submit the completed application, bond form, and surety bond to the office of the Secretary of State, Index Department.

Once you have completed the application and have your surety bond you will need to submit these items, as well as a $10 filing fee, to the Index Department of the office of the Secretary of State at the following address:

Index Department
111 E. Monroe
Springfield, IL 62756

If the Secretary of State approves the application, a commission will be issued.

The commission will be mailed to the county clerk of the county in which the applicant resides. The appointment is not complete until the commission is recorded with the county clerk. The recording with the county clerk may be done in person or by mail. The county clerk will notify the applicant of the procedure (Sec. 2-106).

When the applicant has recorded his or her appointment with the county clerk and has received the commission, the appointment is complete. The notary must then obtain an official seal and can perform notarial acts anywhere in the State of Illinois, as long as he or she continues to reside or work in the county in which he or she was commissioned.

Step 4: Order the official seal and any other supplies you may need from Notary Rotary, Inc.

If you are redeeming a voucher for Illinois notary errors and omissions insurance you will need to follow the instructions on the voucher, otherwise please visit the Notary Rotary Store.  Choose Illinois from the drop down menu and click the Enter Store button. Enter all required information and scroll down to select your official Illinois notary stamp and any other supplies you might want. There is no legal requirement in Illinois that a notary public keep a log book or journal. However, a notary may keep a journal for his or her own record keeping and protection should a notarial act ever be called into question. The Modern Journal of Notarial Events, offered in the Notary Rotary store, is a perfect example of an Illinois notay journal and was designed specifically for notaries public. Follow the onscreen instructions through checkout and your supplies will be sent to you as soon as your order can be processed, usually no more than a day before shipping. As soon as you receive your supplies you will be ready to begin your duties as a commissioned notary public for the State of Illinois.