 | South Dakota Notary Handbook
How Do I Become a Notary Public?
Secure a Notary Application-Oath and Bond form from the Office of the Secretary of State, State Capitol Building, 500 East Capitol Ste 204, Pierre, SD 57501.
Complete the oath and bond portions with your signature and the surety signature. The $5000 bond can be purchased from a local insurance company and you will pay the insurance company a premium for the six-year bond. If you do not want to purchase a notary bond, you may have a personal surety. To use a personal surety, omit the bond portion on the front page of the application and complete the backside. A personal surety can be a friend, relative, spouse or co-worker whom will sign on their own behalf and be liable for your $5000 bond if you perform any unlawful acts with your notary commission. A personal surety cannot be a company, business or organization and a personal surety cannot have his/her name removed for any reason. All personal surety applications are approved separately by the Office of Attorney General approved before the commission can be issued.
South Dakota Notary Law
Each notary public, before performing the duties of the office, shall take an oath as required by § 3-1-5, and shall give a bond to this state, to be approved by the attorney general, in the penal sum of five thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of the office.
Source: SL 1862, ch 62, § 2; PolC 1877, ch 17, § 2; CL 1887, § 496; RPolC 1903, § 735; RC 1919, § 5236; SDC 1939 & Supp 1960, § 32.1303; SL 1974, ch 55, § 23; SL 1997, ch 120, § 2.
Every notary public before entering upon the duties of his office, shall provide an official seal and file an impression of the same, together with his oath and bond, in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Source: SL 1862, ch 62, § 8; PolC 1877, ch 17, § 8; CL 1887, § 503; RPolC 1903, § 742; RC 1919, § 5243; SDC 1939 & Supp 1960, § 32.1303. |
