Notary Surety Bonds: FAQs

What is a Notary bond?

A Notary bond is a financial guarantee Notaries purchase from a surety company. The bond ensures that, as a Notary, you will fulfill all obligations to protect the public from financial harm resulting from any wrongdoing on your part when performing notarial duties. Many states require Notaries to obtain a bond before they perform notarial acts.

A Notary bond protects the public from financial harm in the event you, the Notary, make a mistake or omission, or perform a wrongful act in notarizing a document that causes any person financial harm. By issuing a bond, the surety company guarantees that you will perform your duties as a Notary Public in accordance with the law. If you do not, the company will pay the financially injured person any damages up to the amount of the bond. Bond limits are set by each state individually.

A Notary bond does not protect Notaries.

Where can I get a Notary Bond?

You may purchase a bond from any insurance or bonding company that sells surety bonds. In most states, you must obtain a bond from a surety or insurance company licensed to do business in your state. The NNA facilitates this process for our customers to help the process of becoming or renewing as a Notary easier and less complicated, whether you complete the entire process through us, or only use us to purchase your Notary Bond. You can learn more about your state’s Notary Bond on your state bond page.

How do I get a Notary Bond?

You can purchase a bond by contacting any insurance or surety company that sells Notary bonds for your state and they will guide you through the process, or you can purchase a bond as part of a Notary supply package.

How do I file my Notary bond? 

The process varies by state, but in general you must file your bond either with your state’s commissioning official, or the county clerk in the county in which your principal place of business is located or in which you reside. Depending upon the state, the bond is filed with the application for a commission or after the commission is issued and within a defined time window, such as 30 or 45 days, from the date you were appointed or commissioned as a Notary. 

How much bond coverage does a Notary need?

Notary Bonds do not have coverage amounts the way an insurance policy does. Bond amounts are set by statute through an act of the legislature.

What is the Amount of a Notary Bond?

Some state required bond amounts are as low as $500, but they can be as high as $25,000. You can find your state’s bond requirement on your state’s Notary Bond page (select your state from the map above).

How Much Does a Notary Bond Cost?

The cost of a Notary bond varies based on your states bond requirement. Find out the cost of an NNA issued Notary bond on your state bond page.

How long is my Notary bond in effect?

A notary bond is effective for the entire length of your Notary commission. If you are not sure what the length of a Notary commission is in your state, visit your state bond page

What is a rider to a Notary bond?

A rider to a Notary bond is a form used to amend or correct an existing bond. The most common amendments typically include changes to the principal’s name, county of commissioning, or bond dates. Not all states require a rider in order to make such changes. Your bonding company will tell you if a change to your bond requires a rider. [There is nowhere to link for this question]

What happens if someone makes a claim against my Notary Bond?

The surety's claim department will investigate the claim as quickly as possible. The surety company will contact you to obtain information about your involvement in the transaction. The surety company will ask for a copy of the Notary journal record for the notarization and other facts to help them determine the basis for the claim. It is important to note that a pending claim does not necessarily mean there will be a financial loss incurred since the claim may not be legitimate or the surety may deny the claim. If, through its investigation, the surety company determines that the claim has merit, the surety company will negotiate a settlement or pay the full amount of the bond. The surety may require you to repay any amount the surety pays to satisfy the claim, including defense costs. For this reason, it is highly recommended that a Notary Public carry Errors and Omissions Insurance for their entire term of office. Errors and omissions insurance will cover payments on your bond due to your honest mistakes and omissions, but will not cover any fraudulent acts you commit.

What will happen to my Notary commission if a claim is paid from my bond?

In some states, the surety company must inform the commissioning official when the surety pays a claim from a Notary’s bond. Law in these states may require the commissioning official to suspend your commission until you can post another bond. Please see your state’s bond provisions to see if this applies to you.

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How do I file a claim against a Notary Bond?

If you need to file a claim against the bond of a Notary, the first thing you’ll need to do is find out with which government office the bond is filed. For bonds filed with a commissioning official, such as a secretary of state, you will contact the secretary of state for information about the surety company that issued the Notary’s bond. Depending upon the state, this information may be obtainable online. However, if the bond is filed with a county office, you’ll need to find out the name of the county in which the bond was filed and request a copy of the bond filed with the clerk of the county. The bond is a public record and a copy may be obtained by paying the required fee. The filed bond will name the surety company that issued the bond.