How to Become a Notary Public in Indiana

There is a $5 filing fee and $75 application fee to apply for an Indiana Notary Public commission. There is also a $16.32 fee for getting your Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History Record, which should be no older than 30 days from the date of application.

The cost of your $25,000 state-required surety bond, seal and other Notary supplies will vary based on the vendor you choose.

According to the 2022 Indiana SOS Notary Handbook, you will get an email within two business days regarding the status of your application in most cases. If you're approved, the email will have a link you can use to download your Indiana Notary certificate. You can also check your status by looking for your name on the Secretary of State’s list of commissioned Notaries.

The Indiana Notary commission is valid for eight years, after which you will need to renew it to continue serving as a Notary.

To be a Notary in Indiana, applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the U.S.
• Be a resident or primarily employed in the state of Indiana
• Possess an Indiana driver's license, Indiana non-driver identification card or other acceptable form of identification to prove Indiana residence or possess proof of employment in the state of Indiana
• Not hold a lucrative federal or state government office
• Not have a criminal conviction with a sentence exceeding six months imprisonment

Yes. All Notary applicants must take a Notary education course and pass an exam. The exam has a combination of 30 multiple choice and true-or-false questions. You must score 80% or higher to pass.

You're required to complete three continuing education courses throughout your eight-year commission term. The first course must be completed two years after you receive your commission, the second course four years after and the third course six years after getting commissioned. You have until the end of the anniversary month in which you received your Notary commission to complete the courses. Notaries who fail to complete the continuing education requirement will result in the expiration of their commission.

In addition to posting a fee schedule, Indiana Notaries are required to use an official Notary seal for all notarial acts. You can choose from either an inked stamp or embosser. If an embosser is used, the impression must be inked or blackened so that it may be photocopied. The seal must contain the following information:

• The words "Notary Public"
• The words "State of Indiana"
• The word "Seal"
• Your name as it appears on your commission
• The words "Commission Number _____ (number)"
• The words "My commission expires _____ (date)"

Notary stamps should not bleed during or after use, as this can cause county officials to reject documents due to smudging. If you choose to purchase an embosser, you will also need to purchase an embosser inker to comply with the law.

Though not required by law in Indiana, keeping a logbook or journal of all traditional notarial acts is recommended by the state. Your journal is a record of notarizations you have performed and offers you protection from liability.

Yes. Indiana State requires that all Notaries purchase a $25,000 surety bond to protect the public if they are harmed by Notary misconduct. If damages are paid out from the bond, you are required by law to pay back the company that issued the bond in addition to any legal fees incurred.

Notaries in Indiana are not required to purchase insurance, although you have the option of doing so, and it is recommended. Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance helps protect you, the Notary. If you make an unintentional mistake or a false claim is filed against you, an E&O policy will cover your legal fees and awarded damages up to the coverage amount you select.

The Indiana Secretary of State, located in Indianapolis, IN, is responsible for commissioning Notaries Public in Indiana.

Yes. If you are primarily employed in the state, you can become an Indiana Notary Public.

Indiana Notaries have statewide jurisdiction.

You can notarize for any member of the public who makes a reasonable request and meets all requirements for notarization. You cannot notarize your own signature -- whether signing for yourself or for a corporation. In addition, Notaries are prohibited from notarizing for their spouse or for any party that may directly benefit the Notary or spouse.

The Secretary of State allows Indiana Notaries to charge $10 per signature for acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, signature witnessings, verifications upon oath or affirmation, and copy certifications. Fees for notarial acts not specified are negotiable. You may charge a reasonable traveling fee not to exceed the federal travel fees established by the U.S. General Services Administration. If you plan to charge for your Notary services, you must post a fee schedule for the services you provide.

If you change your mailing address, name or other personal information, you must notify the Secretary of State's office within 30 days. For Notaries moving out of Indiana or no longer primarily employed in the state, you must notify the Secretary of State. The notice will be treated as a resignation.

If you change your name, you must also file a rider or other record issued by your surety provider reflecting the change and an example of your new, official signature.

You can apply for your traditional Notary Public commission three times within 30 days. If you're rejected, you must wait 30 days before submitting another application. After that, you're entitled to timely notice and a hearing, as described in IC 4-21.5.

When your commission's eight-year term ends, you must meet the state's requirements and reapply for a new Notary commission.

Notaries commissioned before July 1, 2018, are grandfathered through their existing commission term. When they renew their commission, however, they will be subject to the new state laws.

Remote online notarization (RON) has been allowed in Indiana since July 1, 2019, but the Secretary of State only adopted final rules for RONs on March 31, 2020. Once you have your traditional Notary Public commission, follow this step-by-step guide to register to perform remote notarizations.

There are additional requirements to become a remote notary such as a required journal, Indiana Notaries are also allowed to charge up to $25 per remote online notarization.

If you're not quite ready yet, we have additional resources where you can learn what a Notary is, what they do and why you should become a commissioned Notary.