Get Commissioned

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Step One in becoming a Notary Public in any state is getting commissioned through your states Secretary of State office. 

• Must be 18+ Years or older
• Must be a US Citizen
• Must be a Missouri Resident or Work in Missouri
• Read and Write English
• Not have a previously revoked Notary Commission in the last 5 years
• No record of felony, any offense involving dishonesty or moral turpitude during the past 5 years 

1. Review the MO Notary Public Handbook
2. Take the MO Notary Quiz
3. Submit Quiz & Your application
4. Purchase Bond & Insurance
5. Submit your Bond & Commission to become an Official Notary Public for Missouri
6. Decide how you want to build your Notary business

Step by Step Detailed Process to Become a Notary Public in Missouri

Take note of all laws and regulations to understand what is required as a Notary Public.

MO SOS requires each Notary applicant to take an online quiz or written quiz. They both have the same questions - one is online in a portal, the other is a PDF you can print and mail into the SOS. 

You can review the PDF below to get an idea of the questions.
Then you can choose to either do it online in the portal or print the PDF, fill out your answers and mail into the MO SOS. 

To go to the Online Portal - https://s1.sos.mo.gov/Business/Notary/Login/Login.aspx?returnurl=https://s1.sos.mo.gov/business/Notary/NotaryExam 

• Once you Submit your Quiz online or by mail, it takes about 7 - 10 business days to receive your Notary Commission number 

Once you receive your Notary Commission number, you will need to purchase a Notary Bond. 

You will need your assigned Notary Commission Number to purchase your bond. 

• Notary Bond - The state of Missouri requires a minimum of $10,000 Notary Bond to become a Notary. Bonds can be purchased from a bank, insurance company or bonding company.
• Bond must be for FOUR years and cover the same exact start and end dates of your Notary commission. 

• What is a Notary Bond? A Bond protects the general public should a Notary be found to be negligent.
  You have 90 days to purchase your bond and submit your bond and Notary Commission to the MO SOS office to be sworn in and officially become a Notary. 

• Errors & Omission Insurance - Also called E&O is insurance that protects the Notary in the case of law suit. 
• Missouri SOS does not require additional insurance coverage, however it is highly advised to purchase Errors & Omissions Insurance. 
• E&O can be purchased from the same insurance company you purchase your bond from - they usually give a discount to purchase both at the same time. The coverages dates will also be the same Four years as your commission dates. 
• How much E&O coverage to you need? That depends on what you will be using your Notary commission for. If you will be doing just General Notary Work, you can purchase the minimum. If you will be doing Loan Signings, most work requires a minimum of $100k coverage.  

Notary Supplies - You can now purchase your Notary Stamp, Notary Journal, and all other necessary supplies. See below for a list of supplies and discounted links to purchase online. 

You do not have to wait to be sworn in to order supplies - in fact, supplies may be back ordered so it is wise to purchase as soon as you have your commission number assigned to you.

• Once you receive your Notary Commission number and have a copy of your $10,000 Surety bond, take both items to your County Clerk's office in the county in which you live to be sworn in.  
• Cost to be sworn in varies for each County Clerk's office, it is usually $2 - $5. You will want to have cash for the fee as well as possibly need to pay for parking. 
• Each County handles their Notaries differently - likely you will need an appointment. Contact your local County Clerk's office to inquire.

There's many things a Notary Public can do! Some things are restricted to commissioned Notaries and others just prefer to use a Notary because we are trusted State Officials! 

• General Notary Work - also called GNW is when anyone from the general public uses your Notary services for their documents they need Notarized. If you live in a decent populated area, this can be a good solid income. Yes, all states have a limit on what a Notary can charge for their services but don't let that stop you from building a business around General Notary Work. I specialize in GNW and make a great income working part time and I have enough work to have a team of Notaries in the St Louis area that I also send on GNW appointments! Interested in joining my Notary team? Reach out! I prefer a TEXT so we can set up a time to talk! Join my team!                          Janessa West - Mobile Notary St Louis 636-293-4493 Text

• Loan Signing Services - This can also be a great income! However this work is dependent on two factors - the real estate world and where you are getting your work from. Most Notaries get their LS work from Signing Services. There is a process in which you will have to go through in order to sign up with Signing Services. Once you have some good experience doing LS work, you have the option to go direct to get LS work - but this is all about marketing and who you know! It's possible but not easy. 

• Hire a Mentor - Whatever route you decide to go, there are many other tools you can add to what you do as a Notary. But first and foremost it is knowing what and how to do General Notary Work and Loan Signings, then adding to your tools. 
• Even before you can really get out there - you will need to know how to set up a business, what steps to take, how to get business, and how to build a successful & thriving Notary business. 
• When you are ready for a Mentor or just have questions - feel free to reach out! 

Each state has different requirements and processes to become an official Notary Public. If you are interested in a state other than Missouri, you can find information here.