A Public Official
The notary public is a public official appointed by the Secretary of the State. The notary has authority to administer oaths, take acknowledgments and perform other duties as permitted by law. It is important that notaries remember the public nature of the commission that they hold. The primary duty of all notaries is to serve the public and a notary should not refuse to perform a notarial act for any member of the public without a valid reason. The notary must also be mindful to avoid exceeding the authority of the commission by offering their opinions or advice to those who request performance of notarial acts.
Application & Fee
Anyone eighteen-years-old or older and who is a resident of their state or who has a principal place of business in said state, may apply to become a notary public. The application for appointment as a notary public can be completed partly online and partly in the applicant's handwriting, please confirm with your local Office. There is also a nonrefundable statutory fee payable to the Office of the Secretary of the State.
Examination
Lastly, there is an examination that is incorporated into the online notary public application form. The purpose of the exam is to test the knowledge and ability of the applicant who will perform the duties of a notary public. Therefore, each question must be answered correctly before one can be appointed as a notary public.
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