How to Become a Notary Public in Arkansas: Bond, Exam, and Fees

To become a notary public in Arkansas, you need to meet the state’s eligibility rules, buy a $7,500 surety bond, pass an online notary exam, file a $20 application with the Secretary of State, and then record your oath of office at your county clerk. Once that final oath is returned and processed, your commission is active for ten years and lets you notarize anywhere in the state.¹ Most applicants finish the whole process in a few weeks and spend under $150.

Who Qualifies

You must be at least 18, able to read and write English, and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien. Permanent residents have to file a recorded Declaration of Domicile with the application.¹

Residency works one of three ways:

You live in Arkansas.
You live in a state that borders Arkansas but work or run a business here.
You are the nonresident spouse of a U.S. service member and are employed or running a business in Arkansas. In that case, include a copy of your Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card (DD Form 1173 or 1173-1) with your application.

Two hard bars: a felony conviction disqualifies you, and so does having had a notary commission revoked within the past ten years.¹ The statute does not carve out an exception for pardons or restoration of rights, so a felony is a bar regardless of when it happened.

Step 1: Buy a $7,500 Surety Bond

Your first purchase is a $7,500 surety bond from an insurance or bonding company licensed in Arkansas. The bond protects the public, not you. If someone makes a successful claim against it, the bonding company pays and then comes after you for reimbursement.²

The premium is a small fraction of the face amount. For the full ten-year term, expect to pay around $50, though the exact figure depends on the bonding company and your credit. Several companies deliver the bond as a PDF the same day, which is the format you’ll need when you file.

Step 2: Pass the Notary Exam

Every applicant, first-time or renewing, has to pass a multiple-choice exam administered online through the Secretary of State’s system. It covers notarial procedures, state rules, and the limits of what a notary may do. You need at least 80% to pass.²

Create a free account on the Business and Commercial Services portal at bcs.sos.arkansas.gov. You reach the exam through a link inside the online application itself. When you pass, save the Certificate of Exam Completion as a PDF. You upload it with the application.

Step 3: File the Application and Pay $20

With the bond and exam certificate ready, complete the application on the same portal. It asks for your full legal name, residential address, and county of residence. Adjoining-state applicants provide both a home address and an Arkansas employer’s address. Sign electronically using your name exactly as it appears on your surety bond, because your seal has to match both later.²

Upload PDF copies of the bond and exam certificate, then pay the $20 non-refundable filing fee by credit card, debit card, or electronic check.³ Paper is still allowed. Mail the application and documents to the Business and Commercial Services Division, 1401 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 250, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.²

Applications get bounced most often for the same three reasons: missing information, a name that doesn’t match the bond, and a forgotten fee. Check all three before you submit.

Step 4: Take the Oath at Your County Clerk

If the Secretary of State approves the application, you’ll get two Oath of Commission Certificates. Online filers download them from the portal; paper filers get them in the mail. These certificates are not the commission itself.²

Bring both certificates and your original surety bond to the county clerk (or recorder of deeds) where you live. You take the official oath there, and the clerk records the bond, signs both certificates, and returns one to you. Send the other recorded oath back to the Secretary of State by mail or in person. Your commission is not effective until that returned oath is processed.

The county clerk charges a recording fee that varies by county. Call ahead to confirm the amount and whether they accept cards.

Step 5: Order Your Seal

You cannot perform any notarial act without an official seal. Arkansas requires a rubber stamp or embosser using blue or black ink that shows all of the following:⁴

Your name exactly as you sign officially
The county where your bond is filed
The words “Notary Public” and “Arkansas”
Your commission expiration date
Your commission number from the Secretary of State

Any reputable notary supply vendor will make one for $25 to $50. Every detail has to match your commission paperwork. A seal missing a required element violates state law.⁴

What It Costs in Total

Rough spending to get commissioned:

Surety bond premium: about $50 for the ten-year term
Secretary of State application fee: $20³
County clerk recording fee: varies by county
Notary seal or stamp: $25 to $50

Most applicants land under $150 all in.

How Long the Commission Lasts

Your commission runs ten years and gives you statewide authority. You can notarize in any Arkansas county, not just the one where your bond is filed.⁵ The authorized acts include acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, affidavits, depositions under the Arkansas and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and copy certifications for documents that aren’t vital or public records.⁶ A notary who isn’t a licensed attorney cannot choose which document a signer needs, recommend a type of notarization, advise on legal effect, or help complete legal forms.

You can begin renewing up to 60 days before expiration through the Notary Search on the Secretary of State’s website. Renewal repeats the original process: a new $7,500 bond, a new passing exam score, a new $20 fee, and a new oath recorded at the county clerk.⁷ If your commission lapses before renewal finishes, you have to stop notarizing until the new one is fully processed.

Adding Electronic or Remote Online Notary Authority

Arkansas offers a separate eNotary commission that lets you notarize digitally and, on approved platforms, perform remote online notarizations (RON) where the signer appears by secure video. To do RON you must be physically located in Arkansas, though the signer can be anywhere.⁸

You need an active traditional commission in good standing first. The eNotary commission expires on the same date as your traditional one, so if you have less than a year left, the Secretary of State recommends renewing the traditional commission before adding eNotary status. The extra steps:

File an eNotary amendment through the online portal and pay $25 ($20 application plus a $5 convenience fee).
Complete the online eNotary training course and exam from the American Society of Notaries. The course costs $30.
Register with an approved eNotary technology provider. For RON, the provider must be one approved specifically for RON in Arkansas. Consumer video tools like Zoom or FaceTime are not permitted.

RON recordings are kept by the solution provider for five years, and electronic notaries have to complete refresher training every two years.⁸ Budget roughly $55 on top of your traditional commission costs to add eNotary authority.

1
Justia. Arkansas Code 21-14-101 – Appointment and Commission
2
Arkansas Secretary of State. Arkansas Notary Public and eNotary Handbook 2025
3
Arkansas Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions
4
Justia. Arkansas Code 21-14-107 – Signature – Seal
5
Justia. Arkansas Code 21-14-104 – Power and Authority Generally
6
Arkansas Secretary of State. Notary Public and eNotary Handbook
7
Arkansas Secretary of State. AR SOS System Manual
8
Arkansas Secretary of State. eNotary