To become a notary in Wisconsin, you need to meet a short list of eligibility requirements, pass the Department of Financial Institutions’ free online tutorial and exam with a score of 90 percent or better, buy a $500 surety bond and a compliant notary seal, and file Form NOT100 with a signed oath of office and a $20 filing fee.1Department of Financial Institutions. Four-Year Notary Public Commission Application Instructions Processing runs about one to two weeks, and the commission lasts four years. Licensed Wisconsin attorneys follow a shorter path and get a permanent commission instead.
Who Qualifies
The baseline is modest. You must be at least 18, a United States resident, and have at least the equivalent of an eighth-grade education.2Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code Chapter 140 – Section 140-02 Two common assumptions are wrong: you don’t have to be a U.S. citizen, and you don’t have to live in Wisconsin.3Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Notary Public Frequently Asked Questions
The DFI also looks at criminal history. Under Wis. Stat. 140.02, the department reviews arrest and conviction records subject to Wisconsin’s fair employment statutes on how those records may be used in licensing decisions.2Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code Chapter 140 – Section 140-02 A record is not an automatic bar. The DFI weighs the nature of the offense, how long ago it happened, and how closely it relates to notarial duties. Felony convictions and offenses involving dishonesty or fraud draw the hardest scrutiny and can lead to denial.
Step 1: Pass the Online Tutorial and Exam
Every four-year applicant has to take the DFI’s free online tutorial and pass the final exam with a 90 percent or better.4State of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. WI DFI Notary Tutorial and Exam – Introduction The tutorial covers your legal duties, prohibited acts, and typical scenarios, and it’s self-paced with chapter quizzes along the way. Most people finish in a few hours.
Print your completion certificate right after you pass. It goes in your application packet, and the DFI requires the certificate to be dated no more than one year before your commission date.4State of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. WI DFI Notary Tutorial and Exam – Introduction Let it sit longer than that and you’ll have to retake the exam.
Step 2: Buy a $500 Surety Bond
You need a $500 surety bond from any insurance company licensed to sell surety bonds in Wisconsin. The bond protects the public from losses caused by a negligent mistake during a notarization in your four-year term. It does not protect you personally. The $500 is the face value of the bond, not the price you pay. Actual premiums range from about $25 to over $100 depending on the company, so get a few quotes.5Department of Financial Institutions. Notary Bond Information
Step 3: Order a Compliant Seal
Your seal or stamp can be any size or shape, but it must contain three things: the words “Notary Public,” the words “State of Wisconsin,” and your name. Initials or a shortened first name are allowed, but your current last name must appear in full. Professional titles like “Dr.,” “Esq.,” or “CPA” are not permitted on it. You can optionally include your commission expiration date.6Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. How to Become a Notary Public – WI DFI Notary Tutorial and Exam Once you’re commissioned, your signature on every notarization has to exactly match the name on the seal, so pick the form of your name carefully. Office supply retailers and online stamp vendors sell Wisconsin-compliant stamps for roughly $25 to $50.
Step 4: File Form NOT100 with Your Oath and Fee
Four-year applicants use Form NOT100, the Four-Year Notary Public Commission Application. It asks for your legal name, residential address, and employment information. A large portion is the oath of office, which you must sign in the physical presence of a current notarial officer. That officer then signs, prints their name, and affixes their own seal. You cannot notarize your own oath.1Department of Financial Institutions. Four-Year Notary Public Commission Application Instructions
Your complete packet contains:
- The NOT100 application with your signed oath of office and a seal impression
- Your notary bond form from your insurance company
- Your exam completion certificate
- The $20 filing fee
You can file everything through the DFI’s online notary portal, uploading your forms and paying electronically. If you’d rather mail paper, send the packet with a $20 check or money order made payable to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.1Department of Financial Institutions. Four-Year Notary Public Commission Application Instructions The fee is the same either way.7Department of Financial Institutions. Notary Fees
The DFI typically processes applications in one to two weeks. It reviews your bond, exam results, and oath of office, then issues your commission certificate. Check every detail on the certificate before you start notarizing.
The Attorney Shortcut
If you’re licensed and in good standing with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, you qualify for a permanent commission rather than a four-year term. You skip the tutorial exam and the surety bond entirely, and the commission doesn’t expire as long as you stay in good standing.6Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. How to Become a Notary Public – WI DFI Notary Tutorial and Exam
Attorneys use Form NOT103, the Attorney Permanent Notary Commission Application, and include a certificate of good standing from the Wisconsin Supreme Court dated within two months of the application.8Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. DFI Notary Forms The certificate costs $3 from the Clerk of the Supreme Court, and the filing fee for the permanent commission is $50.7Department of Financial Institutions. Notary Fees If your law license is ever suspended or revoked, your notary commission is automatically revoked with it.
Adding Remote Online Notarization
Any commissioned Wisconsin notary can add remote online notarization (RON), which the state authorized in 2020 under Wisconsin Act 125.9Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Remote Online Notary You don’t file a separate DFI application. You sign up with one of the state-approved technology providers, the provider approves you on its platform, and the provider notifies the DFI on your behalf.
The platform has to come from the approved list the DFI and the Remote Notary Council maintain, which currently includes more than 20 companies such as DocuSign, Notarize (now called Proof), NotaryCam, and Simplifile.10State of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Remote Online Notarization: List of Approved Technology Providers Using an unapproved platform is not permitted. The provider handles the technology requirements, including audio-video communication, identity proofing, and tamper-evident electronic recordkeeping.
What to Avoid Once You’re Commissioned
Two restrictions trip up new notaries. First, you may not notarize any document to which you, your spouse, or your domestic partner is a party, or in which any of you has a direct financial interest. A notarization that violates this rule is voidable.11Wisconsin State Legislature. Chapter 140 – Notaries Public; Notarial Acts
Second, if you are not an attorney, you may not state or imply that you are one, accept payment to prepare legal documents or represent someone in court or immigration proceedings, or accept payment to seek relief from a government official on someone’s behalf.11Wisconsin State Legislature. Chapter 140 – Notaries Public; Notarial Acts If you advertise notary services in a language other than English, you must include a prominent disclaimer, in both English and the other language, saying you are not a licensed attorney and may not give legal advice. The rule exists because in many Latin American countries a “notario publico” is a powerful legal professional, and the state wants to prevent confusion about your authority.