How to Become an Iowa Notary Public: Application, Oath, and Stamp

To become a notary public in Iowa, you submit a $30 application to the Secretary of State through the Fast Track Filing portal, execute an oath of office, and buy an official stamp that meets state specifications. There is no surety bond, no exam, and no mandatory training course for a standard in-person commission. Iowa residents get a three-year term.¹

Who Qualifies

Iowa Code § 9B.21 sets five requirements:²

You are at least 18.
You are a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
You live in Iowa, or you live in a bordering state and have a place of employment or practice in Iowa.
You can read and write English.
You have no disqualification under Iowa Code § 9B.23 (felony conviction, crimes involving fraud or dishonesty, and related integrity issues).

Iowa does not require a surety bond, a training course, or a written exam for a standard notary commission.³ That is unusually light compared with most states.

How to File the Application

The fastest route is the Secretary of State’s Fast Track Filing portal at filings.sos.iowa.gov. Create an account, work through the application screens, and pay the $30 fee by credit card.¹

You will enter your full legal name exactly as you want it printed on your commission and stamp, plus your home address, phone, and email. Choose the name carefully. Every document you notarize must use the name on your commission, and if your legal name includes a middle name, you need to decide now whether to spell it out, use an initial, or leave it off. You are stuck with that choice for the full term.⁴

Paper filing is available. Download the form from the Secretary of State’s website, print it, and mail it with a $30 check payable to “Secretary of State” to the Notary Division, Lucas Building, 1st Floor, Des Moines, IA 50319.⁴ Paper takes longer to process than an online filing.

The Oath and Your Commission Term

Before the Secretary of State issues your commission, you must execute an oath of office and submit it to the office.⁵ The oath is your pledge to carry out notarial duties honestly and in compliance with Iowa’s Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. It is built into both the online and paper application flows.

Once approved, you receive a commission certificate showing your start date, expiration date, and commission number. Iowa residents hold a three-year term. Bordering-state residents who commute into Iowa for work hold a one-year term. Members of the Iowa General Assembly hold the commission for the length of their legislative term.⁵

Order Your Official Stamp

You cannot perform any notarial act until you have a compliant stamp. Iowa Code § 9B.17 says the stamp must contain:⁶

Your name, matching your commission
The words “Notarial Seal” and “Iowa”
The words “Commission Number” followed by the number assigned by the Secretary of State
The words “My Commission Expires” followed by your expiration date, or a blank line where you write it in by hand on each document

The impression must be able to reproduce when the document is copied. Self-inking rubber stamps and embossers are both common, and expect to pay somewhere in the $15 to $50 range from an office supply or online vendor. Place the order as soon as you have your commission number so you can start work without delay.

If You Want to Perform Remote Online Notarizations

Iowa authorizes remote online notarization under Iowa Code § 9B.14A, which lets you notarize for signers who appear by live video instead of in person. This is optional and requires steps beyond the standard commission.⁷

Within six months before your first remote notarial act, you must complete an approved training course, submit the certificate of completion to the Secretary of State, and file an additional application identifying the platform you plan to use. The only training course the Secretary of State currently accepts is offered through the National Notary Association at a cost of $30.

You cannot use a general video-conferencing app like Zoom or Teams. Iowa law requires software built for remote online notarization, with identity-proofing, electronic signing, and secure storage of session recordings.⁷ Several commercial RON platforms meet the standard, and you name your chosen platform in the application.

Consider Errors and Omissions Insurance

Because Iowa does not require a surety bond, no built-in financial safety net exists if you make a mistake. Errors and omissions insurance covers your legal defense costs and any resulting damages if a signer or affected party claims you erred during a notarization. A bond would protect the public and then come after you for reimbursement; E&O protects you directly.

The coverage is entirely optional. It is worth serious thought if you plan to notarize frequently or handle high-value work like real estate closings, where a single error on a deed or mortgage acknowledgment can produce a claim larger than a notary earns in a year.

Keeping the Commission in Good Standing

Report changes promptly. If you change your name during the term, you can either keep using the name on your commission for the remainder or switch. If you switch, notify the Secretary of State immediately and order a new stamp with the updated name.³ Address and employer changes also require notice, using the Notary Public Change/Amendment to Application form on the Secretary of State’s website. Bordering-state residents who stop working in Iowa lose the commission automatically.⁵

Iowa Code § 9B.23 lets the Secretary of State deny, refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke a commission for conduct showing a lack of honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability. Specific triggers include failing to comply with Chapter 9B, making a fraudulent or dishonest statement on the application, a felony conviction, a conviction for a crime involving fraud or dishonesty, a civil finding of fraud or deceit, false advertising about your authority or credentials, and denial, suspension, or revocation of a notary commission in another state.⁸ You are entitled to notice and a hearing before any adverse action, and administrative discipline does not shield you from civil suit or criminal prosecution by anyone your misconduct harmed.

One conflict-of-interest rule to know from the start: you cannot notarize a document in which you or your spouse is a party or has a direct financial interest. A notarial act performed in violation of that rule is voidable in court.⁹

Renewing After Three Years

Commissions expire every three years for Iowa residents and every year for bordering-state residents. Renewal runs through the same Fast Track Filing portal.¹⁰ Log in, go to the Notary section, select “File Renewal,” enter your commission number, confirm or update your personal and employer information, and pay the fee. The renewal form also asks you to update your qualifications, indicate whether you perform electronic notarizations, and confirm your remote notarization status if applicable.

File before the expiration date. Once a commission lapses, any notarial act you perform is invalid, and you can be held liable for documents notarized without authority.

1
Iowa Secretary of State – Paul D. Pate. Notary Forms and Fees
2
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 9B.21 – Commission as Notary Public, Qualifications
3
Iowa Secretary of State. Notary Public Handbook
4
Iowa Secretary of State. Application for Secretary of State Commission as State of Iowa Notary Public
5
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 9B – Section 9B.21
6
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 9B.17 – Official Stamp
7
Iowa Secretary of State – Paul D. Pate. Remote Online Notarization
8
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 9B.23 – Grounds to Deny, Refuse to Renew, Revoke, Suspend, or Condition Commission of Notary Public
9
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 9B – Section 9B.4
10
Iowa Secretary of State. How Do I File a Notary Renewal?