How to Become an Ohio Notary: Requirements, Bond, and Steps

To become an Ohio notary, you need to be at least 18 and a legal Ohio resident (or an Ohio-licensed attorney), pass a criminal background check through the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, complete an approved three-hour education course and test, and file an application with the Secretary of State along with a $15 fee. Once your commission is issued, you must obtain a $25,000 surety bond and an official seal before you can notarize anything. The whole process usually takes a few weeks.

Who Can Apply

Ohio commissions notaries through the Secretary of State. You qualify if you are 18 or older and a legal resident of the state.¹ There is one exception to residency: an attorney admitted to practice by the Ohio Supreme Court can qualify from out of state, as long as their primary place of business or practice is in Ohio.

Every applicant must submit a criminal records check from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). The report has to be dated within six months of your application, so don’t order it too early.¹ A disqualifying offense will lead the Secretary of State to deny the application. Ohio Peace Officers can substitute a Peace Officer Training Academy certificate for the BCI report.²

Education and Testing

Before applying, you have to complete an approved three-hour education course covering Ohio notary laws, ethics, and procedures, and pass a test on that material.³ The course must be taken through a provider authorized by the Secretary of State.⁴

Attorneys follow slightly different rules. An attorney already commissioned as a notary before September 20, 2019, needs neither education nor testing. An attorney applying after that date must complete the three-hour course but is exempt from the test.¹

Filing the Application

With your BCI report and course completion certificate in hand, you can submit your application through the Secretary of State’s online portal at notary.ohiosos.gov. You’ll need to upload three items: the BCI criminal record report, proof of completing the education and testing program, and a signature sample.⁵ The personal information you enter will appear on your official seal, so check it carefully.

The filing fee is $15, due when you submit.⁴ Once approved, you’ll receive your commission certificate electronically. Processing times depend on the current volume at the Secretary of State’s office.

Surety Bond and Notary Seal

Before performing any notarial act, you have to secure a surety bond of at least $25,000. The bond protects the public, not you. If your mistake causes someone financial harm, the injured party can file a claim against your bond, and you are then responsible for repaying the bonding company. The bond is a guarantee to the people you serve, not insurance for the notary.

Some notaries also buy errors and omissions (E&O) insurance separately. E&O coverage protects you by paying legal defense costs and judgments if you’re sued over an error in your notarial work. It’s optional, but worth considering if you notarize often or handle high-value transactions.

You also need an official seal. Ohio law requires the seal to include the Coat of Arms of the State of Ohio inside a circle at least three-quarters of an inch but no larger than one inch in diameter.⁶ Around the coat of arms, the seal must show the words “Notary Public” (or similar wording such as “Notarial Seal”), your name as commissioned, and “State of Ohio.” Either a rubber stamp or an embosser is acceptable, but the impression must be legible. A smudged or faded seal can invalidate a document, which is the kind of problem that surfaces at a closing or in court.

What Your Commission Lets You Do

An Ohio notary can administer oaths, take and certify depositions, certify acknowledgments on deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney, and other written instruments, and record notarial protests.⁷ These powers apply throughout Ohio, not just in your home county.

Fees are capped by statute. You can charge up to $5 per in-person notarial act. For an online notarization the cap is $30, and you cannot stack the $5 in-person fee on top. Fees are per notarial act, not per signature. You may also charge a reasonable travel fee if you and the signer agree on it beforehand. Online notarizations may include a technology fee of up to $10 per session, which applies even if the session doesn’t result in a completed notarization (for instance, if the signer fails identity verification).⁸

Adding Remote Online Notarization

The standard commission covers in-person work only. To notarize for signers who aren’t physically with you, you need a separate authorization from the Secretary of State on top of your commission. Only Ohio residents with an active commission can apply.⁹

The remote online notarization (RON) application requires an approved course on the online notarization rules in Ohio Revised Code sections 147.60 through 147.66 and a separate exam. You must describe the technology you plan to use and certify that it meets the Secretary of State’s standards; the office can deny an application whose technology falls short.⁹

Keeping Your Commission Active

A non-attorney commission lasts five years from the date of issuance.¹⁰ Ohio-licensed attorneys hold a lifetime commission, which stays active unless revoked or unless the attorney is disbarred.

Renewal opens in the three-month window before your expiration date. You’ll need a fresh BCI report (still within the six-month window), a one-hour education course through an approved provider, and the $15 filing fee.² Let the commission lapse and you lose your authority to notarize; getting it back means starting over as a new applicant, including the full three-hour course and test.

If you change your legal name or address during your term, you have 30 days to file an amendment through the same online portal.² The name issue matters most, because your seal has to match your commissioned name.

Misconduct and Revocation

The Secretary of State investigates complaints and can discipline notaries in several ways, from a letter of admonition in your file to suspension for a set period or until you complete retraining. Serious violations can result in full revocation, and a notary whose commission is revoked can never apply for a new one.

You must cooperate with any investigation, including responding promptly to questions. Refusing to cooperate is itself grounds for automatic revocation. The Secretary of State can also revoke a commission based on any act showing that the notary lacks the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability the role requires. Notarizing after your commission has expired or after you’ve resigned carries a fine of up to $500 and permanently bars you from reappointment.¹¹

1
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 147.01 – Appointment and Commission of Notaries Public
2
Secretary of State of Ohio. Notary Application Filings Page
3
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 147.021 – Education and Testing
4
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Administrative Code 111:6-1-03 – Fee for Application, Education and Testing
5
Ohio Secretary of State. Ohio Notary Public Application Requirements – Eligibility and Process
6
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 147.04 – Seal
7
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 147.07 – Powers – Jurisdiction
8
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 147.08 – Fees
9
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 147.63 – Application to Be Authorized as Online Notary Public
10
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 147.03 – Term of Office
11
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 147 – Notaries Public and Commissioners