The Florida notary public application is a state form you submit to the Department of State, usually through a bonding agency, asking the Governor to appoint you as a notary for a four-year term. The complete package includes the application itself, an oath of office, an affidavit of character signed by someone who has known you for at least a year, proof of a $7,500 surety bond, and — for first-time applicants — a certificate showing you completed a three-hour education course. The state filing fee is $39. From submission to commission typically takes four to six weeks, though processing backlogs can push that longer.
Who Can Apply
Three baseline qualifications decide whether you can file at all. You must be at least 18 years old, and you must be a legal resident of Florida, meaning you actually live in the state rather than just own property there. You must keep that residency for the entire four-year term.1Online Sunshine. Florida Code 117.01 – Appointment, Application, Suspension, Revocation, Application Fee, Bond, and Oath
U.S. citizenship is not required. Permanent resident aliens can apply, but they must file a recorded Declaration of Domicile along with the application.2Executive Office of the Governor. Notary
Criminal history matters. If you have ever been convicted of a felony, you are ineligible unless your civil rights have been fully restored through the Florida clemency process, and that restoration must be complete before you apply.1Online Sunshine. Florida Code 117.01 – Appointment, Application, Suspension, Revocation, Application Fee, Bond, and Oath The form also asks about misdemeanor convictions and any prior disciplinary action against a professional license. Answer every question honestly; omissions are grounds for denial.
Take the Three-Hour Education Course First
If you have never held a Florida notary commission, state law requires at least three hours of interactive or classroom instruction before you apply. The course must have been completed within one year of your application date.3Florida Department of State. Notary Education Program It covers acknowledgments, oaths, jurats, electronic notarization, and the legal limits of what a notary can and cannot do.
The Department of State offers a free online course that satisfies the requirement, and several approved private providers run their own. When you finish, the provider issues a certificate of completion that you must attach to your application. Renewing an existing commission? You can skip the course entirely.2Executive Office of the Governor. Notary
What the Application Asks For
The form is titled “Notary Public Commission Application” and is available as a PDF from the Department of State.4Florida Department of State. Florida Notary Public Commission Application Most applicants get it bundled through a bonding agency, which packages the application, bond, seal, and filing into a single transaction. The Department of State publishes a list of authorized bonding agencies.5Florida Department of State. Notary Processors
Four sections make up the form:
- Personal information: your full legal name, home address, employer, Florida driver license or ID number, date of birth, and Social Security number. The SSN is used for identification and is exempt from public records disclosure if you request the exemption on the form.
- Application questions: eight yes-or-no items covering residency, citizenship or resident alien status, veteran status, prior notary commissions, professional licenses, disciplinary history, felony and misdemeanor convictions, and current probation or parole status.
- Affidavit of character: one person who is not a relative and who has known you for at least one year signs an affidavit stating you are of good character. Just one, not two witnesses.
- Oath of office: you swear or affirm that you will support the constitutions of the United States and Florida, that you have read Chapter 117 of the Florida Statutes and understand your duties and limitations, and that you will faithfully perform the duties of a notary public. You sign under penalty of perjury.
The form also includes a public records exemption request page. If you qualify (for example, as a law enforcement officer or certain other professions listed in the statute), that specific page requires notarization of your signature. The main application itself does not need a separate notarization because you sign it under penalty of perjury.4Florida Department of State. Florida Notary Public Commission Application
Get Your $7,500 Surety Bond
Every Florida notary must obtain a $7,500 surety bond before taking office. The bond protects members of the public from financial harm if the notary breaches a duty while acting in an official capacity. It must be issued by a surety company authorized to do business in Florida and filed with the Department of State.1Online Sunshine. Florida Code 117.01 – Appointment, Application, Suspension, Revocation, Application Fee, Bond, and Oath
The premium you actually pay is a fraction of the $7,500 face value, and most bonding agencies fold it into their package price. Make sure the bond details on your application are accurate; incorrect bond information will delay or derail your filing.
What It Costs
The state filing fee is $39, broken down by statute into a $25 application fee, a $10 commission fee, and a $4 surcharge earmarked for notary education.1Online Sunshine. Florida Code 117.01 – Appointment, Application, Suspension, Revocation, Application Fee, Bond, and Oath That $39 is fixed by law. The bond premium and notary seal are competitively priced; different bonding agencies charge different amounts for their service packages.2Executive Office of the Governor. Notary Total out-of-pocket cost for a new commission usually lands between $75 and $100, more if you order extras like a journal or additional stamps.
How to Submit and How Long It Takes
Most applicants submit through a bonding agency rather than directly to the state. The agency reviews your completed form, attaches the bond, and forwards everything to the Secretary of State. This indirect route is the standard process and the one the Governor’s Office recommends.2Executive Office of the Governor. Notary You make one payment that covers the state fees, bond premium, seal, and the agency’s service charge.
Processing times move around. The Department of State publishes its current backlog online. As of early June 2026, the Division of Corporations was processing notary commission documents received roughly ten weeks earlier.6Florida Department of State. Document Processing Dates If you need your commission by a specific date, submit well in advance. Once approved, the Secretary of State issues your commission certificate and assigns a unique commission number.
Order Your Seal Before You Notarize
After your commission arrives, you need a rubber stamp seal before performing any notarial acts. Florida law requires a rubber stamp (not an embosser alone) applied in photographically reproducible black ink. The seal must include:
- The words “Notary Public-State of Florida”
- Your name exactly as it appears on your commission
- Your commission expiration date
- Your commission number
You may use an impression-type embosser in addition to the rubber stamp, but the rubber stamp is the official seal for paper documents.7Online Sunshine. Florida Code 117.05 – Use of Notary Commission Your seal and commission certificate are your personal property. If you leave an employer who paid for them, you keep them. If your seal is lost or stolen, notify the Department of State or the Governor immediately.
Why Applications Get Denied
Most denials trace back to avoidable mistakes. Incomplete or illegible forms are the easiest to prevent: fill out every field, print clearly, and double-check your bond information before sending the package. First-time applicants who forget to attach the education certificate run into another frequent problem. Beyond paperwork, these issues commonly lead to denial:
- Undisclosed criminal history. The background review will surface convictions you did not report. Honest disclosure paired with proof of restored rights is better than an omission the state catches on its own.
- Unrestored civil rights. A felony conviction without completed clemency restoration makes you ineligible, period.
- Residency problems. If your address does not show Florida legal residency, or you fail to maintain residency after filing, the application will be rejected.
- Prior notary misconduct. A previous commission that was revoked or suspended weighs heavily against a new application.
State fees are nonrefundable once processing begins, so getting everything right the first time saves both money and weeks of waiting.
Renewing an Existing Commission
A Florida notary commission lasts four years.8Florida Division of Corporations. Notary Commissions and Certifications / Apostilles Renewal uses the same form, requires a new $7,500 bond, and costs the same $39 state fee, with one difference: you skip the three-hour education course.2Executive Office of the Governor. Notary Given the processing delays that can occur, start the renewal at least two to three months before your current commission expires so you avoid a gap in your authority to notarize.