To check whether an Iowa notary is legally commissioned, use the free Iowa notary search at sos.iowa.gov, run by the Secretary of State. The tool tells you whether a commission is active, when it expires, and whether the notary is registered for electronic or remote online notarizations. A lookup takes about a minute if you have the notary’s name or commission number.
How to Run the Search
The Secretary of State’s notary search page accepts several inputs, and you can combine them to narrow results:
- Commission number, the most precise search. The Secretary of State assigns this number and it appears on every notary’s official stamp.
- First and last name. Partial entries are accepted, which helps with uncertain spellings.
- Business name, when you know the employer but not the individual.
- City or ZIP code, to narrow a common name.
- Language, to filter for notaries serving clients in a specific language.
- Notary status, to choose active commissions, inactive ones, or both.
- Electronic notarization and remote notarization, two separate filters showing which notaries are registered for each.
If you’re working from a document that’s already been notarized, the commission number is on the stamp. Iowa law requires every notary stamp to include the words “Commission Number” followed by the number the Secretary of State assigned. Look near the signature or seal impression.
What the Results Tell You
The most important field is commission status. Active means the notary is legally authorized to perform notarial acts in Iowa today. Expired or inactive means any notarization performed now would lack legal authority.
The results also show the expiration date. Iowa residents receive a three-year commission term. Residents of bordering states who work in Iowa receive a one-year term, and their commission automatically expires if they stop working in Iowa. Members of the Iowa General Assembly hold commissions that last for the duration of their term of office.
Two additional designations appear in the results: whether the notary has registered to perform notarial acts on electronic records, and whether they are authorized for remote online notarizations. These are separate from a standard commission, and the filters let you confirm each.
Matching the Stamp Against the Database
If you’re reviewing a document that’s already been notarized, the stamp itself carries enough information to verify. Iowa law requires the stamp to include the notary’s name, the words “Notarial Seal” and “Iowa,” the commission number, and either a printed expiration date or the words “My Commission Expires” with the date written in. The stamp must be clear enough to photocopy with the document.
Compare those details against the database. If the commission number on the stamp doesn’t match the name in the results, or the expiration date on the stamp has already passed, the notarization may not be valid. This check takes seconds and can head off problems with title companies and court filings.
Confirming Remote Online Notarization Authority
Iowa has allowed remote online notarization since 2020, so a notary can act for a signer appearing by video. Not every Iowa notary is authorized to do this. A notary must separately register with the Secretary of State and notify the office of the intent to perform remote notarial acts.
The search portal includes a dedicated Remote Notarization filter. Set it to Yes and the results return only notaries who have completed that registration. Run this search before scheduling a remote notarization. A notary with an active standard commission who hasn’t registered for remote work is not authorized to notarize your document over video. The same logic applies to the Electronic Notarization filter for work on electronic records.
No Results or an Inactive Status
An empty result doesn’t always mean the person was never commissioned. You may have misspelled the name, entered an old commission number from a previous term, or used a business name that doesn’t match the Secretary of State’s records. Try a last name plus city, or search active and inactive commissions together.
An inactive or expired status has real consequences. A notarization performed while a commission was expired may not hold up. For real estate closings, court filings, and financial transactions, an invalid notarization can stall or void the process. If you find a problem, have the document re-notarized by someone with a confirmed active commission before you submit it.
Filing a Complaint About a Notary
If the search reveals a problem, or if you believe a notary acted improperly, you can file a formal complaint with the Secretary of State’s Notary Division. The complaint form asks you to describe the facts: services provided, fees paid, names and contact information for witnesses, and any losses or damages. Supporting documents strengthen the complaint.
Send completed forms to the Secretary of State’s office at the Lucas Building in Des Moines. The complaint must be signed and either typed or printed legibly. Under Iowa Code Chapter 9B, the Secretary of State has authority to investigate and, when warranted, take action against a notary’s commission, including revocation.