To become a notary public through the Kansas Secretary of State, you need to meet five eligibility requirements under K.S.A. 53-5a22, buy a $12,000 surety bond, get a compliant stamping device, take an oath of office before a currently commissioned notary, and mail Form NO to Topeka with a $25 fee. Once approved, your commission runs for four years.
Who Qualifies
Kansas law sets five conditions. You must be at least 18 years old, a United States citizen, and able to read and write English.1Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a22 – Commission as Notary Public; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit You must either live in Kansas or live in a bordering state while keeping a regular place of work or business inside Kansas.2Kansas Secretary of State. General Services – Notary And you must not be disqualified under K.S.A. 53-5a24, which covers criminal history and other grounds for denial.
The citizenship rule catches applicants who have held commissions in states that do not require it. The bordering-state provision covers commuters from Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, or Oklahoma, but every other requirement still applies.
What to Have in Hand Before You File
Three things need to be ready before you submit the application: a surety bond, a stamping device, and a working notary who can administer your oath.
The $12,000 Surety Bond
Kansas requires a $12,000 surety bond from an insurance company licensed in the state.1Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a22 – Commission as Notary Public; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit The bond protects the public, not you. If someone is harmed by a notarial act you performed improperly, they can sue to recover from the bond. The surety company completes its section directly on your application form, and the bond covers your full four-year term. Premiums typically run between $35 and $55.
The Stamping Device
Your stamp or seal must show your name exactly as it appears on your application, plus the words “Notary Public” and “State of Kansas.”3Kansas Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a18 – Official Stamp A commission expiration date is optional. The stamp can be an ink stamp or an embossing seal, but it has to be capable of being copied along with the document. An impression of the stamp is filed with the Secretary of State, and you cannot use it until that filing is complete. Vendors generally charge $20 to $35.
The stamp is yours alone. You cannot let anyone else use it. If it is lost or stolen, notify the Secretary of State promptly, and when your commission ends for any reason, you must destroy or disable the device so it cannot be used again.4Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a19 – Stamping Device
The Oath of Office
The application includes an oath you must recite in front of a currently commissioned notary, who then notarizes your signature on the form.5Kansas Secretary of State. Notary Public Appointment Form An affirmation works as an alternative if you prefer. Line up the notary early; this is the step that surprises applicants, because you have to find a working notary before you can become one.
Filing Form NO
The application is Form NO, the Notary Public Appointment Form, on the Secretary of State’s website.5Kansas Secretary of State. Notary Public Appointment Form Do not confuse it with Form NC, which is the Change of Status form used after you already hold a commission.
On Form NO you list your legal name, a mailing address in Kansas or a bordering state, and an impression of your stamping device. The name on the form must match the name on your stamp exactly, including punctuation. Prefixes like “Mrs.” or “Dr.” are not allowed, and neither are suffixes like “CPA” or “Esq.” If you use an initial as your first name, submit a copy of a government-issued ID showing that initial.
The filing fee is $25 by check or money order made out to the Kansas Secretary of State. Credit card is only accepted for online submissions.5Kansas Secretary of State. Notary Public Appointment Form No cash. Mail the completed form, bond documentation, and fee to the Secretary of State at the Docking State Office Building, 915 SW Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66612-1594.
Once approved, the office mails a commission certificate and posts your status, expiration date, and commission number on the online notary listing.2Kansas Secretary of State. General Services – Notary You cannot notarize anything until your appointment shows as active on that listing with an expiration date. The commission then runs for four years from the date the Secretary of State sets.1Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a22 – Commission as Notary Public; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit
What Your Commission Lets You Do
A Kansas commission covers acknowledgments, signature witnessing, verifications on oath or affirmation (jurats), administering oaths or affirmations without a document, certifying copies, and acknowledgments in a representative capacity. Kansas also allows notaries to note a protest of a negotiable instrument, but that comes up rarely. Using the wrong certificate language for the wrong act can invalidate the notarization, so the Kansas Notary Handbook is worth reading before your first job.6Kansas Secretary of State. Kansas Notary Handbook
Kansas also authorizes remote online notarization using audio-visual technology, but you must register separately with the Secretary of State using Form NC and pay an additional fee before you can offer it. Every remote act must be recorded on audio and video and retained for at least 10 years.2Kansas Secretary of State. General Services – Notary
Journal You Must Keep
Since January 1, 2022, every Kansas notary has been required to keep a journal of notarial acts. Each entry has to be made at the time of the act and must include the date and time, a description of the document and the type of notarial act, the full name and address of everyone involved, how you verified identity, and the fee charged. If you relied on an identification document, record its description along with issuance and expiration dates. Retain the journal for 10 years after the last act recorded in it.7Kansas Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a20 – Journal Pick a durable format and store it securely.
Fees You Can Charge
Kansas sets no statutory maximum for notarial fees. You set your own rates for acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, copy certifications, and remote acts. You must tell the signer the fee before performing the act, and you must record it in the journal entry. Notaries working for their employer’s customers often charge nothing, while mobile notaries typically bill for both the act and travel.
What You Cannot Do
You cannot notarize a document if you or your spouse is a party or has a direct financial interest. A notarization performed in violation of this rule is voidable.8Kansas Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a25 – Prohibited Acts “Direct financial interest” means being named individually as a principal in a financial transaction, or as a grantor, grantee, mortgagor, mortgagee, or similar party in a real property transaction.
A commission does not authorize you to draft legal documents, give legal advice, act as an immigration consultant, or represent anyone in immigration proceedings. Unless you are a licensed Kansas attorney, you cannot use the term “notario” or “notario publico” in advertising. In many Latin American countries a “notario” is a licensed legal professional with far greater authority than a U.S. notary, and using the term misleads immigrants into thinking you can provide legal services. Violating the advertising or “notario” restrictions is a class B nonperson misdemeanor and a deceptive practice under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.8Kansas Statutes. Kansas Code 53-5a25 – Prohibited Acts You also cannot withhold an original document, even during a dispute over fees.
Renewing Your Commission
A Kansas commission does not renew automatically. You submit a fresh Form NO with a new $12,000 surety bond, a new oath, and the $25 fee. The renewal window opens 90 days before your expiration date, and applications submitted earlier will not be accepted.9Legal Information Institute. Kansas Administrative Regulations 7-43-12 – Renewal of Notary Public Commission If your commission lapses, you lose authority to notarize until a new one is issued. Set a calendar reminder. If you perform remote online notarizations, you also have to re-register for that capability after renewal.
Name and Address Changes During Your Term
If your name or address changes while you hold a commission, file Form NC, the Notary Public Change of Status form.10Kansas Secretary of State. Notary Public Change of Status Form NC For a name change you need a new stamping device with the updated name, impressions of every stamp you use, and an exact match on punctuation. There is no fee for name or address changes, and your mailing address must stay in Kansas or a bordering state.
Checking Whether a Notary Is Current
The Secretary of State keeps an online notary listing that shows status, commission number, and expiration date for anyone with a current commission.2Kansas Secretary of State. General Services – Notary If you receive a notarized document and want to confirm the notary was authorized on the date of signing, the lookup takes about 30 seconds. A commission that had already expired on the notarization date can call the whole document into question.