The Mississippi Secretary of State is a constitutionally elected officer whose office handles business entity filings, elections administration and voter ID, notary public commissions, apostilles and document authentication, securities and charitable organization regulation, Uniform Commercial Code filings, and trusteeship over state public lands. If you are asking what the Mississippi Secretary of State does, the short answer is that the office is the central point of contact for most routine business, legal, and civic filings in the state. Article 5, Section 133 of the Mississippi Constitution also designates the officer as “Keeper of the Capitol” and requires the office to maintain a register of all official acts and proceedings of the Governor.1Mississippi Secretary of State. Mississippi Constitution – Section 133
Business Filings and Entity Compliance
Anyone forming a corporation, LLC, limited partnership, or nonprofit in Mississippi files the formation documents with the Secretary of State. The office runs an online portal, sometimes called the Business One-Stop Shop, where you create an account, submit forms, pay by credit card or ACH, and track your filing. Articles of Incorporation for a for-profit corporation cost $50.2Mississippi Secretary of State. Business Documents Filing Fees A free name-search tool on the office’s website lets you check whether a proposed name is distinguishable from entities already on file, which Mississippi law requires.3FindLaw. Mississippi Code Title 79 – Corporations, Associations and Partnerships 79-4-4.01
Every entity must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Mississippi. A P.O. box will not satisfy that rule.4Justia. Mississippi Code 79-4-5.01 – Registered Office and Registered Agent
Formation is only the start. For-profit corporations and LLCs file an annual report every year by April 15. Nonprofits have a May 15 deadline. All annual reports go through the Secretary of State’s online portal, and the filing window opens on January 1 each year.5Mississippi Secretary of State. Annual Reports An entity that misses the report faces administrative dissolution, meaning the state revokes its authority to do business. A dissolved entity cannot sign contracts, file lawsuits, or operate until it is reinstated through a separate application and a $50 fee.
UCC Filings
The office also maintains Mississippi’s Uniform Commercial Code filing system. Lenders file a UCC-1 financing statement to establish a priority lien on a borrower’s personal property, and the record appears almost immediately in the online database.6Mississippi Secretary of State. File UCC Online A UCC-1 is effective for five years. To keep the lien alive past that window, the secured party must file a UCC-3 continuation before the original expires. Online filing of either form costs $8.7Mississippi Secretary of State. Services and Fees Schedule
Elections and Voter Registration
The Secretary of State is the state’s chief elections officer. Mississippi voter eligibility is set by Section 23-15-11 of the Mississippi Code: U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, 30 days of residency in Mississippi, 30 days in the county, and 30 days in the municipality if applicable. People convicted of certain crimes listed in Section 241 of the state constitution are disqualified, as are those adjudicated mentally incompetent.8Justia. Mississippi Code 23-15-11 – Qualifications, Generally
You can register in person at a Circuit Clerk’s office, a Municipal Clerk’s office, or a public service agency, or by mail. Mail applications must be postmarked at least 30 days before the election. For the November 3, 2026 General Election, the registration deadline is October 5, 2026.9Mississippi Secretary of State. 2026 Mississippi Voter Information Guide
Voter ID at the Polls
Every voter must present a current, valid photo ID before casting a ballot. Accepted forms include a Mississippi driver’s license (including the Mississippi Mobile ID), a U.S. passport, a government employee photo ID from any federal, state, county, or municipal entity, a Mississippi firearms carry license, a tribal photo ID, a U.S. military ID, a student photo ID from any accredited Mississippi college, university, or community college, and the free Mississippi Voter Identification Card issued by any Circuit Clerk’s office. “Valid” means the document has no expiration date or was issued no more than ten years before it is presented.10Mississippi Secretary of State. Voter ID If you lack any accepted ID, your local Circuit Clerk can issue the free Voter ID card. If an election is within 45 days, the clerk gives you a receipt that works as valid ID at the polls until the permanent card arrives.11Mississippi Secretary of State. How to Get a MS Voter ID Card
Notary Commissions
The Secretary of State processes notary applications, and the Governor formally appoints each notary. To qualify, you must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, able to read and write English, free of felony convictions, and a Mississippi resident who has lived in your county for at least 30 days before applying.12Mississippi Secretary of State. Notary Public Rules and Regulations – Rule 2.1
Applicants must also obtain a $5,000 surety bond from an insurance company licensed by the Mississippi Department of Insurance to protect the public against notarial errors or misconduct.13Justia. Mississippi Code 25-34-41 – Qualifications of Applicant for Commission as Notary Public A commission runs for four years and authorizes the notary to act anywhere in Mississippi.14Mississippi Secretary of State. Notary Public Rules and Regulations – Rule 4.1
Apostilles and Document Authentication
When a Mississippi document needs recognition in a foreign country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention, the Secretary of State attaches an apostille certifying its authenticity. The document must either be notarized by a Mississippi notary or bear the signature of a Mississippi public official. The fee is $5 per document.15Mississippi Secretary of State. Apostilles and Authentications
You submit original documents with a completed Apostille Certification Request Form and payment by check or money order to the Secretary of State. One important limit: a notary who is not an employee of the issuing agency cannot certify copies of official government records such as birth certificates, death certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, or Social Security cards. For those, you need the issuing agency’s certification first.15Mississippi Secretary of State. Apostilles and Authentications
Securities and Charitable Organization Oversight
The office enforces the Mississippi Securities Act. Broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers, and investment adviser representatives must register with the Secretary of State, consent to service of process, and pay the required fees before conducting business in the state.16Justia. Mississippi Code 75-71-406 – Registration by Broker-Dealer, Agent, Investment Adviser, and Investment Adviser Representative The office can impose fines or administrative actions against firms and individuals who operate without proper registration or engage in fraudulent conduct.17Mississippi Secretary of State. Mississippi Securities Laws
Charities that solicit donations in Mississippi face a separate registration regime. A charity must file a registration statement with the Secretary of State and pay a $50 filing fee before any solicitation begins. Registration renews annually with a $50 fee and financial reports due by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of the charity’s taxable year. A charity that misses renewal must stop soliciting until it files.18Justia. Mississippi Code 79-11-503 – Registration Statement The office’s website hosts searchable databases so you can verify a financial professional or charity before handing over money.
Public Lands Trusteeship
The Secretary of State is supervisory trustee over more than 640,000 acres of Sixteenth Section public school trust lands managed by local school districts. Lease revenue from those lands provides significant financial support for Mississippi’s public schools.19Mississippi Secretary of State. 16th Section Lands
The office also serves as trustee of the Public Trust Tidelands, the state-owned coastal lands held in trust for the benefit of all Mississippi residents.20Mississippi Secretary of State. Public Trust Tidelands It also oversees the sale and acquisition of tax-forfeited lands so they can return to productive use in local communities.