In Missouri, the county clerk — or someone the clerk designates — administers the notary oath of office. You take it in person at the clerk’s office in the county where you’ve been commissioned, and you have 60 days from the issue date on your commission to get it done.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Missouri Notary Public Handbook
Where to Go and When
After the Secretary of State approves your application, your commission is prepared and sent to the county clerk’s office. It sits there until you show up. Residents go to the clerk in their county of residence; non-residents who qualified by working in Missouri go to the clerk in the county where they work.
The 60-day clock starts on your commission’s issue date, not the date you receive any notice. Call ahead if you can. Some clerk’s offices take appointments, and you don’t want to arrive without your bond in hand.
What to Bring to the Appointment
Three things need to come together at the counter.
Your $10,000 surety bond. It must be issued by a licensed Missouri surety company for a four-year term matching your commission dates, and it must be executed within 60 days after your application is approved.2Missouri Secretary of State. Notary Public Bond
The oath form the Secretary of State provides with your commission. The clerk uses this form to administer the oath and to collect your signature specimen.
Yourself, in person, ready to sign your name exactly as it appears on the commission certificate. The handwritten signature you provide on the oath form becomes your official notary signature, so it needs to match the printed name on the commission.
What the Oath Says
The clerk or designee administers the oath in their presence. You swear to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Missouri and to faithfully perform your duties as a notary public.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Missouri Notary Public Handbook Once you’ve sworn the oath, signed the form, and handed over the bond, the clerk gives you your commission certificate.
What You Have to Do Within Seven Days After
Under Section 486.620, you are responsible for sending the signed oath and bond to the Secretary of State. The envelope must be postmarked no later than seven days from the date you took the oath.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Missouri Notary Public Handbook This is a change from the older process, in which the county clerk forwarded the paperwork. If you’ve read a guide that says the clerk mails it for you, that guide is describing a process that no longer applies.
Once the Secretary of State receives, examines, and approves the oath and bond, your commissioned status is updated in the state’s records. The county clerk also keeps a register of every person who qualifies as a notary through that office.
If You Miss the 60-Day Window
The deadline is firm. If you don’t appear before the clerk within 60 days of the commission’s issue date, the clerk marks your commission “not qualified” and returns it to the Secretary of State within 15 days. You may have to begin the application process over, including paying the $25 application fee again.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Missouri Notary Public Handbook
The bond timing works the same way. It must be executed by a licensed Missouri surety within 60 days after your application is approved, and the deadline doesn’t pause while you shop for a surety company.2Missouri Secretary of State. Notary Public Bond Order the bond as soon as the Secretary of State approves your application so it’s in your hands before you walk into the clerk’s office.