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How to Become a Notary Public

What is a Notary?

Notaries are public officials who ensure the validity of important signatures. As a notary, you are responsible for making sure the person signing a document is who they claim to be, understands what they are signing, and is not under any duress or intimidation to sign. Many documents you notarize may be mundane, but you may also be called upon to notarize wills, powers of attorney, divorce decrees, health care paperwork, prenuptial agreements, property transactions, and other important documents that require due attention. You are a bonded individual with a duty of care to prevent fraud.

What Can a Notary Do?

A notary's duties extend to:

  1. Verification of identities
  2. Ensuring signatories are present and signing voluntarily (use a layperson's best judgment)
  3. Ensuring signatories understand what they are signing (use a layperson's best judgment. This does not extend to legal interpretation of documents or advice)
  4. Putting signatories under oath if required
  5. Refusing to notarize any document where the rules of notarization are not followed

What Can't a Notary Do?

A notary may not:

  1. Provide legal advice or interpret legal documents (unless you are also a licensed attorney)
  2. Act in your own self interest in the notarization of any document
  3. Turn any person away on the basis of race, nationality, religion, politics, or sexual orientation
  4. Notarize any document where the rules of notarization are not followed
  5. A notary public is not a Notario Publico. Notarios Publicos are legal professionals who provide legal advice and draft legal documents. You may not advertise yourself as such nor serve in the capacity of such if approached for these services. 
How to Become a Kentucky Notary Public
Fill out a notary at large application. 
  • You must sign this document in ink with your signature. Your job as a notary is to sign things. Sign the application as you will sign documents as a notary.
  • Please fill out the form with the address where you are currently living. Your notary commission will happen in your county of residence. Do not list a parental or guardian address unless you go there on a regular basis and can visit a clerk's office there during office hours to pick up your documents.
  • You likely do not have a business address. You may leave these lines blank.
Submit your application to the Secretary of State.
  • If you scan your application or take a photo of it to upload, be sure it is legible and large enough to read your signature. The SoS may reject your application if the signature is not clear enough. 
  • Pay a $10 fee to the SoS at the time you submit your application.
  • You may also mail your application and $10 payment (checks only payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer) to:
              Notary Commissions
              P.O. Box 821
              Frankfort, KY 40602-0821

  • The Secretary of State will send you an email if your application was not approved for any reason. Check your email consistently during this process!
  • Licensed notaries must be bonded with a $1,000 insurance policy. This bond protects the general public against improper conduct on your part. It is not insurance for you against improper conduct on someone else's part. You may elect to purchase errors & omissions insurance on top of your bond, but it is not required.
  • The bond link leads to bond service through the NNA (National Notary Association). You are not obligated to purchase a bond through them, but they are a reputable bond provider. A $1,000 bond through the NNA costs $34.38.
  • You may purchase your bond before applying for your notary license, but your bond will not be released until you are approved by the Secretary of State.
  • Once you receive approval by the Secretary of State (generally via email), you will forward that approval notice to the bond provider in order to release your bond to you. Your bond notice will arrive via email and look something like this (redacted example). You must have this bond to proceed to the next step.

Take your oath and receive your certificate.

  • Once you have your bond, you may go to the county clerk's office and take your oath. 
  • In Jefferson County, there is a $19 recording fee, payable in person at the time of appearance. Check with the county clerk's office if you are not filing in Jefferson County.
  • Bring photo ID (driver's license or unexpired passport is best), proof of your bond, and any required recording fee with you to your appearance.
  • At your swearing in, you will be given your notary certificate. Keep this document safe!

Order any notary supplies.

  • You may place an order for notary supplies before you have completed this process, but any reputable provider will not release them to you until you are a licensed notary. 
  • The link to order supplies leads to an ink stamp from the NNA for $29. You are not obligated to purchase supplies from the NNA, but they are a reputable supplier with good customer service.
  • An ink stamp is generally preferable to an embosser because embossed seals do not show on any documents that must be faxed or emailed. The linked stamp has its own enclosed ink pad for compact storage and less mess, but you may use whatever you like. Notaries are not required to have a specific seal, but you should have something.
  • Once you are sworn in by the county clerk and have received your notary certificate, you may send this information to the provider of your supplies and they will be released to you.