Notary Public Applications

Notary is a public service position approved by state government officials. A notary public is empowered to administer oaths or affirmations, take acknowledgments, take proofs of deeds, and execute protests for non-payment or non-acceptance. To be precise, a licensed notary serves as a fraud deterrent.

An individual who wishes to become a licensed notary follows three basic steps - filling out an application form, paying a fee to the commissioning authority, and taking an oath of office at the county clerk?s office. There are also other methods that include taking a notary public course, passing an exam and obtaining a notary bond. In the United States, these requirements differ from state to state. In some states, notaries are appointed directly by the state legislature.

Notary public application forms are available from the county clerk office or the Department of State Treasurer. The applicant can also download the application from the state Department of Commerce website. In the form, the applicant enters his name, address and other contact information. Fields regarding residency, age, previous notary commissions held and background are filled. The notary public application includes a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and state Department of Revenue verification. The applicant submits a nonrefundable fee along with the application.

The office of the District Attorney performs an inquiry to determine if the applicant is qualified under the law. The notary public applications received by the county clerk office are then forwarded to the county commission for sanction. Non-resident applicants need to file a sworn statement with the treasurer, stating their residence and address of the office or place of employment in the county. This affidavit must be submitted with the application form.

Applications are analyzed by the state and approved fairly quickly if all official procedure is in order. A notary may be reappointed every limited period thereafter, by making a request in the same way as needed for an original application. Notary public applications are public records. They are available to interested persons for examination and copying.