How to Become a Notary in Missouri

Hey there! Come on in and make yourself comfortable.  Today we’re going to teach you everything you need to know to become a notary in Missouri. By the time you’re finished reading this, you’ll feel comfortable and confident in the process and will be well on your way towards starting your own business.

First we’ll go over some basic requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years old
• You must be a registered voter in the county you plan on being commissioned in.
• You must be a U.S. citizen and speak fluent English.
• You cannot have had a commission revoked during the past ten years.

Now that that’s taken care of, we’ll move on to the steps you need to take to become a notary:

1. Download, read and review the Missouri Notary Public Handbook.  This handbook has general information about the roles and responsibilities of a notary as well as everything else you’ll need to know about your commission.
2. Take the online training course.  As with the handbook, this training course will familiarize you with the laws and regulations behind being a notary in Missouri.
3. Complete the application. The application must be typed.  Carefully fill out every field on the application or it could delay your approval.  At the top of the application, the applicant must fill in their exact name as they want it to appear on their commission. Make sure you sign the application with your name as you want it to appear on your commission as this will become your official name and signature to be used on all notarizations. There is a $25.00 application fee made payable to the State Director of Revenue.  Mail the application, along with the certificate of completion from the online course you took, too:

State of Missouri
Commissions
PO Box 784,
Jefferson City, MO 65102

4. Purchase a $10,000 notary bond from a bonding company or an insurance company within 90 days of turning in your application.  The bond protects the public from any errors that you might commit during your term as notary.
5. When the application is approved, the state will send your commission to the county seat in the county where you live.  At this time, a letter will be sent notifying you that the county has received approval of your commission.  The letter also includes information such as the address where you will be sworn in to office and when your commission begins and ends.
6. Purchase a embosser seal and rubber stamp.  Exact specifications for these items can be found here.  You will also need to purchase a notary journal. Most office supply stores in your area or online can custom order these items for you.   Check your local yellow pages or your favorite internet search engine for a list of businesses.

If you followed the above steps you should be well on your way towards becoming a notary in the state of Missouri!  Congratulations! Wasn’t that easy?  Leave us a comment about your experience, we always love to hear from you!

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