Notary Public FAQ

To become a notary in Ohio you must complete the steps outlined here.

Yes. Under the Notary Modernization Act, once your commission has expired you are treated as a new applicant and must follow the New Notary Application requirements, including the BCI background check, the 3-hour education course and test, and complete the Secretary of State New Notary Application. There is no grace period.

Under the Notary Modernization Act, you may submit the application to renew your commission no sooner than three (3) months prior to your commission expiration date.

NOTE: You can take the class up to 12 months prior and complete your BCI background check up to 6 months prior to submitting your renewal application. 

To renew your commission, you must complete the steps outlined here. The process may take several weeks to complete, so we recommend beginning the process 5-6 months before your commission expires. Then, 90 days prior to your expiration, you will be able to apply for your renewal through the Ohio Secretary of State website.

The Secretary of State processes applications within 1-2 business days. You will recieve your commission via email.

For an attorney to become a notary in Ohio you must complete the steps outlined here.

Visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office for more information on becoming a remote online notary.

Visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office for more information on renewing your remote online notary commission.

The education course is mandatory and must be taken through an authorized testing provider, such as the Columbus Bar Association. The fee for the education course is $130.00, which includes the 3-hour class, the test after the class, and the course and test completion certificates. The course and test are completed 100% online. For more information and to register for the course, visit our website.

Yes. The test has 30 multiple choice questions. Test results are provided immediately, and 80% of questions must be answered correctly to pass. If you fail the test, you will have to retest after a 30-day waiting period. If you do not pass the second test attempt, the law requires you to begin the new notary process anew by retaking the course and test.

Yes. Under the Notary Modernization Act, a commission can be applied for in any Ohio County and notaries have state-wide jurisdiction. Accordingly, no matter where you are in the State of Ohio, the Columbus Bar Association can be your single point of contact for the entire process of becoming a traditional notary or renewing your traditional commission. Notary commissions are valid for the entire state of Ohio.

No, your BCI background check must be done specifically to become a notary and use the notary reason code: 147022. The results of your background check are valid for six months.

A peace officer may upload their OPOTA Certificate in lieu of the BCI background check report when submitting a notary commission application and renewal application.

There is no automatic commission in Ohio. To be a notary in Ohio, an individual must complete the new notary process.

No. Your commission is valid statewide. The Ohio Secretary of State oversees notary commissions.

Notary fees may not be calculated on a per-signature basis but instead should be calculated per notarial act. A notary may charge up to $5.00 for any notarial act (acknowledgement or affidavit, etc.) that is not an online notarization. An online notary may charge up to $30.00 for any online notarizations. The Secretary of State may adopt rules to change the fees Notaries may charge in the future; any such changes will be updated on the Columbus Bar Association website and the Secretary of State website.

You must submit a Change of Name/Address form to the Ohio Secretary of State online through their website within 30 days. Check here for more information.

As a traditional notary, yes, they must personally appear and show proper identification. A court has held that the failure of a notary public to obtain some evidence of identification independent of a stranger’s representation is negligence as a matter of law.

If you have applied, successfully demonstrated the proper technology requirements, and been authorized as an online notary by the Secretary of State, an individual must appear before you through the simultaneous audio-visual technology upon which the Secretary of State granted your authorization and show proper identification through those means.

Yes, you may still notarize the document, but you must ask the person to “affirm” that the facts stated are true to the best of their knowledge.

The Columbus Bar Association has all the notary supplies you need, from stamps and embossers to nameplates and ink. Click here to order your notary supplies.

Errors & Omissions insurance is always a good idea. Click here for more information.

Under the Notary Modernization Act, a journal is only required for Online Notaries. Traditional notaries are not required to keep a journal, however keeping a journal is recommended so that details of transactions are memorialized.

Yes. Under the Notary Modernization Act, an electronic journal is required for Online Notaries. To learn more about remote online notary requirements, contact an approved vendor through the Ohio Secretary of State website.