| Notaries are responsible persons appointed by a state | | | | also substantial. All applicants must be authorized by a |
| government to administer oaths and to attest to the | | | | state legislator to become a notary public. Newly |
| authenticity of important documents. They have the | | | | appointed notaries must take an oath of office at the |
| right to take and validate the signature on all | | | | clerk's office. |
| acknowledgements of mortgages, deeds, liens and | | | | After receiving the notary license, the notary must |
| powers of attorney. Notaries only verify the identity of | | | | record his signature with the county court administrator |
| signers and are not responsible for the exactness or | | | | of his county of residence. He should also pay a fee |
| the legality of a document?s content. | | | | of normally $25 to his court administrator. A |
| Notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State | | | | non-resident must register with the office of the |
| after they pass a test for the notary public license. All | | | | county court administrator of his state?s county that |
| applicants must submit an application form with a | | | | borders his county of residence. Then, he should buy a |
| nonrefundable fee of around $40. The application | | | | notary stamp from an office supply store. The stamp |
| includes a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and State | | | | contains the name of the notary, the seal of the state |
| Department of Revenue verification. Forms and exam | | | | and the expiration date. |
| booklets are available from the county clerk's office. | | | | Licenses are valid for a four year period. Notary public |
| The applicants can also download the forms from the | | | | licenses have to be renewed on 31st January of |
| websites of the State Department of Commerce. | | | | every fourth year. All notary commissions issued |
| To receive a notary public license, the applicant usually | | | | during a licensing term terminate at the end of that |
| meets certain requirements set forth in the law. A | | | | period. Anyone who uses his stamp after the |
| notary must be at least 18 years of age. He must be | | | | expiration date, or when otherwise ineligible, is guilty of |
| an occupant of the county from which he is elected. | | | | misdemeanor. |
| Maintaining a principal place of business in the place is | | | | |