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How to become a notary public in Minnesota

Minnesota licenses notaries statewide through the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS).1 The board lists $120 for the application1.

Last checked · 5 official sources

Who issues it

Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS)

Fees the board lists

Application fee: $1201

From another state

No reciprocity route1

On this page
  1. Minnesota notary public licenses
  2. Applies to every license level
  3. Who needs a Notary Public commission
  4. Requirements for a Notary Public commission
  5. How much a Notary Public commission costs
  6. How to apply
  7. Renewal and continuing education
  8. Moving to Minnesota with a license from another state
  9. Remote Online Notary Public registration
  10. City and county rules
  11. Laws and rules
  12. Common questions
  13. Notary public licenses in other states

Minnesota notary public licenses

Minnesota issues 2 notary public credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

LicenseWhat it coversApplication or license fee
Notary Public (commission)A Minnesota notary may administer oaths, take and certify depositions, take and certify acknowledgments of deeds, mortgages, liens, powers of attorney and other instruments (paper or electronic), make and record protests, and, once registered, perform remote online notarial acts. A non-attorney notary who advertises in another language must post a notice that they are not an attorney.1$1201
Remote Online Notary Public (registration)A registered remote online notary physically in Minnesota may notarize electronic records for signers anywhere in the US (and abroad in limited cases) by two-way audio-video communication, using credential analysis and knowledge-based identity proofing, keeping an electronic journal and an audio-video recording for at least ten years.2–

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Minnesota notary public license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Requirements

Minimum age
18 years old1
Background check
The application may ask about criminal charges, arrests, indictments, pleas and convictions; the Commissioner of Commerce may act against a notary whose conduct shows a lack of honesty, integrity, competence or reliability.1

Who needs a Notary Public commission

A Minnesota notary may administer oaths, take and certify depositions, take and certify acknowledgments of deeds, mortgages, liens, powers of attorney and other instruments (paper or electronic), make and record protests, and, once registered, perform remote online notarial acts. A non-attorney notary who advertises in another language must post a notice that they are not an attorney.1

Other rules on who may do this work:

  • Residents of Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota or South Dakota may be commissioned as nonresident notaries if they appoint the Secretary of State as agent for service of process and name the Minnesota county where the commission will be recorded.3
  • Before performing electronic notarial acts a notary must register the electronic capability with the Secretary of State; the registration lasts as long as the commission.1

Requirements for a Notary Public commission

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Residency or citizenship
Must be a citizen of Minnesota or a resident alien, or a resident of Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota or South Dakota (nonresident notary).1
Also required
The application form includes an oath of office statement.1
Also required
Obtain an official notarial stamp meeting Minn. Stat. 359.03.1
Also required
Record the commission with the county of residence (or designated county for nonresidents).1
Also required
Notify the Secretary of State of a name or address change within 30 days.1

How much a Notary Public commission costs

You pay SOS (application fee), Dakota County (fee: to record your notary commission) and County department handling notaries (certify to official acts: fee).

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Application fee$1201SOSNot refundable
Fee: to record your notary commission$203Dakota CountyDakota County residents (and nonresidents designating Dakota County)
Certify to official acts: fee$51County department handling notariesCounty certificate of a notary's authority, requested by a document holder

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

What a notary public may charge the public:

  • Notary fees charged to the public are capped by Minn. Stat. 357.17 (e.g. $5 per oath).4

How to apply

  1. Confirm you qualify: over 18 and a Minnesota citizen or resident alien, or a resident of WI, IA, ND or SD applying as a nonresident.1
  2. Apply to the Minnesota Secretary of State on its application form (which includes the oath of office) and pay the $120 nonrefundable fee.1
  3. After the commission issues, record it with your county of residence (sign it with your full commission name and a sample signature); nonresidents record in the county they named.1
  4. Get an official notarial stamp that meets Minn. Stat. 359.03.1
  5. To notarize electronically or remotely online, register that capability with the Secretary of State first.1

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires
Commission ends January 31 of the fifth year following the year it was issued. Renewal can be filed starting six months before expiry; after expiry a notary may apply for reappointment.1
If it expires
Performing notarial acts after the commission expires is a misdemeanor; an expired notary may apply for reappointment.1

Moving to Minnesota with a license from another state

These are the routes SOS publishes for the Notary Public commission. The other notary public licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Route
No reciprocity
What the board says
No reciprocity. A notary commission from another state is not recognized; residents of the four bordering states (WI, IA, ND, SD) may apply for a Minnesota nonresident commission.1

Remote Online Notary Public registration

A registered remote online notary physically in Minnesota may notarize electronic records for signers anywhere in the US (and abroad in limited cases) by two-way audio-video communication, using credential analysis and knowledge-based identity proofing, keeping an electronic journal and an audio-video recording for at least ten years.2

Requirements

Education or training
Remote online notary course of study: the Secretary of State keeps a list of course providers; courses cover laws, rules, procedures and ethics of remote online notarization.2
Who may teach it: Providers listed by the Secretary of State.2
Experience
Must already be a Minnesota notary commissioned under ch. 359.2
License you must hold first: Minnesota notary public commission (mn-notary-public-commission)2
Also required
Certify to the Secretary of State that you will use communication technology that conforms to Minn. Stat. 358.645.2
Also required
You must be physically in Minnesota when performing a remote online notarization.2

Fees

What a notary public may charge the public:

  • A former $25 cap on remote online notarization fees applied only to acts before January 1, 2023.2

How to apply

  1. Hold a current Minnesota notary commission.2
  2. Choose a remote online notarization platform that meets the identity-proofing, credential-analysis, journal and recording rules of 358.645.2
  3. Register the remote online capability with the Secretary of State and certify that your technology conforms.2
  4. Optional/possibly required: take a course from the Secretary of State's list of remote online notary course providers.2

Renewal

When it expires
Registration continues while the notary's current commission is valid; re-register with each new commission.2

From another state

Route
No reciprocity
What the board says
Only Minnesota-commissioned notaries physically in Minnesota can perform Minnesota remote online notarizations.2

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

City and county rules

Notary Public (commission)After the state commission issues, record it with your county of residence (nonresidents: the Minnesota county named in the application). Dakota County charges $20; Ramsey County (Saint Paul) records by mail or in person. Not recording can bring a Department of Commerce civil penalty.1

City or countyWhat it requiresLink
Dakota CountyRecord the commission with Dakota County; $20 fee.3Official page3
Ramsey County (Saint Paul)Register the commission with Ramsey County by mail or in person.5Official page5

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Common questions

Can I transfer my notary public license to Minnesota?

No reciprocity. A notary commission from another state is not recognized; residents of the four bordering states (WI, IA, ND, SD) may apply for a Minnesota nonresident commission.1 Conditions and forms.

Notary public licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. Minnesota Statutes 2026, chapter 359 Notaries PublicMinnesota Office of the Revisor of StatutesChecked November 7, 2026
  2. Minnesota Statutes 2026, chapter 358 Oaths; Acknowledgments; Seals; Notarial acts (incl. 358.645 Remote…Minnesota Office of the Revisor of StatutesChecked November 7, 2026
  3. Notary Commission Registration (Dakota County)Dakota CountyChecked November 7, 2026
  4. Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 357.17 Notaries Public (maximum fees)Minnesota Office of the Revisor of StatutesChecked November 7, 2026
  5. Notary registration (Ramsey County)Ramsey CountyChecked November 7, 2026