How to become a notary public in Mississippi

Mississippi notary public licenses

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

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Mississippi 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 old²

Background check

Background check required²
Felony or fraud/dishonesty/deceit misdemeanour within 10 years of application creates a rebuttable presumption of ineligibility (rebuttable only by clear and convincing evidence of full rehabilitation); felony grounds lapse 10 years after release or conviction.⁴

Social Security number

No SSN is required on Form NP-001; it asks for a driver's license or non-driver Mississippi ID number (and a 4-digit PIN, which may be the last 4 of the SSN).²

Surety bond

$5,000⁴ (Bond amount (coverage). The premium is set by the surety and is not published by the SOS.)

Also required

Ability to read and write English.¹

Also required

Oath of office (Miss. Const. § 268) taken before a Mississippi notary and filed with the SOS.¹

Also required

Buy an official seal/stamp at your own expense, showing the county where you maintain an office, your commission expiry and commission number.¹

Also required

Keep a journal of all notarial acts.¹

Renewal

How often

Every 4 years¹

From another state

Who needs a Notary Public license

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Judges, clerks and deputy clerks of Mississippi courts and the Secretary of State or an Assistant Secretary of State may perform notarial acts without a notary commission.¹
• Commission does not authorize giving legal advice or acting as an immigration consultant.¹

Requirements for a Notary Public license

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

Residency or citizenship

U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, and a Mississippi resident for at least 30 days immediately before applying. Nonresidents cannot be commissioned (a 2026 bill to allow residents within 15 miles of the border died); moving out of state ends the commission.³

How much a Notary Public license costs

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

How to apply

1. Check you qualify: 18+, US citizen or permanent legal resident, a Mississippi resident for at least 30 days, able to read and write English, no disqualifying convictions.⁴
2. Complete Form NP-001 (Application for Notary Public Commission, revised 9/2026). Sign it under oath before a Mississippi notary, including the oath of office.² Form (PDF, sos.ms.gov)²
3. Mail the application with the $25 fee to the Secretary of State, Business Services Division, P.O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205-0136.²
4. Buy a $5,000 notary bond (SOS Form NP 002) from a surety licensed by the Mississippi Department of Insurance, using the start and end dates the SOS gives you, and file it within 60 days of applying. If you miss the deadline the application lapses and you must start again.⁴
5. The SOS issues your commission certificate by email. Then buy your official stamp showing your county, commission expiry and commission number, and start a journal.⁶

Application form

Form (PDF, sos.ms.gov)²

Processing time

Less than one week with a complete application, bond and oath (SOS FAQ, undated).³

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

The commission runs four years and ends on the bond expiration date. Reapply on a new NP-001 for each term. The rules let you apply up to 90 days before expiry and require filing at least 60 days before. The SOS FAQ says "within 60 days prior".⁴

Renewal fee

$25²

If it expires

There is no grace period: you may not notarise once the commission ends; reapply for each term before performing notarial acts.⁴

Renew online

sos.ms.gov²

E-Notary registration

A commissioned notary who registers can notarize electronic records using an approved electronic notarization system. The signer must still appear in person before the notary; Mississippi does not authorize remote online notarization.¹

Requirements

Experience

Must already hold a current and unrestricted Mississippi notary public commission.¹
License you must hold first: Ms-notary-public-commission⁴

How to apply

1. Hold a current, unrestricted Mississippi notary commission.⁴
2. Choose an electronic notarization system that meets the SOS criteria; the SOS publishes a vendor list.⁴
3. Register online in the SOS E-Notary Registration app using your notary ID, then wait for SOS approval before notarizing electronically.⁷ sos.ms.gov⁷

Apply online

sos.ms.gov⁷

Renewal

When it expires

Renewing your notary commission also renews in-person e-notary authority, with no new e-notary application.⁴

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

City and county rules

Notary PublicNo local notary license. The commission is statewide; your stamp must show the county where you maintain an office (the FAQ says the county of residence).³

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a notary public in Mississippi, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Mississippi is on the Mississippi license lookup page.

Look up a license: Notary Public

sos.ms.gov⁸

Look up a license: E-Notary (in-person electronic notarization registration)

sos.ms.gov¹

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-34-1 to 25-34-57 (Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts)
• 1 Miss. Admin. Code Part 5 (Business Services – Notaries Public), Rules 1.1–10.x
• 2025 Miss. HB 1154 (remote online notarization) – died in Senate committee
• 2026 Miss. SB 2387 (border-area nonresident notaries) – died in committee
• 1 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 5, ch. 8 (Use of Electronic Notarization (In-Person))

Common questions

Notary public licenses in other states

• Alabama
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• District of Columbia
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• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming