How to become a notary public in North Carolina

North Carolina notary public licenses

North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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

High school diploma or GED

Required²

Fees

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee.

Renewal

Renewal fee

$50⁶⁵

Who needs a Notary Public license

A public officer commissioned by the NC Secretary of State to perform notarial acts anywhere in North Carolina, with personal appearance, positive identification and a journal as the main safeguards. A traditional notary may not certify true copies.¹

Requirements for a Notary Public license

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

Education or training

At least 6 clock hours²
Notary public course approved by the Secretary of State, taught by a certified notary instructor at a North Carolina community college (or other approved educational organization); not required for licensed members of the NC State Bar.²
Who may teach it: Taught by a certified notary instructor; SOS lists NC community colleges, N.C. State University, Gaston College, Greensboro College and Guilford College as places to find a course.³
Alternative: Licensed members of the NC State Bar may apply without the course, exam or instructor signature (they must keep the current manual).³

Exam

Notary public course written examination²
Given by: Given by the certified notary instructor at the end of the course (no separate testing vendor named).³
Passing score: 80% or better²
Retakes: May retake once the institution permits retesting, within 30 days of the failed exam.³
Time limit: Apply within three months after completing the course and exam, or the initial requirements must be met again.³
Exam waived: Licensed members of the NC State Bar are exempt.²

Background check

Background check required²
Applicants who answer yes to the conviction/pending-charge question must send certified court records, a written explanation and three Certificates of Moral Character; the NC Constitution (Art. VI, Sec. 8) bars people convicted of a felony whose citizenship rights are not restored.²

Residency or citizenship

Must live in NC, or live elsewhere and be employed in NC (employer affidavit required); must reside legally in the U.S. (non-citizens attach an unexpired federal work/residence document); must speak, read and write English.²

Social Security number

Last 4 digits of SSN on the application²

Also required

Buy and keep the current Notary Public Manual for North Carolina (sold by the UNC School of Government).²

Also required

Order the notary seal only after taking the oath, from a registered seal vendor, showing the commission certificate.³

How much a Notary Public license costs

You pay the North Carolina Secretary of State (application fee) and Register of Deeds of the county of commissioning (oath of Office).

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 or older (or emancipated), live in NC or work in NC, legal U.S. residence, high school diploma or equivalent, read/write/speak English.²
2. Take the notary course (at least six hours) from a certified instructor and pass the written exam with 80% or better. NC State Bar members may skip this.²
3. Buy the current Notary Public Manual for North Carolina.²
4. Fill in the Initial Application, have your instructor sign it, and sign it in front of another notary (do not notarize your own signature).² Form (PDF, sosnc.gov)⁷
5. Mail the application with the $50 fee (check or money order to "NC Secretary of State") within three months of finishing the course.²
6. When the oath notification letter arrives, take the oath at the Register of Deeds in your commissioning county within 45 days and pay the $10 fee. The commission is not valid until the oath is taken; missing the 45 days means a new application and fee.²
7. Then order your seal from a registered seal vendor, showing your commission certificate.³

Application form

Form (PDF, sosnc.gov)⁷

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 5 years³

When it expires

Five-year commission; a renewal filed before expiry starts the day after the old commission ends, if the oath is taken within 45 days. Apply no earlier than 10 weeks before expiry.³

Required topics

Recommissioning exam: taken on the Department website, 30 minutes, at least 80%; up to 2 retakes within 30 days of the first attempt, otherwise the application is denied.³

Approved courses

The recommissioning exam is taken on the Secretary of State website; the course may be taken instead.³

Exemptions

No renewal exam for licensed NC State Bar members, or for notaries continuously commissioned since July 10, 1991 with no discipline.⁵

If it expires

Up to 12 months after expiry you may still recommission (no notarial acts during the gap); after one year you must meet all initial requirements again.³

Renew online

sosnc.gov¹

Moving to North Carolina with a license from another state

These are the routes the North Carolina Secretary of State publishes for the Notary Public license. The other notary public licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Electronic Notary Public registration

An add-on registration for a commissioned NC notary to perform notarial acts on electronic documents with an electronic signature and seal, with the signer physically present. Remote electronic notarial acts need further compliance (18 NCAC 07D.0400 and 07H); the SOS alert says emergency video notarizations continue until July 1, 2027 or until the first remote electronic notarization license is issued.⁴

Requirements

Education or training

3 clock hours⁵
Electronic notary course developed by the Department and taught by a certified notary instructor (also required of NC State Bar members).³
Who may teach it: Certified notary instructors trained by the Department; FAQ says register for the course at your local community college.³

Experience

Must already hold a valid North Carolina notary commission.³
License you must hold first: North Carolina notary public commission (nc-notary-public-commission)⁵

Exam

Electronic notary course examination³
Given by: Administered by the certified notary instructor after the course.³
Passing score: 80 percent or higher³
Time limit: Apply within three months of completing the course, or repeat the course, reapply and pay again.³

Background check

Background check required³

Also required

Keep a current personal copy of the NC notary manual for electronic notaries.³

Also required

Use only Department-approved technology providers and notify the Department of them before the first electronic act.³

Fees

How to apply

1. Hold a current NC notary commission.⁵
2. Take the electronic notary course (3 hours per the FAQ) from a certified instructor and pass the exam with 80% or higher.⁵
3. Submit the electronic notary registration form electronically within three months of the course, with the $50 registration fee.³
4. Receive the electronic notary registration certificate from the Department, notify it of your approved technology providers, then buy your electronic signature and seal from an approved provider.³

Apply online

sosnc.gov³

Renewal

When it expires

Ends with the notary commission and is renewed at the same time as the commission.⁵

Required topics

Repeat the electronic notary course before reregistering.³

If it expires

If you do not reregister together with your commission renewal, you can later reregister by retaking the course, applying and paying the fee.³

From another state

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. After the Secretary of State appoints you, you take the oath of office at the Register of Deeds in your county of commissioning within 45 days.³

Electronic Notary Public (eNotary registration)No local license; the Secretary of State issues the electronic notary registration certificate.³

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

sosnc.gov¹

File a complaint

sosnc.gov¹

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 10B (Notary Public Act)
• 18 NCAC 07 (Notary Public Division), Subchapters 07B, 07C, 07D, 07F
• N.C. Const. art. VI, sec. 8 (disqualification for office), as cited on the SOS application form

Common questions

Notary public licenses in other states

• Alabama
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• District of Columbia
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