How to become a notary public in Oregon

Who needs a Notary public commission

Performs notarial acts in Oregon as a public officer commissioned by the State; the notary must be located in Oregon when notarizing (remote online notarization lets the signer be elsewhere).¹

Requirements for a Notary public commission

Minimum age

18 years old²

Education or training

Notary Basics training course (Secretary of State, free; or an SOS-certified education provider, for a fee), completed within the 6 months before applying; required for every new commission, including current notaries. The Refresher and Advanced courses do not count.²

Exam

Secretary of State's Notary Public examination (online, open book; yes/no, true/false and multiple choice; unlimited retakes)²

Background check

Background check required²
Yes²

Residency or citizenship

Oregon resident, or have a place of employment or practice in Oregon. No citizenship requirement is listed.²

Insurance

Errors and omissions (liability) insurance is not required.¹

How much a Notary public commission costs

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

How to apply

1. Check that you qualify: at least 18; an Oregon resident or working/practicing in Oregon; able to read and write English; no disqualifying conviction or commission revocation in the past 10 years.²
2. Complete the Notary Basics training (free from the Secretary of State through Workday Learning, or from a certified provider) and note your education number.⁴
3. In the SOS online notary system, choose "Take the Exam and Apply (training completed)", enter your training provider and education number, pass the open-book exam and submit the application. A background check follows.³
4. Once approved, you will get the oath of office by email. Sign it in front of a commissioned notary and return it within 30 days with the $40 processing fee, by mail, by fax with the credit-card cover sheet, or in person in Salem. The SOS does not accept online payment.³
5. After you receive your commission authorization certificates, order your stamp and journal from any vendor, then start notarizing.⁵

Apply online

secure.sos.state.or.us³

Processing time

A renewal (new commission) may take up to 10 days or more. The oath must be returned within 30 days of issue.¹

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 4 years¹

Renewal fee

$40⁵ (New commission for a current notary (renewal))

Renew online

secure.sos.state.or.us⁶

Moving to Oregon with a license from another state

These are the routes SOS publishes for the Notary public commission.

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

data.oregon.gov⁷

File a complaint

sos.oregon.gov⁸

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• ORS chapter 194 (Notarial Acts)
• OAR chapter 160, division 100 (Secretary of State notary rules)

Rule changes since January 2024

• January 1, 2025: Current notaries applying for a new commission must again take the Notary Basics training (previously they could skip it).¹

Common questions

Notary public licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming