How to become a notary public in South Carolina

South Carolina notary public licenses

South 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 South Carolina notary public license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Renewal

How often

Every 10 years⁴⁶

Who needs a Notary Public license

Public officer appointed by the Governor for 10 years to take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, attestations and jurats, witness signatures and verify facts anywhere in South Carolina (only within the state). Notaries may perform marriage ceremonies. Notaries may not give legal advice, conduct real estate or mortgage closings without an attorney, or certify copies of photographs or photocopies.¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Attorneys are not automatically notaries; they must apply like anyone else.⁴

Requirements for a Notary Public license

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

Minimum age

18 years old⁷

Education or training

No course is required for a traditional (paper) commission. The SOS publishes a free Reference Manual and a Notary Webinar and encourages yearly workshops.²

Background check

A notary convicted of an offense under 26-1-160 forfeits the commission and can never be commissioned again; the SOS may terminate a commission once the notary is charged.¹

Residency or citizenship

Must be a registered voter in South Carolina at the home address on the application (which requires U.S. citizenship and SC residence). Out-of-state residents cannot be commissioned even if they work in South Carolina. Apply through the delegation of the county where you live.⁸

Social Security number

Last 4 digits of the Social Security number, plus voter registration number and date of birth.²

Also required

Application must be signed in pen and ink in front of a South Carolina notary (signature acknowledged by a person authorized to administer oaths); you cannot notarize your own application, and the signature and notarization dates must match. The oath of office is on the application.¹

Also required

Endorsement by the county legislative delegation is required: either half the delegation, or the applicant's own senator and representative, or the delegation chair or secretary on the legislators' behalf, depending on the county.¹

Also required

A seal (ink stamp or embosser) showing your name, "notary public" and "State of South Carolina" is required; write the commission expiration date below your signature. Buy it from any office supply store.¹

Also required

A journal is not required but is strongly encouraged.⁴

Also required

Report changes of address, phone, county or legal name within 45 days on a Change in Status form ($10).¹

How much a Notary Public license costs

You pay SOS (2 fees), SC.GOV (service fee: charged by SC.GOV when paying by credit/debit card) and County Clerk of Court (registration fee).

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:

• Maximum fees a notary may charge: $5 per signature for acknowledgments, jurats and signature witnessing, $5 per person for an oath or affirmation without signature, $5 per certificate for a verification of fact; travel fees only if agreed in advance. A fee schedule in English must be displayed if fees are charged.¹

How to apply

1. Confirm you are a registered voter at your current home address in the county where you live (check at scvotes.gov).²
2. Complete Page 2 of the SOS Application/Renewal for Notary Public (rev. June 2024), including the last 4 SSN digits and your voter registration number, then sign it, with the oath, in front of a South Carolina notary on the same date.² Form (PDF, horrycountysc.gov)³
3. Choose payment of the $25 fee on Page 3 (check or money order to "SC Secretary of State", or card via an emailed SC.GOV link with a $1.43 service fee).²
4. Mail all pages with original signatures (and the check or money order) to the legislative delegation office of the county where you live, listed on Page 5 of the form; if your county has none, mail to the SC House of Representatives, P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, SC 29211. The delegation verifies voter registration, endorses Page 4 and forwards it to the SOS.⁴
5. The Governor appoints you and the SOS mails your commission certificate showing your name and expiration date.⁴
6. Within 15 days, take the commission and photo ID to the Clerk of Court in your county of residence to be enrolled ($10 filing fee).¹
7. Buy a seal or stamp with your name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public" and "State of South Carolina" before notarizing.⁴

Application form

Form (PDF, horrycountysc.gov)²

Processing time

2-12 weeks depending on county (SOS manual); Horry County says 6-8 weeks to receive the certificate, Beaufort up to six weeks.⁹

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

Renew by filing the same application ($25) through your delegation; there are no reminders. File 8-12 weeks before expiration. If your name or address changed, file a Change in Status first unless the commission has expired or is within 30 days of expiring. Re-enroll the renewed commission with the Clerk of Court.³

Renewal fee

$25¹

If it expires

No grace period or late fee: an expired notary simply reapplies with the same application; performing notarial acts after expiry is a misdemeanor (fine up to $500 or 30 days).²

Renew online

horrycountysc.gov²

Moving to South Carolina with a license from another state

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

Electronic Notary Public

Registration that lets a commissioned notary perform in-person electronic notarizations (IPEN) on electronic documents with an electronic signature and seal. The signer must appear in person; South Carolina law does not provide for remote online notarization (S.C. Code ch. 26-2, current through the 2026 Session).³

Requirements

Education or training

Course of instruction approved and administered by the Secretary of State (educational video in the online portal), covering notarial laws, procedures, technology and ethics; required before each registration.³
Who may teach it: Secretary of State or its designee only.⁶

Experience

Must hold a current South Carolina notary public commission.⁵
License you must hold first: Sc-notary-public-commission¹⁰

Exam

Electronic notary examination (online test after the SOS course)³
Given by: South Carolina Secretary of State (online portal)⁶

Background check

Background check required⁵
SOS may reject applicants convicted of fraud, theft, forgery or breach of trust, or with pending inquiries or findings of notary misconduct.⁶

Residency or citizenship

Same as the underlying commission (South Carolina registered voter).⁵

Also required

Choose an SOS-approved electronic notarization technology vendor and describe the technology (signature, seal, journal, tamper evidence) on the application.³

Also required

Electronic seal must show name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public", "State of South Carolina", the e-notary registration number and the commission expiration date.⁵

Also required

An electronic journal of every electronic notarial act is required.⁵

Fees

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

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

What a notary public may charge the public:

• Maximum fees for electronic notarial acts: $10 per signature.⁵

How to apply

1. Hold a current South Carolina notary commission and create an account on the SOS Online Notary Portal.¹⁰
2. Watch the SOS educational video and pass the online electronic-notary test.³
3. Select an SOS-approved technology vendor and complete the online registration, with your electronic signature and seal, and pay the $50 registration fee.³
4. Receive and print your electronic notary certificate (with your registration number) and begin in-person electronic notarizations.³

Apply online

enotary.scsos.com³

Processing time

The registrant may start electronic notarizations on receipt of the SOS confirmation; the portal issues the certificate online.³

Renewal

When it expires

Registration lasts as long as the current commission; the course and exam must be completed before each registration.⁵

Renew online

enotary.scsos.com³

From another state

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

City and county rules

Notary PublicMail the application to your county legislative delegation office (or the SC House of Representatives if your county has none), which endorses it and forwards it to the SOS. Then enroll the commission with your county Clerk of Court within 15 days (statutory uniform fee $10; bring photo ID). Late enrollment carries no penalty per the SOS manual.¹¹

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• S.C. Code §§ 26-1-5 to 26-1-230 (Notaries Public), esp. 26-1-10 (appointment, 10-year term), 26-1-15 (qualifications), 26-1-20/-25 (delegation endorsement), 26-1-30, 26-1-50 (clerk enrollment), 26-1-100, 26-1-130, 26-1-160 (offenses)
• S.C. Code § 8-21-310(B)(10)
• S.C. Const. art. II, § 4 and S.C. Code § 7-5-120 (voter qualifications: U.S. citizen, 18+)
• S.C. Code §§ 26-2-5 to 26-2-210 (South Carolina Electronic Notary Public Act, 2021 Act No. 85)
• S.C. Code Regs. 113-400 to 113-470 (Electronic Notaries Public), eff. June 24, 2022

Rule changes since January 2024

• June 10, 2024: SOS revised the notary application (June 2024) with new payment options, including card payment via an emailed SC.GOV link ($1.43 service fee).³

Common questions

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