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Qualifications Applicants for the office of notary public must meet the following criteria: To qualify for a commission as a non-attorney notary, a person must be: 18 years of age or older An Ohio resident Certified by a Judge of an Ohio court of appeals or common pleas as being capable of performing the duties of a notary public; the Judge may require applicants to take an examination To qualify for a commission as an attorney notary public, a person must be: 18 years of age or older An Ohio resident who is an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state An attorney who is not an Ohio resident, but who is admitted to the practice of law in, and whose principal place of business or primary practice is in Ohio Term of Office 5 years Notary Public - Non-attorney Lifetime Notary Public - Attorney Appointment Governor Notary Education Recommended - not required (some counties require education) Notary Exam Some counties require an exam Study Course "Notary Public Education Course" FREE when you purchase a Notary Supply Package at The Notary's Store Bond Not required by state law Seal of Office Rubber Stamp Seal Round with reproducible ink required by state law, or Embossing Seal Notary Journal Required by state law E & O insurance Not required - Errors and Omissions Insurance is recommended for notary protection

Application Procedures Step 1: Acquire a Certificate of Qualifications and the Application to become an Ohio Notary Public New Commissions and Renewals In Ohio, all new notary commissions are handled through the counties. Each county has a slightly different process. You should contact the county in which you reside. Click here for your county information A Certificate of Qualifications is a document attesting that the applicant has the qualifications necessary to properly discharge the duties of a notary public. Ohio law requires that a Judge of an Ohio court of appeals or common pleas must certify anyone who wants to be commissioned as a notary public. Many Judges have adopted application procedures involving the Clerk of the court or local bar association. Therefore, you should contact the Clerk of court for the court of appeals or common pleas of the county in which you reside or the local bar association. This certificate must be provided to the Notary Commission Clerk in the Ohio Secretary of State's office. You should also contact your local Clerk of Common Pleas court or the local bar association to request the application. Complete the applications according to the instructions provided and follow all instructions provided by those you are in contact with regarding where your application needs to be sent. New and Renewing Notary Packages Renewing Notary Packages do not come with a notary journal Step 2: Order your supplies from The Notary's Store Please visit The Notary's Store, you will be entering the Ohio section for your official notary supplies. We offer a New Notary Supply Package and a Renewing Notary Supply Package which include your required Ohio Notary Seal/Stamp Round and Ohio Notary Journal, and other needed notary supplies at a special reduced price. To order, enter the required information and scroll down through the page to locate the notary packages, or you can purchase your notary supplies separately. Follow the instructions through checkout. Once you have your official seal and journal you are ready to perform notarial acts. Note: An Errors and Omissions Insurance Policy is not required by law, but may be purchased as it protects the notary public and pays for any charges the notary might owe for legal fees and costs should the notary be sued.