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Qualifications Applicants for the office of notary public must meet the following criteria: Be at least 18 years old Be a Michigan resident or maintain a place of business in Michigan Be a U.S. citizen or possess proof of legal presence Be a resident of the county (or maintain a principal place of business) in which you request appointment Read and write in the English language Be free of any felony convictions within the past 10 years Have not been convicted of 2 or more misdemeanor offenses involving a violation of the Michigan Notary Public Act within a 12-month period while commissioned, or 3 or more misdemeanor offenses involving a violation of this Act within a 5-year period regardless of being commissioned Have filed with the appropriate County Clerk a proper surety bond in the amount of $10,000 and taken the Oath of Office as prescribed by the State Constitution Sign a declaration that all information on your application for Michigan Notary Public Commission is correct, that you have read the Michigan Notary Public Act and that you will perform all notarial acts faithfully Any individual currently serving a term of imprisonment in any state, county or federal correctional facility is prohibited from being appointed or serving as a notary public. Term of Office Notary commissions expire six (6) years from your next birthday at the time of commission issuance. There is no renewal process, so you must apply for a new commission when your current commission expires. It is your responsibility to apply for a new commission no more than 60 days prior to the commission expiration date. Appointment Secretary of State Notary Education Highly Recommended - not required Notary Exam Not required Study Course "Notary Public Education Course" FREE when you purchase a Notary Supply Package at The Notary's Store Bond $10,000 (Ordered before filing your application) Seal of Office Officially recommended - not required Notary Journal Officially recommended by the state E & O insurance Not required - Errors and Omissions Insurance is recommended for notary protection

Application Procedures Step 1: Download and complete the Michigan Notary Public Application Michigan Notary Public Application Your application for a Michigan Notary Public Appointment must include your driver's license number, full name as you wish to be appointed, date of birth, residential address (as it appears on your Michigan driver's license or personal identification card), business address, telephone number, and if a current notary, information about your current appointment. To ensure that your appointment is accurately made without delay, please print or type your name as you wish to be commissioned to the right of the "Commissioned Name" field at the bottom of the application. Your signature must match the name that has been printed as your "Commissioned Name." This is the signature that you will use when notarizing documents. To avoid delays in processing your notary public application, please be advised that your current address must match on both the application and your driver's license or personal identification card that you have on file with the Secretary of State. New and Renewing Notary Packages Renewing Notary Packages do not come with a notary journal Our New and Renewal Notary Packages DO NOT include your required $10,000 Michigan Notary Bond. The State of Michigan requires purchasing your notary bond, which you will need to send along with your notary application. Step 2: Order your official surety bond from Notary Rotary, Inc. Notaries public are required to obtain a $10,000 surety bond and file it at the office of the county clerk in the county where the notary will be appointed. Follow the instructions through checkout. Once you have your official bond you may proceed with step 3. A surety bond protects the public from a notary's misconduct or negligence. The bond provides coverage for damages to anyone who suffers financially due to an improper official act on the part of the notary. The surety may seek reimbursement from the notary for any damages it pays on the notary's behalf. The Michigan Department of State is authorized to require the notary to purchase replacement bonding if the original $10,000 bond funds are depleted by damage claims. Surety bonds are not insurance policies. The bond protects the public if a court judgment is rendered against a notary because of negligence or misconduct. Blanket bonds or personal assets may not be used in place of an individual surety bond. Please visit the Notary Rotary online store for your official surety bond. To order, enter the required information, and scroll through the product page to locate and select the bond, and follow the instructions through checkout. Your surety bond and other supplies will be shipped as soon as possible, usually within two to three days. Step 3: File your $10,000 Surety Bond with the County Clerk Once you receive your official surety bond from The Notary's Store, you will need to file it with your respective County Clerk. The fee for filing at the county is $10.00 (with the exception of Wayne County, which may be more). At that time, the County Clerk will also administer an Oath of Office, and verify that you have complied with these requirements by completing the designated area on your completed Notary Public Application. Your original signature must then be placed on the form, agreeing to all conditions stated. Be sure to make a copy of the actual bond for your records. Step 4: Send the completed application to the Department of State Once you have fulfilled the filing requirements at the county level, you must forward your completed application (with a $10.00 non-refundable processing fee) to the following address: Michigan Department of State Office of the Great Seal 7064 Crowner Blvd. Lansing, MI 48918 Do not send cash; please send a check or money order payable to the "State of Michigan". At this point in the application process the Office of the Great Seal reviews your application and may conduct a background check. If the application is approved, a notary public commission will be issued. If the application is not approved the applicant will receive a denial letter. Step 5: Order any other supplies you may need from The Notary's Store Please return to The Notary's Store, you again will be entering the Michigan section for your official notary supplies. If you have not purchased your officially recommended Michigan Notary Seal/Stamp or your officially recommended Michigan Notary Journal you can now do so. Michigan law does not require a notary to keep a record of his/her official acts, but it is recommended officially by the State. A register will offer an excellent way of recalling past notarial acts. If a notary is called upon to testify in court, a register may help establish what actually took place. The Michigan Notary Journal was specifically designed for this purpose, and contains many elements not available in other registers. Scroll down through the page to locate any other products you desire, then follow the instructions through checkout. Once you have your official seal and journal you are ready to perform notorial 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.