Once you receive the email notifying you that your commission has been approved, log into the portal to download your new Commission Certificate. Then you can obtain your notary seal/stamp and your notary journal. You may obtain your seal/stamp from most stationery, stamp, or office supply stores. Keep in mind, however, your seal/stamp must meet specific requirements. The Secretary of State has compiled a list of Recommended Vendors who have agreed to provide only the prescribed types of stamps to Montana notaries. You may use either a tamper-proof paper or a tamper-evident electronic journal, or both. The Secretary of State has not defined a specific format for the notary journal, so you may choose a design that fits your particular needs. There are several designs on the market; most of them include spaces for the information required by Montana law. You may use either a tamper-proof paper or a tamper-evident electronic journal, or both.
Online Notary Filing System
All new and renewal applications, updates, and changes must be filed using the secretary of state’s online portal.
ELIGIBILITY – Effective July 1, 2020
NOTICE: All applicants (new and renewing) applying after July 1, 2020, must complete at least 4 hours of approved notary education and take and pass the Montana Notary Examination.
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States;
- Be a resident of Montana; or
- be the spouse or legal dependent of military personnel assigned to active duty in this state;
- maintain a place of business in the state of Montana that is registered pursuant to Title 35 and meet any applicable business licensing requirements of the local government where the business is located;
- be regularly employed at an office, business, or facility located within the state of Montana by an employer registered and licensed to do business in this state; or
- hold a current professional license to practice the profession in Montana issued by an appropriate Montana authority; and
- Be able to read and write English.
To be eligible for a new or renewed commission, an applicant must meet the education requirements and pass an examination as provided in 1-5-620, MCA, and may not have been disqualified as provided in 1-5-621, MCA.
The Process:
If you meet the qualifications to become a Montana Notary Public, you may apply for a four-year notary public commission by following the steps below. It is not possible to obtain a notary commission in just a few days, so please plan accordingly. The application fee for becoming a notary public is $25, which is non-refundable. The fee may be paid by credit/debit card or by eCheck. State of Montana employees may use Procards or Inter-unit Journals (IUJs).
The process for applying for a notary commission is the same for both new and renewing applicants. All applications must be filed online; paper submissions will be returned unprocessed.
The online filing system will not allow renewals to be submitted more than thirty days prior to the expiration date of the current commission or after the thirty-day grace period following the commission expiration date.
These are the steps you must follow when applying for a new or renewal commission:
Access Training Academy
Click the above to take training. The Notary & Certifications Division has approved several notary education courses that applicants can choose from to fulfill the education requirements. Short descriptions of the content, presentation style and the number of credit hours applicable to each course are provided to help you select the course or courses that offer the most relevant subject matter emphasis to each notary’s situation.
Renewing notaries must complete at least four hours of continuing education in the 12 months preceding application or two hours in each of the 3 years preceding renewal.
New notaries must complete their training within 12 months of the notary’s application submission.
Helpful Hint: You will receive a certificate of completion from the training provider for each course taken. Please save an electronic copy of the certificate; you will be required to download a copy of it when submitting your online application.
Access Montana Notary Exam
Click button above to access exam. All notaries – both new and renewing – are required to pass the Montana Notary Exam to prove their understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the office.
There is no additional cost for the examination.
There are 50 questions and you will have up to 60 minutes to complete the exam. You will have three attempts to achieve a passing score of 80%. If you are not successful after three attempts, you will be blocked for 3 months before you can try again. You must submit your application within 6 months of taking the examination.
Helpful Hint: You will need to submit a copy of the exam certificate with your online filing. Upon completing the exam, you can request that the exam certificate be emailed to you and then save it, or you can download a hard copy of the certificate and scan it before you begin the online application process.
Notary bonds are available from most Montana insurance agents, as well as through various online providers. The cost for these varies, but is usually about $50 – $70 for the four-year term of the commission.
When applying for your bond, you must use the name that you intend to use as your official notary name. Please refer to page 5 of the Montana Notary Public Handbook for more information regarding your name and signature.
Montana now requires all surety companies to use a standardized notary bond form that also includes the Statement and Oath of Office. This form requires the applicant to sign twice – once as the “principal” of the bond, and the second time in front of another notary public when swearing to the Statement of Qualifications and taking the Oath of Office. Be sure to sign both times with the signature you will use when notarizing documents.
:
- Go to the Secretary Of State’s Online Notary Portal and login to your account. (If you don’t have an account, simply click the login button and you’ll see where you can create one. This is your user profile for the site.)
- Complete the online process for a new commission or a renewal of your existing commission.
- You will need to upload your training and exam certificates, bond, and possibly other supporting documents. Before beginning the online process, save PDFs of these documents for easy access.
- The name on your application must exactly match the name on your bond.
- If you check “Yes” for any question regarding your background information other than the one about having been previously commissioned as a Montana Notary Public, you must submit explanatory documentation with your application.
- Have your payment information ready. The $25 filing fee can be paid online by credit/debit card or eCheck. State of Montana employees may use Procards or Inter-unit Journals (IUJs).
The system will not allow you to submit the application if any information is missing. You will be able to track the process of your application by logging in and checking your “Notary Work Queue.” You will receive an email notifying you when your application has been approved.
Questions?
If you have any questions about becoming a Montana Notary Public or renewing your existing commission, please call us at (406) 444-1877 or email us at [email protected].