Do not perform notarial acts until you receive your notary commission certificate from the secretary of state.
Click here to start the notary application process in Indiana.
To become a notary in Indiana, a notary applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:
To renew your Indiana notary commission, follow the same steps you took when you applied to become a notary the first time. You can renew your notary commission within ninety days of your notary commission expiration date.
Click here to start the notary renewal application process in Indiana.
The governor appoints notaries public (IC 33-42-9-1). However, the Indiana Secretary of State receives applications for appointment and reappointment as a notary public, administers the commissioning process, and maintains an electronic database of active notaries and remote notaries.
Yes. A non-resident notary applicant may apply to become an Indiana notary public if the non-resident is primarily employed in Indiana [IC 33-42-12-1(b)(3)]. A non-resident must follow the same steps as a resident applicant to become an Indiana notary public. In addition, they are required to upload while completing the application on the secretary of state’s website an Employer Consent form proving their current employment. Examples include a recent paystub or a letter from your HR office. (It must NOT include private or personal information on the document.)
The term of office for an Indiana notary public is eight years. A notary cannot notarize documents after their notary commission expires without first renewing their notary commission with the secretary of state.
Yes. Effective July 1, 2020, all new applicants and renewing notaries seeking appointment and reappointment as Indiana notaries public are required to (IC 33-42-12-2):
The course and examination are administered online by the secretary of state. The notary educational course and exam are available after completing the application and paying the application fee.
Moreover, all notaries must fulfill a continuing education course requirement every two years to maintain their notary public commissions [IC 33-42-12-2(b)]. The fee to complete the continuing education course is $50.00. An Indiana notary public will be required to complete three continuing education courses, for a total cost of $150.00, over the course of the notary’s eight-year commission term. The Indiana Secretary of State will send out reminders to Indiana notaries public to their addresses on record. The deadline to complete a continuing education course and exam will be the last day of the month of the notary’s commission issuance date every two years. Continuing education courses may only be completed within ninety days of the due date. Failure to complete the continuing education course requirements will result in administrative action against the notary public, which may include the revocation of the notary’s commission. The continuing education course is offered through the secretary of state’s website (INBiz). Continuing education courses taken or completed outside of INBiz are not accepted at this time.
The cost to become a notary in Indiana includes:
Other expenses include the cost of purchasing:
A notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy is not required to become an Indiana notary public or to renew your notary commission. However, the American Association of Notaries strongly recommends that every Indiana notary obtain a notary E&O insurance policy. A notary E&O policy covers unintentional notarial mistakes and pays for legal fees and damages based on the coverage you select as an Indiana notary public.
Indiana notary errors and omissions insurance policies are available to order online at the American Association of Notaries website: https://www.indiananotary.com/notary-insurance.
Yes. All Indiana notary applicants are required to maintain an eight-year, $25,000 notary bond. The bond protects the public from notary errors.
If a member of the public files a claim against a notary’s bond, the bonding company is very likely to sue the notary to recoup the funds it paid on the notary’s behalf. A notary bond does not protect notaries from mistakes they make. This is why notary errors and omissions insurance (commonly known as “E&O” or “E&O insurance”) is vital.
Indiana notary bonds are available to order online at the American Association of Notaries website: https://www.indiananotary.com/indiana-notary-bond.
The Indiana notary law requires a notary public who performs a notarial act on a tangible record to affix, display, or emboss a notary official seal [IC 33-42-9-12(b)(1)].
The official seal of an Indiana notary public must include the following information (IC 33-42-10-2):
Note:
The American Association of Notaries offers quality notary stamps and seals at savings of up to 40% compared to the cost of the same products elsewhere. Click here to order your Indiana notary stamp, notary seal, complete notary package, and other notary supplies.
If a notary seal is lost, you must promptly notify the secretary of state's office upon learning of the loss or theft.
In the case of theft, report the incident to the police, and then report the fact to the Secretary of State’s Business Services Division.
Traditional Notarizations and Electronic Notarizations — Indiana notary public fees for notarial acts are set by IC 33-42-14-1. A notary public may charge a maximum fee as shown below:
Note:
Remote Notarizations — Fees for remote notarial acts are set by IC 33-42-17-9. A remote notary public may charge a maximum fee as shown below:
Note: A remote notary may charge a reasonable fee to recover expenses related to copying of:
Notary journal requirements for each type of notarization in Indiana:
A notary journal (also known as a record book, log book, or register book) is your first line of defense in proving your innocence if a notarial act you performed is questioned or if you are requested to testify in a court of law about a notarial act you performed in the past. A properly recorded notarial act creates a paper trail that will help investigators locate and prosecute signers who have committed forgery or fraud. Properly recorded notarial acts provide evidence that you followed your state laws and notary’s best practices.
The American Association of Notaries offers notary journals in tangible and electronic formats.
Click here to purchase a tangible notary journal.
Click here to become a member and access our electronic notary journal.
For Traditional Notarizations and Electronic Notarizations – If you choose to maintain a notary journal, the secretary of state recommends that you record the following information:
For Remote Notarizations – Indiana notary law requires a remote notary to chronicle the following information in their electronic notary journals:
Journals for Traditional Notarizations and Electronic Notarizations – Since tangible notary journals are optional, Indiana notary laws do not address this question. We recommend you contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Journals for Remote Notarizations – Upon learning that your electronic journal is lost, stolen, or compromised, you are required to notify the secretary of state.
Journals for Traditional Notarizations and Electronic Notarizations - Indiana notary laws do not address this question, since maintaining a notary journal in Indiana is optional. If you decide to maintain a tangible notary journal, we recommend you retain it indefinitely.
Journals for Remote Notarizations - A remote notary public who resigns or whose commission expires shall maintain the contents of an electronic journal for at least ten years after the performance of the last recorded remote notarial act.
Indiana notaries are authorized to perform notarial acts while physically located anywhere within the geographic borders of the state of Indiana.
For Traditional and Electronic Notarizations - An Indiana notary public is authorized to perform the following notarial acts with respect to either a tangible or an electronic record (IC 33-42-0.5-18):
For Remote Notarizations - A remote notary public who is physically present in Indiana may perform the following notarial acts as remote notarial acts:
Indiana law allows the following three types of notarizations:
Traditional notarizations – This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to meet physically in the same room within face-to-face proximity of one another. Traditional notarization involves an individual signing a tangible document with an inked pen and a notary public signing and affixing an inked notary stamp impression to the tangible notarial certificate.
Electronic notarizations – This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to meet physically in the same room within face-to-face proximity of one another. However, the notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate.
Remote notarizations – The signer appears remotely before a remote notary via audio visual communication. The notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate.
You are not required to receive additional authorization, other than being an active notary public, to perform electronic notarizations.
An Indianan notary public must apply with the Indiana Secretary of State to be authorized to perform remote online notarial acts. To qualify as a remote notary, a notary public must:
Once the vendor has given their approval, your application will be processed by the Indiana Secretary of State's office. Upon approval by the secretary of state, a remote notarization authorization is valid from the date of authorization through the expiration of the notary’s current notary public commission. When the notary commission term expires, a notary must renew the notary commission before applying for a consecutive remote notary authorization.
For more information on becoming a remote notary in Indiana, visit the Indiana Secretary of State’s website.
An Indiana notary public must notify the Indiana Secretary of State not later than thirty days after any change to the following information associated with the notary public [IC 33-42-12-3(a) and 75 IAC 7-2-2(a)]:
To update your information, log into your INBiz account on the secretary of state’s website. There is an $8.67 commission revision fee.
An Indiana notary public must notify the Indiana Secretary of State not later than thirty days after a name change [IC 33-42-12-3(a) and 75iac 7-2-2(a)]. A notary public needs to do the following to change their notary name:
The notary will be issued a new commission certificate with the new name.
Legal disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. We do not claim to be attorneys and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. You should always seek the advice of a licensed attorney for any legal matters. It is your responsibility to know the appropriate notary laws governing your state. In no event shall the American Association of Notaries, its employees, or contractors be liable to you for any claims, penalties, losses, damages, or expenses, howsoever arising, including, and without limitation, direct or indirect loss, or consequential loss, out of or in connection with the use of the information contained on any of the American Association of Notaries website pages. Notaries are advised to seek the advice of their state’s notary authorities or attorneys if they have legal questions.
Indiana notary bonds and errors and omissions insurance policies provided by this insurance agency, the American Association of Notaries, Inc., are underwritten by Western Surety Company (established 1900). Kal Tabbara is a licensed insurance agent in Indiana.