Once your application is approved, your notary public commission certificate will be mailed to your bonding agency, which will, in turn, mail it to you.
Click here to start the notary application process in Florida.
To become a notary in Florida, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
To renew your Florida notary commission, follow the same steps you took when you applied to become a notary the first time. However, renewing notaries are exempt from taking a three-hour notary educational course. You can apply to renew your Florida notary commission within six months before your current commission expires.
Click here to start the notary renewal application process in Florida.
The governor appoints notaries. The Governor’s Office reviews misconduct complaints against notaries and takes disciplinary action when deemed appropriate. However, the Florida Department of State receives applications for appointment and reappointment as a notary public, administers the commissioning process, and maintains records on notaries.
The Notary Section of the Governor’s Office can be contacted at:
The Florida Department of State can be contacted at:
No. An individual who is not a legal resident of Florida is not eligible to apply for a Florida notary public commission.
The term of office for a Florida notary public is four years. A notary cannot notarize documents after their notary commission expires without first renewing their notary commission with the department of state.
Yes. A new notary applicant seeking a commission as a Florida notary public must complete at least three hours of interactive or classroom instruction on various topics, including electronic notarization and notary public duties. This training must be completed within the year prior to applying for appointment as a notary public.
Click here to register to the American Association of Notaries approved notary course.
After completing the notary educational course, the notary applicant will receive a certificate of completion, which must be submitted with the notary application.
Florida notaries interested in learning Florida notary law can purchase a notary handbook available on the American Association of Notaries website.
The cost to become a notary in Florida includes:
Other expenses include the cost of purchasing:
* Veteran applicants who have served in wartime and have a disability rating of 50% or more are exempt from the $10 commission fee. (Such a disability is subject to verification by the Florida Secretary of State.)
A notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy is not required to become a Florida notary public or to renew your notary commission. However, the American Association of Notaries strongly recommends that every Florida 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 a Florida notary public.
Florida notary errors and omissions insurance policies are available to order online at the American Association of Notaries website: https://www.floridanotaries.com/notary-insurance.
Yes. All Florida notary applicants are required to maintain a four-year, $7,500 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.
Florida notary bonds are available to order online at the American Association of Notaries website: https://www.floridanotaries.com/florida-notary-bond.
Yes. Florida notary statutes require all notaries public to use a rubber, black-inked notary stamp to authenticate all notarial acts. Section 117.05(3)(a) of the Florida statutes provides the legal specifications regarding the layout and the information required to be engraved on official notary seals.
The official notary seal must contain the following elements:
The Florida statutes do not specify the dimensions of the rubber stamp. Using the Great Seal of the State of Florida is strictly prohibited.
A notary seal embosser may be used in addition to but not in place of an inked notary stamp.
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 Florida notary stamp, notary seal, complete notary package, and other notary supplies.
If your official seal is lost, stolen, or believed to be in the possession of another person, you must:
The fee of a notary public may not exceed $10 for any one notarial act, except as provided Fla. Stat § 117.045 or § 117.275 [Fla. Stat § 117.05(2)(a)]. An online notary public or their employer may charge a fee, not to exceed $25, for performing an online notarial act under Part II of Chapter 117. Fees for services other than notarial acts, including the services of a RON service provider, are not governed by Fla. Stat. § 117.275. A RON service provider’s services are also not considered closing services as defined in Fla. Stat. § 627.7711, and a fee for those services may be separately charged.
The online notary public may charge a fee not to exceed $20 per transaction record for making and delivering electronic copies of a given series of related electronic records, and a RON service provider may charge a fee not to exceed $20 for providing access to, or a copy of, the related audio-video communication records. However, such copies or access must be provided without charge if requested by any of the following within the ten-year period specified in Fla. Stat. § 117.245(4):
Note:
Notary journal requirements for each type of notarization in Florida:
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 - Although notaries are not required to maintain a notary journal, they should follow best notary practices and record the following information:
For Remote Online Notarizations – Florida notary law requires online notaries to record in an electronic journal the following information:
Tangible Notary Journal - Since tangible notary journals are optional, Florida notary laws do not address this question. We recommend you contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Electronic Notary Journal - Notify an appropriate law enforcement agency and the Florida Department of State of any unauthorized use of or compromise to the security of the electronic journal for online notarizations within seven days after discovery of such unauthorized use or compromise to security.
Tangible Notary Journal - Florida notary laws do not address this question, since tangible notary journals are optional. We recommend you keep the tangible notary journal indefinitely.
Electronic Notary Journal - The electronic journal required under Fla. Stat. §117.245(1) shall be maintained for at least ten years after the date of the online notarial act.
Florida notaries are authorized to perform notarial acts while physically located anywhere within the geographic borders of the state of Florida.
A Florida notary public is authorized to perform the following notarial acts:
Florida law allows the following three types of notarizations:
Traditional notarization – 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 notarization – 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 online notarization (also known as online notarization) – The signer appears remotely before an online notary via audio-video communication technology. The notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate.
There is no additional appointment required to perform in-person electronic notarizations if you are currently appointed as a Florida notary public. Click here for more information on electronic notarizations.
To register to perform remote online notarizations pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 117.225, you must:
Click here to start the application process to become a remote online notary in Florida.
You must notify the Florida Department of State in writing within sixty days of any change to your business address, home telephone number, business telephone number, home address, or criminal record [Fla. Stat. §117.01(2)]. Download the address change form and mail it the Florida Department of State. Notify your bonding agency of the address change.
If you no longer reside in Florida, you must submit a “Moving Out-of-State Required Resignation” form to the executive office of the governor.
If you legally change your name, you must amend your notary commission with the Florida Secretary of State within sixty days. The request for a name change should be made through your bonding agency. Provide the bonding agency with the following:
You may continue to perform notarial acts in your former name for sixty days or until you receive the amended commission from your bonding agency, whichever date is sooner [Fla. Stat. §117.05(9)].
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.
Florida 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 Florida.