Notary Public
Application Process (effective 04/01/2004)
An Application for Michigan Notary Public Appointment must first be completed with your driver's license number, full legal name, name as you wish to be appointed, date of birth, residential address, business address, telephone numbers, and, if a current notary, information about your current appointment. This form is available from the Michigan Department of State website at www.michigan.gov/sos. To ensure that your appointment is accurately made, print or type your name on the application exactly as you intend to use it when notarizing documents. It is important that you sign the application exactly the way you wish to be appointed.
You must then obtain and file a surety bond (available through insurance agencies or bonding companies) in the amount of $10,000 with your respective county clerk. The fee for this filing at the county level is $10. 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 the completed Notary Public Application. Your original signature must then be placed on the form, agreeing to all conditions stated.
After you have fulfilled the filing requirements at the county level, you must then forward your completed application (with a $10 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". Your notary commission certificate will then be mailed directly to your residence address as indicated on the application form. Your notary commission is not valid until you receive your certificate of commission in the mail.
A notary public is an officer commissioned by the Michigan Secretary of State. Commissioned notaries have power to attest to the authenticity of a person's signature, to administer oaths, to take affidavits, and to perform other legal acts customarily performed by notaries in other states and countries.
Notarization on a document certifies that the person whose signature is entered on the document appeared before the notary, displayed valid identification, and signed the document in the notary's presence.
In order to become commissioned as a Michigan notary public, a person must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the county in which the commission is required (not county of employment). Only an out-of-state resident may apply in the Michigan county where the person's principal place of business is located.
A notary public commission is for a 4 to 5 year period ending on the notary's birthday. The term is not less than 4 nor more than 5 years from the date of appointment. There is no renewal process so a notary must apply for a new commission each time. It is the applicant's responsibility to make application for a new appointment no more than 60-days prior to the expiration.
If you legally change your name after you have been commissioned as a notary public, you must continue to use the name listed on your commission when notarizing documents.
If you do not want to use your appointed name because of marriage, divorce or some other reasons, cancel your current appointment with your county clerk. Then, apply with another notary application and $10,000 surety bond under your new name.
Notary Public Applications are available at the County Clerk's office, Department of State, or bonding companies.