What is a Notary Public?
A Notary Public is an officer commissioned by the Michigan Secretary of State to serve as an unbiased and impartial witness. The most common function of the notary is to prevent fraud by attesting to the identity of a person signing a document.

Qualifications:
You must:
* 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 in which you request appointment or maintain
a principle place of business;
* Read and write in the English language;
* Be free of any felony or misdemeanor convictions, or violations as specified;
* Not be imprisoned in any state, county or federal correctional facility.

Application Process:
Application forms are available in the County Clerk’s Office in the Vitals Department or from the Michigan Dept. of State website at: www.mi.gov/sos

Once you have completed the application form, you must then obtain and file a $10,000 surety bond with the county clerk. (Bonds are available through insurance agencies or bonding companies)

The filing fee at the county level is $10. At that time, an Oath of Office will be administered by one of the clerks and verify that you have complied with all requirements. 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 along with a $10 (non-refundable) check or money order payable to the “State of Michigan”to the following address:

Michigan Department of State Office of the Great Seal 7064 Crowner Blvd. Lansing, Michigan 48918

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.

Length of appointment:
Each notary public commission is for a 6 to 7-year period ending on the notary’s birthday. The term is not less than 6 or more than 7 years from the date of appointment.

(For example, your birthday is in April of 2004, and you applied for a commission in October of 2003. Your notary commission expires on your birthday in 2010.)

NOTE: There is NO renewal process. You must apply for a new commission each time. It is your responsibility to apply for a new commission no more than 60 days prior to the expiration date.

Corrected notary public commission:
If a notary public’s certificate of appointment becomes lost, mutilated, or illegible, the notary public shall promptly apply to the Secretary of State’s Office for the issuance of a duplicate certificate. The application shall be made on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State and be accompanied by a fee of $10.00. Request for Duplicate/Notice of Change form is available from the County Clerk’s forms section or www.mi.gov/sos

For further information, please contact the Office of the Great Seal at: (517) 373-2531.

For electronic copies of the Notary Public Act and/or the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act, please go to: www.michiganlegislature.org