How to become a notary in Kentucky
Eligibility, a $1,000 bond, fees and the oath, in the order you'll do them — from the Kentucky Secretary of State (Notary Commissions).
Step by step
- Check that you qualify — 18+, Must live in, or have a place of employment or practice in, the Kentucky county named on the application (KRS 423.390). Non-residents who work in a Kentucky county may apply; people who neither live nor work in Kentucky are not eligible; U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident; able to read and write English; not disqualified under KRS 423.395 (felony conviction, crime of fraud/dishonesty/deceit, fraudulent statements on the application, findings of fraud, or a notary commission denied/revoked in another state). A person with a felony conviction needs a Governor's order restoring the civil right to hold public office.
- Buy a $1,000 surety bond — $1,000 surety bond (KRS 423.390(5)) from a surety licensed in Kentucky, covering the 4-year term; posted at the county clerk's office when you take the oath. You may only notarize while a valid bond is on file with the county clerk.
- Complete the background check — No fingerprinting or routine background check. If you answer YES to any disqualification question, you must attach a written explanation, court documents and a criminal background check from the Administrative Office of the Courts or Kentucky State Police, and mail the application (it cannot be filed online).
- Apply to the Kentucky Secretary of State (Notary Commissions) — Pay the $10 state fee. Other fees: County clerk fees under KRS 64.012: $10 to record the bond, $4 if the clerk takes/prepares the bond, $5 to administer the oath (about $19 total), plus the surety's bond premium. $10 to update name/address or replace a certificate.
- Take the oath and file it — After SOS approval (emailed from sosnotary@ky.gov), appear in person before the county clerk of the county named in the application within 30 days to take the oath, post the $1,000 surety bond and file the commission (KRS 423.390(4)). The clerk records the filing in the SOS database.
- Get your seal and journal — Seal: Not required. If you choose to use a stamp it must show your name, title, jurisdiction, commission number and expiration date and be photocopiable (KRS 423.370). A stamp/electronic seal is needed for electronic and online notarizations. Journal: Required for electronic/online notarizations only (electronic journal kept 10 years, KRS 423.380); not required for paper notarizations.
Notary packages & supplies
- National Notary Association — state packages: bond, seal, journal and any required training
- Notaries.com — lower-cost state packages with bond, stamp and supplies
Bond, stamp and journal in one order; check that the package matches Kentucky's rules. Some links may be affiliate links.
Kentucky notary requirements
| Commissioned by | Kentucky Secretary of State (Notary Commissions) |
| Who can apply | 18+ · Must live in, or have a place of employment or practice in, the Kentucky county named on the application (KRS 423.390). Non-residents who work in a Kentucky county may apply; people who neither live nor work in Kentucky are not eligible. |
| Course | Not required No education requirement for a paper notary commission. |
| Exam | Not required No state exam. |
| State fee | $10 |
| Other fees | County clerk fees under KRS 64.012: $10 to record the bond, $4 if the clerk takes/prepares the bond, $5 to administer the oath (about $19 total), plus the surety's bond premium. $10 to update name/address or replace a certificate. |
| Surety bond | $1,000 $1,000 surety bond (KRS 423.390(5)) from a surety licensed in Kentucky, covering the 4-year term; posted at the county clerk's office when you take the oath. You may only notarize while a valid bond is on file with the county clerk. |
| E&O insurance | Optional |
| Background check | No fingerprinting or routine background check. If you answer YES to any disqualification question, you must attach a written explanation, court documents and a criminal background check from the Administrative Office of the Courts or Kentucky State Police, and mail the application (it cannot be filed online). |
| Term | 4 years |
| Oath / filing | After SOS approval (emailed from sosnotary@ky.gov), appear in person before the county clerk of the county named in the application within 30 days to take the oath, post the $1,000 surety bond and file the commission (KRS 423.390(4)). The clerk records the filing in the SOS database. |
| Seal | Not required. If you choose to use a stamp it must show your name, title, jurisdiction, commission number and expiration date and be photocopiable (KRS 423.370). A stamp/electronic seal is needed for electronic and online notarizations. |
| Journal | Required for electronic/online notarizations only (electronic journal kept 10 years, KRS 423.380); not required for paper notarizations |
| Max fee per notarization | No statutory maximum; the fee must be disclosed to the customer in advance (KRS 423.430). No fee may be charged for notarizing veterans' federal benefit claim papers (KRS 64.300). |
| Remote online notary | Allowed Allowed since Jan 1, 2020 (SB 114, 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 86). A commissioned notary must register online with the SOS for electronic and/or online (remote) notarization, name its technology provider, digital certificate and electronic journal, and show its $1,000 bond; registration takes effect 30 days after compliance. Remote notarization of paper records under KRS 423.455 requires notifying SOS by email of the platform used. Sessions must be recorded and kept 10 years. KRS 423.390(10)(c) says a registration fee applies, but KRS 423.430 lists no amount. |
| Renewal | Apply up to 60 days before expiration (online or by mail, $10), then repeat the county clerk oath + bond + filing; same commission number is kept. There is no grace period: after expiration you cannot notarize, and an expired commission is processed as a new appointment. |
Kentucky overhauled its notary law effective Jan 1, 2020 (SB 114, KRS 423.300-423.465). The SOS now issues 'Notary Public, State at Large' commissions and you may notarize anywhere in Kentucky, but you apply for a specific county (where you live or work) and finish the commission at that county clerk's office. The old county-only 'special' commissions are gone. Applications can be filed online or by mail; the signature must be handwritten (not a stylus or electronic signature) and match the signature you will use when notarizing. Changes of name, address, county, signature or technology must be reported to the SOS within 10 days ($10). No exam, course or fingerprints, so this is one of the cheapest and easiest states (about $30 in government fees plus the bond premium). The SOS does not publish a processing time; its form only says to ask for a new approval email if one has not arrived within 10 business days of approval.
Sources: Kentucky SOS - Notary Commission Index · Kentucky SOS - How to Become a Kentucky Notary Public · Kentucky SOS - Notary Public Application (12/23) · Kentucky SOS - Remote Notarial Acts with Respect to Tangible Records · KRS 423.390 Commission as notary public. Checked 2026-10.
Earn more as a loan signing agent
Many notaries add mortgage closings: title and escrow companies pay signing agents per loan package. It needs a notary commission plus signing-agent training and a background screening.
- Loan Signing System — loan signing agent training to earn from mortgage closings ($347)
- NNA Notary Signing Agent certification — the certification and background screening title companies ask for
- Notaries.com signing agent course — budget signing agent course ($109)
Some links may be affiliate links.
Get a Kentucky notary checklist and renewal reminder
A printable checklist of every step and an email before your commission expires. Free.
Notary course and exam rules across the US
Other Kentucky licenses
Life & Health insurance license · Property & Casualty insurance license · Adjuster insurance license · All Kentucky insurance licenses · Mortgage loan officer (MLO) license
Questions
How much does it cost to become a notary in Kentucky?
The state fee is $10, plus County clerk fees under KRS 64.012: $10 to record the bond, $4 if the clerk takes/prepares the bond, $5 to administer the oath (about $19 total), plus the surety's bond premium. $10 to update name/address or replace a certificate.. Add the premium for the $1,000 bond, a seal and a journal.
How long does it take to become a notary in Kentucky?
Usually a few weeks from application to commission.
Do I need to take a class or exam to be a notary in Kentucky?
Kentucky requires a $1,000 bond.
How much can a notary charge in Kentucky?
No statutory maximum; the fee must be disclosed to the customer in advance (KRS 423.430). No fee may be charged for notarizing veterans' federal benefit claim papers (KRS 64.300)..
Can I be an online notary in Kentucky?
Yes. Allowed since Jan 1, 2020 (SB 114, 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 86). A commissioned notary must register online with the SOS for electronic and/or online (remote) notarization, name its technology provider, digital certificate and electronic journal, and show its $1,000 bond; registration takes effect 30 days after compliance. Remote notarization of paper records under KRS 423.455 requires notifying SOS by email of the platform used. Sessions must be recorded and kept 10 years. KRS 423.390(10)(c) says a registration fee applies, but KRS 423.430 lists no amount.