For all notary services you must be in the office before 4:45pm.

Applying for Notary Public

Before your initial appointment, applicants must complete a notary course approved by the secretary of state. All community colleges and technical institutes offer approved courses. After completing the course, you will receive a form with which to apply for your commission. You must apply for your notary commission in your county of residence. You will need to complete the form and obtain a signature from any elected official. Send the completed form along with $50 to the secretary of state at the address indicated on the form.

When notified by the secretary of state, you must appear before the register of deeds within 45 days from the issue date to take the oath. If you do not take your oath within 45 days, your commission will be cancelled and you will then have to reapply for a commission, including submitting a new application and the applicable fee. The fee for administering the oath is $10. We accept cash, debit/credit and business checks only.

Notary Re-Appointment

The application for re-commissioning can be completed on the secretary of state's website. Upon notification by the secretary of state, you must appear within 45 days from the issue date at the register of deeds in the county in which the commission is issued.

If you are a non-resident of the State of North Carolina, you must take your oath of office in the register of deeds in the county in which you work.

The fee for administering the oath is $10.

Change of Name / Address

A notary must notify the secretary of state of a name or address change by completing the change of name / address form at the secretary of state's website and sending it to the address indicated on the form. After receiving confirmation of approval, you must appear before the register of deeds within 45 days of the date of issuance to take the oath. The fee for administering the oath is $10.

Notary Certificates

A notary certificate certifies that one was a notary at the time an acknowledgement was taken. A notary certificate can be obtained form this office for a fee of $5 per acknowledgment. We issue these certificates for Wilson County notaries only.