The official Kentucky Notary Public Handbook lists a range of requirements for state notaries public. Although there are no exam requirements, you must pass a felony criminal check and possess what the state calls good moral character to become a notary.
You must also file a commission application with the Kentucky Secretary of State, secure a $1,000 surety bond and obtain your state-required notary seal, record journal and other supplies.
A notary commission in Kentucky is only valid for four years. After completing all the work necessary to establish yourself, you don’t want to inadvertently let your commission expire.
Anyone who fails to address a commission renewal before its expiration date must begin the entire process all over again. By comparison, renewing an existing commission is significantly easier.
Although easier than applying for a new commission, renewing isn’t without its various hassles and complexities. Let’s examine the Kentucky notary renewal process by breaking it down into four sequential steps.
Begin the renewal process by submitting a Notary Public Application for Appointment or Reappointment through the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
This form makes filing for reappointment quite easy by allowing existing notaries to input their commission number and commission expiration date at the very top of the form.
Beyond ensuring that the entire form is completed and filed according to specific state instructions, you must also include an application fee.
Upon application approval, you must purchase a 4-year, $1,000 bond from a licensed surety company and file that bond with the local office of your county clerk.
Our comprehensive Kentucky notary package includes the state-required bond.
Within 30 days of filing your surety bond, you must go to your local county clerk’s office to take your official oath of office and record your official new appointment date.
With your new commission certificate in hand, you are ready to acquire your stamp. In Kentucky, you need a new stamp every time that you renew your commission.
After verifying this certificate and other essential documents, most leading providers will create your stamp and ship it directly to you within several business days.
Our convenient and affordable Kentucky Notary Package helps you through every step of the renewal process, leaving you with your state-required $1,000 bond, a record-keeping journal, a customized self-inking stamp and a certificate worthy of framing.
Let us deal with the particulars, and you will receive your full renewal package by mail.
Commissions must be renewed every four years.
When a commission expires, it is no longer valid, and you cannot legally perform the duties of a notary public. You can find your expiration date on your official seal.
You can complete and submit a Notary Public Application for Appointment or Reappointment online through the official website of the Kentucky Secretary of State.
You can also secure your required surety bond and order your stamp online. However, you must show up in person at your local county clerk’s office to take your official oath of office.
All notaries need to hold a current four-year, $1,000 surety bond.
If your commission expires, you will need to apply for an entirely new one.
In fact, you must begin the renewal process by submitting both an application and any associated application fees to the Kentucky Secretary of State before your current commission expires. Even a day after its expiration date, a commission becomes invalid and cannot be renewed.
Your renewal window opens 60 days before your current commission expires. Any renewal application received prior to this date will not be considered by the Kentucky Secretary of State.
