How to Become a Notary Public in Alabama

There is a $10 fee to apply for a Notary Public commission. Additional costs for your bond, Notary tools and educational materials vary depending on vendors. There are county fees for filing your bond, signature and commission.

The cost of commissioning can differ depending on whether you are a new or renewing Notary. Supply package prices vary among vendors. New Notaries may need more how-to assistance than experienced Notaries. Books, training and live expert assistance are often must-haves for most new Notaries.

Some vendors may package items with additional fees — processing fees for example. Training can be included in package prices for new Notaries, although the quality of education can vary. Some providers offer their own Notary courses while others do not have the on-staff expertise to develop and support educational content. Several vendors offer Notaries live question and answer support, and others are not able to offer such assistance.

The Alabama Department of State recommends allowing four to six weeks for the processing of a Notary Public commission application.

The term of an Alabama Notary commission is four years.

A Notary Public applicant in Alabama must meet the following requirements:

• Reside in the Alabama county where you applied.
• Must not be going through bankruptcy.
• Must not be convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude.
• Must not be under a current order adjudicating them as incapacitated.

A resident of another U.S. state, who works in Alabama, may not apply for an AL Notary commission.

All applicants must complete a Notary training course prepared by the Alabama Probate Judges Association and the Alabama Law Institute.

There is no state-proctored exam required in Alabama, though an appointing judge may ask a Notary to pass a test at the judge's discretion.

Alabama Notaries must use a rubber stamp ink seal or an embosser for all notarial acts for paper documents. The seal may be in a square design at 2" by 2" or in a circular design no smaller than 1" in diameter and must include the following information:

• Your name as it appears on your commission
• The words "Notary Public"
• The word "Alabama"
• The words "State at Large"

When shopping for seal stamps, quality and durability can vary greatly among vendors. Stamps should not bleed during or after use, as this can cause county officials to reject documents due to smudging. A second seal can help you avoid downtime if your seal is ever misplaced, and an embosser can help add an additional layer of fraud prevention security.

Though no longer required by law, every Alabama Notary may keep a permanently bound journal of his or her notarial acts containing numbered pages. When purchasing a journal, there are features to which you must pay close attention. A journal with tamper-proof sewn construction allows Notaries to identify missing pages in their journals, which becomes extremely helpful if you're ever named in a lawsuit. Simple notebooks or glue-bound journals are not acceptable in Alabama.

Supplies are sold by most vendors in packages, which can sometimes provide savings. However, not all vendor packages are created equal — they can vary greatly in terms of quality and content. If you are a new Notary or renewing your commission, the types and quantity of notarizations can require different tools of the trade.

Alabama Notaries are required to purchase a $50,000 surety bond from an authorized company to protect signers against financial damages resulting from the Notary's negligence or misconduct. A surety bond is a financial guarantee that the Notary will fulfill their obligations to notarize in compliance with state laws. This Notary bond specifically protects the public and not the Notary. Any damages paid from the bond go to cover any signer's losses and must be paid back to the surety company by you.

Notaries can insure themselves against possible legal costs or damages by purchasing a separate, optional errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy. Though not required by law, an E&O policy covers a Notary's legal fees and damages up to the amount of the policy.

The Alabama Office of Secretary of State, Administrative Services, located in Montgomery, AL, holds all records of Notaries Public that are available to be viewed by the general public. However, the county probate judges appoint and commission Notaries.

Yes. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to become an Alabama Notary Public. You must, however, be a legal resident of the state and meet all other application requirements.

An Alabama Notary can perform notarial acts anywhere within the state's borders.

Any member of the public, as long as the request meets all statutory requirements for notarization. The law does not prohibit Notaries from notarizing the signature of their relatives or spouse, but it's a best practice to refrain from such transactions to eliminate any conflicts of interest.

In Alabama, Notaries are authorized to charge $10 per notarial act.

There are no statutory requirements for the county probate judge to amend or issue you a new commission should you change counties or your name. However, you may apply for a new commission to reflect the change in address and/or name.

The commission renewal process may vary depending on your county. Check with your county probate judge to learn how you can renew your Notary Public term. An existing Notary with a commission and bond already in effect on 9/1/23 will not need to obtain the new $50,000 bond until they renew.

Effective July 1, 2021, Alabama Notaries can apply to perform remote online notarization (RON). Notaries may only perform RONs when taking an acknowledgment. Check out this detailed guide on how you can become a remote Notary in Alabama.

If you're not quite ready yet, we have additional resources where you can learn what a Notary is, what they do and why you should become a commissioned Notary.