US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

486.235. 1. During his or her term of office each notary public shall maintain a surety bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars with, as surety thereon, a company qualified to write surety bonds in this state. The bond shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of all notarial acts in accordance with this chapter. Each notary public shall notify the secretary of state of changes on or riders to the bond.

2. Before receiving his or her commission, each applicant shall submit to the county clerk of the county within and for which he or she is to be commissioned, an executed bond commencing at least ninety days after the date he or she submitted the application to the secretary of state with a term of four years, which shall consist of the dates specified on the applicant's commission.

3. Before receiving his or her commission, each applicant shall take the following oath in the presence of the county clerk: I, ........ (name of applicant), solemnly swear, under the penalty of perjury, that I have carefully read the notary law of this state, and if appointed and commissioned as a notary public, I will uphold the Constitution of the United States and of this state and will faithfully perform to the best of my ability all notarial acts in conformance with the law. ........................................(signature of applicant) Subscribed and sworn to before me this ...... day of ........, 20... . .....................................(signature of county clerk)

4. Before receiving his or her commission, each applicant shall submit to the county clerk a handwritten specimen of the applicant's official signature which contains his or her surname and at least the initial of the applicant's first name.

5. Immediately after receiving the bond and official signature and witnessing the oath, the county clerk shall award to the applicant his or her commission as a notary public.

(L. 1977 H.B. 513 §§ 8, 9, A.L. 1981 H.B. 388, A.L. 2004 H.B. 1193)