How to Become a Notary in Idaho

How do I renew my notary commission in Idaho?

Idaho notaries public seeking to renew their traditional notary public commissions may apply for reappointment as notaries public no earlier than ninety days prior to the expiration of their notary commission terms. Notaries applying for reappointment as notaries public must follow the same process and procedures as required for a new application for appointment. These include:

1. Completing an online notary public application form, printing it, and having it notarized.
2. Obtaining a $10,000 surety bond.
3. Submitting the bond and notarized application to the Idaho Secretary of State.
4. Submitting the $30 filing fee.

The Idaho Secretary of State will not send renewal reminders to notaries public. Notaries do not need to obtain a new rubber stamp seal if they already have one. For commissioning information, check the Idaho Secretary of State website at https://sos.idaho.gov/notaries-apostilles-authentications/ or click here.

Who appoints notaries in Idaho?

The Idaho Secretary of State appoints notaries public, receives applications for appointment and reappointment as a notary public, administers the commissioning process, and maintains an electronic database of active notaries and electronic notaries.

The Idaho Secretary of State can be contacted at:

Mailing address:
Idaho Secretary of State
Notary Department
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0080

Physical address:
Idaho Secretary of State
Notary Department
450 N. 4th Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 332-2849 or (208) 334-2300

Website: https://sos.idaho.gov/notaries-apostilles-authentications/

Can a non-resident of Idaho apply for a commission as a notary public?

Yes. A non-resident applicant may apply to become an Idaho notary public if they:  

1. Have a place of employment or practice in Idaho.
2. Satisfy the same qualifications as Idaho residents, setting aside the state residency requirements.
3. Follow the same application for the appointment process and procedures as Idaho residents, including obtaining a $10,000 bond and paying a $30 filing fee.
4. Continuously maintain a place of employment or practice in Idaho.
5. Relinquish the notary public commission if they cease to be employed or have a practice in Idaho.

How long is a notary public's commission term in Idaho?

The term of office for an Idaho notary public is six years commencing with the date specified in the notary public commission. However, a notary’s commission may be rendered void:

1. By resignation.
2. By death.
3. By revocation.
4. When a notary public is no longer a resident of Idaho.
5. When a non-resident notary no longer has a place of employment or practice in Idaho.
6. When a notary is no longer a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States.
7. When a notary public becomes disqualified pursuant to Idaho Code §51-123.

Is notary training or an exam required to become a notary or to renew a notary commission in Idaho?

No. Neither new notary applicants seeking appointments as notaries public nor renewing notaries in Idaho are required to take and pass any notary courses or exams to be appointed and commissioned as Idaho notaries public. However, beginning July 1, 2019, the Idaho Secretary of State is required to regularly offer a course of study to applicants who do not hold commissions as notaries public in Idaho pursuant to Section 51-122 of the Idaho Code. To satisfy this legal requirement, the Idaho Secretary of State’s website offers an online Idaho Notary Training Course for all new and renewing Idaho notaries public at no charge. This online notary training course includes six chapters, specific video study guides, and six optional quizzes on Idaho notary requirements, processes, and procedures relating to notarial acts. To begin this online notary training course at no charge, go to the Idaho Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.idaho.gov/notary-training/

How much does it cost to become a notary public in Idaho?

To become a notary public in Idaho, you must pay the following:

1. A $30 filing fee for processing your notary application.
2. The cost of a $10,000 surety bond.

Other expenses include the cost of purchasing:

1. A notary stamp.
2. A notary journal if you wish to follow the recommendation of the Idaho Secretary of State.
3. An errors and omissions insurance policy to protect yourself in the event you are sued for unintentional mistakes or a false claim is filed against you as a notary. (This step is optional.)

Do I need a notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy to become a notary in Idaho?

A notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy is optional in Idaho and is not required to become an Idaho notary public or to renew your notary commission. However, the American Association of Notaries strongly recommends that every Idaho notary obtain a notary E&O insurance policy. This insurance protects you from a claim if a client sues you as a notary. A notary E&O policy covers unintentional notarial mistakes and pays for legal fees and damages based on the coverage you select as an Idaho notary public.

Do I need a notary bond to become a notary in Idaho?

Yes. An assurance in the form of a surety bond or its functional equivalent in the amount of $10,000 is required for all new applicants seeking appointments as notaries public and for renewing notaries public. The assurance must be issued by one of the following:

1. A surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in Idaho.
2. The state Bureau of Risk Management if the applicant is regularly employed by the state and the notary public commission is required in the scope of that employment.

The assurance must cover acts performed during the notary public’s commission term and must be in the form prescribed by the Idaho Secretary of State. The surety or issuing entity must notify the secretary of state of a payment made under a notary’s assurance no later than thirty days after issuing the payment to a claimant under the assurance. The surety or issuing entity must give the secretary of state thirty days’ notice before canceling the assurance.

Do I need to order a notary stamp in Idaho?

The Idaho notary statute requires all Idaho notaries public to use an inked stamp to authenticate all their notarial acts (IC §51-117). Section 51-117 of the Idaho Code provides the legal specifications regarding the layout and the information required on all official stamps.  

Dimensions: The official notary stamp may be a circular form not more than one and three-quarter inches in diameter or a rectangular form not more than two and a quarter inches by one inch in length. The official stamp must have a serrated or milled-edge border.

Required Elements: The official stamp must include the following elements:

• The notary public’s name
• The words “Notary Public”
• The words “State of Idaho”
• The notary’s state-issued commission number

If desired by the notary, the stamp may also include the words “my commission expires:” followed by the notary’s current commission expiration date.

Note: There can be no other information or graphics on the notary seal. Lastly, the official stamp must be clear and legible and capable of being photographically reproduced. More information about a notary stamp can be found here.

To order an Idaho notary stamp, complete notary package, and notary supplies, please visit the American Association of Notaries website at https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/notary-stamps/idaho.

How much can an Idaho notary public charge for performing notarial acts?

Idaho notary fees are set by state notary statute (IC §51-133). The maximum allowable fees that an Idaho notary public may charge for notarial acts are as follows:

• Taking an acknowledgment: $5
• Administering an oath or affirmation: $5
• Taking a verification on oath or affirmation: $5
• Witnessing or attesting a signature: $5
• Certifying or attesting a copy: $5
• Noting a protest of a negotiable instrument: $5

Note: In addition to the notarial fee, a notary public may be compensated for actual and reasonable expenses of travel to a place where a notarial act is to be performed [IC §51-133(2)]. “An employer shall not require a notary public in his employment to surrender a fee if charged, or any part thereof to the employer. An employer may, however, preclude such notary public from charging a fee for a notarial act performed in the scope of the notary public’s employment” [IC §51-133(3)].

Is a notary journal required in Idaho?

The Idaho notary statute does not require Idaho notaries public to record their notarial acts in a journal. However, the Idaho Secretary of State recommends that Idaho notaries record their notarial acts in a journal to protect them from liability. The American Association of Notaries also encourages Idaho notaries to maintain a permanent, paper-bound journal with numbered pages designed to deter fraud. This will enable the notary to create and preserve a chronological record of every notarial act performed. Alternatively, the notary might choose to maintain a permanent, tamper-evident electronic journal as a protective measure against liability.

To order an Idaho notary journal, please visit the American Association of Notaries website at  https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/record-book/idaho.

Where can I perform notarial acts in Idaho?

You may perform notarial acts while you are physically anywhere within the geographic borders of the state of Idaho.

What notarial acts can an Idaho notary public perform?

An Idaho notary public is authorized to perform the following notarial acts [IC §51-102(5)]:

• Take an acknowledgment
• Administer an oath or affirmation
• Take a verification on oath or affirmation
• Witness or attest a signature
• Certify or attest a copy
• Note a protest of a negotiable instrument

Can I perform electronic notarizations in Idaho?

Yes. The Idaho Legislature enacted the “Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts,” which authorizes a traditional notary public to obtain an electronic or digital signature and electronic seal to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records in the physical presence of the individual seeking the notarization (IC §51-120).

Idaho notary statute requires the document signer to personally appear before the notary public and to be physically close enough to see, hear, communicate, and present identification credentials to the notary without reliance on an electronic device, like a telephone, computer, video camera, or facsimile machine at the time of the notarization. All the same rules, standards, practices, and regulations that apply to a traditional paper notarization also apply to an electronically signed document, including, but not limited to, the personal appearance of the document signer before the notary public. A notary’s electronic seal must reproduce the required elements of his or her official seal. A person may not require a notary to perform a notarial act with respect to an electronic record with a technology that the notary has not selected.

What is the process to become an Idaho electronic notary public?

To become an electronic notary public in Idaho, you must:

1. Select a tamper-evident technology to use for electronic notarizations.
2. File an “Addition of Electronic or Remote Online Notary” amendment to your account on sosbiz.idaho.gov, or file the paper form: Authorization for Electronic Notarization. (NOTE: Filing paper forms will incur a $20 manual processing fee).

Upon approval, the secretary of state will issue an authorization certificate specifying the technology you selected to perform in-person electronic notarizations.

Can I perform remote online notarizations in Idaho?

Yes. The Idaho 2019 Legislature enacted Senate Bill 1111, which amends the “Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts” by adding Section 51-114A to the Idaho Statutes relating to remote online notarizations with an effective date of January 1, 2020. Section 51-114A allows a notary public and a remotely located individual to communicate with each other simultaneously by sight and sound using communication technology for the performance of a notarial act.

How do I become a remote online notary in Idaho?

Before you perform your initial remote online notarization, you must notify the Idaho Secretary of State that you will perform notarial acts facilitated by communication technology and identify the technology software vendor you will use. It is your responsibility as a remote notary to determine that the communication technology software is compliant with the standards stated under Idaho Administrative Procedure Act (IDAPA) 34.07.01. To become a remote online notary, you must:

1. Hold an Idaho notary public commission.
2. Obtain communication technology software, an electronic notary stamp, and an electronic signature.
3. Complete the Authorization for Electronic/Remote Online Notarization form.
4. Have the Authorization for Electronic/ Remote Online Notarization form notarized.
5. Mail the completed form with the following:

• A $20 fee for a remote online notary commission
• A $20 manual processing fee for filing the paper form
• A sample of your software notarial certificate, electronic notary stamp, and electronic signature

How do I update my address on my Idaho notary commission?

If your residence changes during your term of office, you must submit to the Idaho Secretary of State:

1. A written notice of such address change.
2. A completed “Notary Change Form.”
3. A $5 filing fee for a physical address change.

There is no charge for a mailing address change only. Click here to download the Notary Change Form.

How do I change my name on my notary commission in Idaho?

If your name changes during your term of office, you must provide a written notice to the Idaho Secretary of State by completing the Notary Change Form and submitting a $5 filing fee. You will receive an amended certificate of commission, which is required to purchase a new notary stamp with the new name.

Click here to download the Notary Change Form.

Revised:

January 2023