Notary

Return old or expired seals to the Department for disposal.

Certified Mail sent to

Hand delivery or by delivery service to

The notary law has at least one provision that could lead to criminal charges for failing to turn in a notary seal once you are no longer commissioned. N.C.G.S. 10B-60(f) says that 'Any person who without authority conceals the seal is guilty of a Class I felony'.

No, a notary can’t certify a document as a true copy.

Yes. A North Carolina notary public may notarize documents in any North Carolina county.

We will investigate. The notary will have a chance to present his or her side. If we find that the notary violated the law, we can:

• Send the notary back to class
• Warn the notary
• Restrict the notary’s commission
• Suspend the notary’s commission
• Revoke the notary’s commission
• Prosecute the notary for a misdemeanor or felony.

Under the Notary Act, notaries can be charged with both misdemeanors and felonies. A list of violations that are crimes is available on our website. Some crimes committed by notaries may also violate other laws.

Yes, but the notarial certificate must be in English.

We may take up to 2 weeks to process your application if it is complete and correct. It may take longer if it is not complete or if it is incorrect.

You can’t apply for reappointment earlier than 10 weeks before your commission expires.

Yes, you will have to take and pass a test before you can be reappointed.

You have to get at least 80% of the questions right to pass the reappointment exam.

Yes, there are 2 groups of people who don’t have to take the test to get reappointed. You don’t have to take the reappointment test if you:

• Are a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar or
• Are a notary who’s had a North Carolina commission since July 10, 1991, and it has never lapsed and you have never been disciplined by us.

You can take the test online at our website.

You can take the exam 3 times in 30 days.

You will have to take the Notary Public course over again.

You can:

• Order it online at https://www.sog.unc.edu
• Email [email protected]
• Write to: School of Government, UNC Chapel Hill, CB #3330, Knapp-Sanders Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3330;
• Call 919-966-4119; or
• Contact a bookstore in your area or at a local community college.

Yes, you need to:

• Submit a signed notice of change form to us within 45 days of the change.
• Take the oath of office at the Register of Deeds office in your commission county within 45 days after you get the oath notification letter from us.
• Get a new seal.
• Return your old seal to us by certified mail, return receipt requested.

If you don’t follow the name change steps, we can discipline you.

You must submit a signed letter to us including a date of resignation. Within 45 days of resigning, you have to send your seal or stamp to us by certified mail, return receipt requested. You can also hand deliver it to us when our office is open to the public. We will dispose of your stamp or seal.

No, you can’t notarize a document without notarial wording.

If you are not a licensed attorney, you can’t decide what kind of notarial act or certificate to use if the person didn’t provide one. If you are a licensed attorney, you can decide what kind of notarial act or certificate to use if the person didn’t provide one.

Yes, you can offer a selection of certificates.

You can call DMV at 919-715-7000. Or, you can go to the DMV website at https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/Pages/default.aspx.