Skip to content

Notary Public

ALABAMA NOTARY PUBLICS

NOTARY PUBLIC FOR A SPECIFIC COUNTY

Effective January 1, 2012, a person may no longer be appointed as a Notary Public for a specific county.

HOW LONG DOES A COMMISSION FOR A NOTARY PUBLIC LAST?

A Notary Public shall hold office for a period of 4 years from the date of their commission.

MUST A NOTARY PUBLIC BE BONDED?

Yes.  Notaries Public shall give bond with sureties, to be approved by the judge of probate of the county of their residence, in the sum of $25,000.00, payable to the State of Alabama and conditioned to faithfully discharge the duties of such office so long as they may continue therein.  Such bond shall be executed, approved, filed and recorded in the office of the judge of probate of the county of their residence, before they enter on the duties of such office.

IS A NOTARY REQUIRED TO HAVE A SEAL?

Yes.  For the authentication of their official acts, each Notary Public shall provide a seal of office, which shall present, by its impression or stamp, the name, office, and the state for which they were appointed.

HOW MUCH MUST BE PAID TO THE PROBATE JUDGE TO BECOME A NOTARY PUBLIC?

Fee in Limestone County is $26.00.

The judge of probate shall also report to the Secretary of State the name, county of residence, date of issuance, and date of expiration of the commission of each Notary Public appointed and commissioned.

NOTARIES PUBLIC MAY DO ALL THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Administer oaths in all matters incident to the exercise of their office
  2. Take the acknowledgement or proof of instruments of writing relating to commerce or navigation and certify the same and all other of the office acts under their seal of office.
  3. Demand acceptance and payment of bills of exchange, promissory notes, and all other writing which are governed by the commercial law as to days of grace, demand, and notice of nonpayment and protest the same for nonacceptance or nonpayment and to give notice thereof as required by law.
  4. Exercise such other powers, according to commercial usage of the laws of this state, as may belong to notaries’ public.

WHAT FEES MAY A NOTARY COLLECT FOR SERVICES?

Notaries Public are entitled to the sum of five dollars ($5.00) for carrying out any of their enumerated powers.

DOES A NOTARY PUBLIC HAVE TO KEEP RECORDS OF EACH NOTARIAL ACT?

No.  A Notary Public is no longer required to keep a record of all their notarial acts.

WHAT IS THE PENALTY FOR PERFORMING A NOTARIAL ACT WITHOUT A COMMISSION OR AN EXPIRED
COMMISSION?

Any person who, having been a Notary, willfully performs or assumes the authority to perform a notarial act after their commission expires, or any person who without a notary’s commission assumes the authority and performs a notarial act shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

ALSO, REFER TO THESE WEBSITES FOR INFORMATION:

Alabama Secretary of State
The American Society of Notaries
The National Notary Association
Notary.Net
NotaryPublicStamps.com
NotaryBonding.com

********************

THIS INFORMATION, WHICH IS BASED ON ALABAMA LAW, IS TO INFORM AND NOT TO ADVISE.  NO PERSON SHOULD EVER APPLY OR INTERPRET ANY LAW WITHOUT THE AID OF A LAWYER WHO ANALYZES THE FACTS, BECAUSE THE FACTS MAY CHANGE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW.