How to Become a Notary Public in Illinois

Section 2-102 of the Act lists what every applicant must be able to state on the application, and the Secretary's notary page repeats the short version. To apply you must:

The felony bar has no look-back window. The handbook answers the question head-on: a person convicted of a felony 20 years ago still cannot be commissioned in Illinois.

Non-resident commissions are narrow. Under Section 2-101, a resident of a bordering state whose place of work or business is in an Illinois county can receive a one-year commission, and only if that state lets Illinois residents become notaries there. Non-residents file a paper application instead of using the online system.

Section 2-101.5 of the Act and rule 176.205 put the course and exam first. You must use a course provider certified by the Secretary, and the Index Department publishes its Notary Public Study Course Providers list online; it includes a community college, notary associations and private companies. The rules call for at least 180 minutes of instruction finished within 30 days, followed by a 50-question final exam that you pass with a score of 85 percent or better.

Once you pass, you have two years from the exam date to file your application. The provider issues a completion certificate, and you upload an electronic copy of it with the online application. Our separate Illinois exam guide covers the test format and retakes in detail.

Section 2-105 requires a four-year surety bond of $5,000 from a company qualified to write surety bonds in Illinois, conditioned on the faithful performance of your notarial acts. If you plan to notarize remotely or electronically by audio-video communication, the Act adds a $25,000 bond, and the two can be written as one $30,000 bond. The handbook says the office will not take a public official bond or an errors and omissions policy in place of the notary bond.

You may buy the bond from any qualified insurer or from a private notary association; the Secretary does not recommend any seller. Under Section 5-102, anyone soliciting you to buy a notary bond must print, in bold type at least a quarter inch high, that they are not associated with any state or local government agency.

Illinois residents must apply through the Secretary's online notary application unless they are granted a hardship exemption, which allows a paper filing. Before you start, have these ready: your valid Illinois driver's license or state ID card, an electronic copy of the course completion certificate, and an electronic copy of your completed bond form (I 263 or I 264) signed and certified by the surety.

The appointment fee set by Section 2-103 is $15. An electronic notary commission costs $25 more, which is why the handbook quotes $40 for applying for both at once. The online system checks your answers against driver's license records, pulls the signature already on file, and has you affirm the notary oath electronically (Sections 2-102.5 and 2-104). By applying you also authorize a criminal background check if the Secretary decides one is needed.

The Secretary's FAQ says you may start notarizing once your commission is approved and your official seal is in hand. Section 3-101 calls for a rubber stamp with a serrated or milled rectangular border no larger than 1 inch high by 2 1/2 inches long, showing the words Official Seal, your official name, Notary Public, State of Illinois, and your commission expiration date. The handbook adds your commission number to that list and allows black ink only. You can confirm your status on the Secretary's Notary Search page.

Buy a journal before your first appointment as well. Section 3-107 and Subpart J of Part 176 require an Illinois notary to record every notarial act.

A resident commission runs four years and ends at midnight on the expiration date; a non-resident commission lasts one year. There is no grace period, so an expired notary may not notarize while a new application is pending. The Secretary mails a notice about 60 days before expiration, and the online system accepts renewals starting 90 days before the commission ends.

Renewal applicants repeat the course and exam. Rule 176.205(e) exempts renewing attorneys in good standing with the ARDC, sitting Illinois or federal judges, and employees of those attorneys and courts, if they sign the Secretary's statement. Moving to another county or changing your name requires resigning and applying for a new commission, while an address or employer change inside the same county is reported to the Index Department.

The certified course is mandatory, and no outside study tool takes its place. If you want more repetition on the Act, NotaryPrepHQ offers Illinois practice questions written from the Notary Public Act and the handbook, with an explanation after every answer.