2026 state guide · IN

How to become a notary in Indiana

By NotaryRequirements.com · Source review July 18, 2026
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Official application ↗Your application checklist

Quick answer

Minimum age: 18 years; residency and other eligibility rules below
Required fees: $91.32 + variable costs
Exam / course: Exam required · Training required
Bond coverage: $25,000 (you pay a premium, not this amount)
Commission term: 8 years
Remote status: Electronic RON available

Indiana notaries apply online through the Secretary of State's INBiz portal, pay a $75 fee that includes a required education course and exam, and file a $25,000 surety bond. The commission runs eight years, with a $50 continuing-education course due every two years to keep it alive.

Indiana runs its entire notary program online through INBiz, the Secretary of State's business portal — application, education course, exam, bond upload, and even the continuing education you'll owe later. The $75 application fee covers the required course and exam, which unlock after you pay. You'll also need a $25,000 surety bond and a fresh Indiana State Police background check ($16.32) before you start. Once you pass the exam, the state takes about 5–10 business days to issue your commission.

The practical rundown: buy the bond, pull the background check, apply and pay $75 on INBiz, pass the course and exam, then buy a stamp once your NP0 commission number arrives. The Secretary of State's own cost estimate is $241.32 in state fees over the life of the commission, plus $50–$250 for the bond and stamp.

Two things set Indiana apart. The commission lasts eight years — double the typical four — but it comes with strings: a $50 continuing-education course every two years, and if you miss a deadline the commission permanently expires. Indiana also runs a full remote-notarization program (live since July 2020): a separate $100 authorization with its own exam lets you notarize electronically for signers anywhere, at up to $25 per act versus the $10 in-person cap.

Who can become a notary in Indiana?

Age: at least 18 years old.
Residency: You must be a full-time, permanent Indiana resident OR primarily employed in Indiana. Non-residents who work in Indiana can apply, but must upload proof of employment (a letter on company letterhead, recent paystub, or HR letter). If you later stop living or working in Indiana, the commission becomes invalid and must be given up.
Background: You cannot have committed acts showing a lack of 'competence, honesty, integrity, or reliability' under IC 33-42-13 — that includes felony convictions and any crime or civil ruling involving deceit, dishonesty, or fraud. Indiana's general public-office disqualification laws (IC 5-8-3-1) also apply, barring people convicted of crimes punishable by more than a year in prison. Convictions expunged under IC 35-38-9 do not disqualify you. Every applicant must upload an Indiana State Police limited criminal history record ($16.32) no older than 30 days.
U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States.
Must hold an Indiana driver's license, Indiana ID card, or other proof of Indiana residence — or proof of Indiana employment for non-residents.
Must obtain a $25,000 surety bond before applying.
Must upload a signature sample with the application; all notarizations must match it.
Must complete the state's education course and pass the exam before the application goes to final review.

Your application checklist

Work through the application in order. Check off completed steps; your progress is saved only in this browser.

Step 1. Buy a $25,000 surety bond from a company authorized to write bonds in Indiana (check with the Indiana Department of Insurance). You will upload the bond certificate during the application.
Step 2. Order an Indiana State Police limited criminal history record online ($16.32). It must be less than 30 days old when you apply, and you only have 14 days to download the file, so save it right away.
Step 3. Prepare a signature sample and, if you live out of state but work in Indiana, a document proving Indiana employment (paystub or letter on company letterhead).
Step 4. Create an INBiz account and start the Notary Public application at inbiz.in.gov/certification/notary. Pay the nonrefundable $75 application fee (Visa or Mastercard, plus a card convenience fee).
Step 5. Complete the state's notary education course and pass the exam. The course and exam unlock after you pay the fee — access is included in the $75.
Step 6. Wait for the Secretary of State's final review — allow 5 to 10 business days after passing the exam. Your commission certificate and NP0-series commission number arrive through INBiz.
Step 7. Buy a notary seal or stamp from a retail or notary-supply vendor showing your exact commissioned name, 'Notary Public', 'State of Indiana', your commission number, and your expiration date. The state does not sell seals.

How long it takes: The Secretary of State says to allow 5–10 business days for final review after you pass the exam. The overall timeline mostly depends on how quickly you get the bond and background check and finish the course.

What it costs in Indiana

First-time, non-attorney applicant for a traditional commission. Government appointments, attorney exemptions, renewals and remote authorization may differ.

Known required fees: $91.32 + variable costs

This is an itemized starting point. Blank prices are unknown, not free. Add actual quotes below; do not count a bundled fee or supply twice.

Application / commission fee (required)

$75 · Source

First-time traditional commission. Fee exemptions may apply to certain applicants.

Your actual charge (USD)

State Police record check (required)

$16.32 · Source

Confirm the current charge and any applicant exemptions with the linked authority.

Your actual charge (USD)

Required education and assessment (required)

No separate fee · Source

Use the official free/included option; paid alternatives may cost extra.

Your actual charge (USD)

Surety bond premium (required)

Get a quote · Source

Enter the premium you pay, not the bond coverage amount. Ask whether a vendor package includes the filing fee or supplies.

Your quote (USD)

Required seal and supplies (required)

Get a quote · Source

Follow the guide’s seal and recordkeeping rules; journals are mandatory in some jurisdictions and optional in others. Enter only required supplies here, without double-counting a vendor package.

Your quote (USD)

Quotes stay in this page and are not sent to our analytics. Optional insurance, travel, retakes and remote authorization may add costs.

Exam and training

Exam: Yes. Every applicant must pass the state's notary exam, taken online through INBiz after completing the education course. Access opens once you pay the $75 application fee, and your application only moves to final review after you pass.

Required course: Required twice over. First, an initial education course (included in the $75 application fee) before the exam. Then continuing education: a $50 online course and exam through INBiz every two years — three times during the 8-year term. Only courses administered through the Secretary of State count. Missing a CE deadline permanently expires your commission.

Remote notarization in Indiana

Electronic RON available

A commissioned notary must meet the state-specific authorization, technology and recordkeeping rules below.

Remote notarization took effect July 1, 2020 under IC 33-42-17 (enacted by SEA 372 in 2018). Indiana allows RON on electronic documents only — remote notarization of paper documents (RIN/PRON) is not permitted. Vendor platform fees, onboarding charges, and electronic-seal costs come on top of the state's $100 fee.

You must already hold an active Indiana commission with at least 90 days left on it and be current on continuing education. Then file the separate Remote Notary Authorization application on INBiz, pay a nonrefundable $100, complete the remote notarization course, pass the remote notary exam, and contract with at least one technology vendor from the Secretary of State's approved list (you pick the vendor during the application). You must keep a password-protected electronic journal of every remote act for at least 10 years, and you must be physically inside Indiana when notarizing — the signer can be anywhere. The authorization expires with your commission, so you reapply (another $100) each renewal cycle.

Full guide: how to become a remote online notary.

After you're commissioned

Check your seal and recordkeeping requirements. A seal — rubber ink stamp or embosser — is required to complete notarial acts. It must contain: the words 'Notary Public', the words 'State of Indiana', your name exactly as it appears on your commission certificate, the words 'commission number' followed by your NP0-series number, and 'my commission expires' followed by the expiration date. The word 'Seal' was required from 2018 until July 1, 2024, when HB 1032 dropped it (IC 33-42-0.5-131). No specific shape or size is mandated, and the state neither sells seals nor recommends vendors. See the new-notary supplies checklist and Indiana stamp requirements before you order.

What you can charge: Indiana caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act ($25 per remote notarial act). IC 33-42-14-1 caps the charge at $10 per individual notarization done in person or on paper; remote notaries may charge up to $25 per remote notarial act. Travel can be billed separately, but only up to the federal IRS mileage rate, and you must tell clients about any extra charges in advance.

E&O insurance: Not required. The Secretary of State describes errors-and-omissions insurance as 'optional but recommended' — the $25,000 bond protects the public (and the surety can bill you back for claims it pays), while E&O protects you.

Earning more with your commission

Loan signings are one possible service after commissioning — notarizing mortgage document packages for title companies. Availability depends on local demand, hiring requirements and state restrictions. If that interests you, start with what a loan signing agent actually does and earns. Loan signing agent guide

Indiana notary FAQ

How much does it cost to become a notary in Indiana?

The state application fee is $75, which includes the required education course and exam. Add the $16.32 State Police background check and a $25,000 surety bond (the Secretary of State estimates $50–$250 for bond-and-stamp bundles). Over the full 8-year term you'll also pay $150 in continuing-education fees ($50 every two years), so the state's own total is $241.32 plus supplies.

Does Indiana require a notary exam?

Yes. After you pay the $75 application fee on INBiz, the education course and exam unlock. You must pass the exam before the Secretary of State reviews your application. Remote notary authorization has its own separate course and exam.

What happens if I miss my continuing-education deadline?

Your commission permanently expires — you'd have to start over with a new $75 application, bond, and exam. CE is due every two years by the last day of the month your commission was issued, and the $50 course can only be completed within 90 days of the due date. Keep your email current with the Secretary of State, because reminders go there.

How do I become a remote (online) notary in Indiana?

First get a regular commission. Then, with at least 90 days left on your term and CE up to date, file the Remote Notary Authorization on INBiz, pay $100, pass the remote course and exam, and sign up with a technology vendor from the state's approved list. You can charge up to $25 per remote act, but you must be physically in Indiana when you notarize and keep an electronic journal for 10 years.

Can I become an Indiana notary if I live in another state?

Yes, if you're primarily employed in Indiana. You'll upload proof of that employment — a recent paystub or a letter on company letterhead — with your application. If you later stop working in Indiana, your commission becomes invalid and must be relinquished.

Official sources

Use these authority pages and publications to check the requirements. Review notes identify details that still need confirmation.

INBiz Notary page (requirements, fees, education, remote notary) — Indiana Secretary of State / INBiz
Indiana Notary Public Guide (revised May 20, 2024) — Indiana Secretary of State
2024 Indiana Notary Public Update (SOS presentation) — Indiana Secretary of State (hosted by State Board of Accounts)
2020 Indiana Notary Public Update (SEA 372 / remote notarization effective dates) — Indiana Secretary of State (hosted by State Board of Accounts)

The source review date covers our earlier research. Recent checks above apply only to the named topics. Requirements and charges can change; confirm the current packet with Indiana Secretary of State (Business Services Division — INBiz).