How to Become a Notary in Indiana (2026): Requirements, Cost & Steps

Requirements verified July 18, 2026 against Indiana Secretary of State (Business Services Division — INBiz)

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.

How to apply: step by 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.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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.
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

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.

Can you notarize online in Indiana? RON allowed

Yes — Indiana authorizes remote online notarization (RON). 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.

To add RON to your commission: 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

Get your stamp and journal. 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

Most new notaries who turn the commission into real income do it through loan signings — notarizing mortgage document packages for title companies. If that interests you, start with what a loan signing agent actually does and earns. Loan signing agent guide

Indiana notary FAQ