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

Requirements verified July 19, 2026 against Michigan Department of State (Office of the Great Seal)

Michigan notaries buy a $10,000 surety bond, file it with their county clerk and take the oath there, then submit a $10 application to the Michigan Department of State. There is no exam or required training, and the commission runs six to seven years, ending on your birthday.

Michigan flips the usual order of notary paperwork: the county comes first. Before the state will look at your application, your county clerk has to file your $10,000 surety bond, give you the constitutional oath of office, and certify your application with the county seal — all for a $10–$20 county fee. Only then does the application (and a separate $10 state fee) go to the Office of the Great Seal in Lansing. Skip the clerk visit and your application comes straight back.

The rest is light: no exam, no required course, and a total cost usually between $75 and $150 once you add the bond premium. Submit online after your county visit and the state says to allow about two weeks; mailed applications take four to six. Your commission card arrives through your MiLogin account, and it runs six to seven years, expiring on your birthday. One caution — don't notarize anything until the state's notary search shows you as 'Valid.'

Two quirks set Michigan apart. A stamp is optional — the law only demands that your name, commission county, and expiration date appear legibly on each record — though most notaries buy one anyway. And since Michigan's 2018 law change, you can add electronic or remote notarization by picking a platform from the state's approved-vendor list and notifying the Department of State, with no extra state fee reported for the add-on.

Who can become a notary in Michigan?

• Age: at least 18 years old.
• Residency: You must be a Michigan resident or maintain a principal place of business in Michigan. You apply through your county of residence; non-residents who qualify through a Michigan business apply through their county of business and must include a copy of their driver's license or state ID plus a letter from their employer.
• Background: The application makes you certify that you are not currently incarcerated and have not served time during the past ten years for a felony or misdemeanor offense in any state. The state's published qualifications also bar felony convictions within the past 10 years — a period that includes completing the sentence, parole or probation, and paying all fines. Repeat misdemeanor violations of the Michigan notary law itself (two or more in 12 months, or three or more in 5 years) are also disqualifying.
• U.S. citizen or proof of legal presence in the United States.
• Able to read and write English.
• You must certify that you have read the notary laws of Michigan (the Michigan Law on Notarial Acts, MCL 55.261–55.315).
• Licensed Michigan attorneys in good standing are exempt from the bond but still take the oath at the county clerk's office.

How to apply: step by step

1. Fill out the Application for Michigan Notary Public online through the Michigan Department of State, then print it. Handwritten or incomplete applications are returned, and your commission name must match your printed name and signature exactly.
2. Buy a $10,000 surety bond written for a six- or seven-year term from an insurance company licensed in Michigan. Premiums are set by the bonding company — verify current pricing when you shop.
3. Take the bond and your completed application to your county clerk's office. For a $10–$20 fee, the clerk files your bond, administers the constitutional oath of office, and stamps the county seal on your application. This county step happens BEFORE anything goes to the state.
4. Submit the county-certified application to the Office of the Great Seal (Michigan Department of State, 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48918) with the $10 non-refundable filing fee — online with card or e-check (about 2 weeks processing) or by mail with a check payable to State of Michigan (4–6 weeks).
5. Watch for the approval email; your commission card and wall certificate are delivered through your MiLogin account. Do not notarize until the state's online notary search lists you as 'Valid.'
6. Decide whether to buy a stamp. Michigan does not require a seal, but every notarization must show your name, the notarial wording required by MCL 55.287, and your commission details — most notaries buy an inexpensive stamp so they don't hand-write it each time.

How long it takes: Online submissions are prioritized — the SOS says allow about 2 weeks, and many are processed faster. Mailed applications take 4–6 weeks from when the fee is received. Remember to complete the county clerk step first; it is same-day at most clerk offices.

What it costs in Michigan

Exam and training

Michigan does not require an exam or a mandatory course. No required training. The Department of State publishes a notary manual and FAQ; private courses exist but are optional.

Can you notarize online in Michigan? RON allowed

Yes — Michigan authorizes remote online notarization (RON). Michigan amended the Michigan Law on Notarial Acts in 2018 to authorize electronic and remote notarization through state-approved vendors. Only systems on the SOS's published vendor list may be used — ordinary video-call apps do not qualify.

To add RON to your commission: Hold a regular Michigan commission first. Then choose an electronic/remote notarization platform from the Department of State's approved vendor list and notify the SOS of the vendor name, contact information, and system you will use. County and SOS materials indicate there is no additional state fee for adding electronic or remote authority, though the vendor charges its own platform costs — confirm current procedure with the Office of the Great Seal.

Full guide: how to become a remote online notary.

After you're commissioned

Get your stamp and journal. Michigan does not require a stamp, seal, or embosser. What the law (MCL 55.287) does require on every notarized record, near your signature: your name exactly as commissioned (printed, typed, or stamped legibly), your commission details including the county of commission and expiration date, and — when notarizing outside your commission county — the statement 'Acting in the County of ____.' If you do use a stamp or seal, it must not make anything on the record illegible. You must also sign exactly the name shown on your application. See the new-notary supplies checklist and Michigan stamp requirements before you order.

What you can charge: Michigan caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act. MCL 55.285 caps the charge at $10 for any individual transaction or notarial act, and you must post a sign or tell the person the fee before you perform the act. A separate travel fee is allowed if you and the client agree to it before you travel.

E&O insurance: Not required. The bond protects the public and the surety can seek repayment from you, so optional errors-and-omissions insurance is what actually protects the notary.

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

Michigan notary FAQ