2026 state guide · MI
How to become a notary in Michigan
Quick answer
- Minimum age
- 18 years; residency and other eligibility rules below
- Required fees
- $20–$30 + variable costs
- Exam / course
- No exam required · No mandatory course
- Bond coverage
- $10,000 (you pay a premium, not this amount)
- Commission term
- 7 years
- Remote status
- Electronic RON available
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.
Your application checklist
Work through the application in order. Check off completed steps; your progress is saved only in this browser.
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
First-time, non-attorney applicant for a traditional commission. Government appointments, attorney exemptions, renewals and remote authorization may differ.
Known required fees: $20–$30 + 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.
$10 · Source
First-time traditional commission. Fee exemptions may apply to certain applicants.
$10–$20 · Source
Confirm the current charge and any applicant exemptions with the linked authority.
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.
Get a quote · Source
These supplies are optional for a traditional commission. Include them only if you plan to buy them.
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
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.
Remote notarization in Michigan
Electronic RON available
A commissioned notary must meet the state-specific authorization, technology and recordkeeping rules below.
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.
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
Check your seal and recordkeeping requirements. 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
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
Michigan notary FAQ
Do I file my Michigan notary bond with the state or the county?
The county — and the order matters. You take your $10,000 bond and completed application to your county clerk first. The clerk files the bond, swears you in, and certifies your application with the county seal. Only then do you send the application and $10 fee to the Office of the Great Seal in Lansing. Applications that skip the county step get bounced.
How long does a Michigan notary commission last?
Between six and seven years, ending on your birthday. The state sets the exact expiration so that it lands on your birthday at least 6 but no more than 7 years out, and your surety bond has to be written for the same six- or seven-year term. Watch the expiration on your commission card — it isn't a round number of years.
Does Michigan require a notary stamp or seal?
No. Michigan is one of the few states where a seal is optional. You must still put your name exactly as commissioned, your commission county and expiration date, and 'Acting in the County of ____' (when working outside your home county) legibly on every record. Most Michigan notaries buy a stamp anyway so they aren't writing that block by hand, and many out-of-state documents expect to see one.
How much can a Michigan notary charge?
Up to $10 per notarial act under MCL 55.285, and you must disclose the fee — with a posted sign or by telling the person — before you notarize. Travel fees are separate and legal if you agree on them with the client before you head out, which is how mobile notaries in Michigan actually earn.
Can I become a Michigan notary with a criminal record?
It depends on how recent it is. The application requires you to certify you haven't served time in the past ten years for a felony or misdemeanor and aren't currently incarcerated; the state's qualifications bar felony convictions within 10 years, counting from when the full sentence — including probation, parole, and fines — was completed. If you're close to that line, contact the Office of the Great Seal before paying.
Official sources
Use these authority pages and publications to check the requirements. Review notes identify details that still need confirmation.
- Notary services — Michigan Department of State
- Michigan Notary Public Application and Instructions (Rev. 08/25) — Michigan Department of State
- Notary FAQ — Office of the Great Seal — Michigan Department of State
- MCL 55.285 — Fees; MCL 55.287 — Signature and required statements — Michigan Legislature
- Notary Services (county process) — Clinton County, Michigan Clerk
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 Michigan Department of State (Office of the Great Seal).