Mississippi notary commission
Mississippi notary commission: your bond within 60 days and your county on the seal
Apply to the Secretary of State with the $25 fee and proof of identity, file a $5,000 surety bond within 60 days of applying, and take and file the oath of office. The Governor approves the application and the Secretary of State issues the commission, usually in under a week if everything is complete. Commissions last four years, every notary keeps a journal, and the posted law sets out no standing remote notarization procedure.
Mississippi eligibility
- 18 or older (Miss. Code 25-34-41(2)).
- A US citizen or permanent legal resident.
- A Mississippi resident for at least 30 days before you apply.
- Able to read and write English.
- Not disqualified under 25-34-43.
Source: Notaries FAQs, Mississippi Secretary of State; Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts and notary rules.
Application, bond and oath in Mississippi
- Apply to the Secretary of State. With the $25 application fee and proof of identity.
- File the $5,000 bond within 60 days. From a surety licensed by the Mississippi Department of Insurance, on Form NP 002 or a substantially similar form. If it doesn't arrive within 60 days of your application date, the application is rejected (Rule 2.4).
- Take and file the oath of office. The constitutional oath under Section 268. The commission doesn't take effect until the oath and bond are filed.
- Receive your commission. The Governor approves the application and the Secretary of State issues the commission certificate.
- Order your seal and journal. The seal must show your county and commission ID number (Rule 3.1), and every notary keeps a journal.
Source: Notaries FAQs; Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts and notary rules.
Mississippi startup costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application | $25 Secretary of State FAQ. |
| $5,000 surety bond premium | Set by surety Covers the same four years. |
| Seal with county and commission ID | Vendor price Replaced if you move counties. |
| Bound journal | Vendor price Preprinted, consecutively numbered pages and lines. |
| Disclaimer sign | Print price At least 10-point type, posted where you notarize. |
The state's charge is $25. The bond premium, seal, journal and sign come from vendors.
Source: Notaries FAQs; Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts and notary rules.
MS starter kit · $29
Mississippi Notary Starter Kit
Mississippi's $25 application, 60-day bond and oath steps, the $5 caps, ID and family rules, the required journal, the seal order with your county, where remote notarization stands, the required notice and sign, a checklist, a budget and journal pages.
Four years, statewide, with a county seal
A Mississippi commission lasts four years from the issue date (25-34-41), and you may act anywhere in Mississippi; an act performed outside the state is void. To renew, file a new application and oath within 60 days before expiration, then a new bond once approved.
Your seal names the county where you keep an office, so a move to a new county means a change of address with the Secretary of State and a new seal. A name change needs proof filed with the Secretary of State, a new seal and a new bond. Moving out of Mississippi ends your commission.
Source: Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts and notary rules; Notaries FAQs.
Remote notarization in Mississippi: no standing procedure
The law the Secretary of State posts requires the signer to appear personally (25-34-15) and sets out no standing remote notarization procedure. Remote acts were permitted in 2020 under a Governor's executive order for the COVID-19 state of emergency, and the Secretary of State's guidance described that as temporary. A 2025 bill, HB 1154, proposed a full remote framework, but it isn't part of the posted law. Ask the Secretary of State before any remote work, and don't advertise remote notarization.
In-person electronic notarization is separate: it needs a current, unrestricted commission and a separate application on the Secretary of State's form (Rule 8.1).
Source: Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts and notary rules.
The $5 cap, the journal and the seal order
Rule 9.1(A) caps an acknowledgment, jurat or signature witnessing at $5 per signature, and an oath or affirmation without a signature at $5 per person. Absentee voter applications and ballots are free (Rule 9.6), and a travel fee is allowed only if agreed in advance.
Every notary keeps one journal at a time (25-34-37): permanent and bound, with preprinted numbered pages and lines. Never write a full Social Security, driver's license or account number; the last four digits are allowed. Keep journals 10 years after the last act. Your seal reads, in this order, "State of Mississippi", your name as commissioned, "Notary Public", your county, your expiration date and your commission ID number, with no state seal.
Source: Revised Mississippi Law on Notarial Acts and notary rules.
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Mississippi notary questions
Can a Mississippi notary notarize remotely?
The law the Secretary of State posts requires personal appearance and sets out no standing remote procedure. Ask the Secretary of State before any remote work.
How long do I have to file my Mississippi bond?
60 days from your application date. Otherwise the application is rejected.
Does a Mississippi notary need a journal?
Yes. Every notary keeps a permanent, bound journal with numbered pages and lines, for 10 years after the last act.
What can a Mississippi notary charge?
Up to $5 per signature for acknowledgments, jurats and signature witnessing, and $5 per person for an oath. Absentee voting papers are free.
Who approves Mississippi notaries?
The Governor approves the application, and the Secretary of State issues the commission.
Guides for other states · Becoming a notary in New Jersey
General information from official Mississippi sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the Mississippi Secretary of State before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the State of Mississippi.