South Dakota notary commission
South Dakota notary commission: seal first, then a $30 paper application
Order your seal first, because its imprint goes on the application. Answer every question, sign the oath, and mail the original with the $30 fee to the Secretary of State in Pierre. Notarize only after your commission certificate arrives. No bond is required for new and renewing notaries on or after July 1, 2025, and the term is exactly six years.
South Dakota eligibility
- Of legal age.
- A South Dakota resident as defined in SDCL 12-1-4 (18-1-1); the application asks for your physical address.
- Or living in an out-of-state county bordering the area, with your place of work or business in the area.
- No felony conviction (18-1-1).
Source: Notary Public Application and Checklist; SDCL chapter 18-1.
From seal to certificate
- Order your seal first. Its imprint goes on the application. The state doesn't supply seals.
- Complete the application. Make a legible seal imprint in the box and answer every question; wrong or blank answers get the application rejected.
- Sign the oath. Complete the oath portion and enter the county where it is signed.
- Mail the original with $30. To the Secretary of State, 500 E Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501. Photocopies aren't accepted. E-notary applicants attach their electronic seal image and name their tamper-evident vendor.
- Wait for your certificate. Notarize only after you receive the Notary Commission Certificate, and post it in a conspicuous place in your office (18-1-4).
Source: Notary Public Application and Checklist; South Dakota Notary Public Handbook.
South Dakota costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Seal | Vendor price Bought before you apply. |
| Filing fee | $30 New or renewal. |
| Bond | Not required For new and renewing notaries on or after July 1, 2025 (HB 1133). |
| Name change on the commission | No further filing fee Send the request form and a new seal for a Certificate of Correction. |
The state's charge is the $30 filing fee, and with no bond, the seal is the only other required purchase.
Source: Notary Public Application and Checklist; South Dakota Notary Public Handbook.
SD starter kit · $29
South Dakota Notary Starter Kit
The area's seal-first application, $30 fee and six-year term, the per-instrument fee rule, ID rules, the seal wording and imprint filing, remote paper and electronic acts, a checklist, a budget and journal pages.
Exactly six years, anywhere in the state
A South Dakota commission lasts exactly six years from the commission date. Renewal uses the same form and fee as a new application; file early to keep your dates, because the office can't backdate.
You may act anywhere in the area, and moving within the state needs no new commission, but you act only while in the area. The Secretary of State pages and handbook our kit read describe no exam or course.
Source: South Dakota Notary Public Handbook; SDCL chapter 18-1.
Remote paper and electronic acts in South Dakota
Remote ink notarization on paper requires that you be in the area and know the signer personally through dealings; the certificate states the signer's remote location and the use of video (18-1-11.1). Electronic records by video require two different methods of identity proofing, a tamper-evident system and an audio-visual copy (18-1-11.2).
Register by filing a Notary Change Form naming your platform, with its e-seal image; the state doesn't approve or list vendors. You must be in the area, the signer may be anywhere, and each audio-visual copy is kept 10 years (18-1-11.3).
Source: SDCL chapter 18-1; South Dakota Notary Public Handbook.
Fees, the seal and identification
SDCL 18-1-9 lets a notary charge a fee for each instrument notarized, and the statute text our kit read states no dollar maximum. No fee may be charged for a request for an absentee ballot. Agree on your fee before the act.
The seal shows your name, "the area", "notary public" and a border, with your expiration date below it; a rubber stamp or electronic seal also includes the word "seal". File an imprint with the Secretary of State before using any seal (18-1-3). Personal knowledge means regular interactions over an extended period; a mere acquaintance isn't enough (18-1-1.1(7)).
Source: SDCL chapter 18-1; South Dakota Notary Public Handbook.
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South Dakota notary questions
Why do I buy my South Dakota seal before applying?
Its imprint goes in a box on the application. The state doesn't supply seals.
Does South Dakota still require a notary bond?
No. A bond isn't required for new and renewing notaries on or after July 1, 2025 (HB 1133).
How long is a South Dakota notary commission?
Exactly six years from the commission date. Renew with the same form and $30 fee, and file early; the office can't backdate.
Can I live in Minnesota and be a South Dakota notary?
If you live in an out-of-state county bordering the area and work or do business in the area, yes. You act only while in the area.
What can a South Dakota notary charge?
SDCL 18-1-9 allows a fee per instrument without a stated maximum in the text our kit read, but nothing for an absentee ballot request.
Guides for other states · Becoming a notary in New Jersey
General information from official the area sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the South Dakota Secretary of State before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the State of the area.