Oregon Secretary of State

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Notary Administration FAQs

​​​Tutorial, Education and the Test

Yes. Every applicant must take the Notary Basics course before applying for a commission, whether they are a current notary or not; this is required by law. In addition to ensuring notaries are qualified, taking the Basic training every four years keeps notaries up to date on current issues of concern and changes in statute, rule, and best practices. 

All Secretary of State notary trainings are free. You can get more information about formats, schedule, and how to register on our Notary Training page​.
The training is mandatory, but you do not have to take it from the Secretary of State. There is a list of approved providers on our website’s Notary Training Page​. If you take the training from an approved provider rather than the Secretary of State’s office, you will be directed back to us to take the mandatory notary test.

Please note: The Secretary of State training is the only free training; be careful to check cost when considering approved providers.
Yes. You must take additional training and be approved by the Secretary of State before you can offer electronic or remote online notarizations. 
Contact the Notary team for help: NotarySeminar.SOS@sos.oregon.gov​. We will get back to you on the same business day to help.
If you take the training from an approved education provider, you will be provided with an education number when you have successfully completed the training. If you take it from the Secretary of State’s office, you will retrieve your education number yourself from the Workday system. The instructions for this process are included in the training, and a pdf of those instructions is available on our website​.
You can find instructions for printing out a certificate here​.
No. The only contact information online is the public record address you provided when applying for your commission. The Secretary of State is required by law to maintain a directory of active notaries, which the public can access on our website, but we do not provide contact information on request except to law enforcement.​

Applying​​ for a Commission

​Next steps for taking the test and applying for your commission are included in the Notary Basics training. You can also find a pdf of the instructions here​.
The law requires that your commission name be your full legal name, including middle name(s), spelled out with no initials or titles included. If you are a current notary and your old commission name does not match your legal name, you must use your full legal name for your new commission even if you have not done so in the past. 

Your commission signature does not have to completely match your commission name—it simply needs to be the signature you use as your legal signature. Keep in mind, you must have ID that verifies both your full legal name and your signature. ​
No. You may use your home address, employer’s address, or a mailing address such as a PO Box. It must be an address where you can reliably be reached if there is a question about a notarization you have done, or some other legal purpose. 

Please keep in mind that you are legally required to keep all contact information current with the Secretary of State. Failure to do so could result in sanctions up to and including suspension or revocation of your commission. ​
The Secretary of State is unable to accept online payment for security reasons. You can provide payment by check, money order, or credit card, using the postal service, overnight post through UPS or Fed-Ex, or fax using this cover sheet​. If you wish to pay cash, you must bring the oath and payment in person to our office in the Public Service Building at 255 Capitol St. NE, Suite 151, Salem, OR 97310. Please note: the oath and payment must be submitted together or the oath will not be processed.​
When you have received your commission authorization certificates from us, you may order your stamp and journal. When they arrive, check your stamp carefully to make sure the information and format are correct, and then you are ready to start notarizing!​
The Secretary of State’s office does not sell or provide stamps and journals, nor is it appropriate for us to recommend specific businesses. You may order them from any vendor you choose or from one of the national organizations for notaries such as the American Society of Notaries or the National Notary Association​. 

Regardless of where you purchase your stamp and journal, before you being to perform notarizations, be sure to check your stamp to make sure that your name is spelled correctly, that your commission number and expiration date are correct, and that the stamp will leave a clear imprint.
You will apply for a new commission in the same way that you applied for your first commission: you will take the basic training (not the refresher or advanced), take and pass the notary test, and submit the oath with a $40 application fee. You will receive authorization certificates with a new commission number and expiration date.​
No. It is against the law for a notary to witness their own signature or that of a spouse, so it is illegal to notarize your own oath. Independent verification of your identity and signature is an important measure to discourage fraud.​

Performing Notarizations​

​Don’t panic. The advice letter is primarily intended to let you know what you did wrong, so that you won’t make that mistake again. Please read it carefully, look at the example, and contact us if you have further questions. If you get a second and third advice letter, you will be required to re-take the basic training or have your commission suspended. Our intent is to educate notaries, so you are always welcome to re-take the basics training or to take one of our other trainings, to refresh your knowledge.
Don’t panic. Read the certificate carefully to make sure you understand what it is asking you to do. If you are concerned about whether you understand what is required or you are encountering an unusual certificate or request, the Notary Team is happy to help. Contact us at NotarySeminar@sos.oregon.gov​, or call the Corporation Division at 503-986-2200 and ask to be referred directly to one of the Notary Team.
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