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North Carolina Notary Public — Requirements & Free Practice

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Notary Public

Five-year public-officer commission; attorney and statutory recommissioning exemptions are applicant-specific.

Licensing authority: North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State · Application information

Initial commissioning by education and examination
Notary Course Exam
Age
At least 18 or legally emancipated.
Application
Submit the prescribed truthful application, notarized declaration, required disclosures, and $50 fee.
Course
Complete at least six hours of approved classroom instruction and its written examination within the three months preceding application.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent for initial commissioning.
Eligibility
G.S. 10B-5(d) permits denial for the enumerated misconduct, convictions, civil deceit, discipline, false advertising, and unauthorized practice; statutory minimum periods are ten years after release for specified convictions and five years after completion of a disciplinary order.
Language
Speak, read, and write English.
Legal residence
Reside legally in the United States.
Location
Reside in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business in North Carolina; nonresident applicants must supply the employer affidavit specified in 18 NCAC 07C .0203.
Manual
Purchase and retain a personal copy of the 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
Oath
Take the required oaths at the commissioning county register of deeds within 45 days; a commission is ineffective before the oaths.
Initial commissioning as a licensed North Carolina attorney
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Age
At least 18 or legally emancipated.
Application
Submit the prescribed truthful application, notarized declaration, required disclosures, and $50 fee.
Attorney
Must be a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar; G.S. 10B-8(a) does not apply. Rule 07C .0701 permits applying without the course, exam, or instructor signature; voluntary course participation does not create a required exam.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent for initial commissioning.
Eligibility
G.S. 10B-5(d) permits denial for the enumerated misconduct, convictions, civil deceit, discipline, false advertising, and unauthorized practice; statutory minimum periods are ten years after release for specified convictions and five years after completion of a disciplinary order.
Language
Speak, read, and write English.
Legal residence
Reside legally in the United States.
Location
Reside in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business in North Carolina; nonresident applicants must supply the employer affidavit specified in 18 NCAC 07C .0203.
Manual
Purchase and retain a personal copy of the 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
Oath
Take the required oaths at the commissioning county register of deeds within 45 days; a commission is ineffective before the oaths.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

New commissioning after a lapse exceeding one year
Notary Course Exam
Age
At least 18 or legally emancipated.
Application
Submit the prescribed truthful application, notarized declaration, required disclosures, and $50 fee.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent for initial commissioning.
Eligibility
G.S. 10B-5(d) permits denial for the enumerated misconduct, convictions, civil deceit, discipline, false advertising, and unauthorized practice; statutory minimum periods are ten years after release for specified convictions and five years after completion of a disciplinary order.
Language
Speak, read, and write English.
Lapse
More than one year has elapsed since commission expiration; all initial commissioning requirements apply.
Legal residence
Reside legally in the United States.
Location
Reside in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business in North Carolina; nonresident applicants must supply the employer affidavit specified in 18 NCAC 07C .0203.
Manual
Purchase and retain a personal copy of the 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
Oath
Take the required oaths at the commissioning county register of deeds within 45 days; a commission is ineffective before the oaths.
New commissioning after a lapse exceeding one year as an attorney
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Age
At least 18 or legally emancipated.
Application
Submit the prescribed truthful application, notarized declaration, required disclosures, and $50 fee.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent for initial commissioning.
Eligibility
G.S. 10B-5(d) permits denial for the enumerated misconduct, convictions, civil deceit, discipline, false advertising, and unauthorized practice; statutory minimum periods are ten years after release for specified convictions and five years after completion of a disciplinary order.
Language
Speak, read, and write English.
Lapse
More than one year has elapsed; initial-commissioning rules apply with the licensed North Carolina State Bar member examination exemption.
Legal residence
Reside legally in the United States.
Location
Reside in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business in North Carolina; nonresident applicants must supply the employer affidavit specified in 18 NCAC 07C .0203.
Manual
Purchase and retain a personal copy of the 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
Oath
Take the required oaths at the commissioning county register of deeds within 45 days; a commission is ineffective before the oaths.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reapplication after failure to take the commissioning oath
Notary Course Exam
Age
At least 18 or legally emancipated.
Application
Submit the prescribed truthful application, notarized declaration, required disclosures, and $50 fee.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent for initial commissioning.
Education waiver
If reapplication occurs within one year of the original grant, the Secretary may waive educational requirements; the current course exam already passed remains part of the original initial-commissioning pathway.
Eligibility
G.S. 10B-5(d) permits denial for the enumerated misconduct, convictions, civil deceit, discipline, false advertising, and unauthorized practice; statutory minimum periods are ten years after release for specified convictions and five years after completion of a disciplinary order.
Language
Speak, read, and write English.
Legal residence
Reside legally in the United States.
Location
Reside in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business in North Carolina; nonresident applicants must supply the employer affidavit specified in 18 NCAC 07C .0203.
Manual
Purchase and retain a personal copy of the 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
Oath
Take the required oaths at the commissioning county register of deeds within 45 days; a commission is ineffective before the oaths.
Oath failure
The appointee failed to take the required oaths within 45 days and must reapply.
Reapplication after failure to take the oath as an attorney
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Age
At least 18 or legally emancipated.
Application
Submit the prescribed truthful application, notarized declaration, required disclosures, and $50 fee.
Attorney
Licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar; submit a new application and fee after missing the 45-day oath deadline.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent for initial commissioning.
Eligibility
G.S. 10B-5(d) permits denial for the enumerated misconduct, convictions, civil deceit, discipline, false advertising, and unauthorized practice; statutory minimum periods are ten years after release for specified convictions and five years after completion of a disciplinary order.
Language
Speak, read, and write English.
Legal residence
Reside legally in the United States.
Location
Reside in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business in North Carolina; nonresident applicants must supply the employer affidavit specified in 18 NCAC 07C .0203.
Manual
Purchase and retain a personal copy of the 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
Oath
Take the required oaths at the commissioning county register of deeds within 45 days; a commission is ineffective before the oaths.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Recommissioning as a licensed North Carolina attorney
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Attorney
A commissioned notary who is a licensed member of the North Carolina State Bar is not required to take any course or examination before recommissioning; use the statutory recommissioning time window.
Manual
Maintain the personal current 2026 manual.
Oath
Take the recommissioning oaths within 45 days of the appointment notice.
Qualifications
Meet G.S. 10B-5(b) except subdivisions (5), (6), and (9), and submit the new application under G.S. 10B-11(b).
Timing
Apply no earlier than ten weeks before commission expiration; follow G.S. 10B-11 and the prescribed application procedures.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Recommissioning under continuous service exemption
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Applicant
The notary has been continuously commissioned in North Carolina since July 10, 1991 and has never been disciplined by the Secretary; the statutory written-examination requirement does not apply.
Manual
Maintain the personal current 2026 manual.
Oath
Take the recommissioning oaths within 45 days of the appointment notice.
Qualifications
Meet G.S. 10B-5(b) except subdivisions (5), (6), and (9), and submit the new application under G.S. 10B-11(b).
Timing
Apply no earlier than ten weeks before commission expiration; follow G.S. 10B-11 and the prescribed application procedures.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Recommissioning as a certified notary instructor

At least one of the following alternatives:

  • Notary Recommissioning Exam (practice unavailable)
  • Notary Course Exam
  • Notary Instructor Certification Exam (practice unavailable)
  • Notary Instructor Recertification Exam (practice unavailable)
Applicant
Must be a certified notary instructor both when applying and when taking the recommissioning oath.
Equivalence
Successful completion of the instructor certification or recertification course satisfies the recommissioning-exam requirement under 18 NCAC 07E .1103; the ordinary recommissioning or notary-course alternative remains available.
Exam choice
The online recommissioning examination may be replaced by the initial notary course and its examination under 18 NCAC 07C .0603.
Manual
Maintain the personal current 2026 manual.
Oath
Take the recommissioning oaths within 45 days of the appointment notice.
Qualifications
Meet G.S. 10B-5(b) except subdivisions (5), (6), and (9), and submit the new application under G.S. 10B-11(b).
Retesting
The online examination allows two further attempts within 30 days of the first attempt; the application is denied if no passing score is achieved within that period.
Timing
Apply no earlier than ten weeks before commission expiration; follow G.S. 10B-11 and the prescribed application procedures.
Recommissioning following both name and county change

At least one of the following alternatives:

Applicant
Both legal name and county have changed; submit the recommissioning application and fee within 45 days and obtain the new seal and qualifying oaths under G.S. 10B-53.
Exam choice
The online recommissioning examination may be replaced by the initial notary course and its examination under 18 NCAC 07C .0603.
Manual
Maintain the personal current 2026 manual.
Oath
Take the recommissioning oaths within 45 days of the appointment notice.
Qualifications
Meet G.S. 10B-5(b) except subdivisions (5), (6), and (9), and submit the new application under G.S. 10B-11(b).
Retesting
The online examination allows two further attempts within 30 days of the first attempt; the application is denied if no passing score is achieved within that period.
Timing
Apply no earlier than ten weeks before commission expiration; follow G.S. 10B-11 and the prescribed application procedures.
Recommissioning before expiration

At least one of the following alternatives:

Applicant
The current commission has not expired; no attorney or continuous-service exemption is asserted.
Exam choice
The online recommissioning examination may be replaced by the initial notary course and its examination under 18 NCAC 07C .0603.
Manual
Maintain the personal current 2026 manual.
Oath
Take the recommissioning oaths within 45 days of the appointment notice.
Qualifications
Meet G.S. 10B-5(b) except subdivisions (5), (6), and (9), and submit the new application under G.S. 10B-11(b).
Retesting
The online examination allows two further attempts within 30 days of the first attempt; the application is denied if no passing score is achieved within that period.
Timing
Apply no earlier than ten weeks before commission expiration; follow G.S. 10B-11 and the prescribed application procedures.
Recommissioning within one year after expiration

At least one of the following alternatives:

Applicant
The commission expired no more than one year before application.
Education waiver
G.S. 10B-11(c) requires the G.S. 10B-8(a) educational requirement unless the Secretary waives it. 18 NCAC 07C .0506 states: 18 NCAC 07C .0506 RECOMMISSIONING EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT A notary public seeking recommissioning pursuant to Rule .0505 of this Section need not attend a notary course but shall pass the online recommissioning exam, unless the exception in G.S. 10B-11(b)(3) applies to the notary.
Exam choice
The online recommissioning examination may be replaced by the initial notary course and its examination under 18 NCAC 07C .0603.
Manual
Maintain the personal current 2026 manual.
Oath
Take the recommissioning oaths within 45 days of the appointment notice.
Practice
Do not perform notarial acts during a gap in commissioned status.
Qualifications
Meet G.S. 10B-5(b) except subdivisions (5), (6), and (9), and submit the new application under G.S. 10B-11(b).
Retesting
The online examination allows two further attempts within 30 days of the first attempt; the application is denied if no passing score is achieved within that period.
Timing
Apply no earlier than ten weeks before commission expiration; follow G.S. 10B-11 and the prescribed application procedures.
Rescission of an erroneous commission cancellation
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Eligibility
Present the Department with the valid commission certificate; the Department must rescind a cancellation made under 18 NCAC 07C .0508. This restores the evidenced existing commission.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Notary Course Exam

Provider
North Carolina Secretary of State; administered by certified notary instructors
Format
Written examination in the notary course
Passing score
At least 80% of questions answered correctly
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • Chapter 10B — Notaries
  • 18 NCAC Chapter 07 — Notary Public Division
Examination sources

Notary Instructor Certification Exam

Provider
North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State or its designee
Format
Written examination with a separately evaluated oral presentation portion
Passing score
Written examination: 90% or higher; oral presentation: pass
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • Chapter 10B — Notaries
  • 18 NCAC Chapter 07 — Notary Public Division
Examination sources

Notary Instructor Recertification Exam

Provider
North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State or its designee
Format
Written examination; an oral presentation portion is required for the applicants specified in 18 NCAC 07E .1104 and .1105
Passing score
Written examination: 90% or higher; required oral presentation: pass
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • Chapter 10B — Notaries
  • 18 NCAC Chapter 07 — Notary Public Division
Examination sources

Notary Recommissioning Exam

Provider
North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State
Format
Online written examination on the Department website
Time limit
30 minutes
Passing score
At least 80%
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • Chapter 10B — Notaries
  • 18 NCAC Chapter 07 — Notary Public Division
Examination sources