Tennessee Notary 2026: No Exam, Steps & Fees Guide

How to Become a Notary Public in Tennessee

Tennessee does not require an exam to become a notary public. The process involves being elected by your county legislative body (county commission) and receiving a commission from the Governor. Applications are processed through your County Clerk's office.

Tennessee Notary Requirements at a Glance

Why Become a Tennessee Notary?

• No exam required - Straightforward application process
• Statewide commission - Serve clients across all 95 Tennessee counties
• Growing demand - Real estate, legal, and business needs
• Income potential - Charge reasonable fees for notarial acts (up to $25 for online notarization)
• Remote notarization - Tennessee allows Remote Online Notarization (RON)

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Looking for notary study materials or guides for other states? Check out our comprehensive resources. The National Notary Association is also an excellent resource for notary education and supplies.

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Step-by-Step: How to Become a Tennessee Notary

Step 1: Meet Eligibility Requirements

To become a Tennessee notary public, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a United States citizen or legal permanent resident
• Reside in or maintain a principal place of business in the Tennessee county where you're applying
• Be able to read and write English
• Have no disqualifying history (no removal from notary office for misconduct, no revoked/suspended commissions, no court findings of unauthorized practice of law)

Step 2: Obtain Your Surety Bond

You must obtain a $10,000 surety bond before submitting your application.

• Bond Amount: $10,000
• Bond Term: 4 years (matches commission term)
• Typical Cost: $30-$50 for the 4-year term
• Provider: Must be from a surety company licensed in Tennessee

The bond protects the public from potential errors or misconduct during notarial acts.

Step 3: Submit Application to County Clerk

Submit your application to the County Clerk in your county of residence or principal place of business:

1. Obtain and complete the Application for Notary Public Commission from your County Clerk's office
2. Submit your $10,000 surety bond
3. Pay the $12 filing fee (some counties may charge additional fees)
4. Your application will be forwarded to the county legislative body

Note: Some counties may have slightly different fees. Contact your County Clerk for exact costs.

Step 4: County Legislative Body Election

Unlike most states, Tennessee requires notaries to be elected by the county legislative body (county commission):

• The County Clerk submits your application to the county legislative body
• The body votes on your application at their regular meeting
• Once elected, you'll be commissioned by the Governor

Step 5: Take Oath of Office

Once elected and commissioned:

• Return to the County Clerk's office
• Take the Oath of Office administered by the County Clerk
• Pay any remaining fees
• Receive your official Notary Commission Certificate
• Your commission is valid for 4 years

Step 6: Purchase Notary Supplies

After receiving your commission, purchase required supplies:

Official Notary Seal (Required):

Tennessee law requires a specific seal design prescribed by the Secretary of State:

• Shape: Circular
• Content: Your name (as on commission) at top, county of election at bottom, "State of Tennessee Notary Public" or "Tennessee Notary Public" in center
• Type: Rubber stamp (NOT embosser/impression seal)
• Ink Color: Any color EXCEPT black or yellow; must be clearly legible and appear black when photocopied
• Cost: $20-$50

Important: Your County Clerk may obtain a seal for you for a fee not exceeding 20% of the seal cost.

Notary Journal (Recommended):

• Not legally required for traditional notarizations
• Required for Remote Online Notarization (RON)
• Strongly recommended for your protection
• Cost: $15-$30

Tennessee Notary Fees

Important Notes:

• Tennessee law allows "reasonable fees and compensation" for notarial services
• Online notarization fees are capped at $25 per act
• Travel fees must be disclosed and agreed upon in advance
• Always disclose fees upfront to maintain transparency

Tennessee-Specific Requirements

Seal Requirements

Your notary seal must:

• Be the official design prescribed by the Secretary of State
• Include your name exactly as on your commission
• Include your county of election
• Include "State of Tennessee Notary Public" or "Tennessee Notary Public"
• Be a rubber stamp (NOT an embosser)
• Use ink that is NOT black or yellow
• Be clearly legible and photocopy well

Certificate Requirements

Every notarial certificate must include:

• Your commission expiration date (written or typed on certificate - not required on seal)
• Your official seal impression
• Your signature

End of Commission

When your commission ends:

• Your seal must be surrendered to the county legislative body (or destroyed)
• If you die, your personal representative must surrender the seal

Remote Online Notarization (RON) in Tennessee

Tennessee has authorized Remote Online Notarization since July 1, 2019.

Becoming a Tennessee Remote Online Notary

To perform RON in Tennessee:

1. Hold a valid Tennessee notary commission (traditional commission first)
2. Complete RON-specific training covering:
   • Remote notarization technology
   • Best practices for remote notarizations
   • Legal compliance and security
3. Register as a remote notary with the Secretary of State
4. Pay the $50 registration fee
5. Contract with an approved technology platform

RON Requirements

• Two-way audio-video technology - Both parties must be visible and audible
• Identity verification - Signers must have two forms of ID, verified through biometric identification and knowledge-based authentication (KBA)
• Electronic seal - Special electronic seal with "Online Notary Public" designation
• Record keeping - Must maintain records of all online notarizations

RON Electronic Seal Design

Your electronic seal for online notarization must include:

• Your name as it appears on your commission (at top)
• Your county of election (at bottom)
• "Tennessee Notary Public" (in center)
• "Online Notary Public" (below center)
• Commission expiration date statement

Total Cost to Become a Tennessee Notary

Additional RON Costs

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

Note: Processing time depends on your county legislative body's meeting schedule. Some meet monthly, others less frequently.

Start Your Tennessee Notary Career Today

Tennessee makes it relatively easy to become a notary public with no exam requirement. Obtain your bond, submit your application to your County Clerk, and await election by your county legislative body.

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How to Turn This Tennessee Notary Guide Into a Passing Study Plan

A notary exam or appointment review is not just a vocabulary test. It measures whether you can protect the signer, the document, the public record, and your own commission when the facts are messy. Read the rules above once for orientation, then convert them into a procedure checklist you can apply to acknowledgments, jurats, oaths or affirmations, copy certifications if allowed, and any remote or electronic notarization rules that apply in Tennessee.

Your first checklist should follow the order of a real appointment. Confirm that the requested act is one you are authorized to perform. Confirm personal appearance under the rules that apply to the act. Identify the signer using the acceptable evidence described in your Tennessee materials. Screen for willingness, awareness, and basic communication. Complete the notarial certificate with the correct venue, date, signer name, notarial wording, signature, seal, and commission information. Record the act in your journal if required, or keep a careful voluntary record when allowed and appropriate.

That sequence is important because many exam questions describe a signer who appears at the wrong time, presents weak identification, asks for legal advice, wants a blank document notarized, or asks the notary to choose the certificate. In those scenarios, memorizing definitions is not enough. You need to know the next lawful step. Usually the safest exam answer is the one that preserves impartiality, requires proper identification and personal appearance, refuses unauthorized practice of law, and follows the certificate requirements exactly.

Tennessee Commission Workflow and Documents to Verify

Before relying on any checklist, verify the current Tennessee commissioning process with the Secretary of State, commissioning authority, approved education provider, or official handbook named in your materials. Administrative steps can change even when the core notary duties stay the same. Confirm the current application form, training or exam requirement, bond requirement if any, oath filing, seal requirements, commission term, renewal timing, and whether remote online notarization has separate registration rules.

Keep a small commissioning file with your application confirmation, education certificate, exam result if applicable, bond or insurance documents, oath filing receipt, commission certificate, stamp order, and journal purchase record. If you plan to offer loan signing or mobile notary services, keep those business records separate from your official notary records. Your commission duties come first; marketing, travel fees, and signing-agent assignments never expand what state law allows you to notarize.

When you review fees, separate maximum notarial fees from optional charges such as travel or business service fees. If the article above lists a fee cap, treat it as a rule to verify and apply carefully. Fee questions often test whether the candidate can distinguish a notarization fee from a separate travel agreement, whether the fee must be disclosed in advance, and whether remote online notarization has a different fee structure.

Procedure Drills That Build Exam Readiness

The fastest way to improve is to practice short appointment scenarios. Write five columns on a page: requested act, signer identity evidence, document condition, certificate wording, and notary action. Then create examples. A signer wants an acknowledgment but has not signed yet. A signer wants a jurat but refuses an oath. A signer brings an expired ID. A spouse asks you to notarize for an absent signer. A customer asks whether a power of attorney is legally sufficient. A remote signer passes credential analysis but cannot communicate clearly. For each scenario, write what you would do and why.

Focus especially on the difference between acknowledgments and jurats. In an acknowledgment, the signer acknowledges signing willingly; the document may have been signed before appearing if state law and the certificate allow it. In a jurat, the signer swears or affirms the truth of the document and usually signs in the notary's presence. Exam questions often hide the correct answer in those verbs. If the certificate says subscribed and sworn, think oath or affirmation. If it says acknowledged before me, think acknowledgment and voluntary execution.

Also drill refusal rules. A notary should refuse when the signer is not properly identified, does not personally appear as required, appears unwilling or unaware, asks the notary to perform an unauthorized act, presents a document with blanks that cannot be completed, or asks for legal advice. A refusal should be calm, specific, and tied to the rule. On the exam, avoid answers that make the notary a document adviser, immigration consultant, attorney, or party to the transaction.

Recordkeeping, Seal, and Certificate Traps

Recordkeeping questions are easy points if you learn the pattern. The journal entry, when required or recommended, should document the date and time, type of act, document description, signer identity method, fee, and any signature or thumbprint requirement that applies. Do not invent information after the fact. Do not share journal details casually. Do not let an employer take control of official records unless your state rules clearly allow a specific arrangement.

Seal questions usually test completeness and control. Keep your stamp secure, use the exact name and commission information required, and never let another person use your seal. If a stamp is lost, stolen, damaged, or replaced after a name or commission change, follow the reporting and replacement process in your Tennessee rules. If a certificate has an error, correct it only in the manner allowed by your commissioning authority; do not backdate or attach a loose certificate unless the facts and state rules support that action.

Certificate wording is another common trap. A notary may identify the type of notarial act requested, but should not choose the legal effect of a certificate for a signer. If the document lacks a certificate, the signer or document recipient may need to choose or provide the wording. Your role is to complete the notarial act correctly, not to decide which form gives the document legal effect.

If You Miss Questions in Practice

Use missed questions as a routing tool. If you miss identification questions, reread acceptable ID, credible witness, and personal knowledge rules. If you miss jurat questions, drill oath language and signature timing. If you miss fee questions, build a small chart of allowed fees and when they apply. If you miss remote notarization questions, separate traditional personal appearance from remote appearance, credential analysis, audio-video session rules, electronic journal requirements, and technology-provider rules.

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