1.2 The Application, Handbook Training, 80% Exam & $25 Fee

Missouri is one of the states that tests its notaries. Before a commission issues, the applicant must complete training on notary law and pass the Secretary of State's examination with at least 80%. The process, the application's contents, and the reapplication rules are all set by statute and the Missouri Notary Public Handbook (updated May 2025).

The Official Six Steps

The Secretary of State's "How to Become a Notary" page lists the path in order:

1. Meet the general qualifications (Section 486.605; see Section 1.1).
2. Read the Missouri Notary Public Handbook.
3. Take the online training course or the written training course.
4. Apply online or by mail for a commission.
5. Purchase a $10,000 notary surety bond.
6. Qualify at the county clerk's office (see Section 1.3).

What the Application Must Contain

Applications are filed in a paper or electronic format set by the Secretary (Section 486.625.1). Under Section 486.630.1 RSMo, the application must state at least:

• the applicant's date of birth;
• residence address and telephone number;
• the regular place of work or business address and telephone number, its mailing address if different, and the employer's name, if any;
• the county of residence or of the regular place of work or business;
• a declaration of U.S. citizenship or proof of legal residency;
• a declaration that the applicant can read and write English;
• all issuances, denials, revocations, suspensions, restrictions, and resignations of a notarial commission, professional license, or public office in any state or nation;
• all criminal convictions, including guilty and nolo contendere pleas, in any state or nation; and
• all claims pending or disposed against a notary bond held by the applicant, and all civil findings or admissions of fault or liability about the applicant's notary activities.

The form instructions add that the applicant prints the name exactly as it should appear on the commission. The handbook explains that this choice fixes the notary's official name and official signature for the whole term: a full last name is required, while initials may be used for the first and middle names.

The Declaration of Applicant

Section 486.630.2 requires every applicant to sign this declaration:

I, _____ (name of applicant), do solemnly swear or affirm under penalty of perjury that the personal information in this application is true, complete, and correct; that I understand the official duties and responsibilities of a Notary Public in Missouri, as explained in the notary public handbook; and that I will perform, to the best of my ability, all notarial acts in accordance with the law.

Because it is sworn or affirmed under penalty of perjury, a false declaration exposes the applicant to perjury liability, and a material misstatement or omission is also a ground for denial (Section 486.605.4(1)).

Training and the 80% Examination

Section 486.630.3 requires every applicant to:

1. attest to having read the Missouri notary public handbook or having received training in a manner the Secretary prescribes; and
2. receive a score of eighty percent or better on an examination administered by the Secretary before a commission is issued.

Section 486.630.4 sets the content: the training and the written examination are "based on notarial laws, procedures, and ethics." The handbook states that applicants read the handbook and complete computer-based training or other approved training before submitting the application, and attest to both when they apply.

The Secretary offers two formats:

The Secretary does not publish a time limit or a fixed item count for the online course. The written form's thirty items are a good map of what the Secretary considers essential: term, bond amount, who gives the oath, the 60-day qualification period, the seven-day mailing rule, the bound journal, seal elements, fees, the absentee-ballot rule, travel fees, and disqualification.

The $25 Application Fee

Section 486.630.5 requires a nonrefundable fee "as stated in section 28.160." Section 28.160 sets a $15 fee for issuing a notary commission and allows an additional $10 fee for new and renewal notary commissions, credited to the Secretary of State's Technology Trust Fund. Together these make the $25 charged on every application. The handbook instructs that checks be made payable to the State Director of Revenue. The fee is separate from the bond premium, the county clerk's fee for administering the oath, and the cost of the seal and journal.

Reapplying at the End of a Term

Missouri has no renewal procedure. The handbook states that no person is automatically reappointed and that a notary who wants another term must follow all the same procedures as a first-time applicant (Section 486.625.2 also requires a current or former notary to submit a new application and comply anew).

Registration for in-person electronic notarization or remote online notarization is a separate step taken after (or at the same time as) the commission, with its own course and examination (Sections 486.905-486.910 and 486.1120-486.1125; see Chapter 6).

Exam Scenarios

• Wrong order. Pat mails the application with the $25 fee but has not completed any training. The application cannot be approved: the training attestation and a passing score are prerequisites to issuance.
• Score of 76%. A score below 80% does not meet Section 486.630.3(2); the applicant must reach 80% before a commission can issue.
• Name choice. Jennifer Ann Lopez applies as "J. A. Lopez." That is allowed because the last name is complete. She must then sign every certificate "J. A. Lopez," exactly as commissioned.