3.4 Application Process
Key Takeaways
The application fee is $50, non-refundable, paid by check or money order to the NC Secretary of State
The instructor signs the application to certify course completion and exam passage
No elected-official recommendation is required in any NC county; the former requirement was repealed effective July 1, 2013
The applicant signs the oath/affirmation portion before an authorized officer
The package is mailed to the Notary Public Division of the Secretary of State
Building the Application Package
The application is filed with the Department of the Secretary of State, Notary Public Division, after the course and exam are done. The package must be complete; the office returns incomplete filings, which can push you past the 3-month course-completion deadline. Use this checklist.
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application form | "Initial Application for Notary Public Commission" |
| Fee | $50, non-refundable, check or money order payable to NC Secretary of State |
| Instructor signature | Certifies you completed the 6-hour course and passed the exam |
| Applicant signature | Signed before a person authorized to administer oaths |
| Lawful U.S. residence documentation | Non-citizens provide the federal documentation requested by the current form |
| Proof of NC employment or business | Required for a non-resident using the regular NC workplace or business route |
Step-by-Step
Step 1 — Finish course and exam
Attend the 6-hour class, pass at 80%, and have the instructor sign the application certifying both.
Step 2 — Collect signatures
- Instructor certification (course + exam).
- Applicant signature, executed before an officer authorized to administer oaths.
No public-official recommendation is part of the current application requirements in any county.
Step 3 — Assemble and pay
Attach the $50 check or money order. Cash is not accepted by mail. Include the lawful-residence documentation and/or proof of regular NC employment or business requested by the current form for your circumstances.
Step 4 — Mail it
Send the package to:
Notary Public Division
NC Department of the Secretary of State
PO Box 29626, Raleigh, NC 27626-0626
(Use the current mailing address printed on the application — the office updates it; verify before sending.)
Processing and What Comes Next
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Review | Several weeks of processing |
| Approval | Office mails a Notary Oath Notification Letter |
| Oath | Applicant has 45 days to take the oath at the Register of Deeds |
| Oath fee | $10 paid to the county Register of Deeds |
Note the cost split that the exam loves to test: the $50 goes to the Secretary of State with the application; the $10 oath fee goes later to the county Register of Deeds. They are two separate payments to two different offices.
No Elected-Official Recommendation Required
The former recommendation requirement in G.S. 10B-5(b)(9) was repealed statewide by S.L. 2013-204, section 1, effective July 1, 2013. Applicants in every NC county follow the current application instructions without obtaining a recommendation from an elected official. Old large-county exceptions and waiver lists are obsolete.
Worked Example
Carlos passes his exam, gets his instructor's certification, lives in Durham County, signs the application before an authorized officer and includes the required supporting documents. He encloses a $50 money order and mails the package. No elected-official recommendation is required. When the Notification Letter arrives three weeks later, he will go to the Durham County Register of Deeds, pay $10, and take the oath — two offices, two fees, in sequence.
Why Packages Get Returned
The single biggest avoidable delay is an incomplete package, and because the office returns rather than fixes incomplete filings, a returned application can run you past the 3-month course-completion deadline and force a full restart. The most common defects are a missing required instructor certification, missing supporting documents, the wrong payment form (cash or personal credit card by mail), an unsigned oath/affirmation block, or a name on the form that does not match the applicant's identification.
| Defect | Consequence | Fix before mailing |
|---|---|---|
| No instructor signature | Returned | Get certification at the course |
| Cash sent by mail | Returned | Use check or money order |
| Name mismatch with ID | Returned / seal error | Match name exactly to ID |
| Required lawful-residence / NC-employment documentation omitted | May be rejected as incomplete | Attach the documents required for the applicant's circumstances |
Distinguish the Required Signatures
The instructor certification establishes the applicable course and exam completion. The applicant's signature verifies the application before an officer authorized to administer oaths. The later oath of office is taken at the Register of Deeds after the commission is issued. These steps serve different purposes; none is an elected-official character recommendation. The 2013 repeal removed the old recommendation requirement, not the required application signature or commissioning oath.
Timing the Whole Sequence
Because processing takes several weeks, plan backward from the 3-month course-completion deadline. File the application well inside that window so that, even if the package is returned once, you still have time to correct and resubmit. Track three dates from the day you finish the course: the 30-day exam deadline, the 3-month application deadline, and — after approval — the 45-day oath deadline that the next section covers. Missing any one of them resets work you have already paid for.
How are the two fees in the NC notary process correctly split between offices?
$50 to the Secretary of State with the application and $10 to the Register of Deeds for the oath
$50 to the Register of Deeds and $10 to the Secretary of State
Both fees are paid to the Secretary of State
Both fees are paid to the county Register of Deeds
What is the function of the instructor's signature on the application?
It administers the oath of office
It replaces the applicant's own required signature
It serves as the applicant's character reference
It certifies that the applicant completed the course and passed the exam
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.