For Notaries · Minnesota
How to Become a Notary in Minnesota
To become a notary in Minnesota, you must be at least 18 and a Minnesota resident (or a bordering-county resident), file an application with the Secretary of State, and pay the $120 state fee plus a $20 county recording fee. No bond, exam, or training is required, and commissions run a 5-year term.
Last updated: July 16, 2026 · By Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary
Minnesota notaries are appointed by the Governor and administered by the Secretary of State, which makes getting commissioned refreshingly simple: there is no exam, no mandatory training course, and no surety bond. You apply by mailing a notary application with the $120 state fee, and once approved you record your commission with your county of residence for a $20 fee. Eligibility is open to anyone 18 or older who lives in Minnesota, or in a bordering county of Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin. Commissions last a 5-year term, expiring January 31 of the fifth year. If you want to notarize over live video, Minnesota also lets active notaries add remote online notarization authorization.
Minnesota Notary Requirements at a Glance
| Eligibility | Must be at least 18 years old and either a Minnesota resident or a resident of a bordering county in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin (listing the Minnesota county you will file in). Non-residents must designate the Secretary of State as agent for service of process. Applicants disclose any criminal history on the application and submit documentation of the charge, disposition, and completion of any sentence or probation. No Social Security number is required. |
|---|---|
| Surety bond | No surety bond is required in Minnesota. Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance is optional and recommended but not mandated by the state. |
| State filing fee | $120 non-refundable state commission fee payable to the Secretary of State, plus a separate $20 fee to record your commission with your county of residence. |
| Commission term | 5 years (all commissions expire January 31 of the fifth year following issuance) |
| Notary education | Not required. The Secretary of State does not offer or mandate training; optional seminars are available from private notary organizations. |
| Exam | Not required. Minnesota does not administer a notary exam. |
Minnesota charges a $120 non-refundable state commission fee plus a $20 county recording fee, requires no surety bond, and issues a 5-year commission expiring January 31 of the fifth year. — Minnesota Secretary of State — Notary FAQ
How to Become a Notary in Minnesota: Step by Step
- 1
Confirm you are eligible
Verify you are at least 18 and a Minnesota resident (or a resident of a bordering county in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin). Disclose any criminal history on the application with supporting documentation.
- 2
Complete the notary application
Fill out the Minnesota Secretary of State Notary Application. There is no exam, no required training course, and no surety bond to obtain.
- 3
Submit your application and fee
Mail the signed application with the $120 non-refundable fee (check or money order) to the Office of the Secretary of State. Allow roughly four weeks for processing.
- 4
Record your commission with your county
After the Secretary of State approves and mails your commission certificate, register it with your county of residence and pay the $20 county recording fee. Then obtain your official notarial stamp.
- 5
Start notarizing (and add RON if desired)
Begin performing notarial acts with your stamp; a journal is recommended but not required. To notarize online, register for Remote Online Notarization Authorization with the Secretary of State.
How to Become an Online (Remote) Notary in Minnesota
Remote online notarization is operative in Minnesota. A notary must first hold an active Minnesota commission and have recorded it with their resident county, then register with the Secretary of State using the Remote Online Notarization Authorization form, certifying they will use conforming communication technology and staying physically located in Minnesota during each remote act. The authorization lasts as long as the underlying commission remains valid. The Secretary of State charges no separate registration fee; costs come from the notary's chosen technology platform.
Online / remote notary application fee: No separate state registration fee; RON technology platform costs vary by provider
Enacted effective January 1, 2019 under Minnesota Statutes 358.645 (Chapters 358 and 359)
See how RON is authorized in Minnesota — and state by state →
The commission, the RON registration and the platform account are three separate things — which of them you can do entirely online sorts them out.
Walk through the Minnesota remote online notarization process →
Need a document notarized in Minnesota instead? Notarize online with a Minnesota commissioned notary.
Traditional Notary vs. Remote Online Notary in Minnesota
Minnesota allows remote online notarization, so once you hold a Minnesota commission you can register to notarize for signers who appear over live video — and take on assigned online signings.
| Traditional (in-person) notary | Remote online notary (RON) | |
|---|---|---|
| How the signer appears | In person, in the same room | Over a live, recorded audio-video call |
| Available in Minnesota? | Yes | Available now — register once commissioned |
| What you need | Seal and journal | An approved RON platform, identity-proofing, and a digital certificate |
| Where the work comes from | Local, walk-in and mobile appointments | Nationwide — e.g. assigned online signings through USA Notary |
What Does It Cost to Become a Notary in Minnesota?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State commission fee (Secretary of State) | $120 |
| County recording fee | $20 |
| Surety bond | Not required |
| Notarial stamp & journal | Varies by supplier |
| Remote online notarization authorization | No state fee; platform costs vary |
See costs and fees on USA Notary for platform-side details.
What a Minnesota Notary Can Charge
The costs above are what you pay to get commissioned — this is the other side of the ledger. Minnesota caps what a notary may charge per notarial act, and here is exactly where those ceilings sit.
| Maximum in-person fee (per notarial act) | $5 |
|---|---|
| Maximum remote online notarization (RON) fee | $5 |
A statutory maximum is a ceiling, not a price list, and it covers the notarial act only — travel, printing and after-hours convenience are quoted as separate line items. See how Minnesota compares with every other state in the full 50-state breakdown of what a notary costs.
Verified July 2026 against the National Notary Association "Notary Fees by State" table and primary state statutes/Secretary of State rules. Several states (WA, VA, NC) raised caps in 2023–2024. Fees are per notarial act/signature; a notary may charge less, never more. Confirm your state before relying on a figure.
Renewing Your Notary Commission in Minnesota
Commission term in Minnesota
5 years (all commissions expire January 31 of the fifth year following issuance)
No state renews a commission automatically, and notarizing on a lapsed one is treated as acting without authority — start the renewal before the date above arrives.
For timelines, typical costs, and what to do if you've already let a commission lapse, see our step-by-step notary commission renewal guide.
Turn Your Minnesota Commission Into Income
USA Notary connects commissioned notaries with assigned, paid remote signings — so your commission actually earns. How Minnesota notaries earn · membership cost · platform requirements · other states
Join USA Notary as a notaryFrequently Asked Questions
How long does a Minnesota notary commission last?
Five years. Every Minnesota notary commission expires on January 31 of the fifth year following the year it was issued. You may apply to renew within six months before expiration.
How much does it cost to become a notary in Minnesota?
The state charges a $120 non-refundable commission fee, plus a $20 fee to record your commission with your county of residence. Add the cost of a notarial stamp. No surety bond is required.
Do I need to take a class or pass an exam?
No. Minnesota does not require any training course or exam to become a notary. Optional seminars are offered by private notary organizations, but the state neither mandates nor provides them.
Who appoints and administers Minnesota notaries?
Notaries are appointed by the Governor and administered by the Minnesota Secretary of State. You file your application and fee with the Secretary of State, then record the commission with your county.
Can Minnesota notaries perform remote online notarizations?
Yes. Remote online notarization has been operative since January 1, 2019 under Minnesota Statutes 358.645. An active notary registers with the Secretary of State for Remote Online Notarization Authorization and must remain physically in Minnesota during each remote act.
How much can a notary charge in Minnesota?
Minnesota's maximum fee for a standard in-person notarial act is $5, per act or signature.
How much can a Minnesota notary charge for online notarization?
Minnesota's listed maximum fee for a remote online notarization is $5, against $5 in person.
When does a Minnesota notary commission expire?
The Minnesota commission term is: 5 years (all commissions expire January 31 of the fifth year following issuance). No state renews a commission automatically — once yours lapses you cannot perform notarial acts until the renewal or reappointment is complete, so calendar the expiration date and start the paperwork early.
Where to go from here
The rest of the questions are the same in every state, so they live in one place each:
- How long it takes to become a notary — application, processing queue, and the waiting you can't control.
- What it costs to become a notary — the same line items as the Minnesota cost table, priced across every state.
- Notary bond vs. E&O insurance — which one is a state requirement and which is your own call.
- What a loan signing agent does and earns — the highest-earning specialization once your commission arrives.
Becoming a Notary in Other States
Requirements differ by state — here are nearby West North Central guides and other popular states. See the full 50-state directory.
About the author
Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC
CEO & Founder, USA Notary Services LLC
Andrew Ray Yon is the founder and CEO of USA Notary Services LLC and the architect of the SharpNote remote online notarization platform. A Certified Notary Signing Agent since 2005, he has handled mortgage and title loan signings for two decades — personally completing more than 10,000 notarizations — and holds an MBA and the ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) designation. Based in Virginia’s Greater Richmond region, he leads the company’s strategy, compliance, and platform development.
Connect on LinkedInOfficial sources
- Minnesota Secretary of State — Become a Notary
- Minnesota Secretary of State — Notary FAQ
- Minnesota Secretary of State — Remote Online Notarization Authorization
- Minnesota Secretary of State — Remote Online Notarization Authorization FAQ
This guide summarizes public requirements from Minnesota's notary authority and is for general information, not legal advice. Requirements and fees can change — always confirm current details with your state before applying.