For Notaries · North Carolina
How to Become a Notary in North Carolina
To become a notary in North Carolina, you must be at least 18, live or work in the state, read and write English, and hold a high school diploma. Complete a six-hour course, pass the exam with at least 80%, then file a $50 application with the Secretary of State. No bond is required; commissions last five years.
Need a document notarized instead? This guide covers becoming a commissioned notary in North Carolina. If you are looking for a notary today, compare where to get a document notarized in North Carolina or notarize it online in minutes.
Last updated: October 2, 2026 · By Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary
North Carolina commissions notaries through the Secretary of State's Notary Public Section, and its path looks different from many states: there is no surety bond, but you must sit through a state-approved six-hour course and pass an exam before you can apply. After the Secretary of State approves your $50 application, you finish the process locally by taking your oath of office at your county Register of Deeds. A North Carolina commission runs for five years. Working online is a different story: North Carolina passed the Remote Electronic Notarization Act in July 2022, but a notary must use a platform licensed by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State's list of authorized technology providers still reads "Coming Soon," so remote online notarization is not something you can register for in North Carolina today.
North Carolina Notary Requirements at a Glance
| Eligibility | You must be at least 18 years old; reside in North Carolina (or reside in a bordering state and be regularly employed or carry on business in North Carolina); be able to read, write, and speak English; hold a high school diploma or equivalent; and have no disqualifying criminal history (such as a crime involving moral turpitude). |
|---|---|
| Surety bond | Not required. North Carolina does not require notaries to purchase a surety bond. Errors-and-omissions (E&O) insurance is optional but recommended to protect you against claims of a mistake. |
| State filing fee | $50 non-refundable application fee to the Secretary of State, plus a $10 oath fee paid to your county Register of Deeds. |
| Commission term | 5 years |
| Notary education | Required. You must complete a state-approved notary course, typically six hours, offered through North Carolina community colleges and other approved providers. Active members of the North Carolina State Bar are exempt from the course requirement. |
| Exam | Required. At the end of the course you must pass the notary exam with a score of at least 80%. Both first-time applicants and renewing traditional notaries must pass the exam. |
North Carolina's Remote Electronic Notarization Act (RENA) became law on July 8, 2022, and the Secretary of State's notice keeps Emergency Video Notarization in place until the first license is issued for Remote Electronic Notarizations. — North Carolina Secretary of State — Notary Division
How to Become a Notary in North Carolina: Step by Step
- 1
Confirm you're eligible
Verify you are at least 18, read and write English, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and either live in North Carolina or reside in a bordering state while working or doing business in North Carolina. You must also have no disqualifying criminal history.
- 2
Complete the six-hour course and pass the exam
Take a state-approved notary course (typically six hours, offered at North Carolina community colleges) and pass the exam with a score of at least 80%. North Carolina State Bar members are exempt from the course.
- 3
Submit your application and $50 fee
Within three months of passing the exam, complete the Notary Public application and send it to the North Carolina Secretary of State with the $50 non-refundable filing fee.
- 4
Take your oath at the Register of Deeds
After the Secretary of State approves you, take your oath of office at your county Register of Deeds within 45 days of your notification letter and pay the $10 oath fee to receive your commission.
- 5
Get your seal and journal
Order your official notary seal and a records journal so you can start notarizing. Remote electronic notarization is not yet available in North Carolina — the Secretary of State's list of authorized technology providers reads "Coming Soon" — so plan on in-person notarizations for now and watch the Secretary of State's notary pages for when remote registration opens.
Remote Online Notarization in North Carolina
North Carolina has enacted the Remote Electronic Notarization Act (RENA), which became law on July 8, 2022, but remote electronic notarization is not yet operative. A notary must use a platform licensed by the Secretary of State (G.S. 10B-134.19), and the Secretary of State's notice extends Emergency Video Notarization to 12:01 AM on July 1, 2027 "or until the first license is issued for Remote Electronic Notarizations," while its list of authorized technology providers reads "Coming Soon." Because only a licensed platform may be used and none is listed yet, North Carolina notaries cannot yet perform remote electronic notarizations.
Online / remote notary application fee: Not available yet, because remote electronic notarization is not operative. The enacted maximum fee for remote notarization under Part 4A of Article 2 is $25.00 per notarized principal signature (G.S. 10B-31(4)). Registering as an electronic notary, which includes authorization to perform remote electronic notarial acts when the notary meets the Article's requirements, carries a $50.00 state fee, in addition to the G.S. 10B-13 fee (G.S. 10B-108, 10B-106(b)).
RENA became law on July 8, 2022, but remote electronic notarization requires a platform licensed by the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State's list of authorized technology providers reads "Coming Soon." Separately, "electronic notarization" in North Carolina is not remote: the Secretary of State defines it as adding an electronic signature and seal to an electronic document while the eNotary and signer are physically present together. Emergency Video Notarization (EVN) under G.S. 10B-25 is a temporary emergency video act, not RON. S.L. 2026-52 (HB 517, signed July 7, 2026) extended it, and the Secretary of State's notice says EVN now runs to 12:01 AM on July 1, 2027 "or until the first license is issued for Remote Electronic Notarizations."
See how RON is authorized in North Carolina — 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 North Carolina remote online notarization process →
Need a document notarized in North Carolina instead? Notarize online with a North Carolina commissioned notary.
Traditional Notary vs. Remote Online Notary in North Carolina
North Carolina has not yet made remote online notarization operative for its notaries, so today the practical path is a traditional commission. Here's how the two compare, for if and when RON becomes available.
| 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 North Carolina? | Yes | Not yet — not operative in this state |
| 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 North Carolina?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State application fee | $50 (fixed, non-refundable) |
| Oath fee (county Register of Deeds) | $10 (fixed) |
| Surety bond | Not required |
| Six-hour notary course | Varies by provider |
| Seal and journal | Varies |
| Remote electronic notary registration (not yet available) | Not yet available |
See what USA Notary costs a North Carolina notary for platform-side details.
What a North Carolina Notary Can Charge
The costs above are what you pay to get commissioned — this is the other side of the ledger. North Carolina caps what a notary may charge per notarial act, and here is exactly where those ceilings sit.
| Maximum in-person fee (per notarial act) | $10 |
|---|---|
| Maximum remote online notarization (RON) fee | $25 |
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 North Carolina compares with every other state in the how North Carolina fees compare across all 50 states.
Fee cap read from N.C.G.S. § 10B-31 on October 1, 2026, which also states the online cap. Fees are per notarial act or signature, and a notary may charge less than the cap; separately permitted charges such as travel or an online-platform technology fee are not part of it. Confirm before relying on a figure.
Renewing Your Notary Commission in North Carolina
Commission term in North Carolina
5 years
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 North Carolina Commission Into Income
USA Notary connects commissioned notaries with paid signing work — and the moment North Carolina makes remote online notarization available to you, you can add assigned, paid remote signings through the platform. How North Carolina notaries earn · membership cost · platform requirements · other states · compare RON platforms for North Carolina notaries
Join USA Notary as a notaryFrequently Asked Questions
How long is a North Carolina notary commission valid?
A North Carolina notary public commission lasts five years. You must complete the course, pass the exam, and reapply before it expires to keep notarizing.
Do I need a surety bond to be a notary in North Carolina?
No. North Carolina does not require notaries to buy a surety bond. Many notaries still carry optional errors-and-omissions (E&O) insurance to protect themselves against claims of a mistake.
How much does it cost to become a notary in North Carolina?
The Secretary of State charges a $50 non-refundable application fee, and your county Register of Deeds charges a $10 oath fee. You also pay for the required six-hour course and your seal and journal, which vary by provider.
Does North Carolina require a class and exam to become a notary?
Yes. You must complete a state-approved notary course (typically six hours) and pass the exam with a score of at least 80%. Active members of the North Carolina State Bar are exempt from the course.
Can I become a remote online notary in North Carolina?
Not yet. North Carolina's Remote Electronic Notarization Act (RENA) became law on July 8, 2022, but a notary must use a platform licensed by the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State's list of authorized technology providers reads "Coming Soon," so there is no way to register today. Emergency Video Notarization is a temporary emergency measure, not remote online notarization; the Secretary of State's notice extends it to 12:01 AM on July 1, 2027 or until the first license is issued for Remote Electronic Notarizations. Note that North Carolina's "electronic notarization" is not remote — the Secretary of State requires the eNotary and signer to be physically present together.
Where do I take my notary oath in North Carolina?
You take your oath of office in person at your county Register of Deeds. You must do this within 45 days of your notification letter and pay the $10 oath fee, or your commission is voided.
How much can a notary charge in North Carolina?
North Carolina's maximum fee for a standard in-person notarial act is $10, per act or signature.
When does a North Carolina notary commission expire?
The North Carolina commission term is: 5 years. 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 South Atlantic 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
- North Carolina Secretary of State — Notary Public Division
- North Carolina Secretary of State — eNotary / Remote Electronic Notary
- American Society of Notaries — North Carolina requirements
- North Carolina Secretary of State — Authorized Technology Providers (Coming Soon)
- North Carolina General Assembly — H.B. 517 (S.L. 2026-52) bill history
- North Carolina General Statutes § 10B-134.19 — Platform licensing
- North Carolina General Statutes § 10B-31 — Notary fees
- North Carolina General Statutes § 10B-25 — Emergency video notarization
- North Carolina General Statutes § 10B-108 — Fees for registration as an electronic notary
- North Carolina General Statutes § 10B-106 — Registration with the Secretary of State
- North Carolina General Statutes Ch. 10B, Art. 2 — Electronic Notary Act
This guide summarizes public requirements from North Carolina'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.