For Notaries · South Carolina
How to Become a Notary in South Carolina
To become a notary in South Carolina, you must be a registered South Carolina voter who can read and write English. Have your application endorsed by your county legislative delegation, pay the $25 fee to the Secretary of State, and take the oath. No surety bond or exam is required, and commissions last ten years.
Last updated: July 9, 2026 · By Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary
South Carolina takes a distinctive path to the notary seal. Instead of a bond and an exam, the state relies on a registered-voter requirement and a legislative endorsement: your application must be signed by members of your county legislative delegation before the Secretary of State can process it and the Governor formally appoints you. There is no surety bond, no proctored exam, and no mandatory training course — just a $25 filing fee and a commission that runs a full ten years, among the longest terms in the country. One important caveat for anyone chasing online work: South Carolina has not authorized true remote online notarization. SC notaries may notarize electronic documents only when the signer is physically present, so the online-notary path here looks different from states like Texas or Florida.
South Carolina Notary Requirements at a Glance
| Eligibility | You must be a registered voter in South Carolina (which requires being at least 18 years old), able to read and write the English language, and able to submit an application containing no significant misstatement or omission of fact. South Carolina has no separate residency filing beyond SC voter registration, and there is no citizenship-based path around the voter requirement. |
|---|---|
| Surety bond | Not required. South Carolina does not require notaries to obtain a surety bond, making it one of the few states with no bonding requirement and one of the least expensive to get commissioned. Errors-and-omissions (E&O) insurance is optional and is for your own protection, not a state mandate. |
| State filing fee | $25 (payable to the South Carolina Secretary of State) |
| Commission term | 10 years |
| Notary education | Not required — South Carolina does not mandate a notary training course. |
| Exam | Not required |
South Carolina's electronic notarization — known as IPEN — requires that the notary public and the signer be in the presence of one another when the notarization takes place. The Secretary of State commissions notaries public, and you must be a registered voter to become one. — South Carolina Secretary of State — Notaries
How to Become a Notary in South Carolina: Step by Step
- 1
Confirm you're eligible
You must be a registered voter in South Carolina — which requires being at least 18 — able to read and write English, and able to certify that your application contains no significant misstatement or omission of fact.
- 2
Complete the notary application
Complete the notary public application from the South Carolina Secretary of State, entering your name exactly as you want it to appear on your commission and seal.
- 3
Get your legislative delegation endorsement
South Carolina uniquely requires a legislative endorsement. Have your application signed either by at least half of your county legislative delegation, or by both your state senator and your state representative, who list their district numbers.
- 4
Submit your application and $25 fee
Submit the endorsed application to the South Carolina Secretary of State with the $25 filing fee. After the office processes it, the Governor formally appoints you and your commission is mailed to you.
- 5
Take the oath and qualify within 15 days
Within 15 days of receiving your commission, enroll with your county Clerk of Court and take the oath of office. Order a notary seal showing your name, 'Notary Public,' and 'State of South Carolina,' and you're ready to notarize.
Remote Online Notarization in South Carolina
South Carolina has not authorized true remote online notarization (RON). A South Carolina notary may perform electronic notarizations only when the signer is physically present in the same room (S.C. Code Ann. § 26-2-40) — there is no remote-appearance RON and no separate online-notary registration for SC-commissioned notaries.
Online / remote notary application fee: None — South Carolina does not commission remote online notaries.
South Carolina does recognize valid remote online notarizations performed by notaries commissioned in other RON-enabled states (S.C. Code Ann. § 26-3-20), but SC-commissioned notaries cannot perform them. Confirm current status with the Secretary of State before relying on any online notarization.
See how RON is authorized in South Carolina — and state by state →
Walk through the South Carolina remote online notarization process →
Traditional Notary vs. Remote Online Notary in South Carolina
South 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 when RON goes live.
| 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 South Carolina? | Yes | Not yet — authorized but not operative |
| 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 South Carolina?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $25 (payable to the SC Secretary of State) |
| Surety bond | Not required in South Carolina |
| Exam / training course | Not required |
| Notary seal & supplies | Varies by provider |
| Online / remote notary | N/A — South Carolina does not authorize RON |
See costs and fees on USA Notary for platform-side details.
Turn Your South Carolina Commission Into Income
Getting commissioned is step one. USA Notary connects commissioned notaries with paid signing work — and the moment South Carolina makes remote online notarization available to you, you can add assigned, paid remote signings through the platform. Learn how South Carolina notaries earn, check the platform requirements for South Carolina notaries, and browse become-a-notary guides for other states.
Join USA Notary as a notaryFrequently Asked Questions
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 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
- South Carolina Secretary of State — Notaries
- American Society of Notaries — South Carolina
- Proof — South Carolina State Legislation (RON status)
This guide summarizes public requirements from South 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.