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Notary Public

Course Description

Overview:

This workshop is designed to prepare the participant to be commissioned as a Notary Public and fulfills the classroom requirement. A Notary Public is a public official given power by state law to:

• take acknowledgements (certify signatures)
• take proofs of execution
• administer oaths
• take affidavits

For more information about holding a commission as a Notary Public for the State of North Carolina, please see the North Carolina Secretary of State webpages at www.sosnc.com and www.secretary.state.nc.us/notary/.

Prerequisites:

• None

Requirements & Restrictions:

• Please see both:
  • the list at the very bottom of the Notary Public homepage (http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/notary/)
  • the Frequently Asked Questions section (http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/notary/FAQ.aspx); numbers 10 and 28 in particular.

Objectives:

• Learn about and apply for commission as a Notary Public

Outline:

• history of the office of Notary Public
• procedures for obtaining commission
• appointment/ commission of Notary
• general powers and limitation of Notary
• official acts of the Notary Public
• fees
• purpose of Notary Public
• oaths of office of Notary Public
• automobile title
• other forms

Process for Notary Public appointment:

     Attend class approved by the State of North Carolina (6 hours of instruction):

bring a state or U.S. government issued photo identification card with you to class (driver's license, state ID card, passport, etc.) - a Duke employee ID badge is not sufficient

pass test with minimum grade of 80%

complete the Notary Public application form

take an oath that the information on the application is "true and correct to the best of your knowledge"

have application notarized (we will arrange for a Notary Public to be present for this purpose)

have an elected public official sign the application (we will arrange for an elected public official
    to be present for this purpose)

     After class:

If circumstances prevented a Notary Public from being present in the class, you must get your application notarized on your own - check with your bank, insurance company, Town Hall, or County Courthouse.

If circumstances prevented an elected public official from being present in the class, you must get your application signed by an elected public official on your own - check with your Town Hall, County Courthouse, or Sheriff's Office.

Send application (provided in class) along with $50 to the Secretary of the State of North Carolina.
If your department is paying for this fee and submitting paperwork to Duke Accounts Payable to have a check generated, a copy of the Notary Public application form should be included as backup documentation, not the original. Your office should hold onto the original notarized and signed application; the original is the only form acceptable to the office of the Secretary of the State of North Carolina. If department staff or Accounts Payable staff dispute or require confirmation of this procedure, they should contact the manager of Duke Accounts Payable. (Documentation submitted to Duke Accounts Payable is electronically scanned, and about 26 days later, originals are destroyed.)

If your application is approved by the Secretary of State, a letter of commission appointing you as a Notary Public will be mailed to the Register of Deeds in the county where you reside. A copy of the letter of commission will be sent to you. You will have 90 days from the date on the letter to present your copy of the letter to the Register of Deeds in your county. You must take an oath of office, and pay a $5 fee.

Purchase seal and stamp from an office supply store (~$20).

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