To become a notary in Oregon, you complete an approved training course, pass the state exam, submit an application and $40 fee to the Secretary of State, and file a signed oath of office within 30 days of your commission being issued. The commission runs four years. No surety bond is required.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 18 and either live in Oregon or have a regular place of work in the state.1Oregon Secretary of State. Qualifications for a Commission You also need to be able to read and write English, since every notarial act involves reviewing documents and making journal entries.
U.S. citizenship is not required. Lawful permanent residents qualify, consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1984 decision in Bernal v. Fainter, which struck down citizenship requirements for notary commissions.
The Secretary of State can deny your application if you have criminal convictions involving dishonesty or fraud, or if a previous notary commission was revoked or suspended.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 194.990 – Criminal Penalties A notary’s core role is to serve as a trustworthy, disinterested witness, so a felony or a lesser offense that conflicts with that role can disqualify you even if you meet every other requirement.
The Four Steps to a Commission
1. Complete the Required Training
Before you can apply, take the mandatory “Basics” training course. The Secretary of State’s office offers this course and also approves private vendors to provide it.3Oregon Secretary of State. Notary Training The training covers your legal responsibilities, the types of notarial acts you can perform, journal-keeping rules, and common mistakes that lead to liability.
2. Pass the Oregon Notary Public Exam
After the training, you sit for the state exam, which tests your understanding of the material. Read the training carefully. The rules on identification, journal entries, and prohibited notarizations are the areas where new notaries most often stumble later.
3. Submit Your Application and Fee
With the training and exam behind you, submit your application through the Secretary of State’s online portal or mail a paper copy to the Corporation Division in Salem. The non-refundable processing fee is $40.4Oregon Secretary of State. Commission Application/Reapplication The application asks for your legal name, business address, and disclosure of any criminal history or professional license issues. Accuracy matters here, because discrepancies can delay or sink your application during the background review.
4. File Your Oath of Office Within 30 Days
Once the Secretary of State approves your application and issues your commission, you are not finished. You must file a signed oath of office with the Secretary of State’s office within 30 days of the commission date. Miss the deadline and you start the application process over. The oath is a formal pledge to uphold Oregon law in every notarial act you perform. Once it’s on file, your commission is active and lasts four years from the date of issue.5Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 194.315 – Commission as Notary Public
What Oregon Does Not Require
Oregon does not require notaries to carry a surety bond. Many other states do, and plenty of national guides will tell you to buy one. In Oregon, bonding is optional. So is errors-and-omissions insurance, though E&O coverage is worth considering if you plan to notarize documents with significant financial stakes, since a mistake on a real estate closing or power of attorney could expose you to personal liability.
All in, the mandatory cost to become an Oregon notary is the $40 state fee plus whatever the training vendor charges. Your stamp is an additional out-of-pocket expense once you’re commissioned.
Setting Up to Actually Notarize
Before you take your first client, you need a stamp and a journal. Neither is optional.
Your Official Stamp
Every Oregon notary must use an official stamp that includes your name, your jurisdiction (Oregon), and your commission expiration date. The Secretary of State may require additional elements by administrative rule. The stamp must produce a legible imprint that can be clearly copied along with the document it’s affixed to.6Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 194.290 – Official Stamp Most notaries choose a rubber ink stamp rather than an embosser, since embossed impressions don’t photocopy well.
You are personally responsible for your stamping device’s security. Nobody else may use it to perform a notarial act.7Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 194.295 – Stamping Device When your commission ends, you must destroy or disable the stamp so it cannot be reused.
Your Journal
Oregon requires you to keep a journal recording every notarial act. Each entry is made at the time of the act and includes:8Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 194.300 – Journal
- The date and time
- A description of the document and the type of notarial act
- The signer’s full name and contact address
- How you verified their identity (personal knowledge or the ID they presented, including its expiration date)
- The signer’s signature
- The fee you charged, if any
You must retain each journal for 10 years after the last entry, even after your commission ends.9Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 194.300 – Journal A dispute over a notarized signature from years ago can surface in litigation, and your journal is the primary evidence of what happened. Keep it locked somewhere secure.
What You Can Charge
Oregon caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act for standard in-person work. For a remote online notarization performed under ORS 194.277, the cap is $25 per act.10Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 194.400 – Fees for Notarial Acts These caps apply to the notarial act itself. As a mobile notary, you may charge separately for travel, but the notarization fee must stay within the statutory limit.
Keeping the Commission Current
Oregon does not automatically renew commissions. When your four-year term approaches its end, submit a new application, retake the required training, and pay the $40 fee again. The state assigns you a new commission number and expiration date.11Oregon Secretary of State. Commission Re-application If you let your commission lapse before reapplying, any notarial acts you perform in the gap are invalid and could expose you to criminal penalties.
p>You are also required to notify the Secretary of State within 30 days of any change to your public records address during your active commission.12Oregon Secretary of State. Update a Commission Record
Optional Add-Ons Once You’re Commissioned
Remote Online Notarization
Oregon authorizes remote online notarization (RON), which allows you to notarize documents for signers who are not physically in the same room. The notary must still be located in Oregon, but the signer can be anywhere.13Oregon Secretary of State. Remote Online Notarization To perform RON, you complete the required RON training, select at least one qualifying technology vendor that meets state system requirements, and submit the Remote Notarization Notice form along with a copy of your electronic stamp and signature to the Secretary of State. When you renew your commission, file a new RON notice to continue performing remote notarizations.
Loan Signing Agent Work
Many Oregon notaries earn additional income as loan signing agents, handling mortgage closings and refinance paperwork. This is not a separate state license. It’s a specialization within your notary commission, but the mortgage industry imposes its own requirements. Title companies and lenders typically expect signing agents to carry E&O insurance (often $25,000 or more), pass an annual background screening, and complete a training course on mortgage closing procedures. Organizations like the National Notary Association offer certification programs that satisfy these industry expectations, though certification is not legally required by Oregon.
The pay is substantially higher than standard notarial work. A single loan signing appointment might pay $75 to $200 depending on complexity and market, compared to the $10 statutory cap on a standard notarization. Factor in E&O premiums and annual background checks as a business expense if you go this route.