North Dakota requires a $7,500 surety bond but no exam and no course. The process has a distinctive two-step stamp procedure: you get authorization to buy a stamp, then submit an impression of it back to the SOS before your commission is finalized.
Under North Dakota Century Code Chapter 44-06.1, the requirements are:
North Dakota's costs are moderate. The $36 filing fee and $7,500 bond are the main expenses.
| Item | Required? | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State filing fee | Required | $36 |
| $7,500 surety bond (4-year term) | Required | $35–$55 |
| Notary stamping device | Required | $15–$35 |
| Notary journal | Optional but recommended | $10–$25 |
| Education course | Not required | $0 |
| Written exam | Not required | $0 |
| E&O insurance (recommended) | Optional | $25–$50/yr |
| Total to get commissioned | $70–$115 |
North Dakota has a distinctive two-step stamp process. After your application is approved, the SOS sends you a Certificate of Authorization to Purchase Notary Stamping Device. You buy your stamp, then return an impression of it on a Verification of Notary Public Stamping Device form. Only after the SOS approves your stamp do they issue your commission certificate.
North Dakota's process has a distinctive stamp-verification step.
Buy your 4-year, $7,500 bond (SFN 19355) from an insurance company of your choice. Cost is typically $35-$55.
Sign the Notary Oath of Office in the presence of a notary public.
Submit your application with the surety bond and signed oath, plus the $36 filing fee. Mail to: Secretary of State, State of North Dakota, PO Box 5513, Bismarck, ND 58506-5513.
Once your application is approved, the SOS sends you a Certificate of Authorization to Purchase Notary Stamping Device. This form lets you obtain a stamp from a vendor of your choice.
Purchase your stamping device, then return an impression of it on the Verification of Notary Public Stamping Device form. It must reach the SOS by the date indicated on the form.
After the SOS reviews and approves your stamping device, they issue your commission certificate. You can only perform notarial acts on or after the commencement date listed on it.
North Dakota notaries can perform these acts statewide under NDCC Chapter 44-06.1:
North Dakota allows notary-set fees — no statutory hard caps:
Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks are the main markets. North Dakota's oil and gas industry (particularly in the Bakken formation, western ND) generates routine notarial work — mineral rights, leases, and royalty agreements. The state's rural geography makes mobile notary services valuable across wide areas.
North Dakota authorized RON, covered under the standard bond (no additional bond needed):
Your North Dakota commission is valid for 4 years. The commission begins at 12:00 a.m. on the commencement date and ends at midnight on the expiration date.
Renewal requires a new $7,500 bond, the renewal application, and the $36 fee. The two-step stamp process applies again — you'll get a new Certificate of Authorization and submit a stamp impression. Notarizing outside your commission dates is a violation of state law, so renew before expiration.
North Dakota verifies your actual stamp before finalizing your commission. After approving your application, the SOS authorizes you to buy a stamp; you then submit an impression of the purchased stamp for the SOS to review and approve. Only then is your commission certificate issued. It's a quality-control step to ensure stamps meet state specifications — it adds a little time to the process.
Yes. Your commission is statewide.
Possibly. North Dakota allows residents of counties bordering ND IF their home state extends notary reciprocity to North Dakota. You can also qualify by working in North Dakota. Check whether your state has a reciprocity arrangement.
North Dakota's Bakken oil formation generates a steady stream of notarial work — mineral rights documents, oil and gas leases, royalty agreements, and division orders all routinely require notarization. Notaries in western ND (Williston, Dickinson) and the Bakken region see meaningful demand from the energy sector.
No. North Dakota covers remote online notarization under the standard $7,500 bond — you don't need a separate or larger RON bond. You just request RON approval from the Secretary of State.
Only on or after the commencement date listed on your commission certificate, and not after the expiration date. North Dakota is explicit that notarizing outside that window is a violation of state law — so wait for your certificate, and renew before expiration.
North Dakota's oil and gas sector (especially the Bakken) generates steady notarial work. Fargo, Bismarck, and the energy-region markets all have demand. We're recruiting founding-cohort North Dakota notaries now — 10 spots, $10 platform fee for life.
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