Steps to Obtain an Initial Notary Commission

This guidance document is advisory in nature but is binding on an agency until amended by such agency. A

guidance document does not include internal procedural documents that only affect the internal operations

of the agency and does not impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties or include

confidential information or rules and regulations made in accordance with the Administrative Procedure

Act. If you believe that this guidance document imposes additional requirements or penalties on regulated

parties, you may request a review of the document.

To become a Nebraska Notary Public, you must meet the following qualifications:

• Be at least 19 years old;

Nebraska Notary Exam

Click the link above to take the exam. Review the duties and obligations under Notary Statutes, Frequently

Asked Questions, and Rules and Regulations on our website to assist you in preparing for the exam. You

will be redirected to ClassMarker to complete the exam online.

Complete the test without assistance from others. The exam consists of 20 questions. You will have three

attempts to achieve a passing score of 85% prior to being commissioned. Upon passing the exam, you will

receive a digital passing examination certificate. The passing exam score will be valid for 90 days from the

date of examination. If you are not successful after three attempts, you will no longer be eligible to be a

notary public in Nebraska.

Please save a copy of your passing examination certificate as a PDF to upload when you file your

bond twice – once as the “principal” of the bond, and the second time in front of another notary public

when completing the oath of office. Applicant signatures must be consistent on the bond.

Purchase of an errors and omissions policy is optional, and you do not have to provide proof of such

coverage to our office.

Mailing Address: Notary Division, P.O. Box 95104, Lincoln, NE 68509-5104

1. Go to the Secretary of State’s Online Notary Portal and login to your account. (If you don’t

have an account, simply click the login button and you’ll see where you can create one. This

o Have your payment information ready. The $30 filing fee can be paid online by credit/debit

card or eCheck. State of Nebraska employees may use Interagency Billing Transaction (IBT).

The system will not allow you to submit the application if any information is missing. If you are missing

information to complete your application you may save your work as a draft and return to finish the

application through “My Work Queue”. You will also be able to track the process of your application by

logging in and checking your “Notary Work Queue.” You will receive an email notifying you when your

application has been processed.

Once you receive the email notifying you that your commission has been approved, log into the portal to

download your new Commission Certificate. Print your certificate and take it to any office supply store to

You may apply to become an In-person Electronic Notary and/or Online Notary while applying

for your initial commission. To apply for In-person Electronic Notary or Online Notary, please

review the separate qualifications and instructions available on our website.

If you have any questions, please contact the Notary department at: sos.notary@nebraska.gov or (402)471-

2558.