To become a notary in Kentucky, you must be 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who lives or works in the county, and able to read and write English; you apply to the Secretary of State with a $10 fee, then have 30 days to post a $1,000 surety bond and take the oath at the county clerk's office. Commissions last four years. Kentucky has no notary exam and does not require a stamp. Below: the steps, costs, stamp choices, journal rules and renewal process.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against the Kentucky Secretary of State and KRS 423.300 to 423.455, with 30 KAR 8:005. Sources read September 2026.
| Item | Kentucky answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant requirements | At least 18; U.S. citizenship or permanent legal residency; a home, job or practice in the county; English literacy | KRS 423.390 |
| Training or course | None required | Not addressed in KRS 423.390 or 30 KAR 8:005 |
| Exam | None required | Not addressed in KRS 423.390 or 30 KAR 8:005 |
| How to apply | Online or mailed application to the Secretary of State, signed under penalty of perjury | Secretary of State, Notary Public Application for Appointment or Reappointment |
| Application fee | $10 | Secretary of State, How to Become a Kentucky Notary Public |
| Bond | $1,000 surety bond from a surety licensed or authorized in Kentucky | KRS 423.390 |
| Oath and filing | In person at the county clerk within 30 days; the clerk charges a recording fee | KRS 423.390; Secretary of State notary page |
| Commission term | Four years, keeping one commission number across renewals | KRS 423.390 |
| Stamp | Optional; if used, shows name, title, jurisdiction, commission number and expiration date. Kentucky seal rules | KRS 423.370 |
| Journal | Required for online notarizations; kept ten years | KRS 423.380 |
| Renewal | Apply to the Secretary of State before the commission expires | KRS 423.390 |
| Electronic or remote notary | Separate registration with the Secretary of State | KRS 423.385 |
| Changes on file | Within 10 days, $10 fee | Secretary of State, Notary Public Change of Information form |
Record keeping and remote acts differ widely by state. The Kentucky rules sit beside every other jurisdiction in notary journal requirements by state and remote online notarization and the electronic seal.
Who qualifies for a Kentucky notary commission?
Kentucky checks five things: age 18 or older, U.S. citizenship or permanent legal residency, the ability to read and write English, a home or a place of employment or practice in the county, and no disqualification under KRS 423.395.
The county you name matters twice. It is where your eligibility is measured under KRS 423.390, and it is where you later appear before the clerk to qualify.
KRS 423.395 lets the Secretary of State deny a commission for a felony, or for a crime involving fraud, dishonesty or deceit, among other grounds. The application asks anyone with a felony conviction to attach the order restoring their civil right to hold public office plus the records of the charges, and an application with a yes answer cannot be filed electronically.
How do you apply for a Kentucky notary commission?
Apply to the Secretary of State online or by mail, pay $10, and wait for an approval email. Then visit your county clerk within 30 days to post the bond, take the oath and receive the commission certificate.
- Fill in the Notary Public Application for Appointment or Reappointment. File it on the Secretary of State's site, or download it and mail it. You sign under penalty of perjury; the application itself is not notarized.
- Pay the $10 fee. Paper filers make the check payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer.
- Watch for the approval email. The form says to ask the office to resend it if nothing arrives within 10 business days.
- Buy a $1,000 surety bond from a surety licensed or authorized to do business in Kentucky.
- Visit the county clerk in person within 30 days with government ID and the bond, take the oath and pay the clerk's recording fee.
- Leave with your commission certificate, then decide whether to add a stamp.
County clerk signatures on the application are no longer needed, according to the Boone County Clerk. The Secretary of State's notary public page sets out the same sequence.
What does a Kentucky notary commission cost?
Expect three charges: the $10 state application fee, the county clerk's fee for recording your bond and oath, and the premium on a $1,000 surety bond. A stamp is optional in Kentucky, so that cost is your call.
The Boone and Kenton County Clerks each list $19 for the qualifying visit, and Boone takes cash or check only; confirm the amount with your own clerk. Later, the Secretary of State charges $10 to record a change of name, address or county.
Is there a Kentucky notary exam or course?
No. KRS 423.390 lists age, citizenship or residency status, a county connection, English literacy and the disqualification check, and neither the statute nor 30 KAR 8:005 adds a class or test for a paper commission.
Acting on electronic records or for remotely located signers takes an extra step. Under KRS 423.385 you register with the Secretary of State, and the registration form asks you to pick approved technology providers and begin onboarding with each before you file.
How do the bond and the county clerk visit work?
After approval you have 30 days to appear in person before the clerk in your county of commission. There you file the $1,000 surety bond, take the oath of office and pick up your commission certificate.
KRS 423.390 starts the 30 days when you receive the commission from the Secretary of State, while the Secretary of State's page counts from receipt of the approval notice. Either way, arrange the bond while your application is pending so the clerk visit can happen quickly.
The bond must come from a surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in Kentucky. The Secretary of State's notary portal links to a Department of Insurance lookup of surety companies.
Does a Kentucky notary need a stamp, and which one?
A stamp is optional under KRS 423.370. If you use one, it must show your name, title, jurisdiction, commission number and expiration date, and it must reproduce when the record is copied.
Even without a stamp, KRS 423.360 requires each certificate to state your commission number and expiration date. A stamp is the simplest way to put those details on every certificate the same way, and since the number comes with your commission, order it once the commission is issued.
The certificate statute lets the official stamp be affixed or embossed, and the change of information form says the stamping device must carry your full legal name. Kentucky sets no size, shape or ink color. Our Kentucky notary seal guide breaks down each element and the device options.
How do you renew a Kentucky notary commission?
File the same Application for Appointment or Reappointment with the Secretary of State before your commission expires, then return to the county clerk with a bond and oath. You keep your original commission number.
KRS 423.390 allows the renewal application any time before the commission period ends and carries the first commission's number forward. The expiration date moves, so a stamp showing it needs replacing after each renewal; see how to read the expiration date on your seal.
If you registered for electronic notarial acts, 30 KAR 8:005 renews that registration automatically with the commission.
Do Kentucky notaries have to keep a journal?
Only for online work. KRS 423.380 requires an online notary to log every electronic notarization in a tamper-evident electronic journal and keep it for ten years after the last entry.
Each entry records the date and time, the record and type of act, every individual's full name and address, how identity was established, and any fee. For paper notarizations the statute sets no journal duty, though a personal log gives you something to point to if an act is later questioned.
How do you report a change of name, address or county?
Send the changed information to the Secretary of State within 10 days on the Notary Public Change of Information form, with the $10 fee. The same form handles name, address, county and signature updates.
It also covers mailing and email addresses, your electronic signature and the technology you use for notarial acts. Because the stamping device must show your full legal name, plan on a new stamp after a legal name change.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Kentucky process take?
The Secretary of State emails you once the application is approved, and the form suggests asking for a new notice if none arrives within 10 business days. You then have up to 30 days to finish at the county clerk's office.
Can I be a Kentucky notary if I live in another state?
KRS 423.390 accepts a place of employment or practice in the county as an alternative to living there, so a job in a Kentucky county can qualify you for a commission in that county.
Where do I buy a Kentucky notary bond?
From any surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in Kentucky. Buy it for the $1,000 amount and bring it to the county clerk when you take the oath.
Can I notarize online in Kentucky?
Yes, after registering with the Secretary of State under KRS 423.385. The registration form offers electronic in-person acts only, or remote online plus electronic in-person acts, and online notaries must keep the electronic journal described above.
What happens to my stamp when the commission ends?
KRS 423.375 says that once you resign or the commission is revoked or expires, the device has to be made unusable, either by physically ruining it or by locking it away from use. A lost or stolen device is reported to the Secretary of State promptly.
Can I use only an embosser in Kentucky?
The certificate statute allows an official stamp to be embossed, but KRS 423.370 requires any stamp to be capable of being copied with the record. Pairing an embosser with an inked stamp meets both points.
Once your commission certificate is issued, browse our Kentucky notary stamps and seals for a stamp that carries your commission number and expiration date. For the rules in every other state, see our notary seal requirements by state.
