To become a Nebraska notary public, you must be at least 19, live in Nebraska or live in a bordering state while working in Nebraska, pass the Secretary of State's online exam, buy a $15,000 surety bond and file through the online portal with a $30 fee. Each commission runs four years. On-time renewal is filed in the 30 days before expiration, with a new bond and a new ink stamp. Below are the steps, costs, stamp rules and the 30-day renewal window.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against the Nebraska Secretary of State notary pages and steps sheets, Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 64-101 to 64-118 and 64-210, and Title 433, Chapter 6 of the Nebraska Administrative Code. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | Nebraska answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Age 19 or older; a U.S. citizen or qualified alien; a Nebraska resident, or a bordering-state resident with a regular place of work or business in Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-101(7) and (8); Secretary of State initial commission steps |
| Criminal history | No felony conviction, and no fraud or dishonesty conviction within the previous five years | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-101(6) |
| Training | No course is listed for a general commission; only online notary registration adds one | Secretary of State initial commission and online notary steps |
| Exam | 20 questions, taken online without help from others; 85% passes; three attempts allowed | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-101.01; 433 NAC 6-006 |
| How to apply | Online Notary Portal only, uploading the exam certificate and bond as PDFs | Secretary of State Notary Public page |
| Application fee | $30, paid by card or eCheck | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 33-102 |
| Bond | $15,000 from an incorporated surety company, concurrent with the commission term | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-102; 433 NAC 6-003 |
| Oath | Endorsed on the bond and subscribed before an officer authorized to administer oaths | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-102 |
| Commission term | Four years from the effective date, valid in every county | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-101(9) |
| Stamp | Ink stamp seal with the state legend, your commissioned name and your expiration date. See our Nebraska notary stamp guide | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-210 |
| Journal | Not required of a general notary; the Secretary of State highly recommends one | Secretary of State Notary FAQs |
| Renewal | Filed within 30 days before expiration with a renewal application, $30 and a new $15,000 bond | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 64-104 |
| Online notary | Separate registration for a commissioned notary: approved course, exam and a $50 filing fee | Secretary of State online notary steps; Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 64-401 to 64-418 |
How the Nebraska journal rule and remote notarization rule compare with the other 53 jurisdictions: see notary journal requirements by state and remote online notarization by state.
Who can become a notary public in Nebraska?
Nebraska appoints applicants who are at least 19, are U.S. citizens or qualified aliens, and live in the state. A resident of a neighboring state also qualifies by keeping a regular place of work or business inside Nebraska.
The age floor sits in § 64-101(7), which also has you certify under oath that you have read and understand the notary laws and will keep records according to law. For a cross-border applicant, the Secretary of State must have the physical address of the Nebraska workplace before making the appointment, and the rule chapter says a nonresident who loses that Nebraska job must surrender the commission.
Past convictions matter. Section 64-101(6) bars an applicant convicted of a felony, or of a crime involving fraud or dishonesty within the previous five years. The Secretary of State's FAQ adds that a felony is overcome only by a full pardon granted before appointment.
What are the steps to a Nebraska notary commission?
Pass the exam first, then buy the bond, then file online. The Secretary of State's initial commission steps sheet lays out four stages, and the ink stamp comes last, after the commission certificate is ready to download.
- Take the exam. Follow the exam link on the steps sheet and complete the test on ClassMarker. A pass produces a digital exam certificate.
- Buy a $15,000 notary surety bond from a Nebraska insurance agent or an online provider. It must carry your official notary name and home address, and you sign it twice: once as principal and once in front of another notary.
- File the application in the Secretary of State's Online Notary Portal. Upload the exam certificate and the bond as PDFs and pay the $30 fee by credit card, debit card or eCheck.
- Download the commission certificate when the approval email arrives, print it, and use it to order your ink stamp seal.
The office stopped taking paper notary filings after December 31, 2023, according to its Notary Public page, so new applications, renewals and record changes all go through the portal. Title 433 lists a citizenship attestation among the application items, and a nonresident adds evidence of Nebraska employment.
How does the Nebraska notary exam work?
The exam has 20 questions, and 85% is the passing mark. You get three attempts, and the steps sheet warns that anyone who fails all three is no longer eligible to be a Nebraska notary public.
Under § 64-101.01, the Secretary of State writes and administers the exam, which covers notary laws, procedures and ethics. The rule chapter says it draws on §§ 64-101 through 64-118 and the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act, and it calls the exam an open resources test. The steps sheet asks you to finish it without assistance from others, so reference material is allowed and another person is not.
Watch the timing. The current steps sheet says a passing score stays valid for 90 days from the exam date, while the 2021 rule chapter says two years, and the rule sets a 30-day wait after a failed attempt. Filing within 90 days satisfies both readings.
No training course is required before a general commission. A course comes into play only if you later register as an online notary, which is covered further down this page.
What does a Nebraska notary commission cost?
The state's own charge is $30 for the application under § 33-102, and a renewal costs the same $30. The bond premium, the ink stamp and any journal come from private sellers, who set their own prices.
- Application: $30, paid in the portal.
- Exam: the steps sheet names no separate exam charge.
- Bond: the premium on $15,000 of coverage is quoted by the surety.
- Ink stamp seal: ordered from a stamp maker once the commission is issued.
- Online notary registration: a further $50 if you add that authority.
- Replacement commission certificate: $10, per the notary FAQ.
Errors and omissions insurance is optional. The office's new notary checklist states that it is not required, so buying a policy is a personal decision rather than a filing item.
How does the Nebraska notary bond work?
You need a $15,000 surety bond from an incorporated surety company, approved and filed with the Secretary of State before you may act. The rule chapter makes the bond concurrent with the four-year term, so each renewal needs a fresh bond.
Section 64-102 conditions the bond on the faithful performance of the office. Your oath is endorsed on the bond itself: you swear or affirm to support the U.S. and Nebraska constitutions and to discharge the office faithfully and impartially, then subscribe it before an officer authorized to administer oaths.
Two practical points come from the steps sheet. The bond has to use the name you want on the commission along with your home address, and it needs your signature twice, once as principal and once before another notary.
Which ink stamp should you order once Nebraska commissions you?
Order an ink stamp seal after you download the commission certificate. Section 64-210 calls for the legend "State of Nebraska, General Notary" (or the version ending "General Notarial"), plus the name on your commission and the commission's expiration date.
Because the expiration date belongs on the face, the stamp cannot be made until the commission exists. The Secretary of State's steps say to print the certificate and take it to an office supply store; keep it in front of you when you order so the name and date match exactly. Every official act is authenticated with this stamp, and the rule chapter wants a clear, legible impression that is not placed over printed text or another signature.
Nebraska sets no size, shape or ink color, and an embosser cannot be used in place of the ink stamp. Our Nebraska notary stamp requirements guide walks through each element of the face. Keep the stamp secured so only you can reach it; Title 433 says a commission belongs to the individual even when an employer paid the fee, bond or seal.
How do you renew a Nebraska notary commission?
File a renewal in the portal during the 30 days before your commission expires, together with the $30 fee and a new $15,000 bond. Once the expiration date passes, § 64-104 treats the filing as a new application instead.
In the portal, log in, search your name, choose File Amendment, then Notary Public Renewal Application, upload the new bond and pay. After approval, download the new certificate. The renewal steps sheet lists no exam for an on-time renewal, but a late filing follows the new-application route, and that route begins with the exam.
A renewal always means a new stamp. The rule chapter requires a new seal each time the commission is renewed, showing the new commission dates, because the old face carries the old expiration date. Our notary seal expiration guide explains how the date on a seal ties to the commission.
Does a Nebraska notary need a journal?
A general notary is not required to keep a journal under Nebraska law, but the Secretary of State highly recommends one. Online notaries are the exception: they must keep an electronic record of every online act for at least ten years.
The office publishes a sample journal page with instructions for seven columns: the date on the document, the date the act was performed, the type of document, the type of ID presented, and the printed name, printed address and signature of each principal. You can print that sample or buy a journal from a supplier.
A bound journal that follows those seven columns gives you your own account of each act if one is ever questioned, which is the point of the office's recommendation.
What changes when your name or address changes?
Report a new residence address within 45 days by filing the change form in the portal; no new bond is needed. A legal name change gives you a choice: keep notarizing under your commissioned name until expiration, or amend the commission now.
Section 64-114 lets you continue using the original commission, seal and name until the commission ends, and your bond stays in force while you use that name. To switch mid-term, the update steps sheet calls for a new $15,000 bond in the new name, and after approval you order a new ink stamp. The rule chapter treats the name change as an application meeting every requirement except the exam, and a change within 30 days of renewal goes on the renewal instead.
Leaving the state is different. Under § 64-112, removal from Nebraska ends your term, and you must notify the Secretary of State.
Can Nebraska notaries notarize online?
Yes. A commissioned Nebraska notary can register as an online notary public after finishing the Secretary of State's approved course and passing a separate 20-question exam at 85%. The registration filing fee is $50.
Online notaries act for principals who are not in their physical presence, using an approved solution provider, and they receive an approval letter rather than a registration certificate. Section 64-409 requires a secure electronic record of each online act, including the audio and video recording, kept for at least ten years. Nebraska also recognizes in-person electronic notarization, where you and the signer stay physically together throughout.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order my Nebraska notary stamp before my commission is approved?
No. The stamp must show your commission expiration date, which exists only once the certificate is issued. The Secretary of State's steps place the stamp order after you download that certificate.
Can I use an embosser instead of an ink stamp in Nebraska?
No. Section 64-210 calls for an official ink stamp seal on every official act, and an embosser cannot take its place.
Can I notarize in any Nebraska county?
Yes. Once your bond is filed and the commission issued, a general commission authorizes you to act anywhere in the state under §§ 64-101 and 64-102.
What happens if I fail the Nebraska notary exam three times?
You lose eligibility for a Nebraska commission. The rule chapter also sets a 30-day wait before each new attempt, so review the notary statutes between tries.
Does my employer own my commission if it paid the costs?
No. Title 433 states that a commission is issued to the individual regardless of who paid the application fee, bond or seal, and the seal should be accessible only to you.
Must I report a criminal conviction during my term?
Yes. The rule chapter requires written notice to the Secretary of State within 45 days after a conviction for a felony or for a crime involving fraud or dishonesty.
How do I replace a lost Nebraska commission certificate?
Ask the Secretary of State for a replacement copy. The notary FAQ lists the fee for a replacement commission certificate as $10.
With your commission certificate printed, pick a stamp style from the ESS Nebraska stamps and seals collection. Our page on notary seal rules in every state shows how Nebraska's short element list stacks up elsewhere.
