State Notary Requirements

Learn how to become a Notary, Notary Stamp and Notary Seal Requirements, Recordbook Requirements, Notary Duties, State Contact Info and more!

State Information for Michigian

MICHIGAN NOTARY SUPPLIES: To order your Michigan Notary Stamp, Embossed Seal, Notary Recordbook, and all other supplies please CLICK HERE to be taken to the ASN Supply Store.

Michigan Notary Requirements and Information

Temporary Notary Procedures, COVID-19 Pandemic: State Governors have issued Executive Orders to establish Notary procedures for using audio-video communications to perform notarial acts for remotely located principal signers. CLICK HERE to see if your state is under such an order.

Michigan Notary Commission Qualifications
Notary applicants must:
• be at least 18 years old;
• be able to read and write English;
• be a resident of the state of Michigan or maintain a place of employment in the state;
• be a U.S. citizen or have proof of legal presence;
• be a resident of the county in which he/she is applying (non-residents must apply in the county of employment);
• not have been convicted of a felony within 10 years of the date applying (if convicted of a felony, the 10-year period includes completion of the sentence for that crime, any term of imprisonment, parole, or probation, and payment of all fines, costs, and assessments).;
• not have been convicted of 2 or more misdemeanor offenses involving a violation of the Michigan Notary Public Act within a 12-month period while commissioned, or 3 or more misdemeanor offenses involving a violation of this Act within a 5-year period regardless of being commissioned.

How to Apply to Become a Michigan Notary
See detailed information including applicable fees, on the website of the Michigan Secretary of State: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_95527_95529_95663-177473--,00.html

Appointing Officer
Secretary of State.

Term of Office
6 - 7 year term.

Notary Education and/or Exam Requirement
Not required.

Notary Bond Requirement
$10,000 Bond Required (6-year term)

Notary Recordbook (Journal) Requirement
Recordbook (journal) required for recording of every remote online notarization performed by a Remote Online Notary Public. Journal may be tangible (paper) or electronic; only one active journal at a time. Tangible journal must be a permanently bound register; electronic journal must be in a tamper-evident, permanent electronic format. Remote Online Notary must retain an audio or visual recording of a remote electronic notarial act, subject to disclosure of the recording to the principal and the principal’s consent. Journal entry may reference but not itself contain the recording.

Notary Seal Requirement
Not required, paper or electronic notarial acts. If electing to use an official seal (ink stamp on a paper document, electronic process on an electronic document) the seal cannot render anything illegible and must be photographically reproducible. Embossing seal on a paper document allowed ONLY in conjunction with ink stamp.

Authorized Duties
Include but are not limited to:
• oaths/affirmations;
• verification upon oath/affirmation;
• acknowledgments;
• witness or attest signatures.
• Any Michigan Notary who has completed notification to the Secretary of State of his/her intent to notarize electronically may use a remote electronic notarization platform to perform notarial acts for a remotely located individual, subject to requirements and limitations in statutes and any administrative rules. [Note: certification that a record is an original or a “true copy” of another record is prohibited.]

Change of Name, Address or Eligibility Status
See detailed information on the website of the Michigan Secretary of State: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_95527_95532---,00.html

Contact Information for the State of Michigan

State of Michigan Notary Website
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_95527_95529---,00.html

State of Michigan Notary Manual
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_95527_95529_95663-509836--,00.html

State of Michigan Online Notary Search
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1640_14837_23708-85862--,00.html

Office of the Great Seal Email
MDOS-NOTARY@michigan.gov

Mailing Address
Michigan Department of State
Office of the Great Seal
7064 Crowner Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48918

Apostille Certification Information

Office of the Great Seal Email
MDOS-NOTARY@michigan.gov

Further Information
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_95527_95530---,00.html

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