Any adult who is a legal resident of Florida who can read and write in English and has no felonies can become a notary. However, there are some education and fees required to earn the official notary title. Anyone looking to become a notary in Florida for the first time (not renewing a notary bond) must complete the following steps in order.
Take a Notary Public Education Course
All notary applicants must complete (and pass) a state-certified notary public education class. There are plenty of free and paid resources for this both in-person and online. Classes offered by the Department of State are dependable. No matter which class an applicant chooses, he or she needs to make sure it is state-certified, or else their certificate will not be approved.
Fill Out an Application
Once someone passes their notary classes, it’s time to fill out an application. It is free to fill out the application. The paperwork can be found easily online. When the application is fully filled out, return it, If the application is accepted, the applicant will be contacted. From there, applicants can pay any associated fees to become an official notary.
Pay Bond and Supply Fees
A Florida notary bond costs $7500, plus some filing fees. Some veterans may qualify for reduced fees. On top of this, notaries must buy their own official notary stamp and other office materials. Most of these items can be written off on taxes later. While this may seem like a hefty price tag, the notary bond will last for four years. At which time, notaries should be able to conduct enough business for the bond to pay for itself.
Becoming a notary in Florida is as simple as following the steps above. Once someone is approved and had all of their supplies, he or she can go on to working as a notary anywhere in the state.
