Ohio Notary Public Requirements
Ohio doesn’t require a surety bond for most notaries — but a 2025 law change added a $25,000 bond requirement for notaries who handle electronic estate-planning documents. Here’s the full process, including Ohio’s unusually long 5-year commission term.
- Quick facts
- The 2025 electronic-notary bond change
- Remote Online Notarization (RON)
- Steps to become an Ohio notary
- Renewal
- FAQ
Quick facts
| Regulator | Ohio Secretary of State |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | 18+, and either an Ohio resident or an attorney admitted to practice law in Ohio with a primary practice located in the state |
| Background check | BCI criminal record check, current within 6 months of application (attorneys are exempt) |
| Education & testing (new, non-attorney) | 3-hour approved course plus a test, through an authorized provider; provider fee $130 |
| Education (new, attorney) | 3-hour approved course only, no test required; provider fee $75 |
| Bond | None for a standard commission; $25,000 bond plus $25,000 errors & omissions insurance required only for notaries performing electronic notarization of estate-planning documents (wills, powers of attorney, living wills) under House Bill 315, effective April 3, 2025 |
| Application fee | $15 Secretary of State filing fee (separate from the provider fee above) |
| Commission term | 5 years for non-attorney notaries |
| Remote Online Notarization (RON) authorization | Separate add-on: $20 Secretary of State fee plus $250 provider fee for a 2-hour course and testing |
| Fees you may charge | Up to $5 for a standard (non-online) notarial act, or up to $30 for an online/remote notarization — not both on the same act — plus up to $10 in technology fees per online session, chargeable even if the signer fails identity verification (R.C. § 147.08) |
The 2025 electronic-notary bond change
House Bill 315, signed into law in January 2025 and effective April 3, 2025, overhauled several parts of Ohio’s notary statute. The change most worth knowing about: notaries who want to notarize electronic estate-planning documents — electronic wills, powers of attorney, and living wills — must now carry a $25,000 surety bond and $25,000 in errors & omissions insurance, and file proof of both with the Secretary of State before performing that specific kind of notarization. This is not a general requirement: a standard Ohio notary commission, used for everyday document notarization, still requires no bond at all. If you don’t plan to notarize electronic estate-planning documents, this requirement doesn’t apply to you.
Remote Online Notarization (RON)
Remote Online Notarization is a separate, optional add-on to a standard Ohio notary commission — it’s not required, and most notaries who only handle in-person or standard document work don’t need it. To add RON authorization, you pay a $20 Secretary of State fee plus a $250 provider fee for a required 2-hour course and testing, on top of whatever you already paid for your standard commission. This is separate from, and shouldn’t be confused with, the $25,000 bond requirement described above for notarizing electronic estate-planning documents — that requirement applies to a specific document type (electronic wills, powers of attorney, living wills), while RON authorization is about notarizing remotely over live video generally. Once authorized, Ohio law caps what you can actually charge per online act: up to $30 per online/remote notarization instead of the standard $5 cap (not both on the same act), plus up to $10 in technology fees per session for using the identity-verification system — chargeable even if the signer doesn’t end up passing verification, per Ohio Revised Code § 147.08. Confirm the current RON application process and provider list directly at ohiosos.gov/notary.
Steps to become an Ohio notary
- Confirm eligibility. You must be 18 or older, and either an Ohio resident or an attorney admitted to practice law in Ohio with your primary practice in the state.
- Obtain a BCI criminal record check current within 6 months of your application (attorneys are exempt from this step).
- Complete your education requirement through a Secretary of State-authorized provider — a 3-hour course plus a test for non-attorneys ($130 provider fee), or a 3-hour course alone for attorneys ($75 provider fee).
- If you plan to notarize electronic estate-planning documents, also secure the $25,000 bond and $25,000 E&O insurance required under House Bill 315, and file proof with the Secretary of State.
- Submit your application and $15 filing fee to the Ohio Secretary of State, along with your background check results and provider certificates.
- Receive your 5-year commission.
Renewal
Renewal applications must be submitted within the 3-month window before your commission expires. Non-attorney renewal applicants need a new BCI background check (current within 6 months) and must complete a shorter 1-hour continuing-education course covering updates to Ohio notary law, at a lower provider fee of $45, plus the same $15 Secretary of State filing fee as a new application.
Do I need a surety bond to become an Ohio notary?
Not for a standard commission — Ohio is one of the states that doesn’t require a bond for everyday notary work. The only exception is notaries who want to notarize electronic estate-planning documents (electronic wills, powers of attorney, living wills), who must carry a $25,000 bond and $25,000 in errors & omissions insurance under a 2025 law change.
How does Ohio’s 5-year commission term compare to other states?
It’s on the longer side. Many states, including Pennsylvania and Florida, use a 4-year commission term, so Ohio notaries get an extra year before they need to renew.
Do attorneys have different requirements to become an Ohio notary?
Yes. Attorneys admitted to practice law in Ohio are exempt from the criminal background check and don’t need to pass a test — they only need to complete the 3-hour education course, at a lower provider fee ($75 versus $130 for non-attorneys).