Effective Jan. 1, 2024: New and renewing notaries are required to take a minimum of three hours of training and take a 50-question final exam with a passing score of 85%. There will be an approved list of course providers on the Illinois Secretary of State website.
Here are the top twelve most common errors made by notaries: Making an Illegible Notary Stamp Impression. Improper Storage of Your Notary Stamp and Journal. Not Determining the Signer's Competency and Willingness to Sign. Notarizing for Close Relatives. Failing to Remain Properly Trained.
Acknowledgement and jurat certificates are the two most common notarial acts, yet, for many signers, there is confusion about the difference between these forms. Some notaries even find it difficult to remember which procedures apply to which certificate.
One of the most common mistakes that notaries make is not printing or signing their name exactly as it appears on their notary commission.
To become a non-resident notary public, you must be a resident of a qualifying bordering state, which includes Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, and Wisconsin. You must also have worked or maintained a business in Illinois for 30 days before this application.
Starting August 1, 2024, Illinois residents applying to be Notary Public or Electronic Notary Public must use our online application. Those who qualify for a hardship exemption can choose to use a paper application. For questions about this policy, please call 217-782-7017 or email enotary@ilsos.
How to Become a Notary in Illinois Order a four-year, $5,000 Illinois notary bond. Take our notary public course and pass the examination. Complete an Illinois notary application online. Wait to receive your Illinois notary commission certificate. Order your Illinois notary supplies.
If you have questions regarding the application or process, please contact the Notary Public Division at 217-782-7017 or enotary@ilsos.
The notary must then obtain an official seal and can perform notarial acts anywhere in the State of Illinois, as long as he or she continues to reside or work in the county in which he or she was commissioned.
UPDATE 12-8-23: Under a new law that took effect November 17, 2023, Illinois Notaries are not required to record a journal entry when notarizing the following election documents filed by or on behalf of a candidate for public office: nominating petitions; petitions of candidacy; petitions for nomination; nominating ...