Notary Public
A notary public is an officer appointed by the Michigan Secretary of State. Commissioned notaries have power to attest to the authenticity of a person’s signature, to administer oaths, to take affidavits and to perform other legal acts customarily performed by notaries.
Notarization on a document certifies that the person named on it appeared before the notary and displayed valid identification and signed the document in the notary’s presence.
QUALIFICATIONS TO BECOME A NOTARY
You must:
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Be at least 18 years old;
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Be a Michigan resident or maintain a place of business in Michigan;
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Be a US citizen or possess proof of legal presence;
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Be a resident of the county in which you request appointment;
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For non-Michigan residents, maintain a principle place of business in the county where you request appointment;
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Read and write in the English language;
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Be free of any felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions, or convictions for violating the Notary Public Act;
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Not be imprisoned in any state, county or federal correctional facility.
LENGTH OF APPOINTMENT
- Each notary public commission is for a 6 to 7-year period ending on the notary’s birthday. The term is not less than 6 or more than 7 years from the date of appointment. There is no renewal process so you must apply for a new commission each time. It is your responsibility to apply for a new commission no more than 60 days prior to the expiration date.
- Questions about your notary application should be directed to the Office of the Great Seal at 517-373-2531, or Office of the Great Seal (michigan.gov)