In Rhode Island, a notary public does not need to be a U.S. citizen. However, they must be at least 18 years old, a resident of Rhode Island, and have a clean criminal record (typically meaning no felony convictions).
If a notary public in Rhode Island changes their address, they are required to notify the Secretary of State within 30 days of the address change. This ensures that the notary’s contact information remains current in official records.
In Rhode Island, the maximum fee a notary public can charge for performing a notarial act is $5. This fee is set by state law and must be adhered to by all notaries.
In Rhode Island, the term of office for a notary public is 4 years. After this period, the notary must renew their commission to continue performing notarial acts.
In Rhode Island, if a notary is presented with a document in a language they do not understand, they must ensure that the signer understands the document and its contents before performing the notarization. The notary is responsible for verifying the signer's comprehension, regardless of the document's language.
