Becoming a notary in Indiana is a straightforward process, but there are specific steps you need to follow in the right order. Indiana notary commissions are issued through the Indiana Secretary of State's office, and the process involves an application, a bond, an oath of office, and registration of your official signature.
This guide walks through every requirement, what it costs, and how to prepare for the Indiana Notary exam so you can get commissioned with confidence.
Before starting your application, confirm you meet Indiana's eligibility requirements:
Unlike some states, Indiana doesn't require U.S. citizenship — you must be legally present and eligible to work in the United States, but citizenship isn't required.
Indiana notary applications are submitted through the Indiana Secretary of State's official business portal (INBiz). The application requires:
The current application fee is $75, which covers a four-year commission term. This is paid online when you submit your application.
Indiana requires all notaries to carry a $25,000 surety bond — one of the higher bond amounts among U.S. states. This bond protects the public against financial harm caused by a notary's misconduct or negligence.
Despite the high face value, the cost to obtain the bond is modest. A $25,000 surety bond for Indiana notaries typically costs $50–$100 for the four-year commission term. Purchase the bond through an insurance or surety company before submitting your application — you'll need to upload proof of your bond as part of the application process.
After your commission is approved by the Secretary of State, you must take an official oath of office. The oath must be administered by a person authorized to administer oaths in Indiana — typically a judge, an existing notary, or the County Clerk's office in your county.
You must take and file your oath within 30 days of your commission date. Your commission certificate is issued after the oath is completed and your application fee is processed. Don't let this deadline slip — missing the 30-day window voids your commission and requires you to restart the process.
After taking your oath, you must register your official notary signature with the County Clerk's office in the county where your primary business or residence is located. Bring your commission certificate to the County Clerk, sign in their presence, and they'll record your signature on file.
This registration step is unique to Indiana and is often overlooked by first-time applicants. Without it, your notarizations may not be legally recognized.
Indiana requires notaries to use an official seal (stamp) on notarized documents. The seal must include:
Indiana also strongly recommends (and best practice requires) keeping a notarial journal of every notarial act. While Indiana law doesn't mandate a journal for all notaries, a journal protects you if a notarization is ever disputed. It creates a contemporaneous record of who appeared, what was notarized, what identification was presented, and the date and location.
Notary seals cost $20–$50 depending on style (rubber stamp vs embosser). Pre-formatted journals that meet Indiana documentation standards are available from notary supply companies for $15–$30.
Indiana notaries are authorized to perform the following notarial acts:
Indiana also authorizes remote online notarization (RON) for notaries who complete the required registration with the Secretary of State and use an approved RON platform. RON allows you to notarize documents for signers who aren't physically present, using audio-visual technology.
Understanding your bond and liability exposure is essential before you start notarizing documents. Indiana's $25,000 surety bond covers losses to third parties caused by a notary's misconduct. But the bond isn't insurance for the notary — if a claim is paid from your bond, the surety company can seek reimbursement from you.
Key liability points:
The notary exam questions on bonds and liability cover these practical distinctions — knowing the difference between what the bond covers and what the notary personally owes is commonly tested. See our Indiana Notary bonds and liability practice tests to solidify your understanding.
Indiana enacted remote online notarization legislation allowing qualified Indiana notaries to perform notarizations over audio-visual communication. To perform RON:
RON is increasingly in demand for real estate transactions, estate documents, and business contracts where signers can't appear in person. It's a significant additional service offering for Indiana notaries willing to invest in RON certification and setup.
Here's a realistic budget for getting commissioned:
Total: approximately $160–$255. This is your startup cost for a four-year commission. Renewal is typically less expensive since you already have your supplies.
Try these questions from our free IN Notary - Indiana Notary Exam practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
Before a document can receive an apostille in Indiana, what prerequisite step must be completed?
Answer: C. The document must be properly notarized by an Indiana notary
A document must first be properly notarized by a commissioned Indiana notary public before the Secretary of State can attach an apostille certifying that notarization.
After the U.S. Department of State authentication, what is the final step in authenticating a document for use in a non-Hague Convention country?
Answer: B. Submission to the foreign country's embassy or consulate in the United States
The last step in full legalization is presenting the fully authenticated document to the destination country's embassy or consulate in the U.S. for their final certification.
An Indiana notary loses their official seal. What steps must they take?
Answer: B. Immediately stop performing notarial acts, report the loss, and obtain a replacement seal
A lost seal must be reported, and the notary must stop performing notarial acts until a replacement is obtained.
An Indiana notary discovers after completing a notarization that the wrong notarial certificate was used on the document. What is the appropriate next step?
Answer: B. Contact the document recipient and correct the certificate type before the document is relied upon
Using the wrong certificate type (e.g., an acknowledgment instead of a jurat) is a notarial error that should be corrected. The notary should work with the signer and document recipient to attach or substitute the correct certificate as soon as the error is discovered.
Whether you're studying for a formal notary exam or simply preparing to perform your duties correctly from day one, knowing Indiana's notary laws is essential. Indiana's notary statute is based on the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), which means many of the key concepts — proper identity verification, required notarial certificate language, journal requirements — parallel what other RULONA states require.
Focus your study on the areas that matter most day-to-day:
Use our free Indiana Notary document handling practice tests and authorized acts practice tests to check your understanding of the core knowledge areas. Practicing with scenario-based questions builds the kind of applied judgment that separates confident, accurate notaries from those who second-guess every document.