MS Notary Notary Commission and Appointment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: To which county does a Mississippi notary public applicant submit their application?
- Any county in Mississippi
- The county where they reside or have their principal place of business (Correct answer)
- The county where the Secretary of State's office is located
- The county where they were born
Correct answer: The county where they reside or have their principal place of business
Applicants must apply in the county where they live or maintain their principal place of business.
Question 2: When a Mississippi notary's commission expires, what must they do to continue performing notarial acts?
- File an automatic renewal form online
- Apply for a new commission through the circuit court clerk (Correct answer)
- Submit a request to the Governor's office
- Wait 90 days then resume using their old commission
Correct answer: Apply for a new commission through the circuit court clerk
A notary whose commission has expired must apply for a new commission; expired commissions cannot be automatically renewed.
Question 3: What happens if a Mississippi notary public moves to a different county within the state?
- Their commission is automatically void
- They must notify the Secretary of State within 30 days
- They should update their information with the circuit court clerk in their new county (Correct answer)
- Nothing changes; the commission remains valid statewide regardless of residence
Correct answer: They should update their information with the circuit court clerk in their new county
A notary who changes counties should update their county registration with the new circuit court clerk to keep their commission information current.
Question 4: Which document is filed along with the notary application to demonstrate financial responsibility?
- A certificate of insurance
- A surety bond (Correct answer)
- A personal financial statement
- A bank reference letter
Correct answer: A surety bond
A $5,000 surety bond must be filed with the circuit court clerk as part of the Mississippi notary application.
Question 5: A Mississippi notary applicant who has been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or fraud is:
- Eligible after a 5-year waiting period
- Automatically disqualified from receiving a commission (Correct answer)
- Required to obtain a pardon before applying
- Allowed to apply at the discretion of the circuit clerk
Correct answer: Automatically disqualified from receiving a commission
Convictions involving dishonesty or fraud disqualify an applicant because notarial integrity is essential to the public trust.
Question 6: A Mississippi notary commission is valid:
- Statewide throughout Mississippi (Correct answer)
- Only in the county where it was issued
- Only in counties adjacent to the issuing county
- Only within city limits of the notary's address
Correct answer: Statewide throughout Mississippi
Once commissioned, a Mississippi notary public has authority to perform notarial acts anywhere within the state.
Question 7: If a Mississippi notary's commission is revoked, who has the authority to revoke it?
- The Secretary of State
- The Governor
- The circuit court clerk of the issuing county (Correct answer)
- The notary's employer
Correct answer: The circuit court clerk of the issuing county
The circuit court clerk who issued the commission has authority to revoke a Mississippi notary public commission for cause.
MS Notary Notary Commission and Appointment 2
To which county does a Mississippi notary public applicant submit their application?