how to become a notary public
Providing notary services is a valuable and potentially profitable piece of your offering. Each of the 50 US states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have different rules and regulations regarding establishing yourself as a Notary Public and what services you can offer, maximum charges, etc.
As for standard requirements for all 50 states, they virtually all say you have to be at least 18 years of age. Most states require that notaries be able to speak, read and write English in order to read the laws and understand the directives they’ll be dealing with. A handful of states require a formal notary education.
You have to apply with the appropriate state commission or official. In most states, that would be the Secretary of State’s Office, but it can also be the Attorney General’s Office. In New Jersey and Wisconsin, it’s the Department of Financial Institutions. To further muddy the waters, in some states like Georgia and Ohio, you don’t apply to a state official, you go to individual counties.