How to become a Notary Public in Maine
Hey everybody - as a Notary Public, I often get asked about how you become a Notary Public. It’s really quite simple and doesn’t require any specialized knowledge. If you’re motivated, it can be done in a single day.
Before you start, you’re going to need these things:
An internet connection.
A device that lets you download PDFs.
A way to print things out from that device.
$50 (cash is fine, but it’s a little easier if you have a checking account).
Ready? Here we go.
Step one: Downloading and printing the necessary documents.
First you will need to download the correct documents from the Maine Secretary of State’s office.
The application to become a Notary is here.
The Notary Public Handbook is here.
Click those links and your computer or tablet should automatically download both documents as PDFs.
Step two: Filling out the application.
The application is pretty straightforward. Fill out your information at the top of the form (note that you have to be a Maine resident who is at least 18 years old). I am assuming here that you have not had a Notary license revoked in the past, nor have you been convicted of a felony. I don’t know what happens if you don’t answer “NO” to those questions.
Next, you will find a test you have to take. I am not going to give you the answers, but all of them are outlined in the Handbook linked above. Click that link and download it. The answers to all 19 questions are in that Handbook. I know because I got all the answers right and I didn’t know any of the answers before reading that document. It’s an open book test! You’ll figure it out if you’ve gotten this far.
Step three: Getting three signatures.
Next, you need three signatures: One from someone who is already a Notary; a second from the City/Town Clerk or Registrar of Voters in your City/Town; and a third from any registered voter in Maine who will vouch for you as a good person.
I have good news: There is almost definitely a Notary Public at your City/Town Hall, which is where your City/Town Clerk or Registrar works. Go there around 10 a.m. on any week day (or check the hours of your Town Hall if your town is wicked small) and ask them politely to notarize and sign your form. Unless you have been a jerk to them in the past, they will be happy to do this for no cost.
Make sure you don’t sign the papers until the Notary tells you to. You have to sign the papers in front of the Notary.
In Gray, this took me roughly five minutes.
Finally, you need one other person. This person can be your wife, boyfriend, neighbor, friend - whoever. They just need to be a registered voter who lives in Maine. They have to attest that they think you’ll make a good Notary. If you can’t find that person, it’s possible you shouldn’t be a Notary.
Step four: The $50.
I recommend writing a check made out to the Maine Secretary of State’s Office for $50, so that you can track it and prove you paid $50, but you can also just get $50 in cash.
Step five: Filing the application.
There are two ways to go about this:
1 - Go to the Secretary of State’s office in Augusta. This is the fastest way, and allows you to do this whole thing in a single day if you’d like.
This is where to find it:
Burton Cross Building
111 Sewall St., 4th Floor Map it
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
You tell them you are there to become a Notary. They take your application and quickly make sure you got all the questions right. Then a friendly employee comes out, who is a Dedimus Justice (more on that in #2), and they swear you in. Bingo, bango, you’re a Notary. Done deal.
They didn’t even check my ID, but I’m assuming that was an oversight. I would bring an ID if I were you.
I was in and out of the Burton Cross Building within 15 minutes.
2 - Mail in your application.
If going to Augusta is not doable, you can mail in your application, along with your $50 (again, I recommend a check), to the Secretary of State’s office:
Secretary of State
Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
They will process your application, and then, assuming you got all the questions right, they will send you a “commission” in the mail.
YOU ARE NOT DONE YET
One you have that commission in hand, you then have to swear an oath before a Dedimus Justice, who then completes a “Certificate of Qualification” in order for you to be a fully fledged Notary. You have 30 days from the issue date on the commission to swear your oath. You then have 45 days to return the Certificate of Qualification to the Secretary of State’s office.
You can find a list of Dedimus Justices here. Generally, they are friendly and happy to schedule a time to see you and don’t charge you money. But some may charge you a small fee for their time. Ask whether they charge before going to meet them.
Assuming everything has been done correctly, the Secretary of State will then send you back a Certificate of Office. Huzzah. You’re a Notary.
Please note that your term as a Notary Public lasts seven years. After that, it costs another $50 to renew your Certificate of Office and that can be done easily with an online form, found here.
Good luck!