North Carolina mobile notary guide
How to Become a Notary in North Carolina and Work as a Mobile Notary
How to become a notary in North Carolina: the short answer
To become a North Carolina notary you must be 18, live or work in the state, hold a high school diploma, take a six-hour approved course and score at least 80% on the exam. The application fee is $50 and the oath at the Register of Deeds is $10. No bond is required. The commission lasts five years and fees are capped at $10 per signature.
North Carolina mobile notary rules at a glance
| Rule | North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment fee cap | $10 per notarized principal signature[1] |
| Jurat fee cap | $10 per notarized principal signature (same cap as acknowledgments, verifications and proofs)[1] |
| Travel fee | You may charge actual mileage at the federal business mileage rate, and only if the signer agrees in writing before you travel. The written consent must show the date, both names, estimated miles, the per-mile fee and the planned travel date.[1] |
| Commission term | 5 years[1] |
| Bond | None required[1] |
| Training | Required: an approved course of at least six hours within three months before applying (State Bar members exempt)[1] |
| Exam | Required: written exam, 80% to pass; recommissioning also requires passing the exam unless exempt[1] |
| Journal required | No for traditional paper acts (optional under G.S. 10B-38). Yes for electronic and remote electronic acts. |
| Remote online notarization | Allowed[2] |
How to become a mobile notary in North Carolina
First, check you qualify. North Carolina requires that you are:
- Be at least 18 years old or legally emancipated[1]
- Live in North Carolina or have a regular place of work or business there[1]
- Reside legally in the United States[1]
- Speak, read and write English[1]
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent[1]
- Pass the approved course and exam within three months before applying, unless you are a licensed member of the NC State Bar[1]
- Buy and keep the most recent notary manual approved by the Secretary of State[1]
Then follow these steps.
- Take the course and examComplete an approved classroom course of at least six hours, usually at a community college, and pass the written exam with 80% or more. Do this within the three months before you apply.[1]
- Buy the notary manualState law requires you to buy and keep the most recent North Carolina Notary Public Manual approved by the Secretary of State.[1]
- Apply to the Secretary of StateSubmit the application with your signature acknowledged before a person who can give oaths, and pay the nonrefundable fee. The SOS says processing can take up to 2 weeks if the application is complete.[3]
$50 - Take the oath at the Register of DeedsOnce commissioned, appear before the Register of Deeds in your commissioning county within 45 days to take the oath. Your commission is not effective until you do.[3]
$10 - Get your seal and fee scheduleBuy a seal with your name exactly as commissioned, Notary Public, your county and North Carolina. Print a fee schedule in at least 10-point type to show every signer.[1]
- Register as an eNotary (optional)To notarize electronic documents in person, register as an electronic notary with the Secretary of State and pass the eNotary exam with 80% or more.[3]
$50
For acknowledgments, jurats, verifications or proofs, ten dollars ($10.00) per notarized principal signature.
What it costs to get commissioned in North Carolina
These are the amounts the state sets. Bond, training and supply prices vary by vendor, so we list the legal requirement rather than a price.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial notary application | $50[3] |
| Oath of office (paid to the Register of Deeds) | $10[3] |
| eNotary registration (optional) | $50[3] |
| Apostille | $10 per document[4] |
How much can a mobile notary charge in North Carolina?
North Carolina caps the notarial fee at $10 per notarized principal signature ($15 for electronic and $25 for remote). Travel is limited to actual mileage at the IRS business rate, agreed in writing before you go, so a flat trip fee above that is not allowed.
| Notarial act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment | $10 per notarized principal signature[1] |
| Jurat | $10 per notarized principal signature (same cap as acknowledgments, verifications and proofs)[1] |
| Oath or affirmation | $10 per person for an oath or affirmation without a signature. No fee for swearing a credible witness who vouches for a signer[1] |
| Copy certification | Not allowed. North Carolina notaries cannot certify a document as a true copy[1] |
| Electronic acknowledgment or jurat (in person, eNotary) | $15 per electronically notarized principal signature |
| Electronic oath or affirmation without a signature | $15 per person |
| Remote electronic notarization | $25 per notarized principal signature |
| Remote online notarization | Remote electronic notarization: up to $25 per notarized principal signature[1] |
Travel fees in North Carolina
North Carolina regulates travel. You may charge actual mileage at the IRS federal business mileage rate, and only if the signer agrees in writing before you travel. The consent must list the date, the signer's and your names, estimated miles, the per-mile fee and the planned travel date, and you keep it as a notarial record. Outside your office you must present your fee schedule to each signer.[1]
Price a signing in North Carolina with the fee calculator, which uses these caps.
For any notarial act under this Chapter, actual mileage at the federal business mileage rate if the travel reimbursement is agreed to by the principal in writing prior to the travel.
Journal, ID and seal rules for mobile work
Journal
A traditional notary may keep a journal under the Secretary's rules. Any journal kept under those rules must show the fee charged for each act and, if travel was charged, the total reimbursement and the per-mile fee. Journals must be kept for at least 10 years after the last entry.[1]
Need one? Our free printable notary journal has a column for every field most states ask for.
Identifying the signer
You need personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence: at least one current government document with the person's photo and either a signature or physical description, or the oath of one credible witness who personally knows the signer.[5]
Seal or stamp
The seal must show your name exactly as commissioned, Notary Public, your county with County or Co., and North Carolina, N.C. or NC. Round seals are 1.5 to 2 inches across; rectangular ones no larger than 1 by 2.5 inches.
Although these limited duties may be performed by nonlawyers, this does not mean that the nonlawyer is handling the closing.
Working as a loan signing agent in North Carolina
North Carolina is an attorney closing state: the State Bar says a nonlawyer may not handle a residential real estate closing. A nonlawyer may present and identify the closing documents, show the parties where to sign and make sure they are properly executed, but that is not handling the closing, and you may not advertise that you handle closings or give legal advice. A supervised nonlawyer may oversee the signing even when the lawyer is not physically present. No separate state signing agent license appears in Chapter 10B.[6][7]
Remote online notarization in North Carolina
The Remote Electronic Notarization Act became law in 2022 and caps the fee at $25 per notarized principal signature, using platforms licensed by the Secretary of State. Per the Secretary of State, emergency video notarizations are extended to July 1, 2027 or until the first remote electronic notarization license is issued, so check the SOS site before offering remote work.[2]
Apostilles and authentications
Clients often ask a mobile notary about apostilles. A notary does not issue them. In North Carolina, the office that does is the North Carolina Secretary of State, Authentications Division, and the fee is $10 per document.[4] Mail or bring the original document with all certifications attached, a cover letter, payment by money order or check to the North Carolina Secretary of State, and a prepaid return envelope or courier label. The office is at 2 South Salisbury St, Raleigh, phone 919-814-5400. No turnaround time is stated on the page.
Mistakes that get North Carolina notaries in trouble
- Charging a flat travel fee. G.S. 10B-31(5) allows only actual mileage at the federal business mileage rate, agreed by the signer in writing before the travel.
- Traveling without the written consent. 18 NCAC 07D .0205 requires the date, both names, estimated miles, per-mile fee and planned travel date.
- Not showing your fee schedule. G.S. 10B-32 requires an English schedule of fees, displayed or presented to each signer, in at least 10-point type.
- Missing the 45-day oath deadline. G.S. 10B-10 requires you to appear before the Register of Deeds within 45 days of commissioning.
- Certifying a true copy. The NC Secretary of State says a notary cannot certify a document as a true copy.
Watch: North Carolina notary basics
How to Become a Notary Public in North Carolina, from North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. The commissioning office's own walkthrough of the process
Qualifications to be a Notary Public in North Carolina, from North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. Official explanation of who qualifies
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get a notary license in NC?
The state fees are a $50 nonrefundable application fee to the Secretary of State and a $10 oath of office fee paid to the Register of Deeds. You must also pay for the required six-hour course and buy the approved notary manual; the state pages do not set those prices. No bond is required. Becoming an eNotary costs another $50.
Can notary be a side hustle?
Yes, as long as you follow the fee rules. North Carolina caps the fee at $10 per notarized principal signature, and you may add actual mileage at the IRS business rate if the signer agrees in writing before you travel. For loan signings, you may present documents and show where to sign, but a lawyer must handle the closing.
How much do notaries get paid in NC?
There is no official earnings data for North Carolina notaries. The law sets the maximum fees: $10 per notarized principal signature for paper acts, $15 for electronic acts, $25 for remote electronic acts, plus actual mileage at the federal business rate if agreed in writing before travel. What you earn depends on how many signings you do.
Does it cost $10,000 to become a notary?
No. North Carolina does not require a notary bond, so a $10,000 bond is not part of the cost here. The official state fees are $50 for the application and $10 for the oath at the Register of Deeds, plus the cost of the required course and the approved manual, which the state does not set. Optional eNotary registration adds $50.
How much do notaries get paid per signature?
In North Carolina the maximum is $10 per notarized principal signature for acknowledgments, jurats, verifications and proofs. Electronic acts are capped at $15 per signature, and remote electronic notarizations at $25 per signature. An oath without a signature is $10 per person. Two signers on one document means two signatures, so up to $20.
What are the risks of being a notary?
If the Secretary of State finds a violation, it can send you back to class, warn you, restrict, suspend or revoke your commission, or seek prosecution for a misdemeanor or felony. For example, concealing a notary seal without authority is a Class I felony under G.S. 10B-60(f). Following the ID, fee and travel consent rules lowers these risks.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from one of these official pages. We read them on October 1, 2026.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 10B-31, Fees for notarial acts. ncleg.gov
- Become a Notary. sosnc.gov
- Apply to the Secretary of State. sosnc.gov
- Apostille Certificates. sosnc.gov
- 18 NCAC 07D and 07I (travel fees and journals). sosnc.gov
- NC State Bar, Authorized Practice Advisory Opinion 2002-1. ncbar.gov
- NC State Bar, 2002 Formal Ethics Opinion 9. ncbar.gov
- Notary FAQ. sosnc.gov
Junaid runs Ertiqah LLC and edits this site. He is not a notary or a lawyer. His job here is narrow: read the statute and the Secretary of State page for each rule, quote it, and link it, so you can check every number yourself. How we check facts.
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