What is the official name of the North Carolina law that governs notaries public?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-1: Short title
North Carolina Notary Exam · Commission
North Carolina Notary Exam Practice Questions: Getting Your Commission (2026)
To become a North Carolina notary you must be at least 18 (or legally emancipated), complete a Secretary-approved course of at least six hours and pass a written exam by answering at least 80 percent correctly, all set out in the Notary Public Act (N.C.G.S. §§ 10B-5 and 10B-8). You apply to the Secretary of State with a nonrefundable $50 fee under N.C.G.S. § 10B-13, then appear before your county register of deeds to take the oath of office: no commission is effective before the oath, and any act performed before it is invalid. The commission runs five years under N.C.G.S. § 10B-9.
Practice
Free practice questions
One purpose of North Carolina's Notary Public Act is to enhance what type of recognition of notarial acts?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-2: Purposes
Which of the following is among the stated purposes of North Carolina's Notary Public Act?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-2: Purposes
Under the Notary Public Act, what three types of notarial acts does the law integrate procedures for?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-2: Purposes
Under North Carolina law, what does a notary's "commission" refer to?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-3: Definitions
Which state agency is referred to as the "Department" in North Carolina's Notary Public Act?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-3: Definitions
How does North Carolina law define a notary public?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-3: Definitions
Under North Carolina's Notary Public Act, what is "moral turpitude"?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-3: Definitions
Which of the following correctly describes one form of "official misconduct" by a North Carolina notary?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-3: Definitions
How does North Carolina law define "personal knowledge" for purposes of identifying a signer?
Based on: N.C.G.S. § 10B-3: Definitions
Eligibility, the course and the application
North Carolina sets a short list of gateway requirements before anyone may be commissioned. Under N.C.G.S. § 10B-5 an applicant must be at least 18 years of age or legally emancipated as defined in Article 35 of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes. Beyond age, the qualifications provision expects an applicant who can read and write English and who has not been disqualified by the kinds of conduct the statute lists. The education step is firm: N.C.G.S. § 10B-8 requires applicants to take a course of classroom instruction of not less than six hours approved by the Secretary, and then to pass a Secretary-approved written examination by answering at least 80 percent of the questions correctly. Because that exam is delivered by approved providers such as community colleges, the precise question count and any time limit are provider-set, not statewide. When you apply, N.C.G.S. § 10B-7 requires a statement of personal qualification giving your full legal name and the name to be used for commissioning, excluding nicknames, so the name on your commission matches the name you will sign with. The application carries a nonrefundable application fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) paid to the Secretary under N.C.G.S. § 10B-13. Licensed members of the North Carolina State Bar are exempt from the course requirement, but everyone else completes the six hours before applying.
- Minimum age 18, or legally emancipated, per N.C.G.S. § 10B-5.
- A Secretary-approved course of at least six hours, per N.C.G.S. § 10B-8.
- A passing written exam: at least 80 percent correct, per N.C.G.S. § 10B-8.
The oath of office, the five-year term and recommissioning
Passing the exam does not make you a notary. After the Secretary grants the commission, N.C.G.S. § 10B-10 directs the appointee to take the oath of office at the register of deeds office in the county of the appointee's commissioning. Timing matters: N.C.G.S. § 10B-9 provides that no commission is effective prior to the administration of the oath of office, and that acts performed before the oath are invalid. Once you have qualified, the commission runs five years statewide under N.C.G.S. § 10B-9, unless it is earlier resigned or revoked. As the term nears its end, N.C.G.S. § 10B-11 lets a notary apply for recommissioning no earlier than 10 weeks before the expiration date, so you can renew without a gap, but you cannot start too early. North Carolina also has housekeeping duties built into the commissioning articles. Under N.C.G.S. § 10B-50 a change of address is reported to the Secretary by online notification where available, fax, email, or certified mail with return receipt requested. A name change is handled under N.C.G.S. § 10B-51, and the notice must include both the notary's former name and the notary's new name. A move to a different county is gentle: under N.C.G.S. § 10B-52 the notary remains commissioned until the current commission expires, is not required to obtain a new seal, and may continue to notarize without changing the seal. When both name and county change, N.C.G.S. § 10B-53 requires the notary to submit a recommissioning application and fee within 45 days after the legal name change. A notary who ceases to reside in or maintain a regular place of work or business in the State must, under N.C.G.S. § 10B-54, resign the commission and deliver the seal to the Secretary.
| Requirement | North Carolina rule (statute) |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18, or legally emancipated (N.C.G.S. § 10B-5) |
| Application fee | $50, nonrefundable (N.C.G.S. § 10B-13) |
| Course | At least 6 hours, Secretary-approved (N.C.G.S. § 10B-8) |
| Exam pass mark | At least 80% correct (N.C.G.S. § 10B-8) |
| Oath of office | At the county register of deeds (N.C.G.S. § 10B-10) |
| Earliest recommissioning | 10 weeks before expiry (N.C.G.S. § 10B-11) |
| Commission term | 5 years (N.C.G.S. § 10B-9) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are the eligibility requirements to become a notary in North Carolina?
Under N.C.G.S. § 10B-5, a North Carolina notary applicant must be at least 18 years of age or legally emancipated, be able to read and write English, and not be disqualified for the conduct the statute lists. You then take a Secretary-approved course of at least six hours and pass a written exam by answering at least 80 percent correctly under N.C.G.S. § 10B-8.
How long does a North Carolina notary commission last?
A North Carolina notary commission lasts five years under N.C.G.S. § 10B-9, unless it is earlier resigned or revoked. To keep it, you apply for recommissioning, which N.C.G.S. § 10B-11 allows no earlier than 10 weeks before your expiration date. No commission is effective before you take the oath of office, and acts performed before the oath are invalid.
How much does it cost to apply to be a notary in North Carolina?
The application fee to the North Carolina Secretary of State is a nonrefundable fifty dollars ($50.00) under N.C.G.S. § 10B-13. On top of that you pay your Secretary-approved provider for the required six-hour course and materials. Registering separately as an electronic notary later costs another $50 under N.C.G.S. § 10B-108.
Where do I take the oath of office as a North Carolina notary?
At your county register of deeds. Under N.C.G.S. § 10B-10, after the Secretary grants the commission the appointee takes the oath at the register of deeds office in the county of commissioning. This step matters because N.C.G.S. § 10B-9 says no commission is effective before the oath and any notarial act performed before it is invalid.