Missouri notary surety bond

A Missouri notary surety bond is a promise, backed by a surety company, that helps pay a person who is harmed by a mistake or by misconduct of a notary. The bond is for the public. It is not for the notary. If the surety pays a claim, the notary usually has to pay the surety back.

Missouri notary bond at a glance

Bond amount

$10,000

Commission term

Four years

Commissioned by

Missouri Secretary of State

Where the bond goes

Presented in person to the County Clerk, who forwards it to the Secretary of State

What Missouri requires

1. Appear in person before the County Clerk in your county of residence or work.
2. Present a $10,000 surety bond and take your oath of office.
3. The clerk mails the oath and bond to the Secretary of State, postmarked within seven days.

Missouri has a two step filing process: you qualify in person at the county level, and the county clerk then forwards your paperwork on to the Secretary of State within a strict seven day window.

There is no renewal. Missouri's own handbook states a notary is never automatically reappointed — you reapply from scratch at the end of each four year term.

A notary bond does not replace notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. The bond pays the public. E&O protects you.

State rules change. Always check with the Missouri commissioning authority for the current requirements before you apply. Details on this page were last checked on 2026-08-12.

Apply online in minutes. Same day issue is available in most cases.

A notary bond protects the public. E&O insurance is intended to protect you, the notary, against a claim that comes from an error, a mistake or alleged misconduct in your notarial work. Many Missouri notaries add an E&O policy next to the bond.