How to Become a Notary in Oklahoma: SB 1028 Fees ($50 Commission, $10,000 Bond) from 2026-01-01

October 29, 2026

An Oklahoma notary license is one of the most accessible professional commissions in the state, but the costs changed on January 1, 2026. Senate Bill 1028 became law without the governor's signature and took effect that day. It raised most notary fees, raised the required surety bond from $1,000 to $10,000, and added a fingerprint-based criminal-history check for new and renewing applicants. If you are budgeting for an oklahoma notary license, use the figures in this guide, not older articles or old fee sheets.

Informational notice: This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and procedures can change, and the Oklahoma Secretary of State is the final authority on what you must file and pay. If your situation is complicated, such as a prior criminal record or plans to build a notary business with employees, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA before you file.

What Changed on January 1, 2026

Oklahoma notaries are commissioned by the Oklahoma Secretary of State, not by a county or city. SB 1028 changed the fee schedule and added new requirements. The table below compares the figures before and after the law took effect.

Item	Before SB 1028	From January 1, 2026 (SB 1028)
New commission	$25	$50
Renewal	$20	$45
Same-day in-person service	$25	$50
Surety bond	$1,000	$10,000
Bond filing fee	$10	$25
Criminal-history check with fingerprints	Not required	New requirement; OSBI search fee capped at $50 or actual cost

Confirm before you pay. When this guide was checked on October 29, 2026, the Secretary of State's notary page still showed the old $25, $20 and $10 figures. The National Notary Association's summary of SB 1028 lists the new amounts above. Before you submit any payment, confirm the fee schedule in force directly with the Secretary of State. Do not budget from the older numbers.

Who Qualifies for an Oklahoma Notary Commission

Oklahoma sets out a short list of basic requirements. You must meet all of them to apply:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be able to read and write English.
• Be a legal resident of Oklahoma, or be employed in Oklahoma.
• Have never been convicted of a felony. A felony conviction bars you from applying for a commission or renewing one.

A commission lasts 4 years. The Secretary of State handles the application and the commission, so the figures and forms you need come from that office. Ask the Secretary of State directly if you are unsure whether your residency or employment situation qualifies, or whether a past record affects your application.

Materials and Information You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you open the application. Having them ready prevents the most common delays.

• Proof of Oklahoma residency or employment. Check with the Secretary of State which documents it accepts.
• An acceptable form of identification for your application. Confirm the list with the Secretary of State.
• A $10,000 surety bond. Bonds are written by bonding companies, and premiums vary by company and by applicant, so get a quote from more than one provider.
• Fingerprints for the background check. The fingerprint check runs through the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). Confirm how to submit prints and how to pay the search fee, which is capped at $50 or the actual cost.
• Payment for the state fees. Plan for the $50 commission fee and the $25 bond filing fee, plus the background check fee.
• A notary seal and a journal, which you will need once you are commissioned. Confirm with the Secretary of State what seal and record-keeping rules apply to you before you order supplies.

Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Oklahoma Notary Commission

The sequence below follows the order most applicants use. Confirm each step against the Secretary of State's current instructions, because the fee and form details were changing as of this writing.

Step 1: Confirm you meet every eligibility requirement

Review the list in the eligibility section above. The felony rule is absolute under SB 1028. If you have a felony conviction, do not pay application fees until you have confirmed your position with the Secretary of State or a qualified attorney.

Step 2: Confirm the current fee schedule

Visit the Oklahoma Secretary of State at sos.ok.gov and find the notary section. Compare the fees on that page with the figures in this guide. If the page still shows $25 for a new commission, $20 for renewal, or a $10 bond filing fee, call the Secretary of State and confirm the amounts that apply to your filing date before you pay.

Step 3: Obtain your $10,000 surety bond

Oklahoma requires a $10,000 surety bond for notaries, up from $1,000 before SB 1028. A bonding company issues the bond, and the premium you pay the bonding company is separate from state fees. Premiums vary, so ask for quotes before you commit. Once the bond is issued, it must be filed with the Secretary of State, which charges a $25 bond filing fee. Confirm with the Secretary of State how and when the filed bond must remain in place during your commission.

Step 4: Complete the application

File your notary application with the Secretary of State. Answer every question accurately, including any questions about criminal history. An application with missing information or an unexplained gap in your record is more likely to stall. Keep a copy of everything you submit, including the confirmation of payment.

Step 5: Complete the fingerprint background check

New applicants must pass a national criminal-history check with fingerprints, run through the OSBI. The OSBI search fee is capped at $50 or the actual cost of the search, whichever SB 1028 and the Secretary of State apply. Ask the Secretary of State which fingerprint process applies to you and how to pay the fee so the check is not delayed.

Step 6: Pay the commission fee

Pay the $50 new commission fee as part of your application. Keep the receipt. If the Secretary of State lists a same-day in-person service at $50, that option is available only for in-person service, so confirm whether it fits your schedule before you choose it.

Step 7: Receive your commission and take the next required steps

Once the Secretary of State approves your application, you receive your commission. Your term runs for 4 years. Complete any remaining steps the Secretary of State requires, such as an oath or additional filings, before you perform notarial acts. Then order your notary seal and journal from a vendor, using the seal rules the Secretary of State confirmed for you.

Step 8: Decide whether you want remote online notary authorization

Remote online notarization is a separate authorization. It requires its own $25 online filing with the Secretary of State. Do not assume your standard commission covers remote work. Confirm the online requirements and technology rules with the Secretary of State before you offer remote services.

What It Costs to Become a Notary in Oklahoma

Based on the figures in SB 1028, the state-side costs for a new commission are:

• $50 commission fee
• $25 bond filing fee
• Background check search fee, capped at $50 or the actual cost

That adds up to no more than $125 in state fees, before the bond premium, the seal, the journal and any optional services such as the $25 remote online filing. The bond premium is the largest variable, and it depends on the bonding company. Confirm every amount with the Secretary of State and the bonding company before you pay.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most applicants who run into trouble make one of the following mistakes.

• Budgeting from old fees. Using the pre-2026 figures of $25 for a commission and $1,000 for a bond will leave you short.
• Forgetting the bond filing fee. The bond is not complete until it is filed, and the filing carries its own $25 charge.
• Assuming the background check is free. Plan for the fingerprint search fee, which is capped at $50 or the actual cost.
• Leaving out a criminal history. Disclose everything the application asks for. A felony conviction bars you from applying or renewing, so a misstatement creates a bigger problem than the record itself.
• Treating the commission as a business. A notary commission is a personal commission. If you plan to market signing services as a company, you must form that business and handle its own filings.
• Doing remote work without authorization. Remote online notarization requires its own filing and rules. Performing it without authorization can put your commission at risk.

If You Plan to Run a Notary or Signing Business

Many notaries work as sole proprietors, and some form a company. Oklahoma has no general state business license, so the Secretary of State does not license a notary business as such. If you form an LLC, the Articles of Organization cost $100 at the Secretary of State. The LLC's annual certificate costs $25 and is due on the anniversary of filing, with a 60-day grace period and no late fee. An LLC that misses the 60 days stops being in good standing.

Your city may also license certain activities. Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Lawton license only specific activity types, and a minority of cities charge a general or occupational license. Check with your city before you start marketing services, and confirm whether any local rules apply to mobile or in-home work. The Oklahoma Tax Commission at oklahoma.gov/tax.html handles state tax registration, and a sales tax permit costs $20 for three years if you collect sales tax on taxable sales.

What to Expect After You Are Commissioned

A commission gives you the authority to perform notarial acts in Oklahoma. It does not guarantee a steady flow of clients, and results vary widely. Some notaries use the commission mainly for documents at their current job or for friends and family. Others combine it with another service, such as mobile signings or document preparation, which may help them find more work. Your local market, your marketing and your pricing will shape what you earn. Treat the commission as a tool that may support your work rather than a guaranteed source of income.

Plan for renewal from the start. Renewal costs $45 under SB 1028, and renewing applicants must also complete the background check. A felony conviction bars renewal. Confirm the renewal timing and procedure with the Secretary of State well before your commission expires.

Final Checklist Before You File

• Confirmed that you are at least 18, can read and write English, live or work in Oklahoma, and have no felony conviction.
• Confirmed the current fee schedule with the Secretary of State at sos.ok.gov.
• Obtained a $10,000 surety bond and planned the $25 bond filing fee.
• Arranged the fingerprint background check through the OSBI and the search fee.
• Prepared identification and proof of residency or employment.
• Paid the $50 commission fee and kept receipts for every payment.
• Ordered a seal and journal only after confirming the Secretary of State's rules.
• Decided whether to file for remote online notary authorization at $25.

An oklahoma notary license is straightforward when you follow the steps in order and confirm the numbers before you pay. Start with the Secretary of State's current fee schedule, secure your bond early, and keep your records organized. If any part of your application raises questions, contact the Secretary of State directly and consider a short consultation with an attorney.

Reminder: This article is informational only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified attorney or CPA for advice about your situation.