How to Become a South Carolina Notary in Four Steps

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of applying for a notary commission in South Carolina.

Notary Laws and Definitions

Before we describe the notary application process, let's review the state laws and define a few common terms to help you understand the role and responsibilities of a notary public.

Title 26, Chapter 1 of S.C. Code of Laws defines the duties and allowable acts performed by notaries public in the state of South Carolina. The South Carolina Secretary of State (SOS) commissions notaries and keeps their oaths of office on file.

Notaries are individuals commissioned by the state to combat fraud. The state expects a notary to be a person of integrity who acts as an impartial witness to the signing of important transactions and performs notarial acts that validate the transaction.

According to the Secretary of State's Notary Public Online Manual, notaries can perform the following acts:

  • Acknowledgements — The act of verifying the document signer's identity, ensuring they understand what they are signing and are doing so of their own free will.
  • Oaths and Affirmations — A verbal confirmation that a client gives to reassure the notary that they are truthful. This can be used in place of a signature.
  • Attestations and Jurats — When a signer appears in front of a notary and swears or affirms that the contents of the document are true and accurate, usually through an oath, before signing.
  • Signature Witnessing — Here, a notary verifies a signer's identity and confirms that the signature matches that identity.
  • Verifications — A process where a notary confirms a document's authenticity and confirms the identity of the people signing it.

Now with that quick overview out of the way, here is a simple application guide to help you start your career as a notary public.

The Process of Becoming a Notary Public in South Carolina

Becoming a notary is a straightforward process that typically takes a few weeks to complete, depending on how quickly your application is processed.

Follow these four steps to secure your commission as quickly and seamlessly as possible:

1. Meet the Qualification Requirements

Notary applicants in South Carolina must:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Be registered to vote in South Carolina
  • Be able to read and write in English
  • Be a state resident
  • Submit an application with no significant misstatement or omission of fact

2. Completing the Paper Application

Complete the required application by downloading and printing it from the SOS website. Fill in your personal information and leave the bottom part blank. Your legislative delegation will complete that section.

The application asks for your voter registration number. If you do not know your number, call your County Board of Elections and Voter Registration or visit the South Carolina Election Commission website.

Then, sign your application in ink in the presence of a currently commissioned notary. The date of your signature and notarization must match.

Include the $25 application fee, made payable to the SOS, and mail it to your county delegation office. The last page of the application includes a list of offices for your convenience.

The House of Representatives will accept your application if you do not have a delegation office in your county. In this case, mail your application to:

SC House of Representatives
P.O. Box 11867
Columbia, SC 29211-1867

3. Become Commissioned by the State

Once you receive your commission, you must enroll it with your county's Clerk of Court. Generally, you are asked to provide photo identification and a $5.00 fee when you enroll. You should enroll with the Clerk of Court within 15 days of being commissioned pursuant to S.C. Code §26-1-50; however, there is no penalty for late enrollment.

If your name is misspelled on your commission, cross out the incorrect spelling, clearly write a correction and send it back to the SOS. They will mail a newly corrected commission to you.

4. Purchase the Necessary Supplies

Once commissioned as a notary public in the state of South Carolina, you must acquire some tools of the trade! The most important is your notary seal, which is what you attach to notarial acts.

The seal must include your name, the words “notary public” and the words “State of South Carolina.” The expiration date may also be included in the seal, but it's optional.

Notaries.com has been an authorized notary supplies provider since 1965. Our stamps come in a variety of colors and exceed state requirements by including your commission expiration date. We carry self-inking rubber stamps and embosser seals.

When choosing whether to use an embosser seal or stamp, the SOS says to consider that rubber stamps appear more clearly when scanned. If you think you will be notarizing many documents that will be scanned, you may want to use a rubber stamp or purchase an inker with a seal.

If you purchase a stamp from us, email a copy of your commission to info@notaries.com so we can create it. While not required, we recommend that all notaries use a record-keeping journal. Having a detailed record of your work can provide helpful evidence if you are ever accused of making a notarization mistake.

From stamps to finger printers to gold foil labels, our supplies store has what you need for your commission!