Welcome to the State of Oregon Notary Public Guide. This publication describes the duties and responsibilities involved in carrying out your notarial commission. It covers laws and rules, Attorney General's opinions, state policy, and common sense guidelines based on broad experience and familiarity with case law. It is your responsibility as a notary public to understand and carry out the laws and administrative rules of the State of Oregon as they relate to notaries. Failure to follow these laws could leave you liable to recovery of damages and subject to fines and other penalties. Familiarity with the Notary Public Guide will reduce that risk. No matter how much this guide covers, it will always miss some situation or special need you and your client may encounter.

The Department of Licensing has worked to keep the notary public application process as simple as possible. A prospective notary need only submit a complete application, proof of a $10,000 surety bond, and appropriate fees to the Department of Licensing in order to begin the process. Once an applicant has completed all application requirements and proven that he or she is eligible, the Department will have a new certificate of commission mailed out promptly. New in 2018, notaries public can also apply for an electronic records notary public endorsement, which allows the notary to perform notarial acts on electronic documents as well as paper documents. The application process is similar to the application process for the commission, and can be done at the same time or separately.

This series covers the federal, state, and local regulations imposed on small businesses, with concise, friendly and up-to-the-minute advice on each critical step of starting your own business.