Notary Public Role, Appointment, and Commissioning Requirements
This domain tests how Kentucky notaries are appointed, commissioned, and authorized to act.
Appointment and term
Kentucky notaries are public officers appointed by the Secretary of State, not by county clerks. A commission runs for four years and is statewide; a notary commissioned in one county may act in any Kentucky county. Applicants must meet the statutory age and character/residency requirements, submit the application, take the required oath, and file the bond or commission paperwork required for the appointment.
Before you notarize
Do not perform any notarial act until you have received your commission, completed the oath/filing steps, and obtained a compliant seal. Keep the commission expiration date visible; you may not act after it lapses, and reappointment is not automatic. A notary's authority is personal: it cannot be delegated to an assistant or transferred with a business.
Worked example
A notary commissioned in Jefferson County moves to Fayette County and is asked to notarize a deed there. The act is valid: Kentucky notary jurisdiction is state-wide, and the move does not create a new county-limited commission. She should update her address with the Secretary of State and keep using her commissioned name and current seal. If her commission expired last week, however, the deed acknowledgment would be invalid even though she remains a Kentucky resident.
Traps
- Treating the notary commission as county-issued or county-limited.
- Acting before the oath/filing is complete or after expiration.
- Assuming a business license or employer authorizes notarial acts.
- Forgetting that a name change may require a new commission/seal.