Notary Public Commissioning and Regulation
Commissioning authority and term
Mississippi notary commissions are issued by the Secretary of State. A commission runs for four years and is statewide; it is not limited to the county where the notary lives or works. Applicants must use the Secretary of State's application process, meet statutory qualifications, and pay the required fee.
Bond, oath, and records
Before acting, a commissioned notary must satisfy the bond and oath requirements and file them as directed, typically with the chancery clerk. The notary should keep the commission certificate, bond, oath, and seal information where they can be produced on request. A change of address or name should be reported so the commission record stays accurate.
Regulation and discipline
The Secretary of State may investigate complaints and suspend, revoke, or refuse renewal for misconduct, false statements, improper notarizations, or failure to comply with law. A notary's authority ends automatically if the commission expires or is revoked. Acting after expiration is not cured by a later renewal.
Worked example
A notary commissioned in Hinds County moves to DeSoto County and continues notarizing without updating the commission record. A document is challenged. Reasoning: the commission is statewide, so the move alone does not void the commission; however, the notary must follow the Secretary of State's change-of-information rules and keep bond and oath filings correct. The weak point is the stale record, not the county line.
Traps
- Treating the commission as county-limited.
- Notarizing after the expiration date.
- Assuming renewal is automatic.
- Ignoring a name or address change.