Commission Eligibility and Application Process
Who may apply
New Hampshire notary commissions are state offices, not local licenses. The core eligibility rules are age, residency, and character: an applicant must be at least 18, a New Hampshire resident, and of good moral character. Applications go to the Secretary of State on the current form, with the required fee and supporting items. The Governor and Executive Council appoint notaries; the Secretary of State administers the process and issues the commission. A commission runs for a five-year term, so the expiration date matters from day one.
What a complete application looks like
A complete packet includes the signed application, correct fee, required endorsements, and the criminal record check materials the form requires. Use the current form; older forms and incomplete fields are returned. Keep a copy of everything you submit. Do not perform any notarial act while the application is pending.
Worked example
Maria is 19, lives in Concord, and submits an application with the fee but leaves the endorsement section blank. The Secretary of State cannot finish processing it. She completes the endorsements and resubmits. Only after appointment, issuance of the commission, and taking and filing the oath may she notarize. The missing endorsement did not make her ineligible; it made the application incomplete.
Traps
Assuming a neighboring state's residency or a remote-work address satisfies New Hampshire residency. Sending cash or the wrong fee. Using a form downloaded years ago. Treating a pending application as authority to notarize.