# Natural State Notary Bond

> Arkansas notary surety bond for $50, with $5,000 of Errors and Omissions (E&O) coverage included at no extra cost. American Surety Company (A-rated) underwrites the 10-year, $7,500 bond Arkansas requires. In Arkansas the bond comes first: buy the bond, pass the state notary exam (80% to pass), apply on the Secretary of State portal ($20), then take your oath and file the original bond with the circuit clerk, who serves as county recorder of deeds.

Natural State Notary Bond is a service of Stockton-Hill Insurance LLC, a licensed insurance agency. Customers can also get free, no-obligation reviews of auto, home, life, and business insurance from licensed agents.

## Key facts

- Price: $50 for the 10-year, $7,500 Arkansas notary bond
- $5,000 Errors and Omissions (E&O) coverage included at no extra cost
- Higher E&O at checkout: $15,000 for $80, $20,000 for $100, $25,000 for $115, $35,000 for $125
- Standalone E&O is available for notaries who already have a bond
- Arkansas requires a notary exam (80% to pass) for new and renewing notaries; no training course is required for a traditional commission
- State application fee: $20 on the Arkansas Secretary of State portal; the circuit clerk charges a separate filing fee
- Underwriter: American Surety Company, A-rated, a subsidiary of Core Specialty Insurance Holdings

## Common questions about Arkansas notary bonds

### Do I buy the bond before or after I apply?
Before. The state application asks you to upload a copy of your surety bond along with your exam certificate, so the bond comes first. Buy the bond, pass the exam, then complete the application in one sitting.

### Is there an exam? Is there a course?
There is an exam. It is a short multiple-choice exam taken online, and you need 80% to pass. Arkansas does not require a training course for a traditional notary commission, but the state expects you to review the Notary Handbook before you test.

### What do I bring to the circuit clerk?
Both Oath of Commission Certificates the state mailed you, and your original surety bond. The circuit clerk, acting as county recorder of deeds, administers your oath, you sign both certificates in front of them, and you pay the county's fee. The circuit clerk files your oath and your original bond and adds a file mark. Then return one completed certificate to the Secretary of State.

### What is a marked Oath of Commission Certificate?
When you visit your circuit clerk (the county recorder of deeds), the circuit clerk adds a file mark to your Oath of Commission Certificate. One completed, marked certificate must be returned to the Arkansas Secretary of State before your commission is valid.

### Which county do I file in?
Your county of commission. If you are an Arkansas resident, that is the county where you live. If you live in a state that borders Arkansas, or you are a nonresident military spouse, you qualify through your Arkansas employer or business, and your application must list both your home address and the Arkansas employer's street address.

### What happens if my application is rejected?
Filing fees paid on the state portal are non-refundable, and a rejected filing has to be resubmitted with the fee paid again. The most common avoidable problem is a name or signature that does not match the bond, so check that before you submit.

### Other sites sell an Arkansas bond for about $50 too. What makes yours different?
Those are typically bare bonds with no E&O. The bond only protects the public: if you make a notarization mistake, the surety pays the claim and then collects it back from you. Our $50 includes $5,000 of Errors & Omissions coverage that protects you, plus step-by-step guidance through the state and county process.

### What does becoming an Arkansas notary really cost?
$50 to us for the bond with E&O included and $20 to the Secretary of State for the application: $70 before your county filing fee and your seal. The county fee is set locally, so ask your circuit clerk for the amount.

### Can I buy more than $5,000 of E&O?
Yes. Every bond includes $5,000 of E&O, and you can raise that limit during checkout. Each total below replaces the $50 base price rather than adding to it: $15,000 of E&O is $80, $20,000 is $100, $25,000 is $115, and $35,000 is $125. Every option covers the same 10-year, $7,500 bond. Which limit fits depends on the documents you notarize and the risk you carry, so the choice is yours. We publish the prices, we don't pick the number for you.

### I already have my bond. Can I buy E&O by itself?
Yes. If your bond came from somewhere else, you can add Errors & Omissions coverage on its own through American Surety Company: $5,000 of E&O is $30, $10,000 is $50, $25,000 is $75, and $50,000 is $110. E&O does not get filed with the county or the Secretary of State, so there is nothing else to do after you buy. Get E&O only

### Do you file the bond with the state or county for me?
No. In Arkansas you upload a copy of your bond with your online application, and you file the original bond in person with your county circuit clerk (the recorder of deeds) when you take your oath. What we do: issue your bond with E&O included, email your documents, and walk you through exactly what to upload, what to bring, and where to go.

### How long is my bond good for?
Ten years, matching your Arkansas commission. One bond, one price, no annual renewals.

### When can I renew?
The state will not accept a renewal application earlier than 60 days before your current commission expires. If you wait until more than 60 days after it expires, you have to file a brand new application instead of a renewal. A renewal needs a new bond, a passing exam score, and a new seal showing your new expiration date.

### Am I eligible to become an Arkansas notary?
You must be at least 18, able to read and write English, and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien. You must be a legal resident of Arkansas, a legal resident of an adjoining state who is employed or operates a business in Arkansas, or a nonresident spouse of a U.S. military service member who is employed or operates a business in Arkansas. You cannot have had a notary commission revoked in the past ten years or have been convicted of a felony, and you must have reviewed Arkansas notary law. Permanent resident aliens include a copy of a recorded Declaration of Domicile.

### What has to be on my Arkansas seal?
Your official name as written in your official signature, your county of commission, the words "Notary Public" and "Arkansas," your commission expiration date, and your commission number. It can be a rubber stamp or a metal embosser, in blue or black ink, and it must be clear, legible, and able to be photocopied. It may not include the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas or an outline of the state.

## Pages

- [Home, pricing, and step-by-step process](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/)
- [Arkansas notary guides](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/guides)
- [How to get an Arkansas notary bond](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/how-to-get-an-arkansas-notary-bond)
- [Arkansas notary renewal](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/arkansas-notary-renewal)
- [The Arkansas notary exam](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/arkansas-notary-exam)
- [Arkansas notary bond vs E&O insurance](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/arkansas-notary-bond-vs-eo-insurance)
- [Arkansas notary bonds for employers and teams](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/arkansas-notary-bonds-for-employers)
- [Terms of service](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/terms)
- [Privacy policy](https://naturalstatenotarybond.com/privacy)

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