Become A Notary Public
The Akron Bar Association is the official provider of Notary Public registration and renewal for
Summit County, Ohio.
The Akron Bar Association can process Notary Public Applications for residents of the state of Ohio.
WHAT IS A NOTARY PUBLIC?
A notary is a public officer appointed by the Ohio Secretary of State. Administering oaths, certifying affidavits, taking acknowledgement, taking depositions and recording notarial protests are among the official duties of a notary public. (An Acknowledgement is a formal declaration by a person executing a document, made to a Notary Public, that the person signing the document is doing so freely and voluntarily for the purpose set forth in the document. Certain documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, powers of attorneys, and certain other instruments, must be acknowledged in the presence of a Notary Public (notarized) to be legally sufficient. However, certain documents are not required to be acknowledged or notarized, but are done so merely to insure their authenticity.)
It cannot be emphasized enough that a notarial commission does not grant permission to practice law in the State of Ohio. Should you have any specific questions as to what is or is not the "practice of law", please consult your attorney.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR BECOMING A NOTARY
To become a notary for the State of Ohio, the applicant must be of good moral character and be over 18 years of age.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
To become a Notary Public, applicants must pass a test. To receive an application and study guide book for the test, send
$5.00 cash, check or money order to:
Akron Bar Association
57 S. Broadway
Akron, Ohio, 44308 Applications and the study guide book may also be picked up at the bar office during business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday)
TESTING
Notary Public tests are conducted every Monday. A study course is offered twice a month in order to improve the passing rate of the test. The test is comprised of 20 true/false and multiple choice questions. Call the Akron Bar office at (330) 253-5007 for available test dates.
NOTARY RENEWAL PROCESS
At least
six weeks prior to the expiration of your notary license, call the ABA at 330-253-5007 or email
patw@akronbar.org to request renewal forms. As a reminder, you will not be able to notarize if your license is expired. Notary Publics may renew their licenses up to one year past the expiration date without having to take the test again. The renewal process usually takes six to eight weeks from the time the renewal form is received by the Akron Bar Association.
NOTARY PUBLIC SUPPLIES
We now offer numerous Ohio notary product supplies. If you would like to order your notary products from the Akron Bar Association using a credit card, please click on the link below and order online or print the form and send it with your check to:
Akron Bar Association, 57 S. Broadway, Akron, OH 44308. If you have any further questions please contact us at (330) 253-5007 or by email at
patw@akronbar.org.
RELATED LINKS:
Order Notary Public Supplies
Notary Public FAQ's