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Notary Public

Illinois law requires all Notaries to purchase and maintain a $5,000 Notary surety bond for the duration of their 4-year commission. The Office of Risk Management provides assistance to Northwestern University employees seeking a Notary surety bond to obtain Notary Public status for university business. For your convenience, the Office of Risk Management will also issue the Illinois state filing fee in addition to the surety bond.


Important Updates

 Prior to starting the application process, review the Illinois Notary Public Handbook.


Application Process

Step 1: Complete an Application.

Obtain and complete the notary application from the Illinois Secretary of State website.

Step 2: Upload Your Application.

Scan and upload your completed application here for initial processing by the Office of Risk Management.

Step 3: Mail Your Application.

Send the original completed application with a legible photocopy of your driver's license or state ID card to the Office of Risk Management. The Secretary of State only accepts applications and surety bonds with an original signature.

Step 4: Record Your Commission

Once you've obtained your commission from the Secretary of State, notify Risk Management by Recording Your Commission.

Additional Information

It can take 4 to 8 weeks for the Secretary of State to process the Notary Public Application.

The County Clerk’s office, in the county where you reside or are employed, will send a letter of receipt of your commission and require you to pay a $5 (if done in-person) or $10 fee (if done via mail) before the county clerk is able to deliver the commission. You must register your commission within 30 days of receiving confirmation from the County Clerk’s office. The Office of Risk Management must be notified of the effective date of your commission after you have registered with the county clerk

 

Submit ApplicationRecord CommissionFAQ's

Contact

 
Juan-Carlos Perez

Claims Administrator

(847) 467-7795

juan.perez2@northwestern.edu