Not a government website. We are a private company, not affiliated with any Secretary of State, notary commissioning office or contractor licensing board. Renewal applications are filed directly with your state.
NC Secretary of State notary renewal in short
North Carolina has no course for reappointment, but it does have an exam. You sign in with your notary number, pass the online exam with 80% or better (you get 3 tries within 30 days) and pay the $50 fee plus a $3 online transaction fee.[1]
The paper step is easy to miss: the Secretary of State also wants the application printed, notarized and mailed to the Notary Public Section in Raleigh. Before any of it, you must own the current (2026) North Carolina Notary Public Manual.[1]
North Carolina rules side by side with other states: how to renew a notary commission. Other states: New York notary renewal, Texas notary renewal, Florida notary renewal, Illinois notary renewal, California notary renewal, Colorado notary renewal, New Jersey notary renewal, Georgia notary renewal, Pennsylvania notary renewal.
North Carolina notary renewal requirements
This table is what North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State and N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B say, read on 2026-11-15. Where they say nothing, the row says so instead of guessing.
| Commission term | Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State. |
|---|---|
| Earliest day to apply | The reappointment page publishes no first day to apply.[1] |
| State fee | $50 application fee, plus a $3 online transaction fee. The register of deeds charges its own fee for the oath.[1] |
| Bond | Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State. |
| Course to renew | No course is listed for reappointment, but you must own the current (2026) North Carolina Notary Public Manual before you apply.[1] |
| Exam to renew | Yes: an online exam; you need 80% or better and get 3 tries within 30 days.[1] |
| Fingerprints or background check | Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State. |
| Oath | Within 45 days of the oath notification email, take the oath at the register of deeds in your commission county, which uploads the signed oath sheet. You also print the application, have it notarized and mail it to the Notary Public Section.[1] |
| Seal or stamp | Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State. |
| Journal | Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State. |
| Errors and omissions insurance | Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State. |
The 45-day oath at the register of deeds
After approval you get an oath notification email. Within 45 days of it, you take the oath at the register of deeds in your commission county, which uploads the signed oath sheet; the register of deeds charges its own fee.[1] The pages we read do not give the commission term or a first day to apply, so those rows say "check with the North Carolina Secretary of State".[1] Remote electronic notarization is law but not yet licensed.[2]
How to renew a North Carolina notary commission, step by step
North Carolina renewal is 4 steps, in this order.[1]
- Buy the current (2026) North Carolina Notary Public Manual.
- Sign in with your notary number and pass the online exam (80% or better).
- Pay the $50 fee online, then print the application, have it notarized and mail it to the Notary Public Section.
- Within 45 days of the oath notification email, take the oath at your county's register of deeds.
You apply to North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State yourself: North Carolina notary page. The state decides the application and its timing.
If your North Carolina commission already expired
Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
After a lapse: course check with the North Carolina Secretary of State; exam check with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
Name or address change during your commission
Check with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
Electronic and remote online notarization: Not yet: the Remote Electronic Notarization Act passed in 2022, but no licenses have been issued; emergency video notarization runs until July 1, 2027 or the first license.[2]
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renew a notary in North Carolina?
$50, plus a $3 online transaction fee; the register of deeds charges a separate fee for the oath.[1]
Do I have to take a test to renew my NC notary?
Yes: an online exam with a passing score of 80% or better, with 3 tries within 30 days. No course is listed for reappointment.[1]
How long do I have to take the oath in North Carolina?
45 days from the oath notification email, at the register of deeds in your commission county.[1]