NOTARY ACADEMY
South Carolina Notary Education & Professional Development
South Carolina does not require a traditional notary commissioning course or examination. But receiving a commission doesn't automatically prepare you for every responsibility that comes with serving the public.
Whether you're applying for your first commission, preparing for renewal, or developing your notary business, Notary Academy provides education, practical learning, and ongoing professional development to help you strengthen your skills and professional judgment.
Button: Explore Inner Circle Membership
Where Are You in Your South Carolina Notary Career?
Preparing to Become a Notary
You're learning South Carolina's eligibility requirements, understanding the county legislative delegation application process, and preparing to carry out the responsibilities of your commission.
Commissioned, But Still Finding Your Footing
You've received your commission, but now you're navigating unfamiliar documents, identification questions, notarial certificates, client requests, and decisions that require professional judgment.
Ready to Build a Stronger Business
You want to become more visible in your community, develop professional relationships, establish reliable client processes, and build a business that creates consistent opportunities to serve the public.
Wherever you are today, your next step should support what you're actually trying to accomplish.
Understanding South Carolina Notary Requirements
South Carolina notaries public are appointed by the Governor and commissioned through the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Title 26, Chapter 1 of the South Carolina Code of Laws establishes the qualifications, duties, notarial procedures, and professional responsibilities of traditional notaries public.
Unlike states that require formal commissioning courses and examinations, South Carolina places significant responsibility on the individual notary to learn the law and understand how to perform authorized notarial acts correctly.
Becoming a South Carolina Notary Public
South Carolina requires applicants to be registered voters in the state, be able to read and write English, and submit an application containing no significant misstatement or omission of fact. Because applicants must qualify as registered South Carolina voters, nonresidents are not eligible for South Carolina notary commissions merely because they work or conduct business in the state.
Applications for initial commissioning and renewal are submitted on the official paper application provided by the Secretary of State.
Applicants must complete the application, sign it before an authorized notarial officer, and submit the required materials to their county legislative delegation. In counties without a delegation office, the application is routed as directed by the Secretary of State, including through the House of Representatives where applicable.
The county legislative delegation processes the endorsement before forwarding the application to the Secretary of State.
South Carolina notaries are appointed for terms of ten years.
Once commissioned, a notary must present the commission to the Clerk of Court in the county of residence and complete the required enrollment within 15 days.
The South Carolina Secretary of State maintains the commission and oath records.
South Carolina Notary Education and Renewal
South Carolina does not require a state-approved commissioning education course or examination for an applicant seeking a traditional notary commission.
However, applicants and commissioned notaries remain responsible for understanding and following the state's notary laws.
The Secretary of State publishes a Notary Public Reference Manual and provides educational resources explaining the duties of the office.
South Carolina notary commissions last ten years. Reappointment requires a new application through the established county legislative delegation process.
The current application is used for both initial commissioning and renewal.
If a notary's name or residential address changes, the notary must notify the Secretary of State within 45 days, using the required change-of-status process.
Because South Carolina does not require formal traditional commissioning education, voluntary training and ongoing professional development offer important opportunities to strengthen notarial knowledge and practical readiness.
South Carolina Bond, Seal, and Journal Requirements
South Carolina does not require traditional notaries public to obtain a surety bond.
The state does require a notary seal and establishes requirements governing the information that must appear in notarial certificates.
A South Carolina notary must identify the official capacity in which the notary acts and comply with applicable signature, seal, and commission-expiration requirements.
South Carolina does not require traditional notaries to maintain a journal of their notarial acts.
However, the Secretary of State strongly recommends journal keeping as a professional safeguard and a means of documenting the circumstances of completed notarial acts.
Electronic notaries are subject to additional recordkeeping requirements, including maintaining an electronic journal of electronic notarial acts.
The difference matters: a recommended journal for traditional notarial acts should not be confused with the mandatory recordkeeping requirements imposed on electronic notaries.
Electronic Notarization in South Carolina
South Carolina enacted the Electronic Notary Public Act in 2021. It authorizes separately registered electronic notaries to perform qualifying notarial acts involving electronic records.
Electronic notarization is available to South Carolina notaries who complete the required registration and satisfy the Secretary of State's electronic notary requirements.
A commissioned notary seeking electronic notary registration must complete the approved instruction and examination process, register through the Secretary of State's electronic notary portal, and identify an approved electronic notarization technology vendor.
The Secretary of State's electronic notary portal includes an educational video, testing, vendor selection, and electronic registration certificate.
Electronic notarization involves electronic records and electronic signatures. However, the signer and electronic notary must still be physically present together when the notarial act is performed.
This practice is commonly described as in-person electronic notarization, or IPEN.
Electronic notaries must also comply with applicable electronic seal, signature, technology, and journal requirements.
Under South Carolina's electronic notary regulations, the electronic journal must be retained for at least ten years after the last notarial act recorded in it.
Remote Online Notarization in South Carolina
South Carolina's authorization for in-person electronic notarization does not extend to remote online notarization.
As of November 2026, South Carolina has not enacted an operative law authorizing its notaries to perform remote online notarizations for remotely located signers through audiovisual communication.
An electronic notary registration does not authorize a South Carolina notary to perform remote online notarizations.
A registered South Carolina electronic notary must continue to require the physical presence of the signer, even when the document and notarial certificate are electronic.
Notaries considering electronic services should verify their authority and the distinction between in-person electronic notarization and remote online notarization before advertising or performing those services.
Marriage Solemnization in South Carolina
South Carolina notaries public are authorized to solemnize marriages under S.C. Code § 20-1-20, subject to the state's marriage requirements.
A marriage ceremony must take place within South Carolina, and the couple must obtain the legally required marriage license before the ceremony.
The notary must follow the applicable procedures for completing and returning the marriage license documentation to the issuing Probate Court.
Marriage solemnization is a distinct authorized function of South Carolina notaries public. It should not be treated as interchangeable with notarizing an ordinary document.
Notaries interested in providing marriage services should understand the legal requirements, documentation, and limitations before offering that service to the public.
South Carolina Notary Fees and Professional Boundaries
South Carolina establishes maximum statutory fees for traditional notarial acts.
Under S.C. Code § 26-1-100, the maximum fee for several common notarial acts, including acknowledgments, jurats, and signature witnessing, is $5 per signature. An oath or affirmation without a signature may be charged at $5 per person, and a verification of fact at $5 per certificate.
Notaries who charge fees must provide the required fee schedule.
An additional travel fee is permitted when the notary and person requesting the service agree to the amount before travel begins. The notary must explain that the travel fee is separate from the statutory notarial fee and is not mandated by law.
South Carolina also places important restrictions on the unauthorized practice of law.
Non-attorney notaries may not provide legal advice, prepare legal documents for others as an unauthorized legal service, or independently conduct real estate or mortgage loan closings in violation of the state's legal-practice restrictions.
Developing a notary business requires understanding both the opportunities available under South Carolina law and the professional boundaries the commission does not permit a notary to cross.
Official South Carolina Notary Resources
The South Carolina Secretary of State is the commissioning authority and maintains official notary information, application instructions, and educational resources.
Title 26, Chapters 1 and 2 of the South Carolina Code of Laws govern traditional and electronic notarial practice. Additional regulations establish electronic notarization registration, technology, and recordkeeping requirements.
Applicants and commissioned notaries should consult the current official sources when preparing for commissioning, renewal, electronic notarization, or professional practice.
(Click the links below)Â
- South Carolina Secretary of State: Notaries
- Notary Public Application and Renewal
- South Carolina Notary FAQs
- South Carolina Notary Public Reference Manual
- South Carolina Electronic Notary Portal
- S.C. Code Title 26, Chapters 1 and 2
- South Carolina Electronic Notary Regulations
- South Carolina Marriage Law
Your Commission Is Only the Beginning
South Carolina does not require a traditional notary commissioning course or examination. But receiving a commission doesn't automatically teach you how to handle every situation you'll encounter.
What happens when someone presents an unfamiliar document? When you're uncertain about acceptable identification? When a client asks you to perform an electronic notarization without being physically present?
And if you're developing a notary business, how do you create professional relationships and become known by the people who may need your services?
South Carolina also authorizes certain services, such as marriage solemnization, while restricting others, including activities that constitute the unauthorized practice of law.
Understanding those boundaries and applying the law correctly are essential parts of professional practice.
Continued education, deliberate practice, professional judgment, and reliable business systems help you prepare for the responsibilities and opportunities of your commission.
Your commission authorizes the work. What you learn and implement afterward shapes how you perform it.
Professional Development That Continues Beyond the Classroom
Notary Academy is a national notary education and professional development institution founded by Kimberly Sennett in 2020.
Our educational approach connects notarial knowledge, professional judgment, practical application, and business development.
Education Grounded in the Profession
Learn from experienced notary professionals who understand the responsibilities of the commission and the realities of serving clients.
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Learning That Connects to Practice
Develop your understanding through education, real-world examples, practical resources, and opportunities to apply what you've learned.
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A Path for Continued Business Growth
Whether you're strengthening foundations, establishing business, becoming visible, or refining skills, there is a structured pathway to help identify what deserves your attention next.
"Because being commissioned is only the beginning."
What Happens After You Learn the Information?Â
Knowing the rules is one part of professional development. Knowing how to apply what you've learned, make decisions, communicate with clients, and operate your business takes continued practice.
The Notary Academy Inner Circle brings education, practical resources, live learning, and professional guidance together in one ongoing membership.
It's an environment where you can continue building your skills and business without having to piece together every next step on your own.
Build the Skills and Business That Fit Your Goals
South Carolina notaries have different professional goals. Some perform notarial acts as part of their employment, while others want to develop independent mobile notary businesses, strengthen their community relationships, or explore additional authorized services such as electronic notarization and marriage solemnization.
The opportunities you pursue should reflect the authority of your commission, your understanding of South Carolina's legal boundaries, the people you want to serve, and the business you want to build.
Developing your notarial knowledge is one part of that work. Building reliable communication, professional relationships, local visibility, and intentional business systems helps turn your preparation into a more sustainable practice.
Inside the Inner Circle, The Implementation Path helps members identify their current stage and focus on the work that matters most.
Strengthen Your Foundations
Develop your understanding of notarial responsibilities, procedures, compliance, and professional judgment.
Become Known in Your Community
Learn how to develop your professional presence, build local relationships, communicate your value, and become easier to find & hire.
Build With IntentionÂ
Develop business systems, evaluate your progress, practice unfamiliar situations, and make informed decisions about the future.Â
How do I become a Notary Public in South Carolina?
Does South Carolina require a notary course, examination, or surety bond?
Does South Carolina require a notary journal?
Can South Carolina notaries perform remote online notarizations?
Can a South Carolina notary perform marriage ceremonies?
Does Inner Circle membership replace South Carolina's commissioning requirements?
Ready to Build More With Your South Carolina Notary Commission?
South Carolina allows you to become a commissioned notary without a mandatory course or examination. Developing the knowledge, professional judgment, relationships, and business practices to serve the public responsibly takes continued learning and intentional action.
If you're ready to strengthen your skills, become more visible in your community, develop professional relationships, and build a business that fits your goals, explore the ongoing professional development available through Notary Academy.
"Because being commissioned is only the beginning."
