Wyoming Notary Education & Professional Development

Wyoming Mandatory Notary Education and Examination

Wyoming requires education and an examination for both initial commissions and renewals under W.S. § 32-3-121.

Applicants may complete the Secretary of State's Notary Education Presentation and the examination included with the official application.

The presentation addresses notarial law, identification, authorized acts, certificates, records, electronic notarization, and professional responsibilities.

The current application contains a 20-question examination requiring at least 14 correct answers to pass.

The Secretary of State also recognizes certain approved outside providers that may administer qualifying education and examinations.

Applicants using an approved provider must submit the required certificate of completion with the application.

The current Secretary of State website identifies the National Notary Association and Notary Public Association as approved providers.

Applicants should confirm the current approved-provider list before enrolling in an outside course.

Additional professional development through Notary Academy's Inner Circle does not replace Wyoming's required commissioning education and examination unless a particular course independently holds the necessary state approval.

Wyoming Notary Renewal

Wyoming notary commissions last six years.

Renewal applicants must complete the education and examination requirements again.

The current renewal application uses the same four-part form as an initial commission application.

Renewing notaries must complete the application, obtain notarization of the oath, provide the necessary education and examination documentation, and submit the $60 filing fee.

The Secretary of State processes the application and issues a new appointment letter and Certificate of Commission.

A new official stamp is required for each renewal term.

Notaries should monitor their expiration dates and complete the applicable renewal requirements before their existing commissions expire.

A notary may not continue performing notarial acts under an expired commission.

Wyoming Bond, Insurance, and Official Stamp Requirements

Wyoming does not require a surety bond or errors and omissions insurance as a condition of commissioning.

Notaries may purchase a surety bond or E&O insurance voluntarily. These are separate forms of financial protection, and neither is filed with the county or state as part of the current commissioning process.

Wyoming does require an official notary stamp.

The stamp must be rectangular, approximately one inch wide by two and one-half inches long, and use blue or black ink.

It must contain the notary's name as shown on the commission, the words "Notary Public" and "State of Wyoming," the notary's identification number, and the commission expiration information.

The official stamp must have a surrounding border and must not include unauthorized images, the Wyoming Great Seal, or additional information not permitted by statute.

The county of residence is not included on the official stamp.

A notary is responsible for maintaining sole ownership and control of the stamping device.

The stamping device must be rendered unusable when required by law, including upon expiration, resignation, or revocation of the commission.

Lost or stolen stamping devices must be promptly reported to the Secretary of State.

Wyoming Mandatory Notary Journals and Records

Wyoming requires notaries public to maintain one or more journals documenting all notarial acts they perform.

Under W.S. § 32-3-118, this requirement applies to traditional notarizations as well as notarial acts involving electronic records.

A journal may be maintained in a tangible or electronic format.

The journal must be kept secure, under the notary's sole control, and must not be used by another notarial officer.

An employer does not automatically gain possession of a notary's journal when employment ends. Wyoming law establishes specific rules governing journal custody and employer copies.

A notary must promptly notify the Secretary of State if the journal is lost or stolen.

The Secretary of State's rules direct notification to [email protected], with a mail alternative for those without email access.

Wyoming also requires an audiovisual recording of the entire communication whenever a notarial act is performed using an electronic notarization system or other communication technology.

The recording must be safeguarded, with access or disclosure governed by the statute.

Notaries should establish reliable recordkeeping and storage procedures before offering electronic or remote services.

Electronic and Remote Notarization in Wyoming

Wyoming recognizes traditional notarization, electronic notarization, remote online notarization, and remote ink notarization under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.

In-Person Electronic Notarization

An electronic notarial act may involve an electronic record, electronic signature, and electronic official stamp while the signer and notary are physically present together.

The notary must comply with the applicable electronic-record, certificate, and technology requirements.

Remote Online Notarization (RON)

Wyoming permits qualifying remote online notarizations involving electronic records and communication technology.

The notarial act must take place during a compliant recorded communication session.

The notary must establish the identity of the remotely located individual through legally satisfactory evidence, confirm that the parties are viewing the same record, and complete the required electronic notarial certificate.

Identity verification may involve personal knowledge, acceptable credentials, credible witnesses, or applicable electronic identity-verification procedures.

The notary must use technology sufficient to complete the required legal determinations.

Remote Ink Notarization (RIN)

Wyoming also permits remote ink notarization involving tangible paper records.

Under W.S. § 32-3-111(m), this method is limited to acknowledgments.

The remotely located individual must sign and date the tangible document and submit the original ink-signed record to the notarial officer.

The notary then conducts the acknowledgment using compliant communication technology, verifies the identity of the remotely located individual, and satisfies the requirements for an acknowledgment.

This procedure differs from electronic RON and should not be treated as authorization to perform every type of notarial act remotely on paper.

Remote Notary Notification

Before performing an initial notarial act involving an electronic record or a remotely located individual, a commissioned notary must notify the Wyoming Secretary of State.

The notification must identify the electronic notarization system or other communication technology the notary intends to use.

The current application provides a place for applicants to identify their intended remote platforms.

Remote notarization certificates must indicate the use of communication technology and include the name of the system or technology used, as required by Wyoming's administrative rules.

Wyoming law also establishes additional conditions for remotely located individuals outside the United States.

Remote notarization does not eliminate the notary's responsibilities for identification, impartiality, accurate certificates, journalkeeping, and audiovisual recording.

Wyoming Identification and Notarial Certificates

Wyoming allows notaries to identify individuals through personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of identity.

Under W.S. § 32-3-102, qualifying identification credentials include government-issued passports, driver's licenses, and other federal, state, or tribal identification.

An otherwise acceptable identification credential may be current or expired no more than three years before the notarial act.

Wyoming's administrative rules also require the identification credential to contain a photograph of the person.

A qualifying credible witness may provide identification evidence through the required oath or affirmation and applicable identification procedures.

Notaries must understand the differences among acknowledgments, jurats, oaths and affirmations, signature witnessing, and authorized copy certifications.

Each notarial act requires a completed certificate identifying the act, venue, date, principal, notarial officer, and other required information.

A stamp alone is not a complete notarization.

Wyoming also regulates corrections to previously completed certificates, including who may authorize changes, how corrections must be documented, and restrictions on altering official stamp impressions.

A notary must not assume that an incomplete or incorrect certificate may be freely changed after the appointment.

Wyoming Notarial Authority Across State Borders

Wyoming has a distinctive statutory provision concerning notarial acts performed in bordering states.

Under W.S. § 32-3-104(b), a Wyoming notary may perform notarial acts in a bordering state if that state recognizes the Wyoming notary's authority to act within its borders.

When an out-of-state act is legally permitted under this provision, the Wyoming notary must follow Wyoming's laws and rules.

This authority is conditional.

A Wyoming commission does not independently authorize notarizations in every neighboring state merely because a border can be crossed.

The notary must establish that the receiving state's law recognizes the authority before performing the act outside Wyoming.

The certificate's venue must accurately identify the state and county where the notary is physically located.

This is an important distinction for Wyoming notaries serving communities near state borders.

Wyoming Notary Fees, Travel Charges, and Technology Fees

Wyoming generally limits notarial fees to $10 per notarial act, subject to the specific provisions of W.S. § 32-3-126.

The statute also addresses fees when multiple people appear for a notarial act involving a single record.

Notaries may charge less than the statutory maximum or waive the fee.

Wyoming permits a separate travel fee when the notary and requesting person agree to the fee before travel begins.

The travel charge must not exceed the standard mileage rates allowed by the Internal Revenue Service.

The notary must explain that the travel fee is separate from the notarial fee and is not specified or mandated by Wyoming law.

A separate technology fee may also be charged for qualifying use of electronic notarization systems or communication technology.

The requesting person must agree to the total technology fee in advance and receive an explanation that it is separate from the notarial fee and is not mandated by law.

Wyoming permits advance collection of certain fees and establishes conditions governing whether those payments must be refunded when a notarial act cannot be completed.

Notaries developing mobile or remote services should establish transparent pricing and cancellation policies that comply with the statute and Secretary of State's rules.

Wyoming Professional Boundaries

Wyoming restricts the unauthorized practice of law and prohibits misleading representations of a notary's authority.

Non-attorney notaries may not provide legal advice, draft legal records as an unauthorized legal service, or act as immigration consultants based solely on their notary commissions.

Wyoming also establishes restrictions on advertising by non-attorney notaries, including the use of terms such as "notario" and "notario público."

Under W.S. § 32-3-123, non-attorney notaries advertising their notarial services must comply with the state's prescribed disclosure requirements.

A notary must also remain impartial and may not perform a notarial act involving a record in which the notary or the notary's spouse or civil partner is a party or has a prohibited direct beneficial interest.

Wyoming restricts notarial copy certification of official public records, including vital records, court records, and certain school records, unless the notary has the required relationship to the issuing or holding entity.

Professional judgment includes recognizing when an act exceeds the notary's legal authority and declining requests that cannot lawfully be completed.