Can a Felon Be a Notary in Mississippi

The Short Answer

A lifetime felony conviction disqualifies you from holding a Mississippi notary commission unless the Governor has granted you a full pardon or the state legislature has restored your voting rights. Mississippi is strict on this point, and it applies regardless of how long ago the conviction occurred or what the offense was.

What the Statute Says

Under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 25-34-41, notary applicants must have no disqualifying criminal background. The state defines disqualifying as a felony conviction at any point in the applicant's lifetime. There is no waiting period, no expungement workaround, and no distinction between violent and nonviolent felonies for commissioning purposes.

Beyond felony convictions, applicants who are currently incarcerated, on probation, or on parole are also ineligible. And anyone who has had a prior notary commission revoked, suspended, restricted, or denied due to official misconduct in any state — not just Mississippi — is disqualified.

The Two Exceptions

Mississippi recognizes two paths that can restore eligibility:

Gubernatorial pardon. A full pardon issued by the Governor of Mississippi removes the felony as a disqualifying factor. This is distinct from other forms of clemency or sentence reductions that do not constitute a full pardon.

Legislative restoration of voting rights. If the Mississippi legislature has specifically restored your voting rights, that restoration can also clear the felony disqualification for a notary commission. This is an unusual mechanism — most states do not tie notary eligibility directly to voting rights restoration — but it reflects Mississippi's constitutional framework where certain felonies result in permanent disenfranchisement unless the legislature acts.

Both paths are narrow. Pardons are rarely granted, and legislative restoration of voting rights requires an individual bill. Neither happens quickly or easily.

What About Misdemeanors

The felony disqualification described above is not a blanket bar for every misdemeanor. However, the Secretary of State may consider the nature of a conviction during application review, and misdemeanors involving fraud, forgery, or dishonesty could raise concerns.

The Application Uses a Sworn Eligibility Declaration

Mississippi's Form NP-001 requires you to affirm under oath that you meet all eligibility requirements, including the criminal-history standard. The application sequence described for Mississippi does not include a fingerprint submission step, but you must answer the eligibility questions truthfully.

That said, making a false attestation on a notarized application carries its own legal consequences. The oath you sign on NP-001 is administered by an active notary, and a false statement under oath can carry separate legal consequences. If a disqualifying conviction comes to light after commissioning, the Secretary of State has authority to revoke the commission.

Other Disqualification Factors

Felony conviction is the most discussed disqualifier, but it is not the only one. To be eligible for a Mississippi notary commission, you must also:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident
• Be a Mississippi resident for at least 30 consecutive days before applying, or be a nonresident who has been employed or maintained a practice in Mississippi for at least 30 days
• Be able to read and write English
• Have no prior notary commission revoked, suspended, restricted, or denied due to official misconduct in any state

Failing any of these requirements blocks the application regardless of criminal history.

What to Do If You Have a Record

If you have a felony conviction and are considering applying, the practical first step is to determine whether your conviction has been fully pardoned or whether your voting rights have been legislatively restored. If neither has happened, you are currently ineligible under state law.

For those who are eligible, the Mississippi Notary Commission Guide covers the full application process from Form NP-001 through bond filing and commissioning.

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