Illinois Notary Course

The Mandatory Course

Every first-time Illinois notary applicant must complete a state-approved 3-hour (180-minute) education course before they can submit their application. This requirement generally applies to renewal applicants too — prior commissioning experience alone doesn't exempt you from re-education, except for the legal-professional exemptions below.

The course covers traditional notarial duties, and if you're pursuing an electronic commission, it also addresses electronic notarization rules and security standards. Some providers offer both tracks in one course; others separate them into a traditional module and an electronic add-on.

Choosing a Provider

You must enroll with a provider certified by the Secretary of State Index Department. To earn that certification, providers post a $50,000 surety bond to protect students and maintain a dedicated support line. The major providers and training organizations include:

• National Notary Association (NNA)
• American Association of Notaries (AAN)
• The Notary Pros of IL (in-person training in the Chicago area)

Course formats include in-person classroom, live synchronous online, and self-paced asynchronous online. Online platforms use interactive proctoring, identity verification, and built-in timers to prevent skipping material — you can't fast-forward through the three hours.

Pricing varies by provider; the market research identifies an average price of about $29. Some bundle the course with exam prep materials or supply packages, but you're not required to buy bundled products.

The Exam

The exam consists of 50 questions — a mix of multiple-choice and true/false, with no more than 25 formatted as true/false. The passing threshold is 85%, meaning you need at least 43 correct answers.

You get three attempts to pass. If you fail all three, you must retake the entire 3-hour course before you're allowed to test again. The exam is administered through the provider's process; follow its instructions for timing.

Questions cover the material from the course: proper identification procedures, journal requirements, stamp specifications, oath administration, the scope of notarial authority, and the boundaries against unauthorized practice of law.

The Attorney and Judicial Exemption

Renewing applicants who fall into one of these categories can skip both the course and the exam:

• Licensed attorneys in good standing with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Discipline Commission (ARDC)
• Current state or federal judges
• Direct employees of licensed attorneys or courts

These applicants file Form I-279, which must be completed and signed before starting the online application. The form replaces the course certificate as the uploaded proof of qualification.

First-time applicants are not eligible for this exemption — it applies only to renewals.

Certificate Validity

After passing the exam, your provider issues a certificate of completion with a unique certification number. This certificate is valid for two years. If you don't submit your notary application within that window, the certificate expires and you retake the course.

Don't let it sit. The practical move is to have your surety bond lined up before the course so you can submit your application within days of passing.

The Illinois Notary Commission Guide includes an approved provider comparison with current pricing, plus a pre-exam study checklist covering the areas most test-takers struggle with.

See more Illinois guides →