Rhode Island Notary Application

The Paper-Only Application Process

Rhode Island is one of the few states that still requires a completely paper-based notary application. The Department of State does not accept applications by email, fax, or through any online portal. Every signature on the two-page form must be original handwritten ink — photocopied or digitally signed forms are rejected outright.

This matters because a rejected application does not automatically get your $80 filing fee refunded. Getting it right the first time is not just about speed; it is about protecting a non-refundable payment.

What You Need Before You Start the Form

Submitting the application is the last step in a sequence. Before you submit it, you should have already:

1. Confirmed your eligibility — age, citizenship, residency or Rhode Island employment, English proficiency, and no disqualifying criminal history
2. Passed the knowledge assessment — the free, open-book, online ClassMarker exam with a minimum 80% score
3. Obtained your local voter endorsement — a city clerk, town clerk, or board of canvassers member must sign the application confirming you are a registered voter in your municipality (attorneys and CPAs are exempt; non-resident employees use employer verification instead)

The order matters because the endorsement goes directly onto the physical application form. You cannot get the endorsement and then transfer it to a new copy of the form.

Completing the Two-Page Form

The Notary Public Application and Renewal Form is available as a PDF download from the Department of State website (docs.sos.ri.gov). Print it and complete it entirely by hand.

Key sections:

• Personal information — your full legal name, home address, and contact details. Your name on the application must exactly match the name you want on your commission certificate and stamp.
• Voter endorsement section — your local clerk signs here. Non-resident employees have their employer complete the employment verification section instead.
• Self-certification — you attest that you have studied the Notary Public Manual and Standards of Conduct and passed the knowledge assessment. The state does not verify your score independently.
• Oath of Office — the form includes the oath section, which an active Rhode Island notary public must administer and notarize before you mail the application. This notary signs and stamps the form.

Taking the Oath Before Submission

A point that trips up many applicants: the oath of office must be completed before the application leaves your hands. You appear before an active Rhode Island notary, take the verbal oath, and that notary completes the notarial certificate on the form.

If you plan to hand-deliver your application to the Department of State office in Providence, staff notaries there can administer the oath at no charge. This is the easiest path if you are in the Providence area — you handle the oath and the filing in one visit.

The $80 Filing Fee

Attach a check or money order for $80.00, payable to "RI Department of State." Cash and credit cards are not accepted by mail. The fee is the same for first-time applications and renewals, and it is non-refundable regardless of the outcome.

Certain public officials — state legislators, municipal clerks, judges' clerks, and up to two police officers per department — are exempt from the fee under RIGL § 42-30.1-15(d). Everyone else pays the full amount.

At $80, Rhode Island's application fee is one of the highest in the country for a notary commission. That price tag makes application errors particularly costly.

Where to Send It

Mail or hand-deliver your completed packet to:

RI Department of State
Business Services Division / Notary
148 West River Street
Providence, RI 02904

Hand-delivery has the advantage of letting staff notaries administer your oath on-site and letting you submit the packet in person.

Processing Time and What Happens Next

The Department of State typically processes applications within three to five business days. Once approved, the Governor signs your commission certificate, and it is mailed to the address you provided on the application.

Your commission is valid for four years from the date of issuance. Before performing any notarial acts, you need to obtain a compliant inked notary stamp that matches the name on your commission.

There is no online status tracker for applications, so if you need a commission by a specific date — for a new job or a closing deadline — build in mail-delivery time in addition to the Department's three-to-five-business-day processing period.

Common Reasons Applications Get Rejected

The Department of State returns incomplete applications. The most frequent issues:

• Missing applicable municipal endorsement or employer-verification signature
• Oath of office section not completed or not properly notarized
• Digital or printed signatures instead of original ink
• Incorrect fee amount or missing payment
• Name discrepancy between the application and supporting documents

Each rejection means starting the process over with a fresh form, a new endorsement visit, and a new oath administration.

The Rhode Island Notary Commission Process Guide includes a pre-submission checklist that walks through every section of the application to catch these errors before you mail anything.

See more Rhode Island guides →