Notaries are appointed by the Secretary of State for a four year term. An applicant for an appointment must be:

• a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence
• be a resident of the State of Illinois for at least 30 days
• be at least 18 years of age
• be able to read and write the English language
• have not been convicted of a felony
• have not had a notary commission revoked during the past 10 years.

An applicant must complete the application form provided by the Secretary of State and must obtain a notary bond valued at $5,000 from a bonding or surety company.

Effective July 1, 2022, processing of notary commissions, renewals and certificates of authority was moved from the County Clerk to the Secretary of State's Index Department. They can be reached at (217) 782-7017 or enotary@ilsos.gov .