$50,000 Notary bond with E&O Coverage of $10,000 Bond - Statewide in Alabama

Brief Summary

Alabama raised the notary bond from $25,000 to $50,000 on September 1, 2023, and the probate judge will not record a bond written for the old amount. This package pairs the $50,000 statutory bond the State of Alabama requires with a $10,000 errors and omissions policy that protects you, because the bond itself does not. Most notary applicants are approved at a flat premium with no credit check, and the executed bond ships ready to file in the probate office of your home county.

Every Alabama notary public must file a $50,000 surety bond, payable to the State of Alabama, with the judge of probate of the county where they live before taking office. The amount was raised from $25,000 by Act 2023-548, effective September 1, 2023, under Code of Ala. 36-20-71. This listing adds $10,000 of errors and omissions coverage, which the law does not require but which is the only part of the package that pays for the notary's own honest mistakes.

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How to Apply for a $50,000 Notary bond with E&O Coverage of $10,000 Bond:

• Apply to the judge of probate in the Alabama county where you live, with a current photo ID and the $10 application fee most counties charge.
• Finish the Probate Judges Association and Law Institute training within 30 days of applying unless you are an Alabama licensed attorney.
• Order the $50,000 notary bond and the $10,000 E&O policy as soon as the letter of appointment arrives.
• Have the bond executed, approved and recorded in the probate office within 40 days of the appointment letter and before any notarial act.
• Pay the $100 commission fee and any county recording fee when the bond is filed.
• Obtain a seal showing your name, the office and the State of Alabama before notarizing anything.

Detailed Information About the Alabama $50,000 Notary bond with E&O Coverage of $10,000 Bond:

The bond protects the public, the E&O protects you

This is the point most new notaries have backwards. The $50,000 bond required by Code of Ala. 36-20-71 is payable to the State of Alabama and conditioned on the notary faithfully discharging the duties of the office. If a person is harmed by a notary's misconduct and the surety pays, the surety then collects that money back from the notary. The bond is a guarantee to the public, not insurance for the notary.

The $10,000 errors and omissions coverage in this listing is a separate policy that covers the notary's own unintentional errors, up to its limit, without the payback obligation. Alabama law does not require E&O. It is an option for notaries who want their own protection, and it is the difference between this listing and the bond-only version.

What changed on September 1, 2023

Act 2023-548 (Senate Bill 322) rewrote the notary article of the Code. The bond rose from $25,000 to $50,000. The commission fee collected by the probate judge rose from $10 to $100. New applicants and renewing notaries must complete a training program prepared by the Alabama Probate Judges Association and the Alabama Law Institute before being commissioned. Attorneys licensed in Alabama are exempt from the training but not from the bond. Notaries who were already commissioned on January 1, 2023 continue under their existing bond for the rest of their current term, then post the new amount at renewal.

Who commissions notaries

The Secretary of State does not issue commissions. The judge of probate of your county of residence does, for a four year term, and reports each commission to the Secretary of State. Under Code of Ala. 36-20-70 the judge may deny an application if you are not a resident of Alabama, applied in the wrong county, have been convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude, are in an active bankruptcy, have been found incapacitated by a court, gave false information on the application, or did not complete the training.

Deadlines on the probate application

The statewide application form used by county probate offices sets a 30 day window from the application date to finish the training and a 40 day window from the letter of appointment to obtain and record the bond. Those windows are strictly enforced, so order the bond as soon as the appointment letter arrives. The bond must be executed, approved by the judge, filed and recorded in the probate office before you perform any notarial act. Your county may also charge a recording fee on top of the $100 commission fee, so confirm the total with the probate office.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Alabama $50,000 Notary bond with E&O Coverage of $10,000 Bond:

• Surety bond of exactly $50,000, payable to the State of Alabama, written by a surety authorized in Alabama.
• Bond conditioned on faithful discharge of the duties of the office, as required by Code of Ala. 36-20-71.
• Bond filed and recorded with the judge of probate of your county of residence, not the Secretary of State.
• Four year term matching the commission, with a new bond at each renewal.
• Errors and omissions coverage of $10,000 included with this listing, optional under state law and issued in the notary's own name.

Alabama $50,000 Notary bond with E&O Coverage of $10,000 Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Alabama $50,000 Notary bond with E&O Coverage of $10,000 Bond: