Kentucky notary bonds, $1,000, no E&O.
$50 flat.
Kentucky requires every notary public to file a $1,000 surety bond with the Secretary of State — this is the plain bond, without E&O coverage. Ours is $50 flat. The bond issues the moment you pay — no credit check.
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How much does a Kentucky notary bond cost?
$50 at the $1,000 amount, the same for every applicant.
Three steps. One sitting.
Notary bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:
Apply online
The bond in the name of the individual notary, your county of residence and the county of appointment, and an effective date. No financials, and no credit check.
Pay & e-sign
Notary bonds are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase.
File with the Secretary of State
Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email, ready to file with your notary commission. Kentucky notaries record the bond with their county clerk when taking the oath of office; wet-ink original mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the notary bond actually guarantees
Since January 1, 2020, every Kentucky notary public must obtain and maintain a $1,000 surety bond to receive a commission. The bond is a public-protection guarantee — it stands behind your faithful performance of notarial acts and gives anyone harmed by a notarial error or misconduct a way to recover.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the public the bond protects. This is the plain notary bond, without E&O (errors and omissions) coverage — so it protects the public, not you. If a claim is paid, you repay the surety. If you want coverage that protects you from out-of-pocket loss on an honest mistake, that's separate E&O insurance, which this bond does not include.
The bond filed within 30 days of your commission and recorded with your county clerk runs with your commission term. We track it and notify you ahead of expiration so your commission never lapses over a missed renewal.
You need this bond if you're
Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.
If a claim is made
A claim comes from the party the bond protects, the obligee named on the form, when the duty the bond guarantees is not met.
The surety investigates and pays a valid claim, up to the $1,000 bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.
Renewal and term
The carrier issues this bond for a single 4-year term; the term cannot be changed at checkout.
Renew before the expiry date to keep the bond in force: the license, permit or contract it backs expects continuous coverage.
How to file it
File with the Secretary of State. Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email, ready to file with your notary commission. Kentucky notaries record the bond with their county clerk when taking the oath of office; wet-ink original mailed on request.
What sets the price
The premium is fixed at $50 at the $1,000 amount for every applicant: the carrier’s rate book prices this bond by the form, not by your credit or your business profile.
No credit check.
One application, issued instantly.
These are the actual issuing fields. No credit check. Request the bond in the name of the individual applying to be a notary.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Kentucky notary bonds.
Not sure this is the one your license calls for? These are the other notary bonds we write in Kentucky. Each has its own statute and bond amount.
Other Kentucky bonds.
Been told you need a different amount?
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Finish your notary commission today.
$50 flat for the term, no credit check, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.