SD notary public bonds.
$275. Five minutes.
South Dakota requires every notary to file a $5,000 surety bond before being commissioned, under SDCL 18-1-2. A flat 3% of $5,000 is $150, so this bond lands at our $275 minimum — the lowest premium we charge. The application is five minutes, with no credit check.
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Three steps. One sitting.
Notary bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here’s the entire process:
Apply online
Your name, address, and an effective date. That’s the application — no financials and no credit check section.
Pay & e-sign
Notary bonds are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.
File with your commission
In South Dakota the executed bond and oath are filed with the Secretary of State as part of your notary application. We deliver the signed bond and power of attorney by email, with a wet-ink original mailed on request.
The whole pricing page.
$5,000 bond × 3% = $150, but our minimum is $275, so $275 per term. South Dakota commissions notaries for six years; you can buy a 1, 2, or 3-year bond term and renew.
What it is and who needs it.
What the notary bond actually guarantees
A notary bond is a public-protection guarantee. South Dakota wants a financial backstop so that if a notary performs an incorrect, negligent, or fraudulent notarial act, anyone harmed has a way to recover.
It’s a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the public (the protected parties), with the State as obligee. If a valid claim is paid, the surety covers it up to $5,000 — then you reimburse the surety. The bond is not errors-and-omissions coverage for you; this is the bond-only version without E&O.
The bond is filed before you’re commissioned and must be in place to act as a notary. South Dakota commissions run six years, so many notaries pair a multi-year bond term with their commission and renew as needed.
You need this bond if you’re
Five minutes. The whole thing.
These are the actual issuing fields — no credit check section, because this bond doesn’t have one.
Start the application →Common questions.
If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.
How much is the South Dakota notary bond? +
Do I pay the $5,000? +
Is this bond the same as E&O insurance? +
Is there a credit check? +
How long is my commission good for? +
Other New York bonds.
Finish your notary checklist today.
$275 flat, five-minute application, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.