South Dakota requires every notary to file a $5,000 surety bond before being commissioned, under SDCL 18-1-2. This bond is priced by our carrier’s rate book at a flat $50 — the price you see is the checkout price. The bond issues the moment you pay — no credit review of any kind, not even a soft pull.
















Notary bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here’s the entire process:
Your name, address, and an effective date. That’s the application — no financials and no credit section.
Notary bonds are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.
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.
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.
These are the actual issuing fields — no credit section, because this bond doesn’t have one.
Start the application →$50 flat, no credit review, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.