How to become a notary in Alaska
Looking to become a notary public in Alaska? This article will examine the qualifications needed to become a notary in Alaska as well as guide you through the application process. To meet the requirements to become a notary in Alaska you must be 18 years of age, a legal resident of Alaska, and have not been convicted of a felony or incarcerated for a felony conviction within the last 10 years.
Alaska is different from many states in that it issues two types of notary commissions. Regular commissions are issued to anyone that applies and meets the requirements stated above. Limited Government Notary commissions are only issued to Federal, State and Municipal employees. These Limited Government commissions have certain restrictions on them. Notaries with these commissions cannot charge fees for their services, and cannot perform notary acts for the general public. However, their commissions never need to be renewed and terminate whenever they leave their position within the government. In addition to the application form to become a notary, those applying for a Limited Government Notary commission must present an Employer Approval form.
The application for both commissions is the same. The application form is available online at the Lt. Governor of Alaska’s website. A $1000 notary bond is required with the application. Once this packet of both the application form and the bond is complete, it must be sent with a $40 payment to the office of the Lt. Governor. Checks should be made out to the “State of Alaska” or a separate form can be filled out to pay the fee with a credit card. It is important to note that some of the laws concerning the process of becoming a notary in Alaska have changed, so careful attention to the application form is needed. A short test examining one’s knowledge of notary procedures is no longer required.
Once the application is sent, it generally takes about two weeks to receive your commission. If your commission has not arrived within two weeks, the Lt. Governor’s office asks you to contact them. Their email address is notary@gov.state.ak.us. More info and the application can be found on their website. Good luck becoming a notary public in “The Last Frontier”!