North Carolina (NC)
Automated Lookup
Operational
Research North Carolina notary commissions. NotaVeri can automatically cross-reference North Carolina notary details against the official state database.
Visit North Carolina Official Notary Database
How to Research a North Carolina Notary
1. Go to https://www.sosnc.gov/online_services/Notary_Search/notary_search
2. Enter the notary's name EXACTLY as it appears on the notary seal or certificate (commission name).
3. Optionally select the commission county from the dropdown.
4. Click Search and review the results.
5. Verify the commission status, expiration date, and county match.
Note: The NC SOS requires the full name (first and last) — a last-name-only search will return no results. Punctuation is not required.
2. Enter the notary's name EXACTLY as it appears on the notary seal or certificate (commission name).
3. Optionally select the commission county from the dropdown.
4. Click Search and review the results.
5. Verify the commission status, expiration date, and county match.
Note: The NC SOS requires the full name (first and last) — a last-name-only search will return no results. Punctuation is not required.
How to Verify a North Carolina Notary's Signature
North Carolina notaries take their oath of office before the Register of Deeds in their county of residence. The signature specimen is filed with the Register of Deeds, not the Secretary of State.
To verify a notary's signature:
1. Contact the Register of Deeds office in the county shown on the notary commission (the county where the notary took their oath).
2. Request to compare the document signature against the notary's signature specimen on file.
3. A notary's commission county is shown in the NC SOS notary search results.
NC SOS contact: (919) 814-5400
To verify a notary's signature:
1. Contact the Register of Deeds office in the county shown on the notary commission (the county where the notary took their oath).
2. Request to compare the document signature against the notary's signature specimen on file.
3. A notary's commission county is shown in the NC SOS notary search results.
NC SOS contact: (919) 814-5400
Verifying Older North Carolina Documents
The NC Secretary of State notary database contains records from the early 1990s onward. For older documents or expired commissions:
1. Search the NC SOS notary database — expired commission records may still appear in the search results.
2. Contact the NC Secretary of State Notary Division at (919) 814-5400 for archived commission records.
3. Contact the Register of Deeds in the notary's commission county for historical oath and signature records.
Commission term: 5 years (10 years for electronic notaries).
1. Search the NC SOS notary database — expired commission records may still appear in the search results.
2. Contact the NC Secretary of State Notary Division at (919) 814-5400 for archived commission records.
3. Contact the Register of Deeds in the notary's commission county for historical oath and signature records.
Commission term: 5 years (10 years for electronic notaries).
North Carolina Notary Stamp/Seal Requirements
North Carolina requires an ink stamp seal on all notarized paper documents. An embosser alone is not sufficient.
Stamp requirements (N.C.G.S. 10B-36, 10B-37):
- Type: Must be a rubber stamp (ink stamp); an embosser alone is not acceptable
- Must include: Notary's name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public", county of commission, "North Carolina", commission expiration date
- Must be legible and capable of being photocopied
- NC notaries are commissioned at the county level but have statewide jurisdiction — the county on the seal is the notary's commission county, not a limitation on where they can notarize
- The seal must be affixed near the notary's signature on the document
Stamp requirements (N.C.G.S. 10B-36, 10B-37):
- Type: Must be a rubber stamp (ink stamp); an embosser alone is not acceptable
- Must include: Notary's name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public", county of commission, "North Carolina", commission expiration date
- Must be legible and capable of being photocopied
- NC notaries are commissioned at the county level but have statewide jurisdiction — the county on the seal is the notary's commission county, not a limitation on where they can notarize
- The seal must be affixed near the notary's signature on the document
Contacting a North Carolina Notary
The following is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
We make no warranty regarding its accuracy or completeness.
Consult a qualified attorney before taking action.
North Carolina — Contacting the Notary for Verification
North Carolina requires notaries public to maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed, in the manner required for that type of notarial act and in accordance with the rules adopted by the Secretary of State.
Journal requirement:
- Notaries are required to maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed in the manner required for that type of notarial act and in accordance with the rules adopted by the Secretary (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-20 et seq.).
- A traditional notary public keeping a journal may maintain either a tangible or an electronic journal pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 10B and applicable rules.
- A secure electronic journal is required for all Remote Online Notarizations.
Retention period:
- Notary journals must be retained for 10 years after the remote electronic notarization.
- Electronic journals must be retained for 10 years after the notarial act.
Inspection and access:
- A notary public shall not permit access to the journal by any person except to the extent permitted pursuant to Chapter 10B of the General Statutes and the rules.
- The information in the notary journal is the private property of the notary public.
- There is no general public right to inspect a notary's journal. Access is restricted to lawful requests as defined by statute and rule. A subpoena or court order may be necessary to compel production.
Disposition upon commission expiry or death:
- When a notary commission has expired, has been revoked, or the notary has resigned, the notary shall deliver the notary's seal to the Secretary within 45 days of the expiration, resignation, or revocation (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-55).
- If a notary dies while commissioned, the notary's estate shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable and no later than the closing of the estate, notify the Secretary in writing of the notary's death and deliver the notary's seal to the Secretary for destruction.
- Upon death of the notary, all notarial records required by statute or rule shall be delivered to an approved custodian selected by the notary (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-128).
Key considerations:
- The 2026 edition of the North Carolina Notary Public Manual, prepared by the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, provides statutory guidance and must be purchased and kept as a reference by all North Carolina notaries.
- Contact: NC Secretary of State Notary Section — (919) 814-5400 or notary@sosnc.gov
Relevant statutes: N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 10B-20, 10B-40, 10B-55, 10B-128
This information is provided for general reference only, does not constitute legal advice, and may not reflect current law. Laws and procedures change frequently. We make no warranty regarding accuracy or completeness. Consult a qualified attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before taking action.
North Carolina requires notaries public to maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed, in the manner required for that type of notarial act and in accordance with the rules adopted by the Secretary of State.
Journal requirement:
- Notaries are required to maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed in the manner required for that type of notarial act and in accordance with the rules adopted by the Secretary (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-20 et seq.).
- A traditional notary public keeping a journal may maintain either a tangible or an electronic journal pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 10B and applicable rules.
- A secure electronic journal is required for all Remote Online Notarizations.
Retention period:
- Notary journals must be retained for 10 years after the remote electronic notarization.
- Electronic journals must be retained for 10 years after the notarial act.
Inspection and access:
- A notary public shall not permit access to the journal by any person except to the extent permitted pursuant to Chapter 10B of the General Statutes and the rules.
- The information in the notary journal is the private property of the notary public.
- There is no general public right to inspect a notary's journal. Access is restricted to lawful requests as defined by statute and rule. A subpoena or court order may be necessary to compel production.
Disposition upon commission expiry or death:
- When a notary commission has expired, has been revoked, or the notary has resigned, the notary shall deliver the notary's seal to the Secretary within 45 days of the expiration, resignation, or revocation (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-55).
- If a notary dies while commissioned, the notary's estate shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable and no later than the closing of the estate, notify the Secretary in writing of the notary's death and deliver the notary's seal to the Secretary for destruction.
- Upon death of the notary, all notarial records required by statute or rule shall be delivered to an approved custodian selected by the notary (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 10B-128).
Key considerations:
- The 2026 edition of the North Carolina Notary Public Manual, prepared by the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, provides statutory guidance and must be purchased and kept as a reference by all North Carolina notaries.
- Contact: NC Secretary of State Notary Section — (919) 814-5400 or notary@sosnc.gov
Relevant statutes: N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 10B-20, 10B-40, 10B-55, 10B-128
This information is provided for general reference only, does not constitute legal advice, and may not reflect current law. Laws and procedures change frequently. We make no warranty regarding accuracy or completeness. Consult a qualified attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before taking action.