Important Notary Information

Effective December 2012, New Mexico notaries public who have a notary public commission expiring in 2013 will receive a postcard notification from this office, informing you that your notary public commission will expire in thirty days. Once you receive this postcard notary public renewal notice, you will need to purchase a notary public surety bond and complete a notary public application if you elect to renew your notary public commission.

New Mexico Notary Public

Effective July 1, 2003, a new notary public law went into effect.  In addition to an increase in the application fee and the surety bond amount, the new law also provides duties and responsibilities for the notary, as well as increased fees that notaries may charge for their services. The new Notary Public Act is included in this handbook for your reference.  As a notary public you are a state official serving an important function. Your role as an impartial witness to the signatures on documents and the affixing of your seal plays an important role in the prevention of fraud and protection of the parties involved. It is your responsibility to determine that a person signing a document is the person he or she claims to be. The duties and responsibilities of New Mexico Notaries Public are set forth in Chapter 286, Laws of 2003, which are reproduced herein. If you have questions of a legal nature you should consult an attorney.  However, if you have any questions that are not of a legal nature and are not addressed here, please telephone the Office of the Secretary of State at (505)-827-3600, or (800) 477-3632. You may also write or visit us at the New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State, State Capitol North, Suite 300, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501.

General Information

Table of Contents

Notary Public Act (Effective July 1, 2003)

* For notary public applying for a renewal commission, Section 14-12A-6, NMSA 1978, reads”...a notary public may be reappointed upon making application in the same manner as required for an original application.

1. Notary Public Basics Training Video
2. Information for Notary Public
3. Notary Public Law
4. Notarial Definitions
5. FAQ's
6. Precautions
7. Reminders
8. How to perform a notarization
9. View Sample Notarial Certificates
10. View Sample Notarial Certificates in Spanish
11. Fee Schedule
12. Apostilles and Certificates of Appointment
13. Apostilles and Certification of Appointment (en Español)
14. New Mexico Notary Public Handbook
15. Notary Education Resources:
    
    DISCLAIMER: The notary organizations listed below are provided merely as a quick reference for those interested in pursuing training, membership, educational materials or notary supplies. It is not the intention of the Secretary of State to exclude any organization not specifically mentioned and it should be noted that these quick references as listed below, are not the only resources of the kind available. It is therefore strongly recommended that individuals with such interests thoroughly research the specifics of available entities to obtain the full spectrum of their available options.
    
    Resources:
    • American Society of Notaries
    • National Notary Association
    • Notary Law Institute
    • Notary Rotary
    
    The following forms and instructions are in Adobe PDF format and require an Adobe Acrobat Reader to be read. If you do not already have a copy loaded onto your computer, a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader is available free for various platforms (PC, MAC, Unix, etc.). To download a free copy click Adobe.
    
    If you are not able to download PDF's, try the following instructions:
    
    Right click on link, save target as and save in default folder. Go to default folder where document was saved. Open PDF and document will display.
     
16. Application and Instructions for becoming a notary public*
    
    * For notary public applying for a renewal commission, Section 14-12A-6, NMSA 1978, reads”...a notary public may be reappointed upon making application in the same manner as required for an original  application.

    IMPORTANT NOTE

           The Secretary of State’s Office may not accept renewal applications any earlier than one month prior to the notary’s expiration date.  Any renewal applications sent prior to one month in advance of the notary’s expiration date will be returned/rejected.

1. Notary Public Name Change Application For your convenience forms are fillable!
2. Notary Public Change of Address Form
3. Notary Public Request For Duplicate Certificate of Appointment
4. Notary Information for all States
5. e-Notarization
6. Notary Public Complaint Process