Who requires it
Montana Secretary of State — Notaries Public
License & permit · Montana
Montana Notary Public Bond
Montana applicants for a new or renewed notary public commission must obtain a $25,000 bond under MCA 1-5-619. The statute accepts a surety bond or another form the Secretary of State accepts, from an issuer authorized in Montana, on the Secretary of State’s form. The bond covers acts during the four-year commission, and you may notarize only while a valid bond remains on file. The surety must give the Secretary of State thirty days’ notice before cancelling and must notify the office within thirty days after paying a claim. The Secretary of State’s notary guidance confirms the $25,000 amount, requires the standardized bond form that includes the statement and oath of office, and expects any bond effective date to fall within thirty days before or after the application is received.
Common bond amount
$25,000
Fixed under MCA 1-5-619; surety bond or another accepted form on the Secretary of State’s form.
How you file
Secretary of State bond form, including statement and oath
Renewal
Four-year commission; new or renewed bond with each appointment; 30-day cancel notice
Who requires it
Applicants for new or renewed Montana notary public commissions under MCA 1-5-619 filing with the Secretary of State.
How much is required
The statute sets a fixed $25,000 amount for the commission term. Errors-and-omissions insurance is optional and does not replace the bond.
How to get and file it
Order the Secretary of State’s standardized notary bond/oath form for $25,000 in the official notary name you will use, sign with that same signature, complete the notarized oath portion, and submit the bond with the commission application and fee within the thirty-day timing window. Commissions last four years. On renewal, obtain a new or renewed $25,000 bond covering the next term and file it with the renewal application. Replace coverage before any surety cancellation becomes effective so a valid bond stays on file.
Cost note
Twenty-five thousand dollars is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $25,000
- Term
- Covers the four-year commission
- Cancellation
- Surety gives the Secretary of State 30 days’ notice before cancelling
- Effective-date window
- Within 30 days before or after the Secretary of State receives the application
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Does errors-and-omissions insurance replace the Montana notary bond?
No. The Secretary of State treats errors-and-omissions insurance as optional protection for the notary. The $25,000 bond itself is required for the commission.
Can I notarize after my bond is cancelled?
Not while a valid bond is off file. MCA 1-5-619 allows notarial acts in Montana only while a valid bond is on file with the Secretary of State.
Related Montana bond guides
Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
$5,000–$50,000
Montana motor vehicle dealers, brokers, wholesalers, and auto auctions must file a surety bond with the Motor Vehicle Division under MCA 61-4-101. Most businesses need $50,000. Dealers limited to motorcycles or quadricycles need $15,000. Dealers limited to motorboats, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, or off-highway vehicles—other than highway-equipped motorcycles—need $5,000. Form MV22 requires an original bond that expires December 31 of the current license year, names the State of Montana, and lists the exact dealer license type. The department must approve the bond, keep it on file, and see it renewed every year.
Debt Management Bond
$50,000
Montana credit-counseling and debt-management companies that offer debt management plans must be licensed by the Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection. MCA 30-14-2004 requires a $50,000 bond when the applicant does not keep a Montana office with a credit counselor on site. The Office of Consumer Protection’s licensing package uses that same $50,000 Surety Bond Form. Official Form OCP-303 protects consumers, allows the surety to cancel only after ninety days’ certified-mail notice to the department, and requires claims within two years after the license ends. Debt-settlement companies follow a separate registration path and do not use this licensing bond.
Public Adjuster Bond
$5,000
Montana public adjuster applicants must file a $5,000 bond with the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance as part of licensing. The commissioner’s licensing page states the bond and copies of the adjuster’s contracts are required to obtain the public adjuster license. MCA 33-17-302 separately requires every public adjuster written contract filed with the commissioner to state that the adjuster is fully bonded under state law. Keep the bond in force for the license so that statement stays true.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Montana application
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Last verified 2026-08-12. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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