Who requires it
New Mexico Secretary of State
License & permit · New Mexico
New Mexico Notary Public Bond
New Mexico notary applicants must submit a ten-thousand-dollar bond—or an accepted equivalent—before the Secretary of State issues a commission under NMSA 1978 § 14-14A-20. The bond covers acts performed during the commission term. A notary may notarize in New Mexico only while a valid bond remains on file with the Secretary of State.
Common bond amount
$10,000
Fixed $10,000 bond under NMSA 1978 § 14-14A-20; SOS online filing requires a notarized bond PDF.
How you file
Upload the Secretary of State notary bond form (or accepted equivalent)
Renewal
Maintain continuous SOS filing; renew with the commission term
Who requires it
Individuals applying for or holding a New Mexico notary public commission under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, other than automatic notarial officers who follow the Secretary of State’s separate registration path.
How much is required
Section 14-14A-20 requires a ten-thousand-dollar surety bond or functional equivalent issued by an entity authorized in New Mexico, in the form the Secretary of State prescribes.
How to get and file it
Purchase a $10,000 New Mexico notary bond, have your signature as principal notarized by a current New Mexico notarial officer (never by yourself), complete the required education course and exam, then upload the notarized bond PDF with the oath and certificate through the Secretary of State’s online portal. Keep a valid bond on file for the commission term. The surety must give the Secretary of State thirty days’ notice before canceling. Renew with a current bond when the commission term ends; Secretary of State materials treat renewals on a four-year cycle from filing.
Cost note
Ten 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
- $10,000
- Principal acknowledgment
- Applicant’s signature on the bond must be notarized by a current New Mexico notarial officer
- Filing
- Upload notarized bond PDF with the SOS online commission application
- Cancellation notice
- Surety gives SOS 30 days’ notice before canceling
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Can I notarize my own New Mexico notary bond?
No. Secretary of State instructions require a current New Mexico notarial officer to acknowledge the applicant’s signature on the bond. Applicants must not notarize their own signature even if already commissioned.
Is errors-and-omissions insurance the same as the $10,000 bond?
No. The $10,000 bond is the statutory commission requirement. E&O insurance, if purchased, is separate personal coverage and does not replace the bond on file with the Secretary of State.
Related New Mexico bond guides
Public Adjuster Bond
$10,000
New Mexico public adjusters must file a surety bond of at least ten thousand dollars with the Office of Superintendent of Insurance. NMSA 1978 § 59A-13-5 conditions the bond to pay actual damages resulting to the state or the public from the licensee’s violations while acting as an adjuster. After the 2023 statutory amendment, the bond requirement applies to public adjusters; OSI directs electronic filing through NIPR.
Collection Agency Bond
$5,000–$25,000
New Mexico collection agencies and repossessors must file a surety bond with the Financial Institutions Division before a license issues or renews. NMSA 1978 § 61-18A-15 sets a five-thousand-dollar amount that the director may increase. 12.24.2 NMAC sizes renewals at the greater of five thousand dollars or two months’ average proceeds due clients from the prior licensing year, ordinarily capped at twenty-five thousand dollars unless the director requires stronger protection.
Contractors Bond
$10,000
New Mexico Construction Industries Division contractor licenses require a ten-thousand-dollar surety bond as proof of responsibility. NMSA 1978 § 60-13-49 and 14.6.3 NMAC apply that single amount on initial licensure and renewal. Contractor classifications—general building, general engineering, electrical, mechanical, and others—authorize different scopes of work, but they do not create different statewide bond amounts. Bond proceeds cure division-certified code violations the licensee caused and failed to correct.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
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Last verified 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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