Who requires it
North Dakota Secretary of State — Notaries Public
License & permit · North Dakota
North Dakota Notary Public Bond
North Dakota applicants for a notary public commission must submit a $7,500 bond under NDCC 44-06.1-20 before the Secretary of State issues the commission. The statute accepts a surety bond or an approved equivalent from an issuer authorized in North Dakota, in the form the Secretary of State prescribes. Official Form SFN 19355 sets the same $7,500 amount and must cover notarial acts during the commission term. 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. A notary may perform notarial acts in North Dakota only while a valid bond remains on file. Commissions run four years and may be renewed by reapplying in the same manner as an original commission.
Common bond amount
$7,500
Fixed under NDCC 44-06.1-20; surety bond or approved equivalent on the SOS-prescribed form (SFN 19355).
How you file
File Form SFN 19355 with the Secretary of State
Renewal
Four-year commission; new or renewed bond with each appointment; 30-day cancel notice
Who requires it
Applicants for new or renewed North Dakota notary public commissions under NDCC 44-06.1-20 filing with the Secretary of State.
How much is required
The statute and Form SFN 19355 fix the amount at $7,500 for the commission term.
How to get and file it
Complete Form SFN 19355 for $7,500, sign with the surety representative before another notary, and submit the bond with the commission application and fee to the Secretary of State. Commissions last four years. On renewal, obtain a new or renewed $7,500 bond covering the next term and keep a valid bond on file at all times you perform notarial acts. Replace coverage before any surety cancellation becomes effective.
Cost note
Seven thousand five hundred dollars is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $7,500
- Term
- Covers the four-year commission
- Cancellation
- Surety gives SOS 30 days’ notice before cancelling
- Performance condition
- Notarial acts only while a valid bond is on file
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Can I notarize after my bond is cancelled?
Not while a valid bond is off file. NDCC 44-06.1-20 allows notarial acts in this state only during the period a valid bond is on file with the Secretary of State.
Is errors-and-omissions insurance a substitute for the notary bond?
The statute requires a surety bond or an approved equivalent filed with the Secretary of State. Ordinary E&O insurance that is not filed as that bond does not replace Form SFN 19355.
Related North Dakota bond guides
Collection Agency Bond
$50,000
North Dakota collection agencies must keep a $50,000 surety bond under NDCC 13-05-04.1. The statute sets a fixed amount—not a volume schedule—and requires the bond in a form prescribed by the commissioner. When a claim is filed on the bond, the commissioner may require a new bond, and the licensee must file a new bond immediately after any recovery. Keep uninterrupted coverage for the life of the collection-agency license through the Department of Financial Institutions / NMLS filing path.
Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
$10,000–$50,000
North Dakota dealers must file a surety bond with the Motor Vehicle Division before the department issues the matching dealer license. New and used motor vehicle dealers post $25,000 under NDCC 39-22-05. Trailer dealers and motor-powered recreational vehicle dealers post $10,000 under NDCC 39-22.1-02 and 39-22.3-05. Mobile home and manufactured home dealers post $50,000 under NDCC 39-18-02. Across these chapters, the bond runs to the state and covers customers for statutory compliance failures—including proper title delivery. Claims cannot exceed the bond amount. The surety may cancel future coverage by certified mail to the dealer and the department; thirty days after mailing, the bond no longer covers later liability. The MVD dealer handbook states that cancellation suspends the dealer’s license. Keep the bond name aligned with the dealership’s licensed business name.
Money Broker / Mortgage Lender Bond
≥ $50,000
North Dakota money brokers must keep a surety bond of at least $50,000 under NDCC 13-04.1-04.1. Residential mortgage lenders licensed under NDCC chapter 13-12—created in 2023 for residential mortgage lending that previously sat under the money-broker chapter—must keep the same at-least-$50,000 floor under NDCC 13-12-07. In both statutes the bond must be in a form the commissioner prescribes. When a claim is filed on the bond, the commissioner may require a new bond, and the licensee must file a new bond immediately after any recovery. Both credentials also carry a separate $25,000 minimum net-worth requirement that is not a substitute for the surety. File through the Department of Financial Institutions / NMLS as the current checklists require.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a North Dakota 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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