Notary Bond

A notary bond is a surety bond — essentially an insurance-like guarantee — that most states require a notary to purchase before commissioning. If the notary makes an error that financially harms someone (notarizing a forged signature, for example), the bonding company pays the claim, then can seek reimbursement from the notary personally. The bond protects the public, not the notary — this is the detail people most often get backwards.

Bond amounts vary sharply by state — from $500 in Wisconsin up to $50,000 in Louisiana and Alabama — and 23 states require no bond at all. The bond premium (what you actually pay) is much smaller than the coverage amount itself, typically $30-$100 for a multi-year term, not the full bond amount out of pocket.

Bond vs. Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance

These are commonly confused but protect different parties. The bond protects the public and is often state-required. E&O insurance protects the notary's own finances from an honest mistake, and is optional in every state — without it, a notary who causes a covered claim can be personally on the hook for whatever the bond company recovers from them after paying out.