Notary bond in Illinois: amount and cost
Illinois asks $5,000 of every notary, one of the lowest bonds, and $25,000 more of electronic and remote notaries.
Notary bond premium in Illinois
$20 to $50
once, for the whole 4-year commission
| Bond the law requires | $5,000 |
| Rule | 5 ILCS 312/2-105 |
| How it is priced | flat, not rated on credit |
Estimate: flat prices published for $5,000 to $10,000 bonds run from about $20 to $100 for a whole commission; scaled to this bond. Amount read on the official page, October 22, 2026.
Compiled by Radif Partners · Method and sources · rule read October 22, 2026
An Illinois notary public files a $5,000 bond with a company qualified to write surety bonds in the state, under section 2-105 of the Illinois Notary Public Act (5 ILCS 312). The bond covers the four-year commission and is filed with the application to the Secretary of State. $5,000 is among the lowest amounts in the country, half the $10,000 most states use, and its price is correspondingly small: the bond sells at a flat price for the whole term, usually around $20 to $50 on published offers. Electronic and remote notaries, authorized in Illinois in recent years, carry a heavier requirement: a separate $25,000 bond on top of the traditional one, $30,000 in total, which costs about $75 to $250 more. The bond protects people harmed by a notarization; the notary must repay any claim the surety pays. Rule read on October 22, 2026.
The traditional commission
Section 2-105 of the Illinois Notary Public Act requires each applicant to file, with the application, "a bond for $5,000 with a company qualified to write surety bonds in this State". The Secretary of State issues the commission once the bond, the oath and the fee are received, and the commission is then recorded with the county clerk. The bond and the commission run together for four years.
Because the amount is small, the bond is the least of an Illinois notary's costs. The application fee, the county clerk's charge and a stamp usually cost more than the bond premium. Agencies that file the application on the applicant's behalf often fold all of these into one package; ask for the bond price separately if you want to compare.
Electronic and remote notaries
Illinois now commissions electronic notaries, who notarize electronic records, and remote notaries, who notarize through audio-video communication. Both must already hold a traditional commission and complete additional training. The Act adds a separate $25,000 bond for those commissions, so an Illinois notary who performs electronic or remote acts carries $30,000 of bonds in total. The larger bond reflects the risk of identity fraud in remote transactions.
Illinois next to other states
Notary bond premium in Michigan
$50 to $100
| Bond the law requires | $10,000 |
| Rule | MCL 55.273 |
| How it is priced | flat, not rated on credit |
Claims and insurance
A person harmed by an Illinois notary's misconduct can claim on the bond, up to its amount for the whole term. With only $5,000 at stake, a single serious claim, such as a forged real estate deed, can exhaust the bond, and the notary is then personally exposed to the rest. That gap is why errors and omissions insurance, optional in Illinois, is common among notaries who handle real estate documents. The notary bond overview compares Illinois with the Indiana and Michigan amounts nearby.
A notary who changes name or county during the term informs the Secretary of State; some sureties issue a rider so that the bond follows the change without a new purchase.
The Illinois rule as read
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bond amount | $5,000 |
| Term | 4 years |
| Rule | 5 ILCS 312/2-105 |
| Line read | “a bond for $5,000 with a company qualified to write surety bonds in this State” |
| Page | ilga.gov |
| Read on | October 22, 2026 |