# Bluegrass Notary Bond

> Kentucky notary surety bond for $20, with $5,000 of Errors and Omissions (E&O) coverage included at no extra cost. American Surety Company (A-rated) underwrites the 4-year, $1,000 bond. Kentucky has no notary course or exam: apply to the Secretary of State ($10), then buy the bond, then take your oath and file it in person with your county clerk (typically $19) within 30 days of receiving the Secretary of State's approval notice.

Bluegrass Notary Bond is a service of Stockton-Hill Insurance LLC, a licensed insurance agency. Customers can also get free, no-obligation reviews of auto, home, life, and business insurance from licensed agents.

## Key facts

- Price: $20 for the 4-year, $1,000 Kentucky notary bond (exact checkout total)
- $5,000 Errors and Omissions (E&O) coverage included at no extra cost
- Higher E&O at checkout: $10,000 for $51, $15,000 for $71, $30,000 for $97
- Standalone E&O for notaries who already have a bond: $5,000 for $31, $10,000 for $51, $25,000 for $76, $50,000 for $112
- Kentucky requires no notary education course or exam
- True 4-year cost of a Kentucky commission: $49 ($10 application + $20 bond + typically $19 county clerk); a seal is optional in Kentucky
- Underwriter: American Surety Company, A-rated, a subsidiary of Core Specialty Insurance Holdings

## Common questions about Kentucky notary bonds

### Do I buy the bond before or after I apply?
After. Kentucky's order is: apply to the state ($10), get your approval email (usually within 10 business days), then buy your bond and take it to the county clerk within 30 days of receiving that approval notice. We'll be ready the moment your approval lands.

### What do I bring to the county clerk?
Your bond documents (emailed to you right after purchase), your approval, and a valid ID. You'll take the oath of office, post the bond, and pay the clerk's filing fees, typically $19.

### What happens if I miss the 30-day window?
Your appointment can lapse and you may have to reapply, including the fees. Put the clerk visit on your calendar the day your approval notice arrives, and buy your bond the same day so nothing is waiting on paperwork.

### Is there really no course or exam?
Really. Kentucky requires no education course and no exam, just the application, the bond, and the county filing. It's one of the fastest states in the country to become a notary.

### How long does the whole process take?
The application takes minutes, state approval usually lands within 10 business days, your bond purchase takes about 10 minutes, and the clerk visit is same-day. Most people are commissioned notaries in under three weeks.

### Why $20 when I've seen bonds for $15?
Those are bare bonds, with no E&O. The bond only protects the public; if you make a notarization mistake, the surety pays the claim and then collects it back from you. Our $20 includes $5,000 of Errors & Omissions coverage that protects you. Add E&O to a bare bond elsewhere and you'll spend more than $20 every time.

### What does becoming a Kentucky notary really cost?
All in, typically $49, plus an optional seal: $10 application to the state, $20 to us for the bond with E&O included, and typically $19 at your county clerk for the oath, bond posting, and filing. We publish the whole number because most sellers only show the bond price.

### What's this surcharge I see mentioned?
Kentucky charges a state-required surcharge on bond premiums, but at our base premium it rounds off to zero, so the base package is exactly $20 at checkout, not a penny more. If you raise your E&O limit, the surcharge is already included in the totals in the next question.

### Can I buy more than $5,000 of E&O?
Yes. Every bond includes $5,000 of E&O, and you can raise that limit during checkout. Each total below already includes the Kentucky surcharge and replaces the $20 base price rather than adding to it: $10,000 of E&O is $51, $15,000 is $71, and $30,000 is $97. All four options cover the same 4-year, $1,000 bond for the same four years. Which limit fits depends on the documents you notarize and the risk you carry, so the choice is yours. We publish the prices, we don't pick the number for you.

### I already have my bond. Can I buy E&O by itself?
Yes. If your bond came from somewhere else, you can add Errors & Omissions coverage on its own: $5,000 of E&O is $31, $10,000 is $51, $25,000 is $76, and $50,000 is $112. E&O doesn't get filed with the county clerk or the Secretary of State, so there's nothing else to do after you buy. Get E&O only

### Do you file the bond with the state for me?
Kentucky doesn't work that way. You post your bond in person at your county clerk's office when you take the oath. What we do: email your bond documents the moment you purchase, and walk you through exactly what to bring and where to go.

### How long is my bond good for?
Four years, matching your commission. One bond, one price, no annual renewals. We'll send you a renewal notice 90 days before your commission expires so you never lapse.

### Am I eligible to become a Kentucky notary?
You must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, able to read and write English, and live or work in the Kentucky county where you apply. Applicants can be denied for acts of fraud or dishonesty.

### What has to be on my Kentucky seal?
A seal is optional in Kentucky. If you use a stamp: your full name and title, your county of commission, your commission number, and your expiration date. Circular (about 2 inches) or rectangular (about 1 by 2.5 inches), black or blue ink. Rubber stamps are most practical; embossers are optional. It's made after your commission is filed.

## Pages

- [Home, pricing, and step-by-step process](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/)
- [Kentucky notary guides](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/guides)
- [How to get a Kentucky notary bond](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/how-to-get-a-kentucky-notary-bond)
- [Kentucky notary renewal](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/kentucky-notary-renewal)
- [Kentucky notary county clerk filing: the 30-day step](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/kentucky-notary-county-clerk-filing)
- [Kentucky notary bond vs E&O insurance](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/kentucky-notary-bond-vs-eo-insurance)
- [Kentucky notary bonds for employers and teams](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/kentucky-notary-bonds-for-employers)
- [Terms of service](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/terms)
- [Privacy policy](https://bluegrassnotarybond.com/privacy)

## Contact

- Email: service@bluegrassnotarybond.com
- Chat: Cardinal, the AI assistant on bluegrassnotarybond.com, answers questions 24/7