Detailed Checklist for Notary Applications

Please use this detailed checklist when applying for a notary commission as these are common reasons for applications not being accept at the Delegation Office. By following this checklist, this will help constituents to receive their notary commission without delays.

1. Voter registration indicates that you are not a registered voter in the county of Horry. (You must best registered in the county in which you reside & also must apply for a notary public in the county in which you reside)—whichever is your permanent address. We only handle applications for permanent Horry county residents
2. Voter registration cannot find you as given on the application, your address with voter registration does not match the address on the application, or your voter registration is not active. All information on your application and voter registration card much be current and up-to-date. You must either call them at 843-915-5440 or go to their office at 1515 4th Avenue in Conway & update your registration before your notary application can be processed.
3. Your application has not been witnessed by a notary public for South Carolina. You can never notarize your own signature. Penalty by law.
4. Date of the “signature of applicant” and date of the “Notary Public” signature do not match. You must sign the application in the presence of SC notary and the notary must check applicant’s identity information and in applicant’s presence, affix his/her signature immediately after the applicants signing; therefore, making both dates and the same. By law, you must never sign a document and place it on someone’s desk to be signed later. You must complete another application and mail same back to this office, along with your check or money order.
5. Application does not contain "signature of applicant."
6. The filing fee is $25.00 (USD) payable to “SC Secretary of State”. You must indicate your payment method on the application (#1 Credit/Debit Card, #2 Check, #3 Money Order, #4 Cash). IF YOU SELECT EITHER #2 (CHECK), #3 (MONEY ORDER), OR #4 (CASH) YOUR PAYMENT METHOD MUST BE ATTACHED TO AND MAILED ALONG WITH YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION.
   
   **If you chose to pay via credit/debit card, you must provide both a e-mail address and a telephone number. DO NOT write your credit/debit card numbers on the application. A link to a secured payment site will be e-mailed to you once the Secretary of State’s Office receives your application from the Delegation Office for you to make the payment. Please note an additional service fee of $1.43 will be charged by SC.GOV when paying by credit/debit card. NO CREDIT/DEBIT CARD PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE DELEGATION OFFICE.**
7. The Secretary of State’s Office accepts personal checks, business checks, money orders, and/or cashier’s/certified checks, but all must be payable to the “SC Secretary of State”. No other entity should appear on the check. “Starter” checks are not acceptable. All checks must have name, account, and routing numbers printed on the checks, and all, including money orders must be currently dated and signed. We do not recommend cash payments as they are difficult to trace and our office cannot be held responsible for cash funds sent via the mail.
8. All applications must be original. No copies will be accepted.
9. The South Carolina Secretary of State Office has the current and most up to date application form. Please use this form only. No other application forms will be accepted.
10. All signatures must be printed legibly under the signed names and MUST MATCH. All signatures must be legible and able to read easily. Addresses must also be legible and include the full city/town name, not abbreviations (EX; MN, NMB).
11. Please do not include any other identity documentation, copies, or the address list of Delegation offices with your check and application.
12. Please leave Page 4 labeled FOR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION USE ONLY blank. Please do not seek out signatures separately as our office provides them for all the Horry County Legislative Delegation members.
13. Mail application, check/money order/cashier’s check to:
    Horry County Legislative Delegation Office
    P.O. Box 1236
    Conway, South Carolina 29528
    *Do Not Mail Applications to Columbia*
    If you would like to drop off your application, our office is located in the Old Historical Courthouse at 1201 Third Avenue in Conway. Enter through the Elm Street Side-Entrance of the Courthouse, and our office is the first hallway to the right—the end door. If no one is in the office, you may slide the completed application under the door.
14. Our office will obtain the necessary signatures of the Legislative Delegation and mail the application to Columbia for processing. Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing, starting from the application process through receiving the commission certificate in the mail. Once Columbia receives your application, you will receive your commission certificate in the mail at the address you listed on the application.
15. Once you receive your certificate in the mail, you’ll need to physically go to the Horry County Clerk of Courts to clock in your notary certificate and sign the notary registration book—All applicants, new or renewal must sign (renewals have a new expiration that must be updated). You must take a photo id and your certificate. It is a $10.00 filing fee and must be paid in cash or check at the Clerk of Courts. The Horry County Clerk of Courts Office is located at 1301 Second Avenue in Conway, and their phone number is (843) 915-5080. You may also go to the Horry County Clerk of Courts Office on the South Strand, located at 9630 Scipio Lane in Myrtle Beach, and their phone number is (843) 915-5082.
16. If you have questions regarding getting a stamp or seal, you can may contact any office supply store.
17. If you do not receive your certificate in the mail after 8 weeks, please contact the SC Secretary of State Notary Division at (803) 734-2512 as they issue all certificates.

Electronic Notarization

The Electronic Notary Portal is now available.

On May 18, 2021, Governor Henry McMaster signed the South Carolina Electronic Notary Public Act into law. The Act allows a notary public to register as an electronic notary and sets forth the requirements for electronic notaries public and electronic notarial acts. Online registration as an electronic notary public is now open to commissioned notaries.

Applications for registration as an electronic notary public are now available through the online portal. 

The Secretary of State’s electronic notary public portal will allow notaries to complete the registration process and receive the electronic notary certificate online.  The online application provides a seamless process for the applicant. The portal allows a commissioned notary public to watch an educational video, and complete online testing. After the successful completion of the electronic notary test, the notary public will then select the approved vendor that will provide the technology to perform an electronic notarization. The final step will allow the notary to receive and print their electronic notarial certificate.

Electronic notarization, also known as IPEN, requires that the notary public and the signer must be in the presence of one another when the notarization takes place. The documents are reviewed on an electronic device, such as a tablet or computer, and electronic signatures are used in place of ink signatures. This type of notarization is beneficial in many transactions. These electronically notarized documents may include various documents used in some lending and real estate transactions, and for electronic recording in counties.

Title 26, Chapter 2 of the S.C. Code of Laws and Chapter 113, Article 4 of the S.C. Code of Regulations set forth procedures for registration as an electronic notary public, registration of electronic notarization technology vendors, and requirements for execution of electronic notarizations. We encourage all prospective South Carolina electronic notaries public to carefully review these provisions. 

Electronic notarization technology vendors may register with the Secretary of State's Office to provide services to South Carolina electronic notaries public pursuant to S.C. Code of Laws Title 26, Chapter 2 and S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 113, Article 4. If you are an electronic notary solution provider and would like to register with the Secretary of State's Office, please contact us at it@sos.sc.gov.

For more information, please seethe Notary Press Release and Registration Now Open for Electronic Notaries Public.