Bill Text: IL HB4277 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Notary Public Act. Provides that every applicant for appointment and commission as a notary shall complete an application in a format prescribed by the Secretary of State stating, among other things, that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony within the 10 years immediately preceding the date of application (now, the applicant must state that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony).

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 23)

Status: (Passed) 2026-06-26 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0486 [HB4277 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4277-Enrolled.html

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AN ACT concerning government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Notary Public Act is amended by
changing Section 2-102 as follows:
(5 ILCS 312/2-102) (from Ch. 102, par. 202-102)
Sec. 2-102. Application.
(a) Application for notary public commission. Every
applicant for appointment and commission as a notary shall
complete an application in a format prescribed by the
Secretary of State to be filed with the Secretary of State,
stating:
(1) the applicant's official name, as it appears on
his or her current driver's license or state-issued
identification card;
(2) the county in which the applicant resides or, if
the applicant is a resident of a state bordering Illinois,
the county in Illinois in which that person's principal
place of work or principal place of business is located;
(3) the applicant's residence address, as it appears
on his or her current driver's license or state-issued
identification card;
(4) the applicant's e-mail address;

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(5) the applicant's business address if different than
the applicant's residence address, if performing notarial
acts constitutes any portion of the applicant's job
duties;
(6) that the applicant has resided in the State of
Illinois for 30 days preceding the application or that the
applicant who is a resident of a state bordering Illinois
has worked or maintained a business in Illinois for 30
days preceding the application;
(7) that the applicant is a citizen of the United
States or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the
United States;
(8) the applicant's date of birth;
(9) that the applicant is proficient in the English
language;
(10) that the applicant has not had a prior
application or commission revoked due to a finding or
decision by the Secretary of State;
(11) that the applicant, prior to the completion of
the application, if the applicant has ever been convicted
of a felony, has completed all requirements of all felony
case sentences, and 10 years have passed since the
completion of all felony sentences has not been convicted
of a felony ;
(12) that the applicant's signature authorizes the
Office of the Secretary of State to conduct a verification

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to confirm the information provided in the application,
including a criminal background check of the applicant, if
necessary;
(13) that the applicant has provided satisfactory
proof to the Secretary of State that the applicant has
successfully completed any required course of study on
notarization; and
(14) any other information the Secretary of State
deems necessary.
(b) Any notary appointed under subsection (a) shall have
the authority to conduct remote notarizations.
(c) Application for electronic notary public commission.
An application for an electronic notary public commission must
be filed with the Secretary of State in a manner prescribed by
the Secretary of State. Every applicant for appointment and
commission as an electronic notary public shall complete an
application to be filed with the Secretary of State, stating:
(1) all information required to be included in an
application for appointment as an electronic notary
public, as provided under subsection (a);
(2) that the applicant is commissioned as a notary
public under this Act;
(3) the applicant's email address;
(4) that the applicant has provided satisfactory proof
to the Secretary of State that the applicant has
successfully completed any required course of study on

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electronic notarization and passed a qualifying
examination;
(5) a description of the technology or device that the
applicant intends to use to create his or her electronic
signature in performing electronic notarial acts;
(6) the electronic signature of the applicant; and
(7) any other information the Secretary of State deems
necessary.
(d) Electronic notarial acts. Before an electronic notary
public performs an electronic notarial act using audio-video
communication, he or she must be granted an electronic notary
public commission by the Secretary of State under this
Section, and identify the technology that the electronic
notary public intends to use, which must be approved by the
Secretary of State.
(e) Approval of commission. Upon the applicant's
fulfillment of the requirements for a notarial commission or
an electronic notary public commission, the Secretary of State
shall approve the commission and issue to the applicant a
unique commission number.
(f) Rejection of application. The Secretary of State may
reject an application for a notarial commission or an
electronic notary public commission if the applicant fails to
comply with any Section of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-160, eff. 6-5-23 (See Section 91 of P.A.
103-562 for effective date of P.A. 102-160); 102-1030, eff.

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5-27-22.)