Notary Compliance in South Carolina

Notaries public commissioned in South Carolina must follow South Carolina state law. Core requirements: no surety bond is required, holding a valid South Carolina notary commission (renewed every 10 years), no mandatory course, and charging no more than the South Carolina fee schedule ($5 per notarial act). South Carolina does not statutorily require a journal for traditional acts, though keeping one is best practice.

A compliant South Carolina mobile notary will present a state-issued commission certificate on request, carry their official seal, carry errors-and-omissions coverage (recommended even where no bond is required), and never charge more than the South Carolina statutory maximum ($5 per notarial act). Always confirm the commission expiration date before signing.

South Carolina notaries can perform acknowledgments (confirming a signer's identity and willingness), jurats (administering an oath that a document's contents are true), copy certifications, and — where the state has authorized it — remote online notarization (RON) through an approved platform.

No. Mobile notaries in South Carolina operate under the standard South Carolina notary public commission — there is no separate "mobile notary" license. Loan signing agents often add voluntary certification through the National Notary Association (NNA) or the Signing Professionals Workgroup (SPW), which title companies frequently request for mortgage signings.

Frequently notarized South Carolina documents include real estate deeds and mortgage packages, powers of attorney, affidavits and sworn statements, trust and estate paperwork, vehicle title transfers, and international documents needing an apostille. Loan signings for purchases and refinances make up a large share of mobile notary work across South Carolina.