Effective: September 20, 2019
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 263 - 132nd General Assembly
(A)(1) The secretary of state shall require each applicant for a notary commission, other than an attorney licensed to practice law in this state, to complete a criminal records check.
(2) The secretary shall not accept an application for a notary commission that includes the report of a criminal records check that is more than six months old.
(B) The secretary of state shall provide to each person applying for a notary commission, other than an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state, information about accessing, completing, and forwarding to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the form prescribed pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code and the standard impression sheet to obtain fingerprint impressions prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of that section.
(C) Each person requesting a criminal records check under this section shall pay to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the fee prescribed pursuant to division (C)(3) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code.
(D) The report of any criminal records check conducted by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation in accordance with section 109.572 of the Revised Code and pursuant to a request made under this section is not a public record for the purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code and shall not be made available to any person other than the following:
(1) The person who is the subject of the criminal records check or the person's representative;
(2) The secretary of state and the staff of the secretary of state;
(3) A court, hearing officer, or other necessary individual involved in a case dealing with a commission denial resulting from the criminal records check.
(E) The secretary of state shall deny a notary commission application if, after receiving the information and notification required by this section, a person subject the criminal records check requirement fails to do either of the following:
(1) Access, complete, or forward to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the form prescribed pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code or the standard impression sheet prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of that section;
(2) Submit the completed report of the criminal records check to the secretary of state.
Structure Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 147 | Notaries Public and Commissioners
Section 147.01 | Appointment and Commission of Notaries Public - Notary Public for State.
Section 147.011 | Definitions.
Section 147.021 | Education and Testing.
Section 147.022 | Criminal Records Check.
Section 147.03 | Term of Office - Oath - Removal for Violating Oath.
Section 147.031 | Renewal of Commission.
Section 147.032 | Investigations; Penalties.
Section 147.041 | Persons Commissioned Prior to September 20, 2019.
Section 147.051 | Database of Notaries.
Section 147.06 | Certified Copy of Commission as Evidence - Fee.
Section 147.07 | Powers - Jurisdiction.
Section 147.10 | Notary Public Acting After Commission Expires.
Section 147.12 | Acts Done by Notary Public After Term Valid.
Section 147.13 | Removal for Receiving Excess Fees.
Section 147.14 | Removal From Office for Certifying Affidavit Without Administering Oath.
Section 147.141 | Prohibited Acts.
Section 147.142 | Advertisement as Immigration Consultant; Other Prohibited Acts.
Section 147.37 | Fees for Commissions.
Section 147.371 | Duplicate Commission.
Section 147.39 | Prior Notarial Acts by Armed Forces Officers Valid.
Section 147.40 | Manner of Taking Depositions.
Section 147.51 | Notarial Acts.
Section 147.52 | Notarial Acts by Authorized Person.
Section 147.53 | Taking an Acknowledgment.
Section 147.54 | Recognized Certificate of Acknowledgment.
Section 147.541 | Acknowledged Before Me Defined.
Section 147.542 | Notarial Certificates.
Section 147.55 | Statutory Short Forms of Acknowledgment.
Section 147.56 | Notarial Act Performed Prior to January 1, 1974.
Section 147.57 | Uniformity of the Law.
Section 147.58 | Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act.
Section 147.59 | Designated Alternative Signer.
Section 147.591 | Electronic Documents.
Section 147.61 | Applicability.
Section 147.62 | Standards for Online Notarizations and Online Notaries Public.
Section 147.63 | Application to Be Authorized as Online Notary Public.
Section 147.631 | Online Notary Course Fees.
Section 147.64 | Authority of Online Notary Public.
Section 147.65 | Electronic Journals.