Mississippi requires a journal for every notarial act since July 1, 2021. After 10 years, journals must be destroyed — not just retained. Electronic journals must be tamper-evident and PDF-accessible to the SOS. IPEN available; RON not authorized as of 2026. $5,000 bond required — commission is dormant without it. NotaryAct is state-configured for Mississippi — all required fields on.
| ⚖️ Mississippi Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | MCA Title 25, Chapter 34 (RULONA, eff. July 1, 2021) · § 25-34-37 (journal) · MS Admin. Code Part 5, Ch. 4 |
| Journal Required? | Yes — every notarial act since July 1, 2021 ✓ |
| Permitted Formats | Tangible: permanently bound, consecutively numbered pages · Electronic: tamper-evident, no insertions/deletions, securely stored, recoverable, PDF-accessible to SOS |
| Retention Period | 10 years from last entry — THEN must be destroyed (shredded or deleted) ✓ |
| RON Status | Not authorized — signer must be physically present · Bills introduced but not passed as of June 2026 ✓ |
| IPEN Status | Authorized since July 1, 2021 · Separate e-notary registration required · Approved technology provider required |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | Not required · Not prohibited · Optional in NotaryAct MS configuration |
| Surety Bond | $5,000 mandatory — commission DORMANT until bond filed (within 60 days) ✓ |
| Max Traditional Fee | $5.00 per notarial act |
| Commission Term | 4 years · $25 application fee · No exam required |
| Residency | Must be a Mississippi resident for at least 30 days before applying · Non-residents not eligible |
Mississippi adopted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) via HB 1156, effective July 1, 2021. Every notary must maintain a journal of all notarial acts. The journal structure rules are unusually detailed for both tangible and electronic formats, set out in Part 5, Chapter 4 of the Mississippi Administrative Code.
The mandatory destruction requirement is distinctive: after 10 years from the last entry, tangible journals must be physically destroyed (shredding or equivalent), and electronic journals must be deleted along with any remaining tamper-evident technology. This differs from many states that allow or require indefinite or archival retention. Notaries should plan for compliant destruction — not just storage.
The $5,000 bond rule deserves particular attention: unlike most states where the bond is a prerequisite to application, Mississippi requires the bond to be filed after approval but within 60 days. Until it is filed, the commission is legally dormant — the notary has no authority to perform any notarial acts even though they hold an approved commission.
| 1 | Date and Time — Must be made contemporaneously with the act. Auto-timestamped by NotaryAct at submission. |
| 2 | Description and Type of Notarial Act — Document description and act type. NotaryAct provides a dropdown for all Mississippi-authorized act types. |
| 3 | Full Name and Address of Each Individual — Auto-filled by NotaryAct’s barcode scanner from any Mississippi driver’s license. |
| 4 | Identity Verification — Personal Knowledge — If based on personal knowledge: a statement to that effect. NotaryAct includes this option. |
| 5 | Identity Verification — Satisfactory Evidence — A brief description of the identification method and credential presented including issuance date and expiration. NotaryAct captures ID type and credential details. |
| 6 | Fee Charged — Mississippi’s maximum is $5 per notarial act. NotaryAct includes a fee field in every entry. |
✔ NotaryAct is state-configured for Mississippi: All six required fields enabled. Electronic journal meets Mississippi’s tamper-evident, non-modifiable, securely stored, recoverable, PDF-accessible requirements. 10-year cloud retention with compliant export capability for the mandatory destruction obligation.
Other state guides: Louisiana · Alabama · Georgia · Tennessee · All 50 States →
NotaryAct is state-configured for Mississippi — all required fields enabled, tamper-evident electronic format meeting Mississippi Admin. Code Rule 4.4, 10-year cloud retention with compliant export for the mandatory destruction obligation after year 10.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects Mississippi Code Annotated Title 25, Chapter 34 (RULONA, effective July 1, 2021) and Mississippi Administrative Code Part 5, Chapter 4 as in effect June 2026. RON is not authorized in Mississippi as of June 2026 — monitor sos.ms.gov for legislative updates. Consult the Mississippi Secretary of State Business Services Division Notary Section at sos.ms.gov or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
