South Carolina does not require a journal for traditional notarizations — but strongly recommends one. IPEN (electronic notarization) requires an electronic journal. No RON available — signer presence required for all acts. Voter registration and legislative delegation approval required for commission. 10-year term. NotaryAct is state-configured for South Carolina.
| ⚖️ South Carolina Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | SC Code Title 26, Chapter 1 (traditional) · Chapter 2 (Electronic Notary Act, signed May 18, 2021) |
| Traditional Journal | Not required · Strongly recommended by SOS as best practice |
| IPEN Electronic Journal | Required for all electronic notarial acts under Chapter 2 ✓ |
| RON (Remote Online Notarization) | Not available — South Carolina has not enacted RON · Signer must be physically present ✓ |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | Not required · Not prohibited · Optional in NotaryAct SC configuration |
| Voter Registration Required? | Yes — applicants must be registered South Carolina voters ✓ |
| Commission Approval | Application through county legislative delegation office ✓ |
| Commission Term | 10 years — one of the longest in the country ✓ |
| Non-Residents | Cannot be commissioned — SC residency and voter registration required |
| Max Traditional Fee | $5 per notarial act |
| Max IPEN Fee | $10 per electronic notarial act |
| IPEN Registration | Online SOS portal · Educational video + test required · SOS-approved vendor required |
South Carolina has several features that make it stand out nationally:
Voter registration required. Every South Carolina notary must be a registered voter in the state. This means applicants must be U.S. citizens and South Carolina residents — non-residents may not apply even if employed in the state. This is among the most restrictive residency requirements in the country.
Legislative delegation approval. Applications go through the applicant’s county legislative delegation office, not directly to the SOS. If no delegation office exists in the county, the application goes to the House of Representatives. This is similar to Maryland’s senator approval requirement and adds a political dimension to the commissioning process.
10-year commission term. South Carolina’s 10-year commission is among the longest in the country — the same as Virginia’s pre-2026 term. Notaries go most of a decade between renewals.
No RON available. As of June 2026, South Carolina has not enacted RON legislation. All notarizations — including those performed on electronic documents (IPEN) — require the signer to be physically present before the notary. This is a meaningful limitation for South Carolina notaries serving clients who cannot appear in person.
South Carolina authorized In-Person Electronic Notarization (IPEN) under the Electronic Notary Public Act, signed May 18, 2021. IPEN allows a notary and signer who are physically in the same location to execute electronic documents using electronic signatures — but the signer must still appear before the notary in person.
To register as an electronic notary, a commissioned South Carolina notary must: register through the SOS Online Notary Portal, complete the educational video and online test, and select an SOS-approved electronic notarization vendor. An electronic journal is required for all IPEN acts under Chapter 2.
These are the SOS-recommended fields for all South Carolina notarizations. NotaryAct’s South Carolina configuration enables all of them.
| 1 | Date and time — Auto-timestamped by NotaryAct at submission. |
| 2 | Type of notarial act — Acknowledgment, jurat/oath, witnessing a signature, copy certification, or verification of fact. NotaryAct dropdown covers all SC-authorized act types. |
| 3 | Document description — NotaryAct includes a dedicated document field. |
| 4 | Signer’s name and address — Auto-filled by NotaryAct’s barcode scanner from any SC driver’s license. |
| 5 | Identity verification method — Personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence (credential type and details). NotaryAct supports both. SC requires the signer to be physically in the notary’s presence. |
| + | Signer’s signature · Fee charged — Electronic signature capture and fee field included in NotaryAct’s SC configuration. |
✔ NotaryAct is state-configured for South Carolina: All SOS-recommended best-practice fields for traditional notarizations. IPEN electronic journal fields fully enabled. Fingerprint capture available as optional feature. No RON fields presented — correctly reflecting that SC does not authorize remote appearances.
Other state guides: North Carolina · Georgia · Virginia · Florida · All 50 States →
NotaryAct’s South Carolina configuration gives you a comprehensive best-practice journal for traditional acts and IPEN electronic journal compliance — correctly configured for South Carolina’s physical-presence requirement. Ready for the full length of your 10-year commission.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects South Carolina Code of Laws Title 26 (Chapters 1 and 2) as in effect June 2026. Consult the South Carolina Secretary of State Notary Division at sos.sc.gov or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
