HB73 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rolanda HollisRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Notaries public; commission term decreased; notary seals to have embedded identifying information; penalties for violations

Summary

HB73 would shorten notaries’ commission terms to two years, require embedded identification in stamps, and establish penalties to protect notary integrity and document security.

What This Bill Does

It reduces the standard notary commission term from four years to two years, with commissions expiring two years after issuance (starting October 1, 2026). It requires all notary stamps to embed identifying information: the notary’s full legal name, commission number, expiration date, and the title Notary Public, State of Alabama; manual entry of name or dates is prohibited. It creates penalties for using unapproved, manually altered, or fraudulent stamps, including suspension or revocation of the commission and civil penalties, plus specified misdemeanor and felony penalties for certain acts. It also introduces a required training program for new notaries and an annual renewal process where the Secretary of State verifies good standing, confirms the notary is alive and of good character, and issues an updated seal for renewed commissions.

Who It Affects

• Notaries public, who face shorter terms, mandatory embedded stamps, training requirements, and potential penalties for stamp violations.
• Judges of probate and county probate offices, who issue commissions, administer training standards, and can warn, restrict, suspend, or revoke commissions.
• Secretary of State, which will verify good standing at renewal, issue updated seals, and oversee stamp embedding and enforcement.
• The general public and document signers, who may experience more secure and traceable notarizations due to embedded stamp data and stronger enforcement.

Key Provisions

• Commission term shortened from four years to two years, effective October 1, 2026.
• Notary stamps must embed: full legal name, commission number, expiration date, and the title 'Notary Public, State of Alabama'; manual entry prohibited.
• Penalties for using unapproved, altered, or fraudulent stamps include suspension or revocation of commission and civil penalties; creates Class C misdemeanors and Class D felonies for specified misconduct.
• New notaries must complete a required training program; attorneys commissioned as notaries are exempt from the training requirement; renewal requires training for those with expired commissions.
• Secretary of State conducts renewal verifications (standing, aliveness, no dishonest/fraud convictions) and issues an updated seal upon renewal.
• Notarial acts must include oath/acknowledgment, signatures, and the notary’s seal; the seal must be affixed to the notary stamp permanently.
• Enforcement provisions allow for warnings, restricted or revoked commissions, injunctive relief, and cooperation with law enforcement agencies in investigations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Property & Estates