(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary of the State may appoint as a notary public any qualified person who submits an application in accordance with this section.

(b) In order to qualify for appointment as a notary public, a person shall:

(1) Be eighteen years of age or older at the time of application;

(2) (A) Be a resident of the state of Connecticut at the time of application and appointment, or (B) have one’s principal place of business in the state at the time of application and appointment;

(3) Pass a written examination approved or administered by the Secretary;

(4) Submit an application, on a form prescribed and provided by the Secretary, which the applicant shall complete in the applicant’s handwriting without misstatement or omission of fact. The application shall be accompanied by (A) a nonrefundable application fee of one hundred twenty dollars, and (B) the recommendation of an individual who has personally known the applicant for at least one year and is not legally related to the applicant.

(c) The Secretary may deny an application based on:

(1) The applicant’s conviction of a felony or a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude;

(2) Revocation, suspension or restriction of a notary public appointment or professional license issued to the applicant by this state or any other state; or

(3) The applicant’s official misconduct, whether or not any disciplinary action has resulted.

(d) Upon approval of an application for appointment as a notary public, the Secretary shall cause a certificate of appointment bearing a facsimile of the Secretary’s signature and countersigned by the Secretary’s executive assistant or an employee designated by the Secretary to be issued to such appointee.

(e) A notary public may obtain a replacement certificate of appointment by filing a written request with the Secretary, accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of five dollars.