iPad iOS6 built-in Notes app - where are the notes stored?

I was thinking about migrating a majority of my text-based notes from Evernote to the built-in Notes app. Evernote wants 4.99 a month to store off-line notebooks on your mobil e device. I currently use a Macbook Air but was thinking about consolidating my notes onto my iPad so I'm not referencing two devices.

But I don't want old notes that were sync'd to the application to disappear or somehow be lost to me.

Are the notes stored locally? Is there a limit?

Notes are stored locally without limit other than storage space on the iOS device. They sync to iCloud and there is a web app for viewing / editing the notes.

They do count towards your 5 GB of free iCloud storage that you get by virtue of operating an iOS device. Should you need more storage than that, you can pay yearly.

If you don't sync the notes to the cloud, then that limit is not in effect. Whether or not you sync with iCloud, the notes are stored locally on the iPad.