How to Become a Notary Public in Pennsylvania

There is a $42 application fee and a $65 exam fee. There are county fees for filing your bond, signature and commission.

Additional costs for bonds, Notary supplies and education courses vary depending on the vendor(s) you choose. Be sure to check the fine print and product quality before buying your supplies. Some vendors may package items with additional or hidden fees — processing fees for example.

The Pennsylvania Department of State recommends allowing one to three weeks for the processing of a Notary Public commission application. It could take several additional weeks depending on when you pass the exam and finish the rest of the application process.

The term of a Pennsylvania Notary commission is four years.

A Notary Public applicant in Pennsylvania must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
• Be a resident of, or be employed at a physical address within, the Commonwealth
• Be of good character, integrity and ability
• Be able to read and write English
• Not be disqualified under 57 Pa.C.S. 323
• Not have had a Notary commission revoked in Pennsylvania or any other state in the past five years
• Must comply with other requirements the Department may establish

You cannot be a Notary Public if you:

• Are a member of the U.S. Congress
• Receive money or special perks for holding a federal government office or appointment
• Are a member of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania

You have to complete a three-hour pre-approved Notary Public education course within the six months prior to submitting your application. The NNA offers a state-approved online training course that makes it easy for new and renewing Notaries to fulfill Pennsylvania's education requirement.

You may want to take additional education courses for training and guidance above and beyond the state-required course, but additional training is optional.

Yes, new Notaries must pass an exam that covers state statutes, regulations, procedures and ethics. It is administered by Pearson VUE and you'll need to carefully follow all of their testing instructions. You'll have six months from the time you're authorized to take the exam to pass it. There are no limits on the number of times you can take it. Your exam results will be sent to the Department of State by Pearson VUE.

If you don't pass within six months, you'll need to take the basic education course and restart the commission application process again.

You'll need a Notary seal stamp, journal and certificates. An embosser is optional.

The Notary seal must be an inked rubber stamp in a rectangular design no larger than 3.5" x 1". Within a plain border, the following information must be shown:

• The words "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Notary Seal"
• The words "Notary Public"
• Your name as it appears on your commission
• The county in which you maintain an office
• Your commission expiration date
• The seven-digit identification number assigned by the Department of State

Stamps should not bleed during or after use. Ask the vendor you choose about product guarantees because quality and durability can vary greatly.

When you're deciding which journal to buy, look for security features like tamper-proof sewn binding. You must keep your journal safe and secure.

Yes. Notaries in Pennsylvania are required to have a $10,000, four-year surety bond from a company qualified to write bonds in the state.

A bond is not insurance. A bond is a financial guarantee from a bonding company to those who rely on a Notary and experience financial damages because a Notary intentionally or unintentionally violated a law. If damages are paid out from the bond, you will need to repay your surety company.

Since a surety bond does not protect the Notary, many Notaries choose to purchase optional errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policies to protect themselves from legal expenses. E&O insurance is not a requirement in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of State, Division of Legislation and Notaries, located in Harrisburg, PA, issues Notary Public commissions.

Yes. Several companies, including the NNA, offer Notary training, supplies, bonds, insurance and assistance with the entire application process. Also, the Secretary of State's website has the application with submission details, educational materials and a training video if you want to get the process started on your own.

Yes. In addition to U.S. citizens, Pennsylvania allows permanent legal residents of the Commonwealth to become Notaries.

A Pennsylvania Notary can perform notarial acts anywhere within the state's borders.

You can notarize for any member of the public who presents acceptable identification, as long as the request meets all statutory requirements for notarization. You're prohibited from notarizing a document in which you or your spouse has a direct or pecuniary interest.

Pennsylvania Notaries can charge no more than $5 for most notarizations. If you decide to charge for your services, you must display your fees in a conspicuous location in your place of business or present your fees upon request if you're outside of your office.

You must report any changes to your address or name to the Department within 30 days of the change. If you change your office or home address, complete the Notary Public Change of Address/Email form. You may print and mail it to the Department or fill it out online.

If you move your Notary office to a new county, you must register your official signature in the prothonotary's office of the new county within 30 days of moving. Moving outside of the Commonwealth results in the automatic resignation of your commission.

For name changes, you must complete the Notary Public Change of Name form and provide evidence of the name change (marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order). You may mail the form to the Department or submit it online. You may continue using your former name on notarial acts until your commission expires, but you may not use your new name until you've registered your new signature with the prothonotary's office of the county in which your office is located and bought a new seal.

To renew your commission, you must meet the requirements to become a Notary and complete the application process. This includes the three-hour education requirement but excludes the exam. If your commission lapses, even for one day, you will be required to pass the exam.

While Pennsylvania does not have any permanent remote online notarization laws, the state does allow Notaries with an active traditional commission to perform electronic notarizations. In an electronic notarization, the signer and Notary meet in person but sign digital documents with electronic signatures.

To qualify for eNotarization, you must be a commissioned Notary Public. You must submit a completed Electronic Notary Public Application to the Department. If approved, you'll receive an email asking you to log into the Department's website where you’ll choose from a list of approved eNotary technology vendors.

The Department will forward your electronic Notary authorization to your chosen vendor(s), and you'll need to work with the vendor(s) to get set up. Your eNotary authorization lasts for as long as your four-year traditional commission is valid. You'll need to follow the same steps for reappointment.

Pennsylvania made the temporary allowance for remote online notarization (RON) permanent on October 29, 2020. Notaries with an active commission can register to perform RONs for signers in any location as long as the Notaries themselves are physically located within the state of Pennsylvania. This step-by-step guide teaches you how you can register as a remote online Notary.

If you're not quite ready yet, we have additional resources where you can learn what a Notary is, what they do and why you should become a commissioned Notary.