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PA Regulations (2026)

Rule/Regulation

State: Pennsylvania

Effective: March 28, 2026

Summary

The Pennsylvania Department of State has adopted extensive regulations to implement the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA).

Affects

Amends Sections 161.1, and 163.1 of, adds Chapter 167 (Sections 167.1-167.125) to, and repeals Section 165.1 of title 4 of the Pennsylvania Code.

Changes

General Provisions

  1. Implements and supplements RULONA and governs the qualifications, commissioning, acts, conduct, and discipline of Notaries across the Commonwealth (§ 167.1).
  2. Incorporates statutory definitions by reference (§ 167.2(a)).
  3. Defines “applicant,” “appoint or appointment,” “appointee,” “certificate of education,” “Department,” “direct or pecuniary interest,” “electronic notarization,” “electronic notarization technology provider,” “electronic notary public,” “examination,” “home address,” “non-inking embosser,” “office,” “office address,” “professional testing organization,” “remote notarization,” “remote notarization technology provider,” “remote notary public,” “renewal of appointment and commission,” “spouse,” “tamper-evident technology,” and “tangible” (§ 167.2(b)).

Qualifications, Appointment, Commissioning

  1. Requires non‑resident applicants to maintain an office at an established ongoing location in Pennsylvania that can receive mail (§ 167.11(c)).
  2. Specifies the requirements for reappointment to a new commission without a lapse between the old and new commissions which include the same application requirements for an initial commission, except that the applicant must submit proof of taking 3 hours of Department-approved continuing education within 6 months prior to application and is not required to take an examination (§ 167.12(a), (b), (d), (e)).
  3. Permits Notaries seeking reappointment to submit a signed application for reappointment up to 90 days before commission expiration (§ 167.12(c)).
  4. Directs Notaries whose commissions have lapsed to follow all requirements for an initial appointment (§ 167.13).
  5. Standardizes the name that may be used on the application for a commission by: (a) Permitting accepted combinations of personal name elements, as specified; (b) Allowing generational suffixes; (c) Prohibiting initials alone, nicknames, and prefixes and suffixes that denote professional or occupational titles; and (d) Authorizing the Department to require proof of name through current and unexpired driver’s licenses, nondriver IDs, passports, or other equivalent satisfactory evidence as determined by the Department (§ 167.14).
  6. Establishes the following exam administration rules and time windows: (a) An applicant who does not hold a Notary commission, including a prior Notary whose commission has expired, must take the examination; (b) An applicant may take the exam up to 6 months after the applicant’s application is approved and the applicant is authorized to take the exam by the Department of State; (c) Retakes are limited to once every 24 hours during the 6-month period; (d) The minimum exam passing scaled score is 75; (e) Exam results are valid for one year from the date of examination; (f) The exam must be administered either by the Department or a professional testing organization under contract with the Department (§ 167.15).
  7. Raises the surety bond from $10,000 to $25,000 and clarifies that Notaries with valid commissions in force on the date of publication of the regulations in the Pennsylvania Bulletin are not required to obtain the higher bond until their commissions have expired and they apply for reappointment (§ 167.16).
  8. Clarifies that the following post-application filing requirements as set forth in 57 Pa.C.S. 321 apply: (a) The appointee recording the bond and oath of office with recorder of deeds as set forth in 57 Pa.C.S. 321; (b) The appointee registering the Notary’s official signature; (c) The appointee recording the commission; and (d) The appointee receiving the Notary commission from the recorder of deeds (§ 167.17).
  9. Declares a commission nullified if the Notary fails to record the bond, oath, and commission, or fails to register official signature within 45 days; permits an appointee to apply for appointment and commission under the lapse rules in §167.13 (§ 167.18).

Status Updates

  1. Requires a Notary to notify the Department within 30 days of any change to the information on file, including: (a) Name; (b) Office address and phone number; (c) Home address and phone number: (d) E‑mail address; (e) Selected electronic notarization technology provider, if applicable and as required by § 167.81; (f) Selected remote notarization technology provider, if applicable and as required by § 167.81; (g) Resignation from the office of Notary Public (§ 167.45(a)).
  2. Clarifies that the notice must be made in writing, electronically, or by e‑mail, and must state the effective date of the change (§ 167.45(b)).
  3. Requires notice of a name change to be submitted on a Department‑prescribed form and must include evidence of the name change, such as a marriage certificate, court order, or divorce decree (§ 167.45(c)(1)).
  4. Clarifies that a Notary whose name has changed may continue performing notarial acts under the commissioned name until the commission expires (§ 167.45(c)(2)).
  5. Clarifies that the application for renewal of appointment must be made in the new name for a Notary whose name has changed (§ 167.45(c)(3)).
  6. Provides that a Notary who no longer has either a home or office address in the Commonwealth is deemed to have resigned as of the date residency ends or employment or practice in the Commonwealth terminates (§ 167.45(d)).

Standards for Notarial Acts

  1. Requires a signer of a record requiring an acknowledgment either to sign the record in the Notary’s presence or prior to appearing before the Notary and to acknowledge the signature is the signer’s own in the Notary’s presence (§ 167.61(1)-(2)).
  2. Prohibits a record requiring an acknowledgment to be signed after the acknowledgment is taken (§ 167.61(1)).
  3. Prohibits presenting photocopies for an acknowledgment when the record is signed prior to appearance before the Notary (§ 167.61(3)).
  4. Permits oral or written oaths and affirmations (§ 167.62(a)).
  5. Provides if an oath is in writing, the oath-taker or affirmant must appear in person before the Notary when executing a signature (§ 167.62(b)).
  6. Requires oath-takers and affirmants to voluntary swear or affirm the truth of their statements or their faithful performance for oaths of office (§ 167.62(c)).
  7. Requires signatures on a record containing a statement being verified on oath or affirmation to be made in the Notary’s presence (§ 167.63(1)).
  8. Prohibits signing a record containing a statement being verified on oath or affirmation prior to or after the verification (§ 167.63(2)).
  9. Requires the Notary to administer an oath or affirmation to the oath-taker or affirmant as part of a verification (§ 167.63(3)).
  10. Requires signatures on a record to be witnessed or attested to be made in the Notary’s presence (§ 167.64(1)).
  11. Prohibits signing a record containing a signature to be witnessed or attested prior to or after the witnessing (§ 167.64(2)).
  12. Requires the Notary to compare the record for a copy certification to the copy made by the requester or the Notary to determine the copy is a complete and accurate transcription or reproduction of the record (§ 167.65(1)).
  13. Requires the Notary to examine the record for alteration or tampering (§ 167.65(2)).
  14. Clarifies that in certifying or attesting a copy, the Notary does not guarantee the authenticity of the record, its contents, or its effects (§ 167.65(3)).
  15. Lists records not eligible to be copy certified (vital records, U.S. Naturalization Certificates, government records marked “do not copy,” or with words to that effect, and records prohibited by law to be copy certified) (§ 167.65(4)).
  16. Lists examples of records eligible to be certified as copies (public records, passports, licenses, transcripts, diplomas, contracts, leases, bills of sale, medical records, consents or waivers, and powers of attorney) (§ 167.65(5)).
  17. Requires a Notary protesting a negotiable instrument to: (a) Identify the negotiable instrument; (b) Certify either that presentment has been made or, if not made, the reason it was not made; and (c) State that the instrument has been dishonored by nonacceptance or nonpayment (§ 167.66(c)).
  18. Clarifies that the protest may also certify that notice of dishonor has been given to some or all parties (§ 167.66(d)).
  19. Requires the individual requesting a protest to be identified in the protest as the holder of the dishonored negotiable instrument (§ 167.66(e)).

Authority to Perform Notarial Acts

  1. Authorizes a Notary to perform notarial acts anywhere in Pennsylvania (§ 167.41(a)).
  2. Prohibits a Notary from performing notarial acts outside Pennsylvania unless authorized by another jurisdiction (§ 167.41(b)).

Personal Appearance and Satisfactory Evidence of Identity

  1. Provides that to appear personally before a Notary, the individual making the statement or executing the signature and the Notary are: (a) Physically present before each other when the notarial act is executed; (b) Able to observe and interact with each other; and (c) Able to see, hear, communicate with and give identification credentials to each other without the use of electronic devices such as telephones, computers, video cameras or facsimile machines (§ 167.42(a)).
  2. Clarifies that the requirements for personal appearance does not preclude the use of adaptive technology which enables reasonable accommodations for an individual with a vision, hearing, or speech impairment in accordance with law (§ 167.42(a)(3)).
  3. Clarifies that personal appearance: (a) Excludes appearance by audio, video, or computer technology, unless the Notary is performing notarial acts facilitated by communication technology for a remotely located individual under 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1; (b) Is not required when a Notary is certifying or attesting a copy or deposition; and (c) Is not required when a Notary is administering an oral oath or affirmation in a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding in the Commonwealth, as long as the Notary and the individual taking the oath or affirmation are able to hear and communicate with each other by means of electronic devices such as telephones, computers, or video cameras (§ 167.42(b)).
  4. Clarifies that for purposes of 57 Pa.C.S. § 307(b)(1)(i), a passport, driver’s license, or government-issued nondriver identification include: (a) A current, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, or its electronic equivalent; (b) A current, unexpired foreign passport or electronic equivalent, as long as it uses letters, characters, and a language the Notary public can read, write, and understand; (c) A current, unexpired U.S. driver’s license or nondriver ID card, or its electronic equivalent; and (d) A current, unexpired foreign driver’s license or nondriver ID card, or its electronic equivalent, as long as it uses letters, characters, and a language the Notary can read, write, and understand (§ 167.43(a)(1)).
  5. Clarifies that for purposes of 57 Pa.C.S. § 307(b)(1)(ii), other forms of government identification that are current, contain the individual’s signature or photograph, and are satisfactory to the notarial officer may include: (a) An identification card issued by any branch of the United States armed forces; (b) An inmate identification card issued by the Department of Corrections for an inmate currently in its custody; (c) An identification card issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security; (d) A Social Security card; (e) A Pennsylvania State university or State‑related university identification card; (f) A Pennsylvania medical marijuana identification card; and (g) A consular identification document issued by a consulate of the individual’s country of citizenship, as long as it uses letters, characters, and a language the Notary can read, write, and understand (§ 167.43(a)(2)).
  6. Clarifies that for purposes of 57 Pa.C.S. § 307(b)(2), a credible witness must make a verification on oath or affirmation complying with § 167.63 stating that: (a) The individual appearing before the Notary is the person named in the record; (b) The credible witness personally knows the individual through dealings that give the witness reasonable certainty of the individual’s identity; and (c) The credible witness has no direct or financial interest in the record being notarized (§ 167.43(b)).

Interpreters and Translations of Records

  1. Requires a Notary to be able to communicate directly with the individual in a language both understand, or indirectly through an interpreter (§ 167.44(a)).
  2. Provides that any interpreter must be able to communicate directly with both the individual and the Notary at the time of notarization (§ 167.44(a)).
  3. Authorizes a Notary to notarize a record that is a translation of another record written in a language the Notary does not understand only if the translator provides a verification on oath or affirmation stating that the translation is accurate and complete, and the translation and the notarized verification must be attached to the record being notarized (§ 167.44(b)).

Certificate of Notarial Act

  1. Requires a certificate of notarial act to be worded and completed in English (§ 167.71(1)).
  2. Allows a certificate to also be worded and completed in another language the Notary reads, writes, and understands (§ 167.71(1)).
  3. Requires any foreign-language notarial certificate to appear immediately next to the English version, and the English version governs if any conflict arises (§ 167.71(1)).
  4. Allows Notaries to use “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” instead of “State of Pennsylvania” when completing certificates of notarial acts (§ 167.71(2)).
  5. Defines “securely attached,” for purposes of 57 Pa.C.S. § 315(f)(1), to mean stapled, grommeted, or otherwise bound to the tangible record, and excludes the use of tape, paperclips, or binder clips (§ 167.71(3)).
  6. Requires the Notary Public’s signature on a tangible or electronic notarial certificate to match the Notary’s name as it appears on the Notary’s commission (§ 167.71(4)).

Official Stamp and Stamping Device

  1. Requires an official stamp to include the Notary’s seven‑digit commission identification number and sets the order of stamp elements (§ 167.21(b)).
  2. Prohibits abbreviations of words or terms on the official stamp, except for name suffixes as specified in § 167.14(c) (§ 167.21(c)).
  3. Allows a Notary whose commission is in effect on the date the regulations are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin (March 28, 2026) to continue to use the Notary’s official stamp until expiration of that commission § 167.21(d).
  4. Clarifies that the stamping device is the exclusive property of the Notary (§ 167.22(c)).
  5. Requires a Notary to maintain sole custody and control of the stamping device at all times for the duration of the Notary’s commission (§ 167.22(c)).
  6. Requires a Notary to keep the physical stamping device in a secure location and accessible only to the Notary (§ 167.22(c)).
  7. Requires a Notary to secure an electronic stamping device by a password or other means of personal authentication (§ 167.22(c)).
  8. Authorizes a Notary to keep more than one stamping device for the same commission (§ 167.22(d)).
  9. Clarifies that notification of loss or theft of the a stamping device under 57 Pa.C.S. § 318(b) must be made in writing or by e-mail to the Department within 15 days after the date the Notary or personal representative or guardian discovers that the stamping device was lost or stolen, and further clarifies that the terms (a) “Loss” or “lost” include stamping devices that are misplaced, destroyed or otherwise made unavailable, but do not include the destruction of the stamping device on resignation, death or incompetency under 57 Pa.C.S. § 318(a)(2) and (3); and (b) “Theft” and “stolen” include compromised security and unauthorized access to a stamping device (§ 167.22(e)).
  10. Requires the notification of loss or theft of a stamping device to include: (a) A statement that the Notary does not possess the stamping device, stamping device security was compromised or the stamping device was accessed by an unauthorized person; and (b) The date the Notary discovered that the stamping device was lost or stolen (§ 167.22(e)).
  11. Provides that in accordance with 57 Pa.C.S. § 318(a)(2.1), an individual whose Notary commission has been suspended or revoked must deliver the stamping device to the Department within 15 days after notice of the suspension or revocation from the Department (§ 167.22(f)).

Journal

  1. Requires a journal to include the following information in any order: (a) The Notary’s commission name, commission number, expiration date, office address, and signature; (b) A statement giving delivery instructions to the recorder of deeds within 30 days upon death or incompetency of the Notary; and (c) The meaning of any non‑standard abbreviations or symbols used to record a notarial act (§ 167.31(a)).
  2. Requires updates to the information in the journal when the Notary’s name, expiration date, or office address changes, and a notation of the date of the change (§ 167.31(b)).
  3. Mandates separate entries for each notarial act and blank lines between entries to be stricken (§ 167.32(b)).
  4. Requires each entry in the journal to be completed fully, with no blank spaces or boxes (§ 167.32(c)).
  5. Prohibits entry of personally identifiable information and defines “personally identifiable information” to include (a) Any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as any part of a Social Security number, full driver’s license number or nondriver ID card number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records; and (b) Other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information (§ 167.32(d)).
  6. Permits recording in the journal: (a) The signature of the individual for whom the notarial act is performed; (b) Any information about a notarial act that might assist the Notary to recall it; and (c) The last four digits of a driver’s license or passport (§ 167.32(e)).
  7. Provides that in recording fees in the journal, each fee charged must correspond to the notarial act performed (§ 167.32(f)).
  8. Provides that if a Notary waives a fee, the Notary must indicate this in the journal using notations such as “n/c” (no charge), “0” (zero), or “—” (dash) (§ 167.32(f)).
  9. Requires the cover and pages inside the cover of a tangible journal to be bound by any binding method that is designed to prevent the insertion, removal, or substitution of the cover or a page (such as smyth sewing or stitching, glue, staples, grommets, or another permanent binding, but not tape, paperclips, or binder clips) (§ 167.33(1)).
  10. Requires each page of a tangible journal to be consecutively numbered from the beginning to the end of the journal and preprinted (§ 167.33(2)).
  11. Requires each entry of a tangible journal to be consecutively numbered either within each page or from the beginning to end of the journal and preprinted (§ 167.33(3)).
  12. Requires Notaries to ensure electronic journals: (a) Are tamper‑evident, maintained in an electronic format that prevents insertions between entries, removal of entries, or substitutions of entries; (b) Number entries consecutively; (c) Are stored securely and recoverable in the event of a hardware or software malfunction; (d) Provide the information recorded in PDF format on request, and (e) Link any signature recorded to the journal entry to the data so that any alterations to the entry are detectable (§ 167.34(a)).
  13. Requires an electronic journal which is delivered to the recorder of deeds to be in PDF format or other industry standard readable format prescribed by the receiving recorder of deeds (§ 167.34(b)).
  14. Clarifies that the journal is the exclusive property of the Notary (§ 167.35(a)).
  15. Requires a Notary to maintain sole custody and control of the journal at all times during the duration of the Notary’s commission (§ 167.35(a)).
  16. Requires a Notary to keep the tangible journal in a secure location and accessible only to the Notary (§ 167.35(a)).
  17. Requires a Notary to secure an electronic journal by a password or other means of personal authentication (§ 167.35(a)).
  18. Clarifies that notification of loss or theft of a journal under 57 Pa.C.S. § 319(d) must be made in writing or by e-mail to the Department within 15 days after the date the Notary or personal representative or guardian discovers that the journal was lost or stolen, and further clarifies that the terms (a) “Loss” or “lost” include journals that are misplaced, destroyed, or otherwise made unavailable, but not include the delivery of the journal to the office of the recorder of deeds under 57 Pa.C.S. § 319(e) and (g); and (b) “Theft” and “stolen” include compromised security and unauthorized access to journal (§ 167.35(b)).
  19. Requires the notification of loss or theft of a journal to include: (a) A statement that the Notary does not possess the journal, journal security was compromised, or the journal was accessed by an unauthorized person; and (b) The date the Notary discovered that the journal was lost or stolen (§ 167.35(b)).
  20. Permits inspection of the journal in the presence of the Notary requested orally or in writing and requires certified copies of the journal requested orally or in writing to be made within 15 days of receipt of the request (§ 167.36).

Other Standards of Conduct

  1. Permits a Notary to notarize a spouse’s signature only when neither has direct or pecuniary interest in the record (§ 167.111(c)).
  2. Imposes a duty of candor on Notaries and applicants to comply with Department requests relating to applications, commissioning, notifications, investigations, and performance of notarial acts (§ 167.112).
  3. Prohibits refusal of services based on protected characteristics, as specified (§ 167.113).

Prohibited Acts and Sanctions

  1. Authorizes the Department to take disciplinary action against a Notary for numerous acts and omissions, as specified, occurring within or outside the Commonwealth that demonstrate a Notary’s lack of honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability (§ 167.121).
  2. Lists, as specified, specific and individual offenses that may trigger the Department to issue administrative sanctions against a Notary upon conviction or acceptance of accelerated rehabilitative disposition or other similar diversionary program in any other state or jurisdiction (§ 167.122).
  3. Enumerates, as specified, aggravating and mitigating factors the Department will consider in imposing any sanction against a Notary (§ 167.123).
  4. Adopts the Pennsylvania Bar Association UPL Committee Formal Opinion 2006‑01 or any successor opinions when determining if a Notary has assisted in drafting legal records, given legal advice, or otherwise practiced law (§ 167.124).
  5. Requires Notaries to report within 30 days or on the next commission renewal application — whichever is sooner — (a) Any conviction or acceptance of accelerated rehabilitative disposition in resolution of a felony or an offense involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit, (b) Disciplinary actions taken against the Notary by Notary commissioning authorities of other states, (c) Findings or admissions of liability based on fraud, dishonesty, deceit, (d) Finding of the unauthorized practice of law by the bar association or courts of Pennsylvania or any other state, and (e) payments to claimants from the Notary’s bond within 30 days of the surety making payment (§ 167.125).

Notary Fees

  1. Sets, in addition to the fee for the notarial act, a maximum fee of $20 per notarial act for electronic and remote acts (§ 167.3(b)).
  2. Requires Notaries to provide itemized receipts for all fees they charge (§ 167.3(c)).
  3. Prohibits charging fees for notarizing the supporting affidavit required in an Emergency Absentee Ballot or the affidavit of a person needing assistance to vote using an absentee ballot, and in scenarios when other applicable law dictates that no fee may be charged (§ 167.3(d), (e)).

Notification to Perform Technology-Based Notarial Acts

  1. Requires Electronic Notaries to notify the Department at www.notaries.pa.gov before performing notarial acts on electronic records and Remote Notaries to notify the Department at www.notaries.pa.gov before performing notarial acts for remotely located individuals and identify each technology they intend to use (§ 167.81(1)-(2)).
  2. Clarifies the Electronic and Remote Notaries must update their notifications whenever adding or deleting providers during a commission term and at each new commission (§ 167.81(3)).
  3. Requires Electronic and Remote Notaries to use Department‑approved technology providers and clarifies the public list of approved providers can be found at https://www.dos.pa.gov/OtherServices/Notaries (§ 167.82).

Technology Provider Applications

  1. Requires any person offering tamper‑evident or communication technology that enables Electronic or Remote Notaries to perform notarial acts to obtain Department approval as an electronic or remote notarization technology provider before offering the technology to Notaries in the Commonwealth (§ 167.83(a), § 167.85(a)).
  2. Requires any person seeking approval as an electronic or remote notarization technology provider to submit an application on a Department‑prescribed form that includes: (a) Hardware and software specifications and requirements for the provider’s electronic or remote notarization technology; (b) The types of technology used in the provider’s electronic or remote notarization technology; and (c) A demonstration of how the technology is used to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records or remotely located individuals (§167.83(b), § 167.85(b)).
  3. Provides that the Department will approve the person offering the technology as an electronic or remote notarization technology provider once the Department determines the technology conforms to the applicable standards for approval (§ 167.83(c), § 167.85(c)).

Standards for Tamper-Evident and Communication Technology

  1. Requires tamper‑evident or communication technology used to perform electronic or remote notarial acts to comply with all applicable Federal and State laws, including 57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3 and these regulations (§ 167.84(1), § 167.86(1)).
  2. Requires tamper‑evident or communication technology used to perform electronic or remote notarial acts to allow a person inspecting an electronic record to determine whether any tampering has occurred with the integrity of a certificate of notarial act or its attachment or association with the underlying electronic record (§ 167.84(2), § 167.86(7)).
  3. Requires tamper‑evident or communication technology used to perform electronic or remote notarial acts to include all identifying and commissioning information required by § 167.21 (relating to official stamp) as part of, or as a secure attachment to, the notarized electronic record (§ 167.84(3), § 167.86(8)).
  4. Requires tamper‑evident or communication technology used to perform electronic or remote notarial acts to verify the authorization of the Electronic or Remote Notary by confirming the name, commission number, and commission expiration date with the Department before offering the technology (§ 167.84(4), § 167.86(9)).
  5. Requires tamper‑evident or communication technology used to perform electronic or remote notarial acts to suspend the use of any electronic or remote notarization technology for any Notary whose commission has expired, been revoked, or been suspended by the Department (§ 167.84(5), § 167.86(10)).
  6. Requires communication technology used to perform remote notarial acts to allow the Notary using communication technology to communicate with the remotely located individual simultaneously by sight and sound (§ 167.86(2)).
  7. Requires communication technology used to perform remote notarial acts to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with vision, hearing, or speech impairments in accordance with law (§ 167.86(3)).
  8. Requires communication technology used to perform remote notarial acts to include at least two identity‑proofing processes or services that allow a third party to verify the identity of the remotely located individual, which may include credential analysis, dynamic knowledge‑based authentication, biometrics, or other lawful identification methods (§ 167.86(4)).
  9. Requires communication technology used to perform remote notarial acts to create an audio‑visual recording of all interactions between the Remote Notary and the remotely located individual during the notarial act (§ 167.86(5)).
  10. Requires communication technology used to perform remote notarial acts to retain the audio‑visual recording for 10 years as designated by the Remote Notary or enable the Remote Notary to download and retain the recording (§ 167.86(6)).
  11. Terminates the approval of an electronic or remote notarization technology provider when the Department becomes aware that the provider no longer meets the standards set forth in § 167.84 and § 167.86, respectively (§ 167.87).

Technology Provider Notifications

  1. Requires all technology providers to notify the Department within 15 days of any change in information in the provider’s application, including the provider’s name, office address, phone number, email address, website, hardware and software specifications, and any change in the types of technology used in approved electronic or remote notarization technology (§ 167.88(a)(1)).
  2. Requires all technology providers to deliver written notice of such changes by email or certified or registered U.S. mail and states the effective date of the change (§ 167.88(a)(2)).
  3. Requires all technology providers to notify the Department and every Electronic or Remote Notary currently using — or who used within the preceding 10 years — the provider’s approved electronic or remote notarization technology before ceasing to provide the technology (§ 167.88(b)(1)).
  4. Requires all technology providers to provide at least 60 days’ advance notice to Notaries before ceasing operations, including instructions on how to obtain and export platform‑created journals and, for remote notarization technology, instructions on obtaining and exporting audio‑visual recordings (§ 167.88(b)(2)).
  5. Requires all technology providers to submit to the Department a list of all Notaries — identified by name and commission identification number — who currently use or have used the technology within the preceding 10 years, along with a sample copy of the notice provided to Notaries under subsection (b)(2) (§ 167.88(b)(3)).
  6. Requires the notice to the Department to be in writing and delivered by email or certified or registered U.S. mail stating the final date the technology will remain available (§ 167.88(b)(4)).

Notary Public Education

  1. Defines “certificate of approval,” “course of study,” “interactive education,” “Pennsylvania business registration number,” and “provider” (§ 167.91).
  2. Requires each provider to obtain a certificate of approval from the Department for every course of study offered (§ 167.92(a)).
  3. Requires a provider applying for a certificate of approval to submit a completed application form, the required fee, and a compliant course of study that satisfies § 167.93 (§ 167.92(b)).
  4. Deems the acts of a provider’s employees, agents, instructors, contractors, and subcontractors to be the acts of the provider (§ 167.92(c)).
  5. Sets the certificate of approval’s expiration at 3 years from issuance and permits renewal applications up to 90 days before expiration (§ 167.92(d)).
  6. Prohibits transferring a certificate of approval to another provider or course of study (§ 167.92(e)).
  7. Requires a course of study to meet all the following requirements: (a) Contain instruction on topics listed in 57 Pa.C.S. § 322(b)(1) or (c)(1); (b) Have a table of contents and consecutively numbered pages; (c) Contain procedures to establish the identity of persons attending physically or virtually, consistent with § 167.95; (d) Have procedures ensuring attendance for the full required time in classroom or interactive formats; (e) Include a schedule allocating time for breaks, major subject areas, any participation activities and any practice‑test review; (f) Contain a synopsis of instructional videos and submission of the video itself for Department review; (g) Include copies of all handouts, workbooks, visual aids, participation exercise descriptions, and practice tests (§ 167.93(a)). Prohibits counting as instructional time the completion of instructor or course evaluations (§ 167.93(b)).
  8. Requires providers to revise courses as needed to reflect legal developments and current Notary practice (§ 167.93(c)).
  9. Requires a provider to submit an amendment form, as specified, within 30 days of any change to the approved course of study or information in the most recently approved application (§ 167.94).
  10. Requires providers to issue a certificate of education to applicants who successfully complete an approved course of study (§ 167.95(a)).
  11. Requires the certificate of education to be signed by the provider or an authorized representative and contain the provider’s name, course name and type (basic or continuing education), Notary commission applicant’s name, completion date, and a statement that the certificate is valid for 6 months (§ 167.95(b)).
  12. Requires providers to maintain documentation of persons attending each session for 5 years (§ 167.96).
  13. Requires providers to permit Department representatives to attend any approved course of study without notice and at no charge for observation, monitoring, auditing, or investigation (§ 167.97).
  14. Authorizes the Department to terminate a certificate of approval for: (a) violations of RULONA or the education regulations; (b) misrepresenting Commonwealth Notary laws; (c) deviating from a Department‑approved course of study; (d) failing to respond to Department information requests; (e) representing that any additional products, goods or services provided by the provider are endorsed by the Department; and for failing to prepare students adequately so that the annual combined scaled score of all attendees falls below 60% (§ 167.98).

Analysis

Culminating a rulemaking process that began in 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of State has adopted extensive regulations to implement its rulemaking authority under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. As can be seen from the "Changes" section above, the new regulations encompass Notary commissioning, status changes, paper-based, in-person electronic, and remote notarial acts, as well as disciplinary matters and vendor application processes for technology-based notarial acts and Notary education providers. The regulations are extensive, but they are also restrained at the same time (other states have adopted far more numerous rules than Pennsylvania). Every Pennsylvania Notary will want to read through and master the regulations for paper-based notarial acts in particular, and those Notaries who will be performing in-person electronic and remote notarial acts, the applicable regulations on those notarial acts.

This new law update will be revised when the link to the final form regulations are posted in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on March 28, 2026, the date the regulations take effect.

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