Become a notary, by state
Becoming a notary in another state
Each state sets its own path to a notary commission. These free guides follow the official commissioning office's pages, cite them under every table, and point out where a state is unusual.
✓ New Jersey commissioned notary, no. 50244803, insured for errors and omissions. See the credentials
Pick your state for its fee, exam and forms. The steps most states share are in how to become a notary public: the general steps; New Jersey has its own guide.
Key facts
- 50 guides: 49 states and the District of Columbia. New Jersey has its own guide.
- 47 of the 50 guides link the commissioning office's own notary page, and every table cites the official page it came from.
- 21 of the 50 guides list a notary surety bond among their costs, from $500 (Wisconsin) to $50,000 (Alabama and Louisiana).
- Example: New York's commission application is $60, per the New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services.
Checked November 2026. Source: every state's official source in one file (open dataset, CC BY 4.0).
Choose your state
- How to become a notary in New York
Exam first, then a $60 online application. No seal required; a signature stamp is. - How to become a notary in Pennsylvania
Course, exam, $25,000 bond, and a hard 45-day deadline to record at the county. - How to become a notary in Florida
Free 3-hour course and a $39 state fee, filed for you by a bonding agency. - How to become a notary in Texas
Portal education, a $10,000 bond, and an oath you take on your own downloaded commission. - How to become a notary in California
Six hours of class, an exam, Live Scan fingerprints, a $15,000 bond and 30 days to file. - How to become a notary in Georgia
Appointed at the county courthouse: free training, two endorsers, no bond. - How to become a notary in North Carolina
Six-hour course, an 80% exam, and an oath at the register of deeds within 45 days. - How to become a notary in Virginia
Apply for $45, claim it at the circuit court within 60 days. No bond. - How to become a notary in Illinois
Course and exam, a $5,000 bond, and a bound journal for every act. - How to become a notary in Ohio
Background check first, a 3-hour course and test, then a $15 filing. - How to become a notary in Maryland
Handbook, course and exam, a senator's approval, and an $11 oath within 30 days. - How to become a notary in Arizona
A $35 Pearson exam, a $5,000 bond and a $43 filing, then a journal with thumbprints for real estate. - How to become a notary in Michigan
A $10,000 bond, the oath at the county clerk, and a commission that ends on a birthday. - How to become a notary in Washington
A $10,000 bond, a notarized oath and $40. No test, but the license ends with your bond. - How to become a notary in Missouri
Handbook or training, an 80% exam, a $10,000 bond and an oath at the county clerk. - How to become a notary in Indiana
An eight-year term, with a $50 course every two years to keep it. - How to become a notary in Wisconsin
Commissioned by DFI: a 90% exam, a $500 bond and a $20 filing. - How to become a notary in South Carolina
Registered voters only: no course, exam or bond, and a ten-year commission. - How to become a notary in Massachusetts
Four references, approval by the Governor and Council, then $60 for seven years. - How to become a notary in Colorado
Free training, an open-book exam and $10: approval in days. - How to become a notary in Tennessee
Elected by the county commission: a $12 application and a $10,000 bond. - How to become a notary in Minnesota
A $120 application by mail, then a $20 county registration you shouldn't skip. - How to become a notary in Alabama
Everything runs through your county probate judge; fees vary by county. - How to become a notary in Louisiana
A five-hour exam and a $50,000 bond, for a notary with civil-law powers. - How to become a notary in Oregon
Free Notary Basics training, an exam, and a $40 fee sent with your oath. - How to become a notary in Connecticut
Every exam question right, $120, and the oath recorded with your town clerk. - How to become a notary in Nevada
A 3-hour course and exam every time, a $10,000 bond at the county clerk, and a $35 application. - How to become a notary in New Hampshire
Three endorsements, $75, and appointment by the Governor and Executive Council. - How to become a notary in New Mexico
A course and exam, a $10,000 bond, $30 online, and a 45-day stamp deadline. - How to become a notary in North Dakota
A $7,500 bond, $36 on FirstStop, and a stamp the state approves before you start. - How to become a notary in Oklahoma
$25, a $1,000 bond and two oaths filed within 60 days. Check sos.ok.gov for any training or exam. - How to become a notary in Rhode Island
Score 80% on the knowledge assessment, then a paper application with $80. - How to become a notary in South Dakota
Seal imprint on the application, $30 by mail, no bond since 2025, six years. - How to become a notary in Utah
A $95 exam, a background check, and since May 2026 a required journal. - How to become a notary in Vermont
Licensed by OPR: a $30 application, an open-book exam and continuing education. - How to become a notary in West Virginia
$52 online, no bond since 2018, and a rubber stamp ordered from your letter. - How to become a notary in Wyoming
An education presentation, a 20-question exam, $60, and six years with no bond. - How to become a notary in District of Columbia
$75 online, a $2,000 bond, and ONCA's New Notary Orientation within 60 days. - How to become a notary in Alaska
A $2,500 bond, a notarized oath and $40 to the Lieutenant Governor. No exam. - How to become a notary in Arkansas
A 25-question exam, a $7,500 bond, $20, and an oath at the circuit clerk for ten years. - How to become a notary in Delaware
$60 online, no bond or exam, and a journal required since 2023. - How to become a notary in Hawaii
Two letters, a closed-book exam at 80%, and a commission from the Attorney General. - How to become a notary in Idaho
No exam, a $10,000 bond and $30 for a six-year commission. - How to become a notary in Iowa
$30, no bond or exam, and a three-year term with an optional bilingual listing. - How to become a notary in Kansas
Stamp first, a $12,000 bond and $25, and a journal required since 2022. - How to become a notary in Kentucky
$10 to the state, a $1,000 bond, and 30 days to qualify at the county clerk. - How to become a notary in Maine
An exam on the paper application, $50, and an oath before a Dedimus Justice. - How to become a notary in Mississippi
$25, a $5,000 bond within 60 days, a required journal and no standing remote option. - How to become a notary in Montana
4 hours of training, an 80% exam and a $25,000 bond, filed online for $25. - How to become a notary in Nebraska
An 85% exam with three tries, a $15,000 bond and $30 in the online portal.
In New Jersey? See how to become a notary and loan signing agent in New Jersey.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with your state's commissioning office. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with any state government.
Building a notary business? The loan signing agent course.
Questions
Do notary rules differ much from state to state?
Yes. Some states require an exam, some a course, some fingerprints; bond amounts, fee caps, terms and filing deadlines all differ. Each guide below follows one state's official pages.
Where do I confirm the rules?
With the state's commissioning office, linked at the bottom of each guide. Our guides cite the official page under every table.
I live in New Jersey. Which guide is mine?
The New Jersey guide at /notary/become-a-notary covers the New Jersey commission and loan signing.
Do it yourself
New Jersey Notary Starter Kit
The paperwork a new notary has to build from scratch, ready to print or edit: a journal laid out for what New Jersey's manual says to record, checklists, forms and client emails.
See what's inside ($29) Free sample14-day full refund
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50 jurisdictions, sources checked November 2026. Free under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.