Notary Requirements by State (2026): How to Become a Notary
State-by-state notary commission requirements, verified against official sources. Pick your state for the exact steps, fees, and forms.
Becoming a notary, in short
- The basics
- Apply to your state (usually the Secretary of State), pay a filing fee, and take an oath. Many states add a surety bond; a minority add an exam or course.
- State fee
- $10–$120 depending on the state
- Typical total
- Roughly $50–$300 all-in with stamp and journal, depending on the state
- Typical time
- About 1–8 weeks, fastest in no-exam states
- Online notarization
- 47 of 51 jurisdictions authorize remote online notarization
Find your state
- Alabama$10 fee · 4 years
- Alaska$40 fee · 4 years
- Arizona$43 fee · 4 years · exam
- Arkansas$20 fee · 10 years · exam
- California$40 fee · 4 years · exam
- Colorado$10 fee · 4 years · exam
- Connecticut$120 fee · 5 years · exam
- Delaware$60 fee · 2 years
- District of Columbia$75 fee · 5 years
- Florida$39 fee · 4 years
- Georgia$40 fee · 4 years
- Hawaii$20 fee · 4 years · exam
- Idaho$30 fee · 6 years
- Illinois$15 fee · 4 years · exam
- Indiana$75 fee · 8 years · exam
- Iowa$30 fee · 3 years
- Kansas$25 fee · 4 years
- Kentucky$10 fee · 4 years
- Louisiana$35 fee · No fixed term · exam
- Maine$50 fee · 7 years · exam
- Maryland$25 fee · 4 years · exam
- Massachusetts$60 fee · 7 years
- Michigan$10 fee · 7 years
- Minnesota$120 fee · 5 years
- Mississippi$25 fee · 4 years
- Missouri$25 fee · 4 years · exam
- Montana$25 fee · 4 years · exam
- Nebraska$30 fee · 4 years · exam
- Nevada$35 fee · 4 years · exam
- New Hampshire$75 fee · 5 years
- New Jersey$25 fee · 5 years · exam
- New Mexico$30 fee · 4 years · exam
- New York$60 fee · 4 years · exam
- North Carolina$50 fee · 5 years · exam
- North Dakota$36 fee · 4 years
- Ohio$15 fee · 5 years · exam
- Oklahoma$50 fee · 4 years
- Oregon$40 fee · 4 years · exam
- Pennsylvania$42 fee · 4 years · exam
- Rhode Island$80 fee · 4 years
- South Carolina$25 fee · 10 years
- South Dakota$30 fee · 6 years
- Tennessee$12 fee · 4 years
- Texas$21 fee · 4 years
- Utah$55 fee · 4 years · exam
- Vermont$30 fee · 2 years · exam
- Virginia$45 fee · 4 years
- Washington$40 fee · 4 years
- West Virginia$52 fee · 5 years
- Wisconsin$20 fee · 4 years · exam
- Wyoming$60 fee · 6 years · exam
Every state at a glance
Verified against each state's commissioning authority — tap a state for the full guide with steps, forms, and sources.
| State | Fee | Bond | Exam | Course | Term | RON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $10 | $50,000 | No | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Alaska | $40 | $2,500 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Arizona | $43 | $5,000 | Yes | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Arkansas | $20 | $7,500 | Yes | No | 10 years | Yes |
| California | $40 | $15,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | No |
| Colorado | $10 | No | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Connecticut | $120 | No | Yes | No | 5 years | Yes |
| Delaware | $60 | No | No | No | 2 years | Yes |
| District of Columbia | $75 | $2,000 | No | Yes | 5 years | Yes |
| Florida | $39 | $7,500 | No | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Georgia | $40 | No | No | Yes | 4 years | No |
| Hawaii | $20 | $1,000 | Yes | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Idaho | $30 | $10,000 | No | No | 6 years | Yes |
| Illinois | $15 | $5,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Indiana | $75 | $25,000 | Yes | Yes | 8 years | Yes |
| Iowa | $30 | No | No | No | 3 years | Yes |
| Kansas | $25 | $12,000 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Kentucky | $10 | $1,000 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Louisiana | $35 | $50,000 | Yes | No | No fixed term | Yes |
| Maine | $50 | No | Yes | No | 7 years | Yes |
| Maryland | $25 | No | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Massachusetts | $60 | No | No | No | 7 years | No |
| Michigan | $10 | $10,000 | No | No | 7 years | Yes |
| Minnesota | $120 | No | No | No | 5 years | Yes |
| Mississippi | $25 | $5,000 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Missouri | $25 | $10,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Montana | $25 | $25,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Nebraska | $30 | $15,000 | Yes | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Nevada | $35 | $10,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| New Hampshire | $75 | No | No | No | 5 years | Yes |
| New Jersey | $25 | No | Yes | Yes | 5 years | Yes |
| New Mexico | $30 | $10,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| New York | $60 | No | Yes | No | 4 years | Yes |
| North Carolina | $50 | No | Yes | Yes | 5 years | Yes |
| North Dakota | $36 | $7,500 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Ohio | $15 | No | Yes | Yes | 5 years | Yes |
| Oklahoma | $50 | $10,000 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Oregon | $40 | No | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | $42 | $25,000 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Rhode Island | $80 | No | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| South Carolina | $25 | No | No | No | 10 years | No |
| South Dakota | $30 | No | No | No | 6 years | Yes |
| Tennessee | $12 | $10,000 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Texas | $21 | $10,000 | No | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Utah | $55 | $5,000 | Yes | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Vermont | $30 | No | Yes | No | 2 years | Yes |
| Virginia | $45 | No | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| Washington | $40 | $10,000 | No | No | 4 years | Yes |
| West Virginia | $52 | No | No | No | 5 years | Yes |
| Wisconsin | $20 | $500 | Yes | Yes | 4 years | Yes |
| Wyoming | $60 | No | Yes | Yes | 6 years | Yes |
"Notary license" vs. notary commission
There's no such thing as a notary license — the official credential in every state is a notary commission (sometimes called an appointment). We use the correct term throughout this site, but if you got here searching for a license, you're in the right place: same credential, different word. More definitions in our plain-English notary glossary.
Where to go next
- How to become a notary — the full national guide to the process.
- Become a remote online notary — add online notarization to your commission.
- Loan signing agent — how notaries turn the commission into real income, honestly told.
- Notary supplies — the stamp, journal, and gear you actually need (and what you don't).
How this site works
Every state page shows the date its requirements were last verified and links the official sources — statutes and commissioning-authority pages — behind every claim. We're an independent publisher, not a government agency, and when something is optional we say so. Read our editorial policy.
Common questions
What are the requirements to become a notary public?
In every state you must apply to the commissioning authority (usually the Secretary of State), meet basic eligibility (age 18+, residency or in-state employment, and a clean-enough record), and pay a filing fee. Beyond that it varies: 29 of 51 jurisdictions require a surety bond, 26 require an exam, and 21 require a training course. Pick your state above for its exact list.
Do I need a "notary license"?
The thing people call a notary license is officially a notary commission — an appointment issued by your state for a set term. No state issues a document called a notary license; when you see that phrase on a website selling something, read carefully.
How much does it cost to become a notary?
State application fees run from $10 to $120. Add the bond premium where required (usually well under $100), any mandatory course or exam fee, and a stamp and journal, and most people spend somewhere between about $50 and $300 total.
How long is a notary commission good for?
Most states issue commissions for 4 to 10 years — 4 years is the most common term. Louisiana is the outlier with a lifetime commission. Renewal usually repeats a lighter version of the original application.
Can I make money as a notary?
Per-act notary fees are capped in most states, so stamping alone rarely adds up. The notaries who turn the commission into real income usually do loan signings for title companies or add remote online notarization. Our loan signing agent guide explains the realistic economics with sources.