Arizona Notary Public Requirements
Arizona’s notary process looks fairly standard — a bond, a state fee, a 4-year commission — until you hit the newest requirement: since mid-2025, every new and renewing Arizona notary has to pass a state exam, something most other states still don’t require. Here’s what the Secretary of State’s office requires, including a fee discrepancy worth knowing about before you budget for the exam.
- Quick facts
- Eligibility
- Steps to get commissioned
- Renewal
- FAQ
- Remote online notarization (RON)
Quick facts
| Regulator | Arizona Secretary of State, Notary Public Program |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | At least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, an Arizona resident for income tax purposes, able to read/write/understand English, not disqualified under A.R.S. § 41-271 (certain criminal history) |
| Exam | Required for every new and renewing applicant since July 1, 2025 (authority granted by SB 1226) — 45 questions from the official Notary Public Reference Manual, open-book, 60 minutes, 80% passing score |
| Bond | $5,000 surety bond, 4-year term (premium commonly cited around $25–$60 for the full term) |
| Application fee | $43 |
| Commission term | 4 years |
| Education/training | No separate class required — the open-book exam itself, drawn from the Reference Manual, functions as the competency check |
| RON (remote online notarization) | Available; requires a separate $25,000 bond (instead of the standard $5,000), a 4-hour approved RON training course, a separate competency exam, a RON endorsement application, and a $50 endorsement fee |
Eligibility
Arizona’s eligibility bar includes one requirement that trips people up who are used to other states: you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, not just an Arizona resident. Most states only require state residency, with no citizenship/immigration-status test attached. Beyond that, you need to be at least 18, an Arizona resident for income tax purposes, able to read, write, and understand English, and not disqualified under A.R.S. § 41-271, which covers certain criminal convictions.
Steps to get commissioned
- Confirm you meet the eligibility requirements above, including the citizenship/permanent-residency bar.
- Study the Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual and pass the required exam — 45 questions, open-book, 60 minutes, 80% to pass. The exam must be passed before you submit your application.
- Purchase a 4-year, $5,000 surety bond from a licensed insurance agent or bonding company, with original signatures.
- Submit your signed Notary Application, the original notarized bond, and the $43 filing fee together to the Secretary of State.
- Wait for approval — standard processing is commonly cited at roughly 4–6 weeks from when the Secretary of State’s office receives a complete application.
Renewal
Arizona notary commissions run 4 years. Renewal isn’t automatic or separately streamlined — a renewing notary goes through essentially the same steps as a new applicant, including passing the exam again and purchasing a new 4-year bond, and can start that process up to 60 days before the current commission expires. If you hold a RON (remote online notarization) endorsement, it doesn’t carry over automatically at renewal — you have to reapply for it through an approved RON platform vendor.
Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to become a notary in Arizona?
You have to be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident — Arizona is stricter here than many states, which only require residency in the state itself. If you’re an Arizona resident but not a citizen or green-card holder, you don’t currently qualify for an Arizona notary commission.
Is the Arizona notary exam new?
The exam requirement itself took effect July 1, 2025, replacing what had been a training-course-based system; the underlying statutory authority for the Secretary of State to require an exam goes back further, to SB 1226 (2021). If you got commissioned before mid-2025, you’ll encounter the exam for the first time at your next renewal.
Does the standard $5,000 bond cover remote online notarization (RON)?
No. RON requires a separate, higher $25,000 bond on top of the standard $5,000 bond, plus a 4-hour approved RON training course, its own competency exam, a RON endorsement application to the Secretary of State, and a $50 endorsement fee. A standard Arizona commission alone doesn’t authorize you to notarize remotely.
Remote online notarization (RON)
Arizona has allowed remote online notarization since July 1, 2020, but it’s an add-on to a standard commission, not a separate credential. To get authorized, a commissioned notary needs to complete a 4-hour approved RON training course, pass a separate online competency exam, carry the enhanced $25,000 RON bond, and have a RON endorsement application approved by the Secretary of State along with a $50 endorsement fee. RON authorization is tied to your underlying commission, so when you renew your base commission, you have to separately reapply for RON through an approved platform vendor rather than assuming it carries over.