Notary Public Requirements by State
Every state commissions notaries differently — the core idea (a bonded, state-commissioned witness for signatures) is universal, but the exact bond, exam, and course requirements are not.
Becoming a notary public is one of the more accessible professional credentials in the U.S. — most states commission notaries in a matter of weeks, for a few hundred dollars or less. But “most states” isn’t “every state,” and the exact combination of education hours, bond amount, exam format, and commission length varies enough that a generic national guide would get details wrong for almost everyone reading it.
Browse by state
What’s consistent across most states
- A surety bond is required almost everywhere, typically $5,000–$25,000, protecting the public against notary error or misconduct — this is not the same as insurance for you, which is a separate optional product (errors & omissions coverage).
- A fixed commission term, most commonly 4 years, after which you renew.
- A state-approved education course, though the required hours range from none at all in some states to several hours in others.
- An application fee paid to the Secretary of State (or equivalent office) that commissions notaries — usually under $50.
What varies enough to matter
- Who actually commissions you. Most states use the Secretary of State’s office, but Florida notaries are commissioned through the Governor’s office instead.
- Whether there’s a written exam. Some states require a scored exam through a specific testing vendor; others only require the education course itself.
- Bond amount. This ranges roughly 3x across the states covered here alone — see each state’s page for the exact figure.
How long does it take to become a notary?
In most states, the whole process — course, exam if required, bond, and application — takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks once you start, with the state’s own processing time for the application itself usually being the longest single step.
Is a notary commission the same in every state I might work in?
No — a notary commission is state-specific. If you move to or regularly need to notarize documents in a different state, you generally need a new commission there; there is no national or interstate notary credential.
What’s the difference between a notary and a Notary Signing Agent?
A Notary Signing Agent is a regular commissioned notary who has taken additional, specialized training (usually a separate certification, not a state requirement) to handle loan-closing document signings specifically. Every Signing Agent is a notary first — it’s an add-on specialization, not a separate state license.