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.
New to this? Start with What Is a Notary Public? for what the role actually involves, what a notary can and can’t do, and what “notarized” means — then come back here for your state’s specific requirements.
Notary requirements compared: 15 states side by side
Bond, commission length, application fee, and training requirements for every state LicenScout currently covers, taken from each state’s own guide (linked in the first column). Where a figure isn’t summarized here, the state page has it.
| State | Surety bond | Commission term | Application / filing fee | Training or exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $5,000 | 4 years | $43 | Exam required for new and renewing applicants (since July 1, 2025) |
| California | $15,000 | 4 years | See state page | 6-hour course + exam |
| Florida | $7,500 ($25,000 for Remote Online Notaries) | 4 years | $39 filing fee | Approved education course required |
| Georgia | None | 4 years | Roughly $40–$55, set by county | See state page |
| Illinois | $5,000 | 4 years (1 year for non-resident applicants) | $15 | 3-hour course + exam (85% to pass) |
| Massachusetts | None | 7 years | See state page | None — no course or exam |
| Michigan | $10,000 | 6–7 years | $10 state fee + county filing fee (usually $10) | No mandatory course or exam |
| New York | None | 4 years | $60 (+ $15 exam fee) | Written exam |
| North Carolina | None | 5 years | $50 | 6-hour course + exam (80% or better) |
| Ohio | None for a standard commission ($25,000 bond + $25,000 E&O only for electronic estate-planning documents) | 5 years | $15 | 3-hour course (plus a test for non-attorneys) |
| Pennsylvania | $25,000 for appointments on or after March 28, 2026 | 4 years | $42 | 3-hour course + Pearson VUE exam |
| Tennessee | $10,000 | 4 years | Set by each county (e.g. $16 in Shelby County) | See state page |
| Texas | $10,000 | 4 years | $21 | 2-hour course + 20-question assessment |
| Virginia | None | 4 years | $45 | See state page |
| Washington | $10,000 | Up to 4 years (tied to your bond term) | $40 | See state page |
What the table shows: nine of the fifteen states require a surety bond (from $5,000 to $25,000), while six — Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio (for standard commissions), and Virginia — require none. Eleven states use a 4-year commission; North Carolina and Ohio use 5 years, Michigan 6–7, and Massachusetts 7. Among states with a single statewide application fee, costs run from $15 (Illinois, Ohio) to $60 (New York). Massachusetts and Michigan are the only two here that don’t require any pre-commission course or exam.
Browse by state
What’s consistent across most states
- A surety bond is required in most states, but not all — of the 15 states compared above, 9 require one (from $5,000 to $25,000) and 6 require none for a standard commission. It protects the public against notary error or misconduct and 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. Where a bond is required it ranges about 5x — from $5,000 (Arizona, Illinois) to $25,000 (Pennsylvania, for new appointments) — 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.