Virginia Notary Public Requirements
Virginia is one of the few states on this site with no surety bond requirement for notaries at all — the entire cost of becoming one is a flat $45 fee. That simplicity has an expiration date, though: starting July 1, 2027, every new applicant will need to pass a course and exam first. Here’s what’s required now, what’s about to change, and the one commission-term quirk (tied to your birth month) that trips people up.
- Quick facts
- No bond today — but a 2027 course-and-exam requirement is coming
- Steps to become a notary
- Electronic notary & Remote Online Notarization (RON)
- Renewal
- FAQ
Quick facts
| Regulator | Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia, under Code of Virginia Title 47.1 |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | 18+, a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, able to read and write English; no disqualifying felony conviction unless pardoned, vacated by a writ of actual innocence, or your civil rights were restored. Non-residents may qualify only if regularly employed in Virginia and notarizing in connection with that job. |
| Bond | None required by Code of Virginia Title 47.1 |
| Course or exam (current) | None for a standard commission today. Starting July 1, 2027, new applicants must complete a 4-hour course (including 1 hour on real estate fraud and elder financial exploitation) and pass a written exam; recommissioning will require a shorter 2-hour refresher course covering the same topic. |
| Application fee | $45 total ($35 commission fee + $10 technology fee, Va. Code § 2.2-409) — the same $45 applies to a first-time application, a renewal, and an electronic notary commission |
| Commission term | 4 years, expiring on the last day of the month you were born in, in the fourth calendar year after your commission was issued |
| Per-act fees you may charge | Up to $10 for a paper notarial act; up to $25 for an electronic notarial act (Va. Code § 47.1-19) |
No bond today — but a 2027 course-and-exam requirement is coming
Virginia is unusual among the states covered on this site: Title 47.1 doesn’t impose a surety bond on notaries at all, which keeps the barrier to becoming one mostly down to the $45 fee and a clean background. That’s set to change in one specific way, not by adding a bond, but by adding education. Starting July 1, 2027, a new applicant must complete a 4-hour course — with at least 1 hour specifically on real estate fraud and elder financial exploitation — and pass a written exam before the Secretary of the Commonwealth will issue a commission. Anyone recommissioning after that date faces a shorter 2-hour refresher course covering the same topic. If you’re applying before July 1, 2027, none of this applies to you yet; if your timeline runs past that date, budget time for the course and exam on top of the application itself.
Steps to become a notary
- Confirm your eligibility — 18 or older, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, able to read and write English, and without a disqualifying felony conviction.
- Complete the application through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s online system, selecting the circuit court where you’ll later take your oath.
- Have the application itself notarized by a traditional (non-electronic) Virginia notary before submitting it.
- Pay the $45 fee online by credit card, or mail the notarized application with a check or money order payable to “Treasurer of Virginia.”
- Wait for processing — typically 2–3 weeks — after which your commission is sent to your selected circuit court.
- Claim your commission within 60 days by taking the oath of office at that circuit court. Miss the window and you’ll need to submit a brand-new application and fee — not receiving notice doesn’t extend the deadline.
Electronic notary & Remote Online Notarization (RON)
A standard Virginia commission only covers traditional, in-person notarization. To notarize electronically — including remotely, over live audio-video — you need a separate electronic notary commission, applied for through the same $45 fee structure ($35 commission fee + $10 technology fee). Electronic notaries must register the specific technology they’ll use to create their electronic signature, keep their signature and seal under their exclusive control, and report any lost or stolen credentials to both law enforcement and the Secretary immediately. For Remote Online Notarization specifically, the signer’s identity has to be verified using audio-video technology that meets the Commonwealth’s evidentiary standards, confirmed through personal knowledge, a credible witness, or at least two of: credential analysis, identity proofing, another Secretary-authorized method, a qualifying digital certificate, or a knowledge-based quiz (at least 5 questions, 80% passing, a 2-minute limit, and up to 2 retakes within 48 hours). Electronic notarial acts may be charged up to $25, versus up to $10 for a paper act. All electronic and non-electronic notarial records must be retained for at least 5 years.
Renewal
Renewal uses the same $45 fee and the same basic application as a first-time commission — there’s no separate renewal-specific form or reduced fee. Because the 4-year term expires on the last day of your birth month rather than on your original issue-date anniversary, your actual renewal window can be shorter or longer than exactly 4 years depending on when in the year you first applied. Once the July 1, 2027 education requirement takes effect, renewing notaries will need the shorter 2-hour refresher course instead of the full 4-hour course required of brand-new applicants.
Do I need a surety bond to become a notary in Virginia?
No. Unlike most states covered on this site, Virginia’s notary statute (Code of Virginia Title 47.1) doesn’t require a bond for a standard commission at all — the cost of becoming a notary is essentially just the $45 application fee.
What’s changing for Virginia notaries in 2027?
Starting July 1, 2027, new applicants must complete a 4-hour course (including 1 hour specifically on real estate fraud and elder financial exploitation) and pass a written exam before they can be commissioned. People recommissioning after that date will need a shorter 2-hour refresher course on the same topic. Nothing changes for anyone applying or renewing before that date.
Why does my Virginia notary commission expire on a seemingly random date?
It’s not random — it’s tied to your birthday. A Virginia commission runs 4 years and expires on the last day of the month you were born in, in the fourth calendar year after it was issued. Depending on when during the year you first apply, your actual first term can run slightly longer or shorter than a flat 4 years.