Notary public · by state
How to become a notary: requirements by state
Notary requirements come from each state's notary authority or its statute. We publish a state only after reading its official requirements.
Quick answer
Each state sets its own notary rules. Of the 37 states and DC verified so far: a bond is required in Arkansas, Arizona, California, DC, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin; no bond is required in Delaware, Georgia, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia; the official sources we read for Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and South Carolina do not state a bond requirement. Training is required in California, Colorado, DC, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Texas. An exam is required in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin. The table shows each state's term, bond and training.
By state
DataNotary requirements by state
| State | Term | Bond | Training |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Ten years. | A $7,500 surety bond from a surety insurer authorized in Arkansas (or a surety contract from a registered Arkansas corporation). | Not stated |
| Arizona | Four years. | A $5,000 surety bond (an assurance) from a surety licensed or authorized in Arizona, submitted before the commission is issued. | Not stated |
| California | Four years from the date in the commission. | A $15,000 official bond. | A six-hour course approved by the Secretary of State before your first appointment; a three-hour refresher course before reappointment. |
| Colorado | Four years from the date you are approved. | Not stated | Complete approved notary training; the Secretary of State offers it free online, and approved vendors also offer it. |
| DC | Not stated | A surety bond, except for commissions only on behalf of the DC government. | Complete the New Notary Orientation (new applicants, or if your commission expired more than 12 months ago). |
| Delaware | A new traditional commission is for two years; renewals can be for two or four years. | No bond is required. | No training is currently required to become a notary. |
| Florida | Four years. | A $7,500 bond from a surety company authorized in Florida, approved and filed with the Department of State. | First-time applicants: at least 3 hours of interactive or classroom instruction, including electronic notarization, within 1 year before applying. |
| Georgia | Four years, issued by the Clerk of Superior Court in your county of residence. | No bond is required. | Complete the notary training course approved by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. |
| Hawaii | Not stated | An official surety bond meeting Hawaii Revised Statutes 456-5, approved by a circuit court judge and kept on file with the circuit court clerk where you live. | Not stated |
| Iowa | Three years for Iowa residents; one year for residents of a bordering state who work or do business in Iowa. | Not stated | Not stated |
| Idaho | Six years. | A $10,000 surety bond, filed when you apply. | Not stated |
| Kansas | Four years; the Secretary of State sets the appointment dates. | A $12,000 commercial surety bond from an insurance company licensed in Kansas. | Not stated |
| Kentucky | Not stated | A $1,000 surety bond, posted with the county clerk in your county of commission. | Not stated |
| Louisiana | For life: Louisiana notaries are commissioned for life. | A $50,000 notary surety bond or personal surety bond; surety bonds are renewed every five years. | No course or class is required by law to take the exam; the Secretary of State publishes an official study guide. |
| Maryland | Not stated | Not stated | Complete a course of study from an authorized provider. |
| Maine | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Minnesota | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Missouri | Four years; you reapply every four years. | A $10,000 surety bond covering the four-year term. | Attest that you have read the Missouri notary public handbook or completed training prescribed by the Secretary of State. |
| Mississippi | Four years from the date the commission is issued. | A $5,000 surety bond; if it is not submitted within 60 days, the application lapses. | Not stated |
| Montana | Four years. | A $25,000 notary surety bond. | At least 4 hours of approved training, completed within 12 months before you apply. |
| North Carolina | Five years. | Not stated | A course of classroom instruction of at least six hours approved by the Secretary, within the three months before you apply; licensed members of the North Carolina State Bar are exempt. |
| North Dakota | Four years from the commencement date on your commission certificate. | A $7,500 notary bond (SFN 19355) from an insurance company of your choice, included with the application. | Not stated |
| Nebraska | Not stated | A $15,000 notary surety bond. | Not stated |
| New Jersey | Not stated | Not stated | Non-attorney applicants for a first commission complete a six-hour course of study approved by the State Treasurer. |
| New Mexico | Not stated | A $10,000 surety bond or its functional equivalent, from a surety licensed or authorized in New Mexico, with your signature notarized by another New Mexico notary. | Complete the online Notary Education course. |
| New York | Four years. | Not stated | Not stated |
| Oklahoma | Four years. | A $10,000 surety bond, filed with the Secretary of State within 60 days after your commission is issued. | Not stated |
| Pennsylvania | Four years from the date of appointment. | A $25,000 bond, executed within 45 days after your appointment. | At least 3 hours of mandatory notary education from an approved provider, within 6 months before you apply. |
| Rhode Island | Four years. | Not stated | Not stated |
| South Carolina | Ten years. | Not stated | Not stated |
| South Dakota | Six years from the commission date. | No bond is required: a 2025 law removed the bond requirement. | Not stated |
| Tennessee | Four years, beginning on the date the Governor issues the commission. | A surety bond from a Tennessee insurance company or agency that sells surety bonds; give proof of it to the County Clerk. | Not stated |
| Texas | Four years. | A $10,000 surety bond from a surety company authorized in Texas. | Complete the Secretary of State's notary education requirement through the SOS Notary Portal. |
| Utah | Four years. | A four-year, $5,000 notarial bond executed by a company authorized to write surety bonds. | Not stated |
| Virginia | Four years, expiring on the last day of your birth month. | No bond is required to obtain a commission. | Not stated |
| Washington | Not stated | A $10,000 surety bond. | No training class is required in Washington, though the Department strongly urges you to take one. |
| Wisconsin | Four years; Wisconsin-licensed attorneys in good standing can instead get a permanent commission. | A $500 bond. | Not stated |
| West Virginia | Five years. | No bond is required: the revised notary law eliminated the $1,000 bond requirement. | Not stated |
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FAQ
Questions people ask
How do I become a notary?
Each state sets its own notary rules. Of the 37 states and DC verified so far: a bond is required in Arkansas, Arizona, California, DC, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin; no bond is required in Delaware, Georgia, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia; the official sources we read for Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and South Carolina do not state a bond requirement. Training is required in California, Colorado, DC, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Texas. An exam is required in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin. The table shows each state's term, bond and training.
Do all states require a notary exam?
No. Of the 37 states and DC verified so far, an exam is required in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin; the official sources we read for the other states do not list one. Each state page shows what its notary authority requires.