Arizona Secretary of State Notary Renewal: Bond, Oath, and Fee

To complete an Arizona notary renewal, submit a new application, a $5,000 surety bond, an oath of office, and the $43 filing fee to the Arizona Secretary of State before your current four-year commission expires.¹ You can file as early as two months before expiration, and processing takes roughly four weeks once the state has your complete paperwork.²

When to File

The Secretary of State accepts renewal applications up to two months before your current commission ends.² With processing running about four weeks, filing at the two-month mark builds in a buffer for mail time, bond corrections, or any name mismatch that sends your package back.³

If your commission expires before the new certificate arrives, you must stop notarizing. There is no grace period and no provisional authority. Any notarization performed in that gap has no legal effect, and you cannot pick back up until the new commission is in your hands.²

What Your Renewal Package Must Contain

Three documents and one payment go in together.

$5,000 Surety Bond

You need a $5,000 surety bond from a licensed surety company; the Secretary of State does not sell bonds.⁴ Premiums typically run $35 to $55 for the four-year term. The bond protects members of the public harmed by a notarial error, but the $5,000 cap does not limit your personal liability for damages above that amount.

Submit the original signed bond, notarized by another active notary.² Timing on the bond itself is narrow: a bond issued more than 60 days before, or more than 30 days after, your commission date will be rejected.⁵ Don’t buy it too early.

Oath of Office

You must execute an oath of office swearing to support the U.S. and Arizona constitutions and to faithfully discharge your duties. The oath is endorsed on the bond and filed with it.⁶

$43 Filing Fee

The $43 fee covers both the application and the bond filing.³ By mail, pay by check or money order made out to the “Arizona Secretary of State.” No cash. Online filings accept credit or debit cards.

One detail quietly causes most rejections: the name on your application must match the name on your bond exactly. Even minor differences will send the package back.

Still Have to Qualify

The baseline requirements from your original commission still apply under A.R.S. § 41-312: at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, an Arizona resident who claims the state as primary residence on state and federal tax returns, able to read and write English, with no felony conviction unless civil rights have been restored, and keeping a Secretary of State–approved reference manual.¹ The residency piece reaches beyond where you live; someone who splits time between states and files a different state as primary residence does not qualify. A conviction for a lesser crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude can also lead to denial even where no felony is involved.⁷

How to Submit

You have three channels.

Online. The Secretary of State’s portal lets you upload documents and pay by card. This is the fastest route.
By mail. Send the original signed application, original notarized bond, and payment to: Secretary of State, Attn: Notary Dept., 1700 W. Washington Street, Fl. 7, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808.
In person, Phoenix. State Capitol Executive Tower, 1700 W. Washington Street, Suite 220.
In person, Tucson. Arizona State Complex Building, 400 West Congress, Second Floor, Suite 221.

If you mail your package, use a trackable method. A lost application means buying a new bond and paying another $43.³

What Happens During Processing

Plan for about four weeks after the Secretary of State receives a complete submission.³ Staff verify the bond and confirm your continued eligibility, then issue a new commission certificate. Keep performing notarizations under your current commission until it expires. Once it expires, stop until the new certificate arrives.

Order a New Seal Before You Notarize Again

Your old seal shows your previous expiration date and cannot be used under the new commission. You must get a new one before performing any notarizations after the renewal takes effect.⁶

Arizona seals must be rubber stamps with dark ink (black, dark blue, dark purple, or dark brown) and may not exceed 1½ inches high by 2½ inches wide for a rectangular seal or 1½ inches in diameter for a round one. Each seal must include:

The words “Notary Public”
Your name exactly as it appears on your commission certificate
The Arizona county where you were commissioned
Your new commission expiration date
Your commission number
The Great Seal of Arizona

Using a noncompliant seal is grounds for suspension or revocation. Once the new seal arrives, destroy the old one. Cut the rubber face so it cannot produce a usable impression, and deface the metal plate of any embosser you used.

If You Decide Not to Renew

Letting the commission expire comes with duties of its own. Within three months of expiration, you must deliver your seal, journal, and notarial records to the Secretary of State by certified mail or another method that provides a receipt.⁶ Missing that three-month window can bring a penalty between $50 and $500.

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 41-312 – Appointment; Term; Oath and Bond; Training Courses; Fee
2
Arizona Secretary of State. Existing Notaries
3
Arizona Secretary of State. Notary
4
Arizona Secretary of State. Notary Resources
5
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 41-315 – Bond
6
Arizona Secretary of State. Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual
7
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 41-330 – Grounds for Refusal, Revocation or Suspension of Commission