To become a DC notary public, you need to meet the District’s eligibility rules, apply online through the Office of Notary and Authentications (ONCA) with a $75 fee and a letter of intent, attend a mandatory orientation, post a $2,000 surety bond, and take the oath of office in person. The commission runs five years, and most new notaries spend somewhere between $165 and $215 to get set up.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and able to read and write English. You also need a real tie to the District: either you live in DC or you work in DC. And the statute requires that you have the honesty, integrity, and competence to serve the public.
That last requirement is not window dressing. A felony conviction, or a conviction for any crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit, is grounds for the Mayor to deny your application. The law specifically names forgery, counterfeiting, perjury, false statements, embezzlement, and theft. There is no stated look-back period, so an older conviction can still be a problem. A civil finding or admission of liability based on fraud or dishonesty can also disqualify you.
Pick the Right Commission Type
DC does not issue one generic commission. The category you apply under depends on where you live and work, and choosing the wrong one will delay you.
- Business: your primary workplace is in DC, but you don’t live there.
- Residential: you live in DC at a physical DC address.
- Government: you work for the DC government or a federal agency located in DC.
- Dual: you both live and work in DC, with sub-types depending on your employer. Both addresses must be physical DC addresses.
The category determines what letter of intent you submit and what residency documentation ONCA reviews, so settle on it before you open the application.
Prepare Your Letter of Intent
Every application needs a written letter explaining why you need the commission. If you’re applying for a business or government commission, your supervisor writes the letter on company or agency letterhead, describes how you’ll use notarial services at work, and includes their name, title, and contact information. If you’re applying for a residential or dual commission, you write the letter yourself and explain how you plan to use the commission.
Submit the Online Application
Applications go through the ONCA online portal only. Faxed, emailed, and mailed applications are not accepted. You’ll fill in background and employment details and upload your letter of intent. The $75 application fee is due at submission and is non-refundable, whether or not your commission is approved.
Attend the Mandatory Orientation
Once your application is approved, ONCA will notify you of two available session dates for orientation. The session covers DC notary laws, rules, and policies, and new applicants must complete it. If you previously held a DC commission that expired more than 12 months ago, you count as a new applicant and have to attend orientation again. Renewal applicants whose commissions haven’t lapsed that long are exempt.
Post the $2,000 Surety Bond
Before you can take the oath, you need a $2,000 surety bond covering the full five-year term. The bond protects the public if you make a negligent mistake or commit misconduct. It does not protect you. The premium usually runs about $50 for the full term.
After approval, ONCA sends you an Appointment Notice that includes the official bond form. You have to use that specific form. Take it to a surety bond company; the company fills it out, signs it, affixes its seal, and mails the original back to you. You sign as a witness to the surety agent’s signature before your oath appointment. Hold onto your payment receipt. ONCA wants a hard copy showing the amount paid, the date, the correct commission start and end dates, and the address where the commission is held.
Take the Oath in Person
The oath of office is sworn in person before ONCA staff. Bring the original signed surety bond form (ONCA keeps it), your bond payment receipt, and your notary equipment. You’ll swear to uphold the laws of the District and perform your duties faithfully. When the oath is done and your documents are filed, ONCA issues your commission certificate, and your five-year term starts from that date.
Get Your Seal and Journal
DC requires an embosser that creates a raised impression on paper. The seal must show your name exactly as it appears on your commission, the words “District of Columbia,” and your commission expiration date. No other language or description is allowed. You must also use a seal impression inker every time you notarize so that the raised embossment is legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible. The government does not supply the seal or inker. A quality embosser from a private vendor runs roughly $30 to $60.
You also have to keep a notarial journal recording every act you perform. A physical journal must be a permanent, bound register with numbered pages. Electronic journals are allowed but must use a tamper-evident format that complies with the Mayor’s rules. Each entry has to be made at the time of the act and include:
- Date and time of the act
- Description of the document and the type of notarial act
- Full name and address of each person involved
- How you identified the person: either a statement that you knew them personally, or a description of the ID credential presented, including its issuance and expiration dates
- Fee charged
When your commission ends for any reason, you must turn the journal over to ONCA. If one of your notarial acts is ever questioned, the journal is the primary evidence of what happened and how you verified identity.
What It Costs All In
- Application fee: $75, non-refundable
- Surety bond premium: about $50 for the five-year term
- Embosser and ink pad: $30 to $60 from private vendors
- Journal: $10 to $30
Most new notaries spend between $165 and $215 before performing their first notarial act. Errors and omissions insurance is not required by DC law, but it covers you personally if a mistake leads to a claim. The surety bond protects only the public.
Fees You Can Charge and Lines You Can’t Cross
DC caps notary fees at $5 per notarial act. Government-employed notaries cannot charge anything for notarial services performed during their tour of duty. Going over the cap puts your commission at risk.
The Mayor can deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew your commission for any act showing you lack the honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability to serve. Specific grounds include making a fraudulent or dishonest statement in your application, failing to comply with DC notary laws, and any disciplinary finding based on fraud or deceit. Separately, DC courts prohibit notaries from preparing legal documents, giving legal advice, or holding themselves out as attorneys. Using the title “notario” in a way that implies legal authority is specifically flagged as unauthorized practice of law.
Renewing Your Commission
The commission does not renew automatically. Submit a renewal through the ONCA online portal well before your expiration date to avoid a gap, generally two to three months out. ONCA publishes annual renewal timetables showing the deadline by which your application must be approved. If your commission lapses for more than 12 months, you’ll be treated as a new applicant, which means orientation again and a new surety bond for the new term.
Remote Online Notarization
The DC Council has authorized remote online notarization, but the program is not yet implemented. For now, every notarial act under a DC commission must be performed in person. ONCA has said it is working to finalize implementation and advises checking its website for updates. Until the rules are finalized and published, you cannot legally perform remote notarizations under a DC commission.