To become a notary in Washington, D.C., you need to meet the District’s eligibility rules, purchase a $2,000 surety bond, submit an online application with a $75 fee through the Office of the Secretary, attend a mandatory orientation, and take the oath of office within 60 days of your appointment. The full process runs about 45 to 60 days, and your commission lasts five years once it’s in place.
Who Qualifies
D.C. law sets five baseline requirements under the District’s Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.19 – Commission as Notary Public; Endorsement as an Electronic Notary; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit You must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, and either live or work primarily in the District. A Maryland or Virginia resident whose main job is in D.C. qualifies; someone with no residential or employment tie to the District does not. You also need to be free of disqualifying history and meet any additional qualifications the Mayor prescribes by rule.
What Can Disqualify You
The Mayor can deny, revoke, or suspend a commission for conduct showing a lack of honesty, integrity, competence, or reliability. Specific triggers include a conviction for a felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit; a fraudulent statement on the application itself; a civil judgment or disciplinary finding tied to dishonest conduct; or revocation of a notary commission in another jurisdiction.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.22 – Grounds to Deny, Refuse to Renew, Revoke, Suspend, or Condition Commission of Notary Public A past issue doesn’t automatically bar you, but the Mayor has broad discretion.
What to Have Ready Before You Apply
Gather everything before you open the application. A missing item will stall the review.
The $2,000 Surety Bond
Buy the bond from a licensed bonding company before you apply.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.19 – Commission as Notary Public; Endorsement as an Electronic Notary; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit The out-of-pocket premium for a $2,000 bond typically runs $25 to $50 for the full five-year term. Important to understand up front: the bond does not protect you. It protects the public. If someone is harmed by a mistake you make, the bonding company pays the claim and then comes after you for reimbursement. Government employees whose notarial duties are confined to official business are exempt from the bond.
Character References
You’ll need character references who can speak to your fitness for the role.3Office of the Secretary. Notary Commissions They should know you well and not be family members. Have their names and contact details ready before you start the application.
The $75 Fee
The non-refundable application fee is set by statute at a minimum of $75.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.19 – Commission as Notary Public; Endorsement as an Electronic Notary; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit Government employees being commissioned solely for official D.C. or federal business pay nothing.
Submitting the Application
Applications go through the Office of the Secretary’s online notary portal.3Office of the Secretary. Notary Commissions You’ll create an account, enter your personal and business information, upload your bond documentation, list your references, and pay the fee through the portal. Check every field twice. Errors in basic information are the most common cause of delay.
From submission to commission typically runs 45 to 60 days when the file is accurate and complete.4Office of the Secretary. Frequently Asked Questions – Office of Notary and Authentications Watch the inbox tied to your portal account; status updates come by email.
Orientation and the 60-Day Oath Deadline
Every new applicant must attend a mandatory orientation session on D.C. notary laws, rules, and policies. The Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) schedules it after your application is approved and emails you the available dates.
Once approved, you’ll receive a formal Appointment Notice. From the beginning date of your commission listed on that notice, you have 60 days to visit the ONCA office and take the oath of office.5Office of the Secretary. Frequently Asked Questions – Office of Notary and Authentications Miss the deadline and you forfeit the commission. There is no extension. You would have to reapply, repay the fee, and start over. After the oath, you receive your official commission certificate.
Your Seal and Journal
Buying the Seal
With your certificate in hand, you’ll buy an official seal or stamp from a private vendor. D.C. law requires it to show your name as it appears on the commission, the words “District of Columbia,” your commission expiration date, and any other information the Mayor requires by rule. The seal must also be capable of being reproduced when copied alongside the document it’s affixed to.6D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.16 – Official Seal A self-inking stamp or embosser typically runs $20 to $35. No other wording or imagery is permitted beyond what the statute authorizes.
Keeping a Journal
D.C. law requires every notary to maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed.7D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.18 – Journal For each act, record the date, the type of notarization, a description of the document, the signer’s name, the identification method used, and the fee charged. A complete journal is your strongest defense if a notarization is ever challenged.
What You Can Charge
D.C. notaries may charge up to $5 per notarial act.4Office of the Secretary. Frequently Asked Questions – Office of Notary and Authentications Government-commissioned notaries whose duties are limited to official business cannot charge anything. The per-act cap is modest, so notaries earning meaningful income usually do it through volume, particularly loan signings where a single closing packet can involve dozens of notarizations.
Electronic Notarization
D.C. allows in-person electronic notarization (IPEN), meaning you can apply a digital signature and seal to electronic documents when the signer is physically in front of you within the District. D.C. does not authorize remote online notarization (RON). You cannot notarize a document over a video call, regardless of what other states allow.
To perform IPEN, you need a separate electronic notary endorsement from the Mayor’s office under D.C. Code § 1-1231.20 and tamper-evident technology from an approved provider that meets the technical standards in 17 DCMR § 2410.
Why You Should Consider E&O Insurance
New notaries often assume the required $2,000 bond protects them. It doesn’t. The bond pays members of the public harmed by your mistakes, and the bonding company then bills you for the full amount plus costs.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1231.19 – Commission as Notary Public; Endorsement as an Electronic Notary; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit
Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance is a separate, optional product that actually shields your personal assets. It covers defense costs if you’re sued, pays damages from unintentional mistakes like failing to catch a forged ID, and doesn’t require you to reimburse the insurer. D.C. doesn’t require it. If you notarize regularly, especially real estate closings, the annual premium is small relative to what a single bad notarization can cost.
Renewing Your Commission
A D.C. commission lasts five years. Renewal mirrors the initial application: new online submission, $75 fee, letter of intent, new surety bond if needed, and a new oath.3Office of the Secretary. Notary Commissions If your commission has been expired for less than 12 months, you don’t need to repeat orientation. If it lapsed for more than 12 months, you’re treated as a new applicant and must complete orientation again.
Start the renewal well before the expiration date. Processing still takes several weeks, and if your commission expires before the renewal is approved, you cannot perform any notarial acts during the gap. Notarizing without an active commission exposes you to liability and could invalidate the document.
Staying Inside the Law
Unless you’re also a licensed attorney, you cannot give legal advice, choose which document a signer needs, recommend a type of notarization, explain the legal effect of a document, or help someone fill out legal paperwork. Each crosses into unauthorized practice of law, which is a criminal offense in D.C.
Signers will ask questions. “Should I sign this?” or “What does this clause mean?” The correct response is always some version of “I can’t advise you on that; you should consult an attorney.” Notaries who start answering substantive legal questions, however helpfully, risk their commission and potential criminal charges. Your role is to identify signers, witness signatures, and apply your seal.