How to Become a Notary Public in Massachusetts

To become a notary public in Massachusetts, you file an application with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, get appointed by the Governor and Governor’s Council, pay a $60 commissioning fee, and take the oath of office. The commission lasts seven years, and you cannot perform any notarial act until you have been sworn in and have obtained a compliant seal.¹²

Who Qualifies

You need to be at least 18 and either live in Massachusetts or have a regular place of work or business in the state.¹ There is no citizenship requirement and no educational credential to produce.

The Governor has wide discretion to deny an application. Under Chapter 222, Section 13, grounds for denial include a conviction that resulted in prison time, a misdemeanor that resulted in probation or a fine (including certain drunk-driving offenses), an admission to sufficient facts for a finding of guilt, a civil finding or admission of fraud or deceit, a prior notary commission or professional license that was revoked, suspended, or denied in any state, material misstatements on the application itself, and general unsuitability including official misconduct.³

A criminal record is not an automatic bar. The Governor weighs these factors case by case, and there is no pre-screening process. If you have a concern about your history, the only way to find out is to apply.

Filling Out and Sending the Application

Download the official application form from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website.¹ You provide your full legal name, address, and contact information, and you answer the background questions. Two attachments go with it:

A current resume.
Signatures from four known and respected members of your community.

Staple the packet together and mail it to the Notary Public Office, State House, Room 184, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133-1058.⁴

Do not send any money with the application. The $60 fee is collected only after you are approved.⁴

Approval, Fee, and Oath

Because the Governor and Governor’s Council have to act on your appointment, expect roughly 18 days from the day you mail the packet to the day you receive written notification.⁴ If approved, the notice tells you how to complete two remaining steps:

Pay the $60 commissioning fee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth using the method described in your approval notice.¹
Take the Notary Public Oath of Office as directed in your notification.

Your commission is not active until you have been sworn in. Once the oath and fee are complete, the commission certificate is issued and your seven-year term begins.²

Buying Your Seal

Before you perform any notarial act, you need an official seal. The seal is your personal property, and no one else may use it. Under Section 8 of Chapter 222, it must contain:⁵

Your name exactly as it appears on your commission.
The words “Notary Public” and “Commonwealth of Massachusetts” (or just “Massachusetts”).
Your commission expiration date, in the format “My commission expires ___”.
A facsimile of the seal of the Commonwealth.

Ink seals must use black ink. Digital seals are permitted and must carry the words “Electronically affixed.” You will need a new seal any time you renew, receive a new commission, or change your name.⁵ Massachusetts-compliant stamps are sold by several online vendors, typically for $20 to $50.

Starting Your Journal

Every Massachusetts notary has to keep a chronological journal of notarial acts. It is not optional. The journal can be a physical bound book with numbered pages, or an electronic record in a tamper-evident format that complies with the Secretary of State’s rules.⁶

For each notarial act, other than issuing a summons or subpoena or administering an oral oath, you record the date, time, and type of act, the type or title of the document, each signer’s and witness’s signature, printed name, and address, a description of the ID presented (document type, issuing agency, serial number, and issuance or expiration date), whether the act was in person or remote, any fee charged (including any technology services fee), and the address where the notarization occurred.⁶ Have your journal ready before your first appointment.

If You Want to Notarize Remotely

A standard commission does not authorize remote online notarization. Massachusetts began allowing remote notarizations in January 2024, but you must register separately with the Secretary of the Commonwealth before performing one. Under Section 28 of Chapter 222, you need to identify the specific communication technology platform you will use, complete any training the Secretary requires, maintain a usual place of business in Massachusetts (or, for foreign entities, a registered agent with a Massachusetts address for service of process), and submit an affirmation that you have read and will comply with the remote notarization rules.⁷

The platform must deliver audio and video clear enough to confirm identity, keep the connection reasonably secure from interception, and make any tampering with the electronic record evident. You are also required to create an audio-visual recording of each session.⁷

Keeping Your Commission Active

Your commission lasts seven years.² About five weeks before it expires, the Secretary of the Commonwealth automatically mails you a renewal application.⁸ The renewal form is not available online. You have to wait for the mailed form, fill it in, and return it as instructed. The Governor and Governor’s Council can decline to renew you for official misconduct or other unsuitability.¹

This is where commissions quietly lapse. If the Secretary’s office does not have your current mailing address, the renewal form never reaches you. You are required to notify the Secretary within ten days of any change to your name, home address, or business address, and to include your current commission expiration date when you do.⁸ A name change also means buying a new seal, since the seal must match the name on your commission exactly.⁵

1
Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public
2
Mass.gov. No. 455: (Revised) Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public
3
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 222 Section 13
4
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Instructions for the Notary Public Application
5
Mass.gov. Massachusetts General Laws c.222 Section 8
6
Mass.gov. Massachusetts General Laws c.222 Section 22
7
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 222 Section 28
8
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Notary Renewal