How to Become a Notary Public in Virginia: Apply, Oath, and Seal

To become a notary public in Virginia, you file a $45 application with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, have your signature on the form notarized, then appear at a circuit court within 60 days of your commission’s issuance to take the oath of office and pay a $10 court fee. The commission lasts four years. Total government cost: $55, plus whatever you spend on a seal.

Who Qualifies

Virginia’s threshold is short. You must be at least 18, able to read and write English, and a legal resident of the United States. You also need to either live in Virginia or work regularly in the state and perform notarial services as part of your job.¹

A felony conviction under federal, Virginia, or any other state’s law disqualifies you unless your civil rights have been restored. The Secretary’s eligibility language does not mention pardons as a separate path, so if you have a felony conviction, confirm your civil rights were formally restored before you apply.¹

Filing the Application

Create a Notary Management Account on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. The online system walks you through the questions and generates a PDF application at the end, which you print.²

Before you mail anything, take the printed form to an active Virginia notary and have your signature on Part 3 notarized. First-time applicants cannot skip this step; it confirms you personally signed the form and that your answers are truthful.²

The application fee is $45 and non-refundable. You can pay online by credit card through your Notary Management Account; if you do, print the receipt and mail it with the application so the barcode on the form matches the invoice number. To pay by mail instead, send a check or money order payable to the Treasurer of Virginia with your notarized application to:

Notary Clerk, Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, P.O. Box 1795, Richmond, VA 23218-1795.³

Taking the Oath at Circuit Court

The Secretary’s office typically processes applications in two to three weeks. Once approved, your commission is sent to the circuit court you named on the application. Call that court to confirm it arrived and set a time to be sworn in.

You must appear in person before the clerk and take the oath within 60 days of the commission’s issuance date. Miss that window and the commission is void; you start over with a fresh application and another $45.⁴ The court clerk collects a $10 fee at the oath.²

Your commission runs four years from issuance and expires on the last day of your birth month in the fourth calendar year after issuance. Every Virginia notary’s expiration is anchored to their birthday month.⁵

Getting Your Seal

Once you have the commission certificate, buy an official seal before you perform any notarial act. Virginia law requires you to affix the seal to every document you notarize, and the impression has to be sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible.⁶

Your seal must show:

Your name exactly as it appears on your commission
The words “Notary Public”
The words “Commonwealth of Virginia”
Your commission expiration date
Your registration number

Office-supply vendors sell Virginia notary seals and stamps, generally in the $15 to $40 range. When you order, check every detail against your commission certificate. A misspelled name or wrong expiration date makes the seal unusable.⁷

You are personally responsible for keeping the seal under your exclusive control. If it is lost, stolen, or possibly used by someone else, notify law enforcement and the Secretary of the Commonwealth immediately.⁶

What You Can Do Once Commissioned

Virginia notaries can take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, certify copies (except documents in the custody of a court), certify affidavits and depositions, verify facts based on the signer’s personal knowledge, and perform other acts specifically permitted by law.⁸

Fees are capped by statute. You can charge up to $10 per notarial act on a paper document and up to $25 per act on an electronic document. Charging more is unlawful. Travel expenses can be recovered separately if you and the signer agree on the amount in advance.⁹

You cannot notarize a document if you or your spouse is a party to it, is a signer, is named in it, or has a direct financial benefit from the transaction, and you cannot notarize your own signature under any circumstances. When in doubt, decline and refer the signer to another notary.⁷

A journal is not legally required for traditional Virginia notaries, but the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office recommends keeping one. If a notarization is ever challenged, a contemporaneous journal entry is your best evidence.¹⁰

Renewing After Four Years

Renewal is simpler than the original application if you move before your commission lapses. You can renew entirely online through the Notary Management Account, without a notarized paper form, provided three conditions are met: your commission is not more than 30 days past expiration, the name on the renewal matches your current commission exactly, and you pay the $45 fee by credit card online.¹¹

You still report to circuit court to take a new oath and pick up the renewed commission. If your commission has been expired more than 30 days, or your name has changed, you file a full paper application and start the process over.¹

Adding Electronic Notary Authority

If you want to notarize digital documents, Virginia offers a separate electronic notary designation. You must already hold an active traditional Virginia notary commission before you can apply. The electronic registration is its own application with a separate $45 non-refundable fee, filed online.¹²

The application asks for a description of the technology you will use to create your electronic signature, a certification that your system meets Virginia’s electronic notarization standards, and a valid email address. You sign it with the electronic signature described in the form and submit it electronically. If you change technologies during your commission, notify the Secretary within 90 days.¹²

Your electronic seal must include your name as shown on your commission, the words “Electronic Notary Public,” “Commonwealth of Virginia,” your commission expiration date, and your registration number.¹²

1
Secretary of the Commonwealth. Become a Notary or Renew My Commission
2
Secretary of the Commonwealth. Notary Application Process
3
Secretary of the Commonwealth. Notary Commissions – Frequently Asked Questions
4
Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 47.1-9 – Oath of Notary; Duties of Clerks
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 47.1-21 – Commission as Notary
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 47.1 – Notaries and Out-of-State Commissioners
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Secretary of the Commonwealth. A Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 47.1-12 – Powers
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 47.1-19 – Fees
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Secretary of the Commonwealth. Notary Reference Guide 2025
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Secretary of the Commonwealth. Renew Your Commission
12
Secretary of the Commonwealth. Learn About Becoming an Electronic Notary