To submit a Massachusetts notary public application, download the form from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website, gather four community endorsements (one signed by a Massachusetts attorney in good standing), and mail the completed application to the Notary Public Office at the State House in Boston. Do not send payment with it. The $60 commission fee is collected only after the Governor and Governor’s Council approve your appointment, roughly two weeks after you mail the form.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public
Who Can Apply
Massachusetts keeps the eligibility list short. You must be at least 18 and either live in the Commonwealth or have a regular workplace here.2General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Code Chapter 222 Section 13 There is no exam, no required training course, and no surety bond. U.S. citizenship is not required either; the application asks only whether you live or work in the state.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public
Several things disqualify you outright. Under the statute, you cannot hold a commission if you have been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanor that resulted in incarceration. A civil judgment or criminal conviction involving fraud or dishonesty also bars you, as does having a professional license revoked or suspended by any state or federal agency.2General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Code Chapter 222 Section 13 The Governor’s Council reviews each applicant’s background, so hiding a disqualifying history will lead to a denial and can create additional legal problems.
What to Gather Before You Start
Line these up before you sit down with the form:
- A current resume that reflects your present employment and address.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public
- Four community endorsements from known and respected Massachusetts residents attesting to your character. None can be related to you.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public
- One of those four signers must be a Massachusetts attorney in good standing, who also writes their Board of Bar Overseers (BBO) number on the form.
- A reading of Chapter 222 of the General Laws, as amended by Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016. Applicants agree on the form to comply with its terms.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public
Start looking for your endorsers early. Finding a Massachusetts attorney willing to sign is the step that stalls most applicants; if you do not already know a lawyer personally, give yourself extra time. All four signatures must be original and legible. Photocopied or electronic signatures will not be accepted.
Completing the Form
Download the application from the Secretary of the Commonwealth at mass.gov.3Mass.gov. Becoming a Notary Public Most of it is straightforward personal and employment information, but a few sections deserve care.
In the personal information section, use the exact name you want printed on your commission and, later, on your notary seal. If you go by a middle name or a middle initial, be consistent. Your seal has to match your commission letter character for character, and any mismatch between the application and supporting documents can cause delays.
The legal history section asks about criminal convictions and professional license actions. Answer every question honestly. The Governor’s Council cross-checks this information, and an incomplete or misleading disclosure is treated far more seriously than the underlying issue. If you have a past conviction that does not fall within the statutory disqualifiers, disclose it and let the Council decide.
In the endorsement section, have each person sign in your presence if you can. It is easier to catch a missing BBO number or an illegible signature before mailing than to have the form returned weeks later.
Where to Send It
Staple all pages together and mail the completed application to:4Massachusetts Government. Massachusetts Notary Public Application Form
Notary Public Office
Room 184, State House
24 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02133
Do not enclose a check. The application itself has no fee. The $60 commission fee is collected by the Secretary of the Commonwealth only after your application is approved.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public Sending payment early will not speed things up and can complicate processing.
What Happens After You Mail It
Expect written notification of the Governor’s decision roughly two weeks after you mail the application.1Mass.gov. Apply to Become a Notary Public If you are approved, the letter includes instructions for paying the $60 fee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth and for scheduling your oath of office.
Taking the Oath
You cannot perform any notarizations until you take the oath. The Secretary of the Commonwealth administers oaths by appointment in Boston, Springfield, and Fall River.5Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Commissions If none of those locations is practical, many city and town clerks serve as Commissioners to Qualify and can administer the oath locally.6Town of Needham, Massachusetts. Commissioners to Qualify Oath of Office Call your local clerk first to confirm they can do it.
If you fail to take the oath within the timeframe stated in your approval letter, the appointment becomes void and you would have to reapply from scratch. Don’t let the letter sit.
Commission Term
A Massachusetts notary commission lasts seven years from the date you take the oath, unless it is revoked earlier or you resign.7Mass.gov. No. 455: Revised Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public Note the exact expiration date. It will appear on your seal, and you will need it to plan your renewal.
After Your Oath: Seal and Journal
Before performing any notarial act, you need a compliant seal and a journal. Executive Order 455 requires the seal to show your name exactly as commissioned, the words “Notary Public” together with either “Commonwealth of Massachusetts” or “Massachusetts,” your expiration date in the form “My commission expires on [date]” or a close variation, and a facsimile of the Great Seal of the Commonwealth. Ink stamps must use black ink, and you can meet the requirements with a combination of embosser and stamp as long as together they carry all the required elements.9Mass.gov. No. 455: Revised Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public
Executive Order 455 also requires a permanently bound journal with numbered pages. Loose-leaf binders, spiral notebooks, and digital files do not qualify, and you may keep only one active journal at a time. Each entry records the date and time, the type of notarial act, a description of the document, the signer’s printed name, signature, and address, the identification presented (type, issuing agency, serial number, and expiration date) or a note that you know the signer personally, any fee charged, and the location. Never write a Social Security number or credit card number in your journal. Attorneys licensed in Massachusetts are exempt from the journal requirement, though keeping one is still recommended.8Mass.gov. No. 455: Revised Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public
Renewing Before the Seven Years Run Out
The Secretary of the Commonwealth mails renewal applications to active notaries roughly five weeks before the commission expires. If your expiration date is close and nothing has arrived, call the Secretary’s office at (617) 727-2836 to request a form. The renewal process mirrors the initial application: complete the form, collect your four endorsements, and mail it back. Letting the commission lapse means starting over as a new applicant, so put the expiration date on your calendar well before the seven years are up.