How to Get a Notary License in Pennsylvania: Course, Bond, Exam

To become a notary in Pennsylvania, you apply to the Department of State for a four-year commission after meeting the eligibility rules, finishing a three-hour approved education course, buying a surety bond, and (if you are new) passing a written exam administered by Pearson VUE.¹ Once the commission is issued, you have 45 days to take the oath, record the bond, register your signature, and get a stamp and journal before you can perform your first notarial act. Plan on roughly $150 to $200 in upfront costs across the application fee, exam, bond premium, and supplies.

Who Qualifies

Four basic requirements must all be true when you apply:²

You are at least 18.
You are a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
You live in Pennsylvania, or you work or maintain a professional practice in the state. Residency is not required if your job is here.
You can read and write English.

The Department also reviews your character and criminal history. A felony conviction, an offense involving fraud or dishonesty, or a civil finding based on deceit can all disqualify you, as can a notary commission that has been revoked or suspended in any state.³ An Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) for a qualifying offense counts the same as a conviction.

Take the Three-Hour Education Course

Every first-time applicant must finish a three-hour notary education course that has been pre-approved by the Department of State.⁴ The course covers notarial duties, the governing statutes and regulations, ethics, and electronic notarization.⁵ Interactive online formats and in-person classroom formats both qualify.

Timing matters. You must complete the course within the six months immediately before you submit your application. Wait seven months and you have to take it again. The Department’s website lists currently approved providers.

Buy Your Surety Bond

Pennsylvania requires every notary to carry a surety bond that covers the full four-year term of the commission. The bond protects the public if your errors or misconduct cause someone financial harm. As of March 28, 2026, the required bond amount increases from $10,000 to $25,000 for new and reappointment applications.

You buy the bond from an insurance company authorized to write surety bonds in Pennsylvania, and you pay a premium rather than the face amount. Most applicants pay somewhere between $30 and $75 depending on the bonding company and the bond size. Keep the company name, bond number, and effective dates handy because you will enter them on the application.

Submit the Application

With your course certificate and bond in hand, apply through the online portal on the Department of State’s website. Upload your course completion certificate and bond documentation in a single session, so have both files ready before you start.² The application fee is $42.⁶

Processing generally takes two to four weeks once the Department has a complete application.⁷ For first-time applicants, exam scheduling happens during that window, which stretches the total timeline from submission to active commission.

Pass the Exam

First-time applicants who do not already hold a Pennsylvania notary commission must pass a written exam administered by Pearson VUE. You apply first; the Department emails you testing instructions and site information after it reviews your application.⁶

The exam has 30 multiple-choice questions with three answer options each, and you get 60 minutes. Not every question carries the same weight. You pass with a scaled score of 75 or higher. If you fall short, you see how close you came and can retake. Each attempt costs $65. People renewing an existing commission do not need to retake the exam.

The 45 Days After Your Commission Is Issued

Getting the commission does not mean you can start notarizing. You have 45 days from your commission date to complete three administrative steps, and missing the deadline forfeits the commission entirely.¹

Oath, Bond Recording, and Signature Registration

Go to the prothonotary (or recorder of deeds, depending on the county) in the county where you maintain your notary office. Take the oath of office, record your bond, and register your official signature. All three happen in the same office, and all three must be done inside the 45-day window.

Order Your Seal

You need a rubber stamp seal before performing any notarial act. The stamp cannot exceed one inch by three and a half inches, must have a plain border, and must include the following on every impression:

The words “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”
The words “Notary Seal”
Your commissioned name followed by “Notary Public”
The county where you maintain your office
Your commission expiration date
Your commission number

Office supply and notary supply vendors will customize a stamp once you have your commission number. A self-inking stamp usually runs $25 to $40. An embosser is allowed as an additional tool, but the rubber stamp is the official seal and must appear on every paper document you notarize.

Set Up Your Journal

State law requires every notary to maintain a chronological journal of all notarial acts.⁸ A bound physical journal or an electronic one both work. Each entry needs the date and time of the act, a description of the document, the type of notarial act performed, the full name and address of the person who appeared before you, the identification method you used, and any fee you charged. The journal belongs to you and cannot be seized by creditors, and it is your best protection if an act is ever questioned.

What a Pennsylvania Notary Cannot Do

The commission does not make you a lawyer. Pennsylvania law bars notaries from drafting legal documents, giving legal advice, practicing law, and acting as immigration consultants, and you cannot accept payment for any of those activities.⁹ You cannot use the title “notario” or “notario publico,” which in many Latin American countries describe professionals with authority a U.S. notary does not have. If you advertise notarial services, every advertisement, in every language it uses, must include a disclaimer that you are not an attorney, cannot draft legal documents or give legal advice, and cannot charge for those services.

The Department of State can revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew your commission, and it can impose administrative fines of up to $1,000 per violation. Violating the notary law is also a summary offense that carries a criminal fine of up to $1,000 on conviction.³

Renewing and Keeping Your Information Current

Your commission lasts four years. To renew, finish another three-hour continuing education course (one approved specifically for reappointment, not the initial course) within the six months before you apply.⁴ You do not retake the exam. File at least two to three months before your current commission expires so there is no gap in your authority.⁶

While your commission is active, report any change of name, home address, or office address to the Department of State within 30 days. If you move your office to a different county, re-register your signature with the prothonotary or recorder of deeds in the new county within 30 days of the move.¹⁰ Missing the 30-day window does not automatically end your commission, but it puts you out of compliance and can become grounds for discipline.

1
Pennsylvania Department of State. Notaries and Notary Services
2
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply to Be a Notary
3
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 57 Pa.C.S.A. 323 – Sanctions
4
Department of State | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mandatory Education Requirement
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Code 57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3 – Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State. Application Information
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Notary Application
8
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 57 Pa.C.S. 319 – Journal
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Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 57 Pa.C.S.A. 325 – Prohibited Acts
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Department of State | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Update Your Information