PA Notary Application: Education, Exam, and Bond Steps

To get a Pennsylvania notary application approved, you must be at least 18, complete a three-hour state-approved education course within the six months before you apply, submit the application and $42 fee through the Department of State’s online system, and pass a Pearson VUE exam. Once appointed, a 45-day clock starts: you have to obtain a $10,000 surety bond, take the oath of office, and record the bond, oath, and commission with the recorder of deeds in your county. Miss any part of that window and the commission is void.¹

Who Can Apply

Pennsylvania’s Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) sets the baseline eligibility in 57 Pa. C.S. § 321(a). You must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident. You also must either live in Pennsylvania or work within the Commonwealth, and you must be able to read and write English.¹

Beyond those basics, your history matters. Under § 323, the Department of State can deny a commission for conduct showing a lack of honesty, integrity, or competence. The specific triggers include:

A conviction for any felony or any offense involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit.
Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) for the same categories of offenses.
Civil liability, by judgment or admission, based on your fraud, dishonesty, or deceit.
A dishonest misstatement or omission on your commission application.
A notary commission that was denied, revoked, or suspended in another state.

If any of these apply to you, the online application asks you to upload documentation and a written explanation. A past issue is not an automatic bar; the Department reviews these case by case. Concealing one, on the other hand, is itself grounds for denial.²

Complete the Three-Hour Education Course First

Every first-time applicant must finish a three-hour notary education course from the Department of State’s approved provider list before applying. The curriculum covers the statutes, regulations, procedures, and ethics governing notarial acts, including electronic notarization. You can take it in a classroom or as interactive online instruction, as long as the provider is pre-approved.³

Watch the clock on this one. The course must be completed within the six months immediately before you submit your application. A certificate dated seven months out is invalid, and you would need to retake the course. Save the certificate as a PDF, JPG, DOC, or TIFF file because you will upload it with the application.⁴

File the Online Application

The Department of State uses an online filing system that must be completed in a single session; it cannot be saved partway through. Before you log in, gather:

Your legal name and any aliases you have used.
Current employer information.
Your education course certificate of completion.
Criminal history documentation and a written explanation, if applicable.
Prior commission details, if you have held a Pennsylvania notary commission before.

The fee is $42, nonrefundable, and covers both the application and the later filing of your bond with the Department.¹ Processing generally takes two to four weeks.⁵

Pass the Pearson VUE Exam

First-time applicants who do not already hold a Pennsylvania commission must pass a state exam. Once the Department approves your application, Pearson VUE emails you scheduling instructions.⁶

The exam is 30 multiple-choice questions, five of them unscored pretest items, with a 60-minute time limit and a passing scaled score of 75. It is closed-book, so no notes or electronic devices at your desk. Questions come from the same material as the three-hour course: Pennsylvania notarial law under RULONA, proper procedures for each type of notarial act, and ethical duties. Preparation matters. The exam tests specific details rather than general concepts, and if you fail you can reschedule and retake, but each attempt extends an already multi-week process.

The 45-Day Clock After Appointment

Passing the exam triggers your appointment, and § 321 then gives you 45 days to complete three separate requirements. You cannot perform a single notarial act until all three are done, and you cannot extend the window.¹

Buy the $10,000 Surety Bond

You must obtain a $10,000 surety bond from an insurance company authorized to do business in Pennsylvania. The bond protects the public, not you: if you make an error or violate the law in a notarial act, an injured party can claim against it, and you remain personally liable to the bonding company for anything it pays out. Four-year premiums typically run between $40 and $100 for applicants with good credit.¹

Take the Oath and Record Everything With the County

You must take an oath or affirmation of office and then record the bond, oath, and commission with the recorder of deeds in the county where you keep your notary office. Separately, your official signature must be registered in the “Notary Register” kept at the prothonotary’s office or recorder of deeds in that same county. These are two distinct statutory steps under subsections (d.1) and (d.2) of § 321, so confirm your county’s process for handling both.¹

If You Miss the 45 Days

Fail to complete either the signature registration or the bond-and-oath recording within 45 days, and your commission is automatically null and void. There are no extensions in the statute. You would need to start the entire process over, including a new application and a new $42 fee.⁷

Order Your Seal Before Taking Any Jobs

You also need a compliant official seal before performing any notarial acts. Under § 317, the seal must be a rubber stamp (embossers are not permitted), no larger than one inch tall by three-and-a-half inches wide, surrounded by a plain border, and it must display, in order:

“Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”
“Notary Seal”
Your name exactly as it appears on your commission, followed by “Notary Public”
The county where you maintain your office
Your commission expiration date

The impression must photocopy clearly alongside the document it authenticates.⁸

A Pennsylvania commission does not automatically authorize remote online notarization. If you plan to offer it, you must separately notify the Department of State, get approval, and identify an approved technology platform before performing any electronic or remote notarial acts.⁹

What the Whole Process Costs

The $42 application fee is just the start. A realistic budget looks like this:

Application fee: $42, nonrefundable, covers application and bond filing.
Education course: typically $50 to $125, depending on the provider.
Surety bond premium: roughly $40 to $100 for a four-year, $10,000 bond with good credit.
Notary seal/stamp: usually $15 to $40, depending on the vendor.
County recording fees: $10 to $60, varies by county.
Exam fee: included in the application process through Pearson VUE at no separate cost to the applicant.

Most first-time Pennsylvania notaries end up spending between $150 and $300 to get fully commissioned, not counting the time for the course, the exam, and the county office visits.

A Note on Renewals

If you already hold a Pennsylvania commission and are renewing, the process is not identical to a first-time application. Commissions last four years. You must complete a separate three-hour continuing education course (distinct from the initial course) within the six months before your reappointment application, pay the same $42 fee through the online system, and complete the same 45-day bond, oath, and recording steps. Renewing notaries generally do not retake the Pearson VUE exam.⁴

1
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 57 Chapter 3 Section 321 – Appointment and Commission as Notary Public; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit
2
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 57 Section 323 – Sanctions
3
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mandatory Education Requirement
4
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply to be a Notary
5
Pennsylvania Department of State. Notaries
6
Pearson VUE. Pennsylvania Notary Certification Testing with Pearson VUE
7
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 57 Section 321 – Appointment and Commission as Notary Public; Qualifications; No Immunity or Benefit
8
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. RULONA Act 73 of 2013 as Amended
9
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Electronic or Remote Notarization