To get or keep a Washington notary commission, you need a Washington notary surety bond in the amount of $10,000, issued by a surety company authorized to write bonds in the state and filed with the Department of Licensing. The bond has to stay active for the full four-year commission term, and you cannot perform any notarial act while it isn’t on file.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 42.45.200 – Commission, Qualifications, Oath, Surety Bond, Commission Term, Electronic Records Notary Public
Who the Bond Protects
A surety bond is a three-party arrangement. You are the principal. The State of Washington is the obligee, holding the bond on behalf of the public. The bonding company is the surety that guarantees payment if a claim is proved. This is not insurance for you. It protects everyone else from you.
If a member of the public suffers financial harm from an error or misconduct in one of your notarial acts, they can file a claim against the bond. The surety pays the claimant up to the $10,000 limit, and then collects from you. That reimbursement obligation is built into the indemnity agreement you sign when you buy the bond. The bonding company is lending its creditworthiness, not absorbing your liability.
Washington law also requires the surety to notify the Department of Licensing within 30 days of paying any claim against your bond.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 42.45.200 – Commission, Qualifications, Oath, Surety Bond, Commission Term, Electronic Records Notary Public That notice becomes part of your record and can affect a future renewal.
Amount, Term, and Cost
The required amount is $10,000, set by WAC 308-30-030.2Washington State Legislature. Washington Administrative Code 308-30-030 – Application Process for Notary Public Commission The bond must come from a surety company licensed or authorized to write surety bonds in Washington. An unauthorized provider will get your application rejected.
The bond term has to match your four-year commission or expire on the same date the commission does.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 42.45.200 – Commission, Qualifications, Oath, Surety Bond, Commission Term, Electronic Records Notary Public The premium you pay is a small fraction of the $10,000 face amount. Rates vary by provider, but a standard four-year notary bond typically runs about $50 to $100 total. Some sureties price on credit history; others use a flat rate.
Getting the Bond and Filing It
Order the $10,000 bond from any surety or insurance company authorized in Washington. The bond form must conform to the format the director prescribes, and you sign it personally. Most providers turn a notary bond around in a day or two.
The bond travels with your application. The Department of Licensing needs three things together: the signed surety bond, a signed and notarized oath of office, and the application fee.2Washington State Legislature. Washington Administrative Code 308-30-030 – Application Process for Notary Public Commission Make sure the name on the bond exactly matches the commission name on your application and oath. Your commission name must include your surname and at least the initials of your first and middle names, and any mismatch between the three documents creates delays.
One point the department flags: do not send an errors and omissions insurance policy with your application. Only the surety bond belongs in the packet.3Washington State Department of Licensing. Frequently Asked Questions: Notaries Public
Keeping the Bond Active
Your authority to notarize exists only while a valid bond is on file with the department. The statute is absolute: no bond, no notarial acts.1Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 42.45.200 – Commission, Qualifications, Oath, Surety Bond, Commission Term, Electronic Records Notary Public
If the surety cancels your bond for any reason, it has to give the department at least 30 days’ notice before the cancellation takes effect. That gives you a narrow window to secure a replacement bond and get it on file. Any notarization performed after the bond lapses is unauthorized, and if a claim arises from that period, you carry the liability personally with no surety backstop.
Renewing the Bond
Because commissions run four years and cannot be extended, renewal always means a fresh bond. You can start the renewal process up to 120 days before your commission expires, and the department recommends against waiting. If the commission lapses, there is no reinstatement — you have to file a brand-new application, with a new bond.4Washington State Department of Licensing. Renew or Update Your License: Notaries Public
Renewal requires a new $10,000 surety bond covering the next four-year term plus the renewal fee, submitted online through SecureAccess Washington or by mail.4Washington State Department of Licensing. Renew or Update Your License: Notaries Public Order the renewal bond early so the certificate is in hand when you file.
The Bond Is Not Insurance for You
New notaries often expect the surety bond to protect them the way an insurance policy would. It doesn’t. The bond and errors and omissions (E&O) insurance work in opposite directions.
A claim on your bond gets paid by the surety, and then you reimburse the surety. An E&O claim gets paid by your insurer, which also covers your defense costs, and you owe nothing back. E&O policies typically respond to unintentional mistakes and to groundless claims where you did nothing wrong but still have to defend yourself.
Washington requires the surety bond and does not require E&O coverage. Whether to add E&O is your call, but a single notarization error on a real estate closing can generate legal costs well beyond the $10,000 the bond covers. The bond exists to make the injured party whole. It does not protect your bank account.