Important: Once these requirements are met, the recorder of deeds will issue your commission certificate. If these requirements are not met within the forty-five-day period, your notary public commission becomes null and void and you will have to reapply again.
Click here to start the notary application process in Pennsylvania.
To become a notary public in Pennsylvania, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
Note: The following persons are NOT eligible to hold the office of notary public:
Pennsylvania notaries must file an application for reappointment with the Pennsylvania Department of State at least two to three months prior to the expiration of their current notary public commissions to ensure uninterrupted “commissioned” status. Notaries applying for reappointment as notaries public must follow the same process and education requirements as the initial application for appointment as a notary public, with the exception of the notary exam (if applicable) . The processing time for renewal applications with the Pennsylvania Department of State is approximately one month.
The Pennsylvania Department of State appoints notaries public, administers the commissioning process, retains the records on notaries public, and maintains an electronic database of active notaries and electronic notaries.
Pennsylvania Department of State
Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation
Legislation and Notaries
210 North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029
(717) 787-5280
Email: RA-Notaries@pa.gov
Yes. A non-resident may apply to become a Pennsylvania notary public if the non-resident meets the following requirements:
The term of office for a Pennsylvania notary public is four years. A notary cannot notarize documents after their notary commission expires without first renewing their notary commission.
Yes. Pennsylvania notaries public are required to complete a three-hour approved notary public education course within six months before submitting their notary application.
Furthermore, all applicants for an initial commission as a notary public must pass an examination administered by the Pennsylvania Department of State’s examination vendor, Pearson VUE.
Click here to view a list of approved education providers.
The cost to become a notary in Pennsylvania includes:
A notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy is not required to become a Pennsylvania notary public or to renew your notary commission. However, the American Association of Notaries strongly recommends that every Pennsylvania notary obtain a notary E&O insurance policy. This insurance protects you from a claim if a client sues you as a notary. A notary E&O policy covers unintentional notarial mistakes and pays for legal fees and damages based on the coverage you select as a Pennsylvania notary public.
Pennsylvania notary errors and omissions insurance policies are available to order online at the American Association of Notaries website.
Yes. All Pennsylvania notary public applicants are required to obtain and maintain a four-year surety bond in the amount of $10,000 for the duration of their notary terms. Within 45 days of your appointment or reappointment as a notary public, your notary bond, oath of office and notary commission must be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds in the county in which you maintain an office. This type of bond protects the public from notary errors. However, it does not protect the notary. If a member of the public files a claim against your notary bond, the bonding company is very likely to sue you to recoup the funds it paid on your behalf. This is why notary errors and omissions insurance (commonly known as “E&O” or “E&O insurance”) is vital.
Click here to order your four-year, $10,000 Pennsylvania notary bond online at the American Association of Notaries website. The notary bond is available for download instantly upon checkout on our website.
Yes. The Pennsylvania notary statute requires all notaries public to use an inked rubber stamp to authenticate all their official acts (57 Pa C.S. §317). The rubber stamp must be rectangular and have a plain border. The stamp’s dimensions cannot exceed a height of 1 inch or a width of 3½ inches.
The official notary stamp must show the information below in the following order:
Note: Notaries may use a notary seal embosser in addition to the notary stamp. However, the embosser is optional and may not replace the rubber stamp seal.
The American Association of Notaries offers quality notary stamps and notary seals at savings of up to 40% or more compared to the same products elsewhere. Click here to order your Pennsylvania notary stamp, a notary package, and other notary supplies.
If a notary stamp is lost or stolen, the notary public must notify the Pennsylvania Department of State within fifteen days of discovering the loss or theft by submitting the Report of Loss or Theft of Notary Stamping Device form. A notary can also file a police report if the items were stolen.
Pennsylvania notary fees are set by the Pennsylvania Department of State. The maximum allowable fees that a Pennsylvania notary public may charge for notarial acts are listed below:
The notary public may waive the right to charge a fee and may charge reasonable clerical or administrative fees for services provided in addition to the notarization of a document. Customers should be informed prior to the notarization of a document if a clerical fee is being charged in addition to the notary public fees, and their receipt should itemize these fees. In addition, clerical and administrative fees must be separately itemized in the notary journal.
Notary Journal requirements for each type of notarization in Pennsylvania:
For traditional notarizations, electronic notarizations (eNotarizations) and remote online notarizations (RONs) – A notary public must record all notarial acts performed in chronological order in a notary journal. A notary journal may be created on a tangible medium or in an electronic format. A notary may maintain a separate notary journal for tangible records and for electronic records. If the notary journal is maintained in an electronic format, it must be in a tamper-evident electronic format complying with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of State.
A notary journal (also known as a record book, log book, or register book) is your first line of defense in proving your innocence if a notarial act you performed is questioned or if you are requested to testify in a court of law about a notarial act you performed in the past. A properly recorded notarial act creates a paper trail that will help investigators locate and prosecute signers who have committed forgery or fraud. Properly recorded notarial acts provide evidence that you followed your state laws and notary’s best practices.
The American Association of Notaries offers notary journals in tangible and electronic formats.
Click here to purchase a tangible notary journal.
Click here to become a member and access our electronic notary journal.
For Traditional Notarizations, Electronic Notarizations, and Remote Notarizations - Pennsylvania notaries are required to chronicle the following information in their notary journals:
If a notary journal is lost or stolen, the notary public must notify the Pennsylvania Department of State within fifteen days of discovering the loss or theft by submitting a Report of Loss or Theft of Notary Journal form. A notary can also file a police report if the notary journal was stolen.
Once you no longer hold the office of notary public, within thirty days, you must deliver your notary journal to the office of the recorder of deeds in the county where you last maintained an office. The notary journal must be delivered if any of the following events occur:
A Pennsylvania notary public has statewide jurisdiction and may perform notarial acts in all counties within the geographic borders in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A notary public must be physically present in Pennsylvania regardless of whether the notarization is in-person or remote. A Pennsylvania notary public commission is only valid in and for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A Pennsylvania notary public is authorized to perform the following notarial acts:
Pennsylvania allows the following three types of notarizations:
Traditional notarizations – This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to meet physically in the same room within face-to-face proximity of one another. Traditional notarization involves an individual signing a tangible document with an inked pen and a notary public signing and affixing an inked notary stamp impression to the tangible notarial certificate.
Electronic notarizations (eNotarization) – This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to meet physically in the same room within face-to-face proximity of one another. However, the notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate.
Remote online notarizations – The signer appears remotely before a notary via audio-visual communication technology. The notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate.
Below are the steps to become an electronic notary in Pennsylvania:
Below are the steps to become a remote online notary in Pennsylvania:
A notary public must notify the Pennsylvania Department of State within thirty days of any change in the information on file, including the notary public’s office address or home address. The notary may notify the Department of State by completing and emailing the Notary Public Change of Address/Email form or by completing the Update Notary Information form on the Department of State’s website.
If the notary’s new office address is in a different county, the notary public must register their official signature in the recorder’s office of the new county within thirty days of moving into the new county.
A notary public must notify the Pennsylvania Department of State within thirty days of any change to their legal name. The notary may notify the department of state by completing and emailing the Notary Public Change of Name form or by completing the Update Notary Information form on the Department of State’s website. The notice of a change in name must be accompanied by evidence of the name change such as a marriage certificate, court order, or divorce decree.
Following notification to the Pennsylvania Department of State, the notary may use the new name or continue to perform notarial acts in the name in which the notary was commissioned until the expiration of the notary's term. However, before using the new name on notarial work, the notary public must register the new signature with the recorder of deed’s office in the county where the notary's office address is located and purchase a new notary stamp.
Legal disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. We do not claim to be attorneys and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. You should always seek the advice of a licensed attorney for any legal matters. It is your responsibility to know the appropriate notary laws governing your state. In no event shall the American Association of Notaries, its employees, or contractors be liable to you for any claims, penalties, losses, damages, or expenses, howsoever arising, including, and without limitation, direct or indirect loss, or consequential loss, out of or in connection with the use of the information contained on any of the American Association of Notaries website pages. Notaries are advised to seek the advice of their state’s notary authorities or attorneys if they have legal questions.
Pennsylvania notary bonds and errors and omissions insurance policies provided by this insurance agency, the American Association of Notaries, Inc., are underwritten by Western Surety Company (established 1900). Kal Tabbara is a licensed insurance agent in Pennsylvania.