Notable findings
- 28 of 51 jurisdictions require an exam, test or knowledge assessment for a new commission, according to the sources read.
- 7 say no exam is required (Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, South Carolina and Washington), and in 5 more the official pages read describe none (Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia).
- 11 are not confirmed either way: Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Several of these require a training course or orientation, which the table notes.
- Arizona is the most recent addition in the data: its file says new and renewing notaries must pass an exam since July 1, 2025.
- Where the fee data sets a dollar cap for an in-person act (38 states), caps run from $2 (Georgia and New York) to $25 (Rhode Island), median $10. 12 states have no single per-act dollar cap in the fee data; the CSV gives each one's rule as recorded. Connecticut's cap rose from $5 to $10 on July 1, 2026.
Interactive version: How to become a notary, state by state · Notary fees by state.
The four groups at a glance
- Exam required (28): AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, HI, IL, IN, LA, ME, MD, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, TX, UT, VT, WI, WY
- No exam required (7): DE, ID, IA, KS, KY, SC, WA
- No exam described (5): AK, ND, SD, VA, WV
- Not confirmed (11): AL, DC, FL, GA, MA, MI, MN, MS, NH, OK, TN
"No exam required" means the source says so in words. "No exam described" means the official pages read list the requirements and an exam is not among them, which is weaker. Requirements for electronic or remote notaries are separate; Kansas and South Carolina, for example, test remote notaries but not traditional ones.
The full table
51 rows. Select a column heading to sort. "Not confirmed" means the official source read did not state it. On a phone, swipe the table sideways.
| Alabama | Not confirmed | The file lists required training within 30 days of applying; it does not mention an exam. | $10 | sos.alabama.gov legislature.state.al.us | November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | No exam described | "describe no course or exam for an Alaska commission" | No single cap | ltgov.alaska.gov ltgov.alaska.gov | November 2026 |
| Arizona | Exam required | "Since July 1, 2025, new and renewing Arizona notaries must pass a 45-question exam" | $10 | azleg.gov azleg.gov azsos.gov | November 2026 |
| Arkansas | Exam required | "pass the 25-question exam (at least 20 correct)" | No single cap | sos.arkansas.gov sos.arkansas.gov sos.arkansas.gov | November 2026 |
| California | Exam required | "A passing score on the written exam." | $15 | sos.ca.gov sos.ca.gov sos.ca.gov | November 2026 |
| Colorado | Exam required | "pass the open-book online exam" | $15 | coloradosos.gov coloradosos.gov | November 2026 |
| Connecticut | Exam required | "Every question on the built-in exam answered correctly." | $10 | portal.ct.gov portal.ct.gov | November 2026 |
| Delaware | No exam required | "Chapter 43 has no course or exam section." | $5 | notary.delaware.gov delcode.delaware.gov notary.delaware.gov | November 2026 |
| District of Columbia | Not confirmed | The file lists a New Notary Orientation class; it does not mention an exam. | $5 | os.dc.gov code.dccouncil.gov os.dc.gov | November 2026 |
| Florida | Not confirmed | The file lists a 3-hour education course; it does not mention an exam. | $10 | notaries.dos.fl.gov flsenate.gov flgov.com | November 2026 |
| Georgia | Not confirmed | The file lists a training course, required since January 1, 2025; it does not mention an exam. | $2 | gsccca.org gsccca.org | November 2026 |
| Hawaii | Exam required | "pass the closed-book written exam with 80% or better" | $5 | ag.hawaii.gov ag.hawaii.gov notary.ehawaii.gov | November 2026 |
| Idaho | No exam required | "requires no test to apply" | $5 | sos.idaho.gov legislature.idaho.gov sos.idaho.gov | November 2026 |
| Illinois | Exam required | "Take a 3-hour course from a Secretary-certified provider and pass the exam" | $5 | ilga.gov ilga.gov ilga.gov | November 2026 |
| Indiana | Exam required | "You complete the notary education course and pass the exam." | $10 | inbiz.in.gov in.gov | November 2026 |
| Iowa | No exam required | "Iowa requires no bond and no exam" | No single cap | legis.iowa.gov publications.iowa.gov | November 2026 |
| Kansas | No exam required | "Not for paper notarizations. Training and a test are required before your first electronic or remote act." | No single cap | sos.ks.gov sos.ks.gov ksrevisor.gov | November 2026 |
| Kentucky | No exam required | "KRS 423.390 sets no training or exam for a traditional commission." | No single cap | web.sos.ky.gov boonecountyclerk.ky.gov | November 2026 |
| Louisiana | Exam required | "You pass the state notary exam. Attorneys admitted in Louisiana are exempt from the exam." | No single cap | sos.la.gov | November 2026 |
| Maine | Exam required | "A passing exam, printed on the application (4 M.R.S. 1923)." | No single cap | maine.gov legislature.maine.gov maine.gov | November 2026 |
| Maryland | Exam required | "New applicants complete an approved course of study and pass the exam" | $8 | sos.maryland.gov sos.maryland.gov mgaleg.maryland.gov | November 2026 |
| Massachusetts | Not confirmed | The file lists references and approval by the Governor and Council; it does not mention an exam. | No single cap | mass.gov malegislature.gov | November 2026 |
| Michigan | Not confirmed | The file lists a bond and the oath at the county clerk; it does not mention an exam. | $10 | michigan.gov legislature.mi.gov | November 2026 |
| Minnesota | Not confirmed | The file lists an application and county registration; it does not mention an exam. | No single cap | sos.mn.gov revisor.mn.gov | November 2026 |
| Mississippi | Not confirmed | The file lists a bond and a journal; it does not mention an exam. | $5 | sos.ms.gov sos.ms.gov | November 2026 |
| Missouri | Exam required | "You pass the Secretary of State's exam with 80% or better" | $5 | sos.mo.gov s1.sos.mo.gov | November 2026 |
| Montana | Exam required | "A passing exam score (80%) earned no more than 6 months before you apply." | $10 | sosmt.gov sosmt.gov sosmt.gov | November 2026 |
| Nebraska | Exam required | "A passing score on the Nebraska notary exam (64-101.01)." | $5 | sos.nebraska.gov nebraskalegislature.gov | November 2026 |
| Nevada | Exam required | "The required training course and exam completed (NRS 240.018)." | $15 | leg.state.nv.us leg.state.nv.us clarkcountynv.gov | November 2026 |
| New Hampshire | Not confirmed | The file lists three endorsements and appointment by the Governor and Executive Council; it does not mention an exam. | $10 | sos.nh.gov gc.nh.gov | November 2026 |
| New Jersey | Exam required | "pass the examination prescribed by the State Treasurer" Non-attorney applicants for a first commission. | Not in the fee data | nj.gov | November 2026 |
| New Mexico | Exam required | "The New Mexico Notary Education course completed and its exam passed." | $5 | sos.nm.gov nmlegis.gov sos.nm.gov | November 2026 |
| New York | Exam required | "You pass the state exam." | $2 | dos.ny.gov dos.ny.gov dos.ny.gov | November 2026 |
| North Carolina | Exam required | "pass the exam with 80% or better" | $10 | ncleg.gov ncleg.gov ncleg.gov | November 2026 |
| North Dakota | No exam described | "The Secretary of State's application and renewal pages list none." | $5 | sos.nd.gov sos.nd.gov | November 2026 |
| Ohio | Exam required | "Completion of an approved education program and test." | $5 | codes.ohio.gov codes.ohio.gov codes.ohio.gov | November 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Not confirmed | "we couldn't confirm one either way" The file says the training or exam requirement could not be confirmed either way. | $5 | oksenate.gov sos.ok.gov | November 2026 |
| Oregon | Exam required | "Notary training completed within the last six months, and a passing exam." | $10 | sos.oregon.gov oregonlegislature.gov sos.oregon.gov | November 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Exam required | "Required if you have never held a commission or yours has lapsed." | $5 | pa.gov pa.gov pa.gov | November 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Exam required | "at least 80% on the Notary Knowledge Assessment" | $25 | sos.ri.gov sos.ri.gov | November 2026 |
| South Carolina | No exam required | "No course, exam or bond is required for a traditional commission." | $5 | scstatehouse.gov sos.sc.gov | November 2026 |
| South Dakota | No exam described | "describe no exam or course" | No single cap | sdsos.gov sdlegislature.gov sdsos.gov | November 2026 |
| Tennessee | Not confirmed | The file lists election by the county commission and a bond; it does not mention an exam for a traditional commission. | No single cap | sos.tn.gov knoxcounty.org ctas.tennessee.edu | November 2026 |
| Texas | Exam required | "pass the assessment within 30 minutes" | $10 | sos.texas.gov sos.texas.gov | November 2026 |
| Utah | Exam required | "A passing score on the online exam and the mandatory background check." | $10 | notary.utah.gov | November 2026 |
| Vermont | Exam required | "A pass on a basic examination on the notary statutes, rules and ethics." | No single cap | sos.vermont.gov legislature.vermont.gov outside.vermont.gov | November 2026 |
| Virginia | No exam described | "describes no course or exam requirement for a traditional commission" | $10 | commonwealth.virginia.gov commonwealth.virginia.gov | November 2026 |
| Washington | No exam required | "No training class or test is required" | $15 | dol.wa.gov dol.wa.gov | November 2026 |
| West Virginia | No exam described | "The application page mentions no exam or course." | $10 | sos.wv.gov code.wvlegislature.gov | November 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Exam required | "A score of 90% or better on DFI's notary exam within one year of applying." | $5 | dfi.wi.gov docs.legis.wisconsin.gov apps.dfi.wi.gov | November 2026 |
| Wyoming | Exam required | "Notary education completed and the required exam passed (32-3-121)." | $10 | sos.wyo.gov wyoleg.gov sos.wyo.gov | November 2026 |
Methodology
Exam status is read from the site's state-by-state notary guides (src/become-notary-states.js), each built from that state's official commissioning pages and checked in November 2026; New Jersey's row comes from the Division of Revenue's notary education and testing page cited in the site's NJ exam material. For each state, the "From the source" column quotes the sentence the status rests on, and a test in the site's code checks that each quote is still in that state's record.
Four statuses keep the strength of the evidence visible: required, not required (stated in words), none described (the official requirement list has no exam) and not confirmed (the record doesn't address it). Fee caps come from src/state-fees-data.js: 18 states were read from official fee pages on October 24, 2026, the rest from the same official sources in November 2026; the CSV gives each row's date. New Jersey's fee is outside that file and shows as "Not in the fee data".
Fields the source didn't state show as "Not confirmed" here and in the CSV, never as a guess. The CSV is built from the same files each time it is downloaded and includes the source title, URL and checked date on every row. General information only, not legal or tax advice.
Cite this page
Link: https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/data/notary-exam-requirements-by-state. When quoting a single state, please also link the official source in that row.
Common questions
How many states require a notary exam?
28 of the 51 jurisdictions in this data, counting New Jersey and DC as jurisdictions. 11 are not confirmed either way.
Which states say no exam is needed?
Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, South Carolina and Washington say so in the sources read. Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia describe no exam in the pages read.
Which state added an exam most recently?
Arizona, from July 1, 2025, for new and renewing notaries.
Does Texas have an exam?
Texas applicants complete the Secretary of State's education course in the Notary Portal and pass its assessment within 30 minutes, so the table counts it as required.
Do these rules cover remote notaries?
No. The table is about a traditional commission. Remote and electronic notaries often have separate training and tests.