Delaware notary commission
Delaware notary public: a two-year first term and a required journal
Create a notary profile, apply online and pay $60 for a first commission, which is a two-year term. When the commission arrives by email, sign it and take the oath of office before a notary, then return a copy; you can't act until the Secretary of State receives it. Delaware requires no bond, training or exam, but since August 1, 2023 every notary keeps a journal.
Who Delaware commissions
- 18 or older and able to read and write English (29 Del. C. 4301(b)).
- A US citizen or permanent legal resident.
- A Delaware street-address residence, or an office or employer in Delaware open Monday to Friday during business hours. A PO box, virtual office or registered agent doesn't count.
- Of good character: felons whose rights are not restored and anyone convicted of a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude are not eligible. Any prior conviction needs a certified background check.
- A reasonable need for a commission.
Source: FAQs, Delaware Notary Public Section; 29 Del. C. chapter 43.
Profile to oath in Delaware
- Create a notary profile. At notaryforms.delaware.gov. Everything, including your commission certificate and renewal notices, comes by email.
- Apply online and pay $60. A first commission is a two-year term only. Fees are nonrefundable, even if the application is rejected.
- Save your emailed commission. Keep the PDF; a replacement is free if you lose it.
- Take the oath. Sign the commission certificate and take the Oath of Office before a notary, then return a copy as the email instructs. You may not act until the Secretary of State receives it (4308).
- Buy your stamp and journal. Stamp under 4330; journal as a bound book with numbered pages or a tamper-evident electronic journal (4332).
Source: How to Apply for a Notary Commission; 29 Del. C. chapter 43.
Delaware's commission fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First commission (2-year term) | $60 Nonrefundable. |
| Renewal for a 4-year term | $90 Nonrefundable. |
| Bond | None required Per the Notary Public Section's FAQ. |
| Training or exam | None required Chapter 43 has no course or exam section. |
| Stamp or embosser | Vendor price Black-ink rubber stamp or metal embosser. |
| Journal | Vendor price Required: bound with numbered pages, or electronic. |
A new Delaware commission costs $60 in state fees. The stamp and journal are the other startup costs.
Source: Fee Information; FAQs.
DE starter kit · $29
Delaware Notary Starter Kit
Delaware's profile, $60 application and oath steps, the $5 and $25 caps, ID rules, the journal required since 2023, stamp rules, remote privileges, the required not-an-attorney statement, a checklist, a budget and journal pages.
Two years first, then two or four
A first Delaware commission runs two years; renewals are for two or four years (29 Del. C. 4307(a)). Renew in your profile with "Renew Commission"; a reminder goes out about 30 days before expiration.
Report an address change within 30 days (4301(c)(3)). A name change is free in your profile, and you then have up to six weeks to get a new stamp.
Source: 29 Del. C. chapter 43; FAQs.
Remote notarization in Delaware
Request remote privileges in your Notary Profile, use a provider on the Approved Technology Providers list, and notify the Secretary of State of your technology before your first remote act (4320(l)). The public notary database shows whether a notary is approved for remote or electronic acts.
You must be physically in Delaware; the signer may be elsewhere, and outside the US only under 4320(c)(4). Identify the signer by personal knowledge, a credible witness, or at least two different types of identity proofing. Make an audio-visual recording and keep it at least 10 years, and state on the certificate that communication technology was used. For a paper record, the signer sends you the signed record and a declaration within 3 days (4320(e)).
Source: 29 Del. C. chapter 43 (4320, 4335).
Delaware fee caps and the 2023 journal rule
29 Del. C. 4311 caps a notarial act on a paper record at $5 and on an electronic record at $25, and you may waive any fee. Acknowledgments or oaths for veterans' papers or service-related claims may not carry the usual fee (4312). Charging over the limit can lead to revocation and a two-year bar on reappointment. Give customers your fee list before the service or travel.
Since August 1, 2023 every commissioned notary keeps one journal, paper or electronic (4332). Each entry, made at the time of the act, records the date and time, the record and type of act, each person's full name and address, how you identified them and any fee. Keep each journal 10 years after its last act. Your stamp shows your name as on file, "State of Delaware" and your expiration date (4330).
Source: 29 Del. C. chapter 43; FAQs.
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Delaware notary questions
Does Delaware require a notary bond or exam?
No. The Notary Public Section's FAQ says neither a bond nor training or an exam is required.
Why is my first Delaware commission only two years?
A first commission is a two-year term only. Renewals can be for two or four years; a four-year renewal is $90.
Does a Delaware notary need a journal?
Yes. Since August 1, 2023 every commissioned notary keeps one, paper or electronic, for 10 years after its last act.
What can a Delaware notary charge?
Up to $5 per act on a paper record and $25 on an electronic record. Delaware law doesn't address travel, but give customers your fee list first.
Can I notarize before the Secretary of State receives my oath?
No. You may not act until the Secretary of State receives the signed oath (4308).
Guides for other states · Becoming a notary in New Jersey
General information from official Delaware sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the Delaware Secretary of State, Notary Public Section before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the State of Delaware.