Massachusetts notary public: four references and the Governor's Council

Who Massachusetts appoints

• At least 18 (M.G.L. c. 222, s. 13).
• You live in Massachusetts, or have a regular place of work or business there.
• Four people who know you sign the application; the form says one of the four must be a member of the bar in good standing.
• You have read Chapter 222, as amended by Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016, and agree to follow it.
• Nothing the Governor may treat as grounds for denial, such as a material misstatement, certain convictions, fraud-related civil liability, or a revoked commission or professional license.

Source: Apply to become a notary public, mass.gov; M.G.L. c. 222.

References to swearing in: the Massachusetts path

1. Line up four references. Each signs the certificate on the application saying they know you; per the form, one signs as an attorney.
2. Complete the application. Answer every question, initial the statements, have the notary block completed by a current Massachusetts notary, and staple an up-to-date resume to it. Send no fee.
3. Mail it to the State House. Notary Public Office, State House, Room 184, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133.
4. Wait for approval. The Governor and Governor's Council act on the application. Written notice takes about two weeks, with swearing-in instructions.
5. Pay $60 and be sworn in. Pay the $60 commission fee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth and follow the notice's swearing-in directions.
6. Order your seal and bound journal. Both must meet Chapter 222; the Public Records Division also takes seal orders.

Source: Apply to become a notary public, mass.gov.

Massachusetts costs

Massachusetts notary costs as the official pages state them

Item	Amount
Application	No fee Mailed with no payment.
Commission fee	$60 Paid only after you are told the application was approved.
Seal with the Commonwealth seal facsimile	Vendor price Black ink if inked.
Bound journal with numbered pages	Vendor price Required for most notaries.

The only state charge is the $60 commission fee, paid after approval. Seal and journal prices come from vendors.

Source: Apply to become a notary public, mass.gov.

Seven years, and how renewal starts

A Massachusetts commission lasts seven years. For renewal, call the Public Records Division; the Trial Court Law Libraries page says the Secretary mails renewal applications five weeks before expiration.

Send the state secretary a signed notice of a change of name, residence, business or mailing address within 10 days (c. 222, s. 25). Get a new seal at renewal, with a new commission, or after a name change.

Source: Apply to become a notary public, mass.gov; Massachusetts law about notaries public; M.G.L. c. 222.

Remote notarization in Massachusetts: not open yet

The Secretary of the Commonwealth's Remote Online Notarization page says the training and notification form are not yet available, so notaries should not use online remote platforms at this time.

When it opens, c. 222, s. 28 requires you to register before your first remote act, name your technology from the Secretary's registry of approved providers, and show proof of any required training, which may not exceed three hours. You must be in Massachusetts, each act is recorded and kept 10 years, and remote notarization is not available for wills, codicils or records about the electoral process.

Source: Remote Online Notarization, Secretary of the Commonwealth; M.G.L. c. 222, s. 28.

Fees that are fixed only for protests, and the journal

Massachusetts fixes notary fees only for protests of bills, notes and checks (c. 262, s. 41). Notarizing absentee ballot materials and veterans' benefit applications must be free (c. 222, s. 23), and a technology services fee is allowed only if disclosed and limited to your actual, reasonable cost.

Keep a chronological journal: on paper, a permanent bound register with numbered pages, one at a time. Attorneys, their employees and government-employed notaries are generally exempt. Keep the journal seven years after your commission ends. Your seal shows your name, "notary public", "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" or "Massachusetts", your expiration date and a facsimile of the Commonwealth seal.

Source: M.G.L. c. 262, s. 41; M.G.L. c. 222; Massachusetts law about notaries public.

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Massachusetts notary questions

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General information from official Massachusetts sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the Governor's Council and the Secretary of the Commonwealth before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.