Pennsylvania notary commission
Becoming a Pennsylvania notary: course, exam, bond and the 45-day deadline
Take a 3-hour approved course, apply online for $42, pass the Pearson VUE exam ($65 a test), buy a $25,000 bond, then take your oath and record your bond and commission with the county recorder of deeds within 45 days. Miss that window and the commission is void.
Pennsylvania eligibility
- At least 18 years old.
- A US citizen or permanent legal resident.
- You live or work in Pennsylvania.
- You can read and write English.
- You meet the Department's character, criminal conviction and prior sanction rules. Members of Congress, certain salaried federal officeholders and members of the General Assembly may not serve.
Source: Apply to be a Notary.
Six steps, and the one that voids commissions
- Finish the 3-hour course. From a Department-approved provider, completed within six months before you apply. Renewing notaries take it again.
- Apply online. The filing fee is $42 for a first appointment or a reappointment.
- Pass the exam. Required if you have never held a commission or yours has lapsed. It is computer-based and given by Pearson VUE for $65 per attempt. You have six months from authorization to pass and may retest as often as needed in that window.
- Buy the bond. A $25,000 bond from an insurer authorized in Pennsylvania.
- Record within 45 days. Take the oath and record your bond, oath and commission with the recorder of deeds in the county where you keep your office, within 45 days of appointment and before you notarize anything. Miss it and the commission is null and void; you reapply and buy a new bond.
- Then buy the stamp and journal. Only now do you have the commission details the stamp must show.
Source: Mandatory education; Examination requirement; Bonding requirement.
Pennsylvania commission costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| 3-hour education course | Set by provider Approved providers set their own prices. |
| Application | $42 First appointment and reappointment. |
| Exam (Pearson VUE) | $65 per attempt First-time applicants and anyone whose commission has lapsed. |
| $25,000 bond | Premium set by insurer The bond protects the public, not you. |
| Recording at the recorder of deeds | Set by county Ask your county recorder. |
| Rubber stamp | Vendor price Required. An embosser is optional and cannot replace it. |
The two fixed state amounts are $42 and $65, so $107 if you pass on the first try. The course, bond premium and county recording fees vary.
Source: Apply to be a Notary; Examination requirement; Bonding requirement.
PA starter kit · $29
Pennsylvania Notary Starter Kit
The course, exam and $42 application in order, the $25,000 bond and 45-day recording deadline, fee caps, stamp and journal rules, the Department's not-an-attorney notice word for word, a commission checklist, a budget sheet and journal pages.
Studying for the exam?
Pennsylvania notary exam practice
Try 20 free practice questions with answers and sources. Pennsylvania's Pearson VUE exam is 30 questions in an hour, mostly on performing notarial acts. Study RULONA and the 2026 rules, then drill 100 questions.
Term, reappointment and when the exam comes back
A Pennsylvania commission is valid for four years from the date it is granted.
To renew, take the 3-hour course again within six months before applying and file before your commission expires. The exam returns only if your commission has lapsed or expired by the time the reappointment application arrives, even by a day.
When a commission ends without renewal, the journal goes to the recorder of deeds in the county where you last kept an office within 30 days.
Source: Information for notaries; Examination requirement.
Remote notarization in Pennsylvania
Remote notarization is permanent in Pennsylvania under Act 97 of 2020. Before your first electronic or remote act, notify the Department; once approved, identify each technology you will use, chosen from the Department's list of approved providers.
A FaceTime or similar video call is not personal appearance. Pennsylvania allows up to $20 extra per electronic or remote act, on top of the regular notarial fee.
Source: Electronic or remote notarization; Notary Public Fees.
Pennsylvania fee caps
Acknowledgments are $5 for the first person named and $2 for each additional name on the same certificate. Oaths, verifications, witnessing a signature and certified copies are $5 each; a protest is $3 per page. Customary clerical fees such as travel are allowed if you tell the customer first and list them separately on an itemized receipt.
Source: Notary Public Fees.
Want loan signings, not just walk-in notarizations? The Loan Signing Cheat Sheet explains the documents in a refinance or purchase package, and the Notary Marketing Kit covers getting found by title companies and local clients.
Pennsylvania notary questions
What happens if I miss Pennsylvania's 45-day deadline?
The commission becomes null and void. You reapply to the Department of State and get a new bond.
Do Pennsylvania notaries retake the exam to renew?
Not if you reapply while your commission is still current. If it has lapsed or expired when the application arrives, even by one day, you take the exam again. The 3-hour course is required at every renewal.
Can I be a Pennsylvania notary if I live in New Jersey?
The eligibility rule covers people who live or work in Pennsylvania, so working in Pennsylvania can qualify you. Confirm your situation with the Department of State.
How many times can I take the Pennsylvania exam?
As many as you need within six months of being authorized to test, at $65 each. If you don't pass in that window, you retake the course and reapply.
Is a seal required in Pennsylvania?
A rubber stamp is required, with a plain border, no more than 1 inch high and 3½ inches wide. An embosser is optional and does not replace it.
Guides for other states · Becoming a notary in New Jersey
General information from official Pennsylvania sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the Pennsylvania Department of State, Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.