West Virginia notary commission
West Virginia notary commission: a $52 online application and a five-year term
Read W. Va. Code chapter 39, article 4, then apply online through ERLS and pay the $52 filing fee, swearing under penalty of perjury that your answers are true; there's no separate oath of office. Check the name and address in your commission letter, order your rubber stamp from it, and notarize only once your commission certificate arrives. The term is five years, and the bond requirement ended in 2018.
West Virginia eligibility
- 18 or older.
- A US citizen or permanent legal resident.
- A West Virginia resident, or a resident of another state who works at an office address within the state.
- Able to read and write English, with a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Not disqualified under W. Va. Code 39-4-21.
Source: Applying for a Notary Public Commission, Secretary of State; W. Va. Code chapter 39, article 4.
Online application to certificate
- Read the notary law. W. Va. Code chapter 39, article 4.
- Apply online through ERLS. Pay the $52 filing fee. You swear or affirm under penalty of perjury that your answers are true; there's no separate oath of office.
- Check your commission letter. Make sure the name and address are right before you order a stamp. Call the Notary Division at (304) 558-8000 for corrections.
- Order your rubber stamp. Using exactly the information in the commission letter, to state specifications.
- Receive your certificate and handbook. You may notarize only once the commission certificate arrives. Read the handbook first.
Source: Applying for a Notary Public Commission.
West Virginia costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $52 State or local government notaries may have it waived with a supervisor's letter; federal employees aren't eligible. |
| Bond | Not required The $1,000 bond requirement was eliminated in 2018. |
| Rubber stamp | Vendor price Ordered from your commission letter. |
| e-Notarization authorization (Form N-2) | $0 Optional (39-4-19). |
| Out-of-State Commissioner | $500 Optional, nonrefundable, 10-year term. Needed for remote signers outside West Virginia. |
A standard commission costs the $52 filing fee plus a stamp. The application page mentions no exam or course.
Source: Applying for a Notary Public Commission; Form CWV-1.
WV starter kit · $29
West Virginia Notary Starter Kit
West Virginia's ERLS application, commission letter and stamp steps, the $10 fee, ID rules, the rubber stamp seal, e-notarization, remote acts and the Out-of-State Commissioner appointment, a checklist, a budget and journal pages.
Five years, and a separate appointment for out-of-state signers
A West Virginia commission lasts five years.
A remote act for someone physically outside West Virginia requires appointment as an Out-of-State Commissioner (39-4-37, 39-4-38). Apply on Form CWV-1; you must already be a West Virginia notary with a state residential address or employer. The fee is $500, no bond is required, and you order a separate commissioner seal. The record must also relate to a state matter, property or transaction.
Source: Applying for a Notary Public Commission; Form CWV-1.
Electronic, remote online and remote ink acts
For electronic acts with the signer in front of you, file the e-Notarization Authorization (Form N-2), no fee, and use technology that meets 153 CSR 45. For remote online acts (39-4-37), you must be in West Virginia, notify the Secretary of State before your first remote act and name your technologies, and identify the signer by personal knowledge, a credible witness or at least two types of identity proofing.
Remote ink acts on paper (39-4-38) have the signer mail or deliver the signed original to you. Record each remote act on audio and video and keep the recording 5 years. The certificate says: "This notarial act involved the use of communication technology."
Source: W. Va. Code chapter 39, article 4.
The $10 fee and the rubber stamp seal
W. Va. Code 39-4-30 caps notarizing each signature, including recording it in the journal of notarial acts, at $10; certifying a facsimile of a document is $10 a page, and any other act $10. Because the fee covers each signature's recording, record every signature you notarize.
The seal is a rectangular rubber stamp no larger than 1 by 2 1/2 inches with a border, containing "Official Seal", "Notary Public", "State of West Virginia", your name, your address and your expiration date. Disable it when your commission ends; unlawful possession of a notary's seal is a misdemeanor (39-4-33(d)).
Source: W. Va. Code chapter 39, article 4.
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West Virginia notary questions
Does West Virginia require a notary bond?
No. The $1,000 bond requirement was eliminated in 2018.
Is there a separate oath for West Virginia notaries?
No. You swear or affirm under penalty of perjury on the online application that your answers are true.
Can a West Virginia notary notarize remotely for someone in another state?
Only after appointment as an Out-of-State Commissioner, on Form CWV-1 for $500, and only for records connected to the state.
When can I order my West Virginia notary stamp?
After you check the name and address in your commission letter. Order it using exactly that information.
What can a West Virginia notary charge?
Up to $10 per signature notarized, including recording it in the journal, and $10 for other notarial acts.
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General information from official the state sources, checked November 2026. It is not legal advice, and we are not lawyers. Requirements and fees change, so confirm them with the West Virginia Secretary of State, Notary Division before you apply. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with the State of the state.