Becoming a notary public in Maryland isn't complicated, but there are specific steps and requirements you need to follow. Maryland law requires notaries to meet eligibility criteria, complete a formal application process, obtain a bond, take an oath of office, and acquire a proper seal before they can legally notarize documents. Miss any of these steps and your notarial acts may be legally invalid.
This guide covers everything you need to know about Maryland notary requirements: who qualifies, how to apply, what the commission covers, the rules around your seal and records, fees you can charge, and what happens at renewal. Whether you're applying for the first time or trying to understand your existing obligations, you'll find the answers here.
To qualify for a Maryland notary commission, you must meet the following requirements:
Age. You must be at least 18 years old.
Residency or employment. You must either reside in Maryland or maintain your principal place of business in Maryland. Non-residents who only work in Maryland (but don't live or have a business there) are not eligible.
Legal capacity. You must be legally capable of performing the duties of a notary. Felony convictions don't automatically disqualify you, but they are reviewed as part of the application process.
Literacy and English proficiency. You must be able to read and write English. Maryland notarial acts are conducted in English (though the notary can assist non-English speakers in ways that don't compromise the act's legal validity).
There is no educational requirement, no exam, and no training course mandated by Maryland law for standard notary commissions—though understanding what notaries can and cannot do is essential to performing the job correctly and avoiding liability.
Maryland notary commissions are issued by the Secretary of State. Here's how the process works:
Step 1: Obtain legislative endorsement. Unlike most states where you apply directly to a state agency, Maryland requires a letter of endorsement from a member of the State Senate or House of Delegates representing the county or district where you reside or work. This is a distinctive feature of Maryland's system. You contact your local legislator's office, provide your information, and they submit the application to the Secretary of State's office on your behalf.
Step 2: Complete the application. Your legislator's office will guide you through the application form. The application asks for your name, address, employer information, and a confirmation that you meet the eligibility requirements.
Step 3: Pay the application fee. The filing fee is $21 for a 4-year commission. This fee is paid to the Secretary of State.
Step 4: Receive your commission. Once approved, you'll receive a commission certificate from the Secretary of State's office. Your commission is effective for four years.
Step 5: Obtain your bond. Before you can perform notarial acts, you must obtain a $5,000 surety bond. Notary bonds are available from insurance companies and notary supply vendors. The bond protects the public (not you personally) against financial harm caused by your errors.
Step 6: Take the oath of office. This is a requirement many first-time notaries overlook. Within 30 days of receiving your commission, you must take an oath of office before the clerk of the circuit court in the county where you reside or work. Until you take this oath, you cannot legally notarize documents.
Maryland notaries are required to use an official notarial seal on every notarial act. This isn't optional—a notarized document without your seal is legally deficient.
Maryland law specifies what your seal must contain:
Required seal elements: Your name as it appears on your commission, the words "Notary Public," and the word "Maryland." Your commission expiration date must also appear on the seal.
Most Maryland notaries use an inked rubber stamp rather than an embossed seal, though embossed seals are acceptable. If you use an embossed seal, you must also affix a dark ink stamp or annotation near it to ensure the impression is reproducible in photocopies. An embossed impression alone is not sufficient for many document scanners and copying processes.
Your seal is your personal official device. It should be kept secure. If your seal is lost, stolen, or compromised, you should report it to the Secretary of State's office. Using someone else's seal—or allowing someone to use yours—is a serious violation. Our Maryland notary seal and stamp requirements practice test covers these rules in detail with scenario questions that reflect common mistakes.
Maryland notaries are authorized to perform the following notarial acts:
Acknowledgments. The signer appears before you, presents valid ID, and acknowledges that they signed the document voluntarily. This is the most common notarial act for real estate documents, contracts, and legal instruments.
Jurats (affidavits and depositions). The signer swears or affirms under oath that the content of the document is true, and signs in your presence. Required for affidavits and sworn statements.
Oaths and affirmations. A verbal oath or affirmation without a written document being signed. Used in sworn testimony and other legal contexts.
Copy certification. Certifying that a copy of a document is a true copy of the original. Note: Maryland notaries cannot certify copies of vital records (birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates) or official government documents that have their own certification process. Copy certification applies to private documents.
Signature witnessing. Witnessing a signature in situations where a notarization isn't required but a witnessed signature is. This is distinct from an acknowledgment because the notary isn't verifying identity—they're simply witnessing the act of signing.
Notaries cannot give legal advice, prepare documents (unless also licensed as an attorney), or certify translations. If a signer asks you to explain what a document means, you must decline and direct them to an attorney. See our Maryland notary ethical conduct practice tests for questions about professional boundaries and what a notary can and cannot do.
Maryland law sets maximum fees notaries may charge:
The maximum fee is $4 per notarial act. You may not charge more than this, though you can charge less or waive the fee. For traveling to perform a notarial act, you may charge an additional reasonable travel fee, but this must be disclosed to the signer in advance.
Maryland notaries are required to keep a notarial journal. While Maryland law doesn't specify the exact format, best practice—and the standard recommended by the Secretary of State's office—is a bound journal recording: date, type of notarial act, description of the document, name and address of the signer, type of ID presented, and the fee charged. The journal protects you if a notarial act is ever challenged. Keep your journal for at least 10 years after your commission expires. Review our Maryland notary fees and records practice test for quiz questions covering these requirements.
Maryland authorized remote online notarization (RON) beginning in October 2020. Under RON, a notary can perform notarial acts using audiovisual technology, allowing the signer and notary to be in different physical locations.
To perform RON in Maryland, notaries must register with the Secretary of State and use an approved technology platform. The requirements for RON include additional identity verification steps (knowledge-based authentication plus credential analysis), and all RON sessions must be recorded and kept for at least 10 years.
RON doesn't replace traditional in-person notarizations—both remain valid. But for real estate closings, loan signings, and legal documents where in-person meetings are inconvenient or impossible, RON provides a legally recognized alternative. The rules are separate from in-person notary requirements, so if you want to offer RON services, you'll need to complete the additional registration and technology requirements.
If you're studying for the Maryland notary exam or reviewing your obligations as a commissioned notary, our Maryland notary application process practice tests and real estate documents practice tests cover both traditional and RON-related scenarios. Maryland notaries serve a critical function in real estate transactions, legal proceedings, and business contracts—understanding the rules thoroughly protects both you and the people who rely on your notarial acts.