PA Notary License: How to Become a Notary in Pennsylvania

Getting a PA notary license — technically a notary commission in Pennsylvania — requires more steps than in most states. Pennsylvania mandates a formal education course and a written examination before you can be commissioned, making it one of the more structured pathways to becoming a notary public in the United States. If you're thinking about becoming a notary in Pennsylvania, this guide walks through every step of the process, what the exam covers, what your responsibilities will be, and how Pennsylvania notary law has changed in recent years.

Pennsylvania Notary Requirements

Before starting the process, confirm you meet Pennsylvania's eligibility criteria:

• Age: Must be 18 years or older
• Residency: Must be a resident of Pennsylvania OR have a principal place of business in Pennsylvania (this allows out-of-state residents to become Pennsylvania notaries if they work in the state)
• English language: Must be able to read and write English
• Clean record: Must not have been convicted of a felony within the past five years, and not have been convicted of a misdemeanor involving dishonesty or deceit
• No prior revocation: Must not have had a notary commission revoked within the past five years

Step 1: Complete the Required Education Course

Pennsylvania requires all new notary applicants to complete a three-hour education course approved by the Pennsylvania Department of State. The course must be completed within six months before submitting your application.

The required three-hour course covers:

• Pennsylvania notary law (Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, 2017)
• Types of notarial acts and when each is used
• Prohibited acts and liability
• Proper identification procedures
• Journal requirements and recordkeeping
• Electronic and remote online notarization

Approved providers include the Pennsylvania Association of Notaries (PAN), various online course platforms, and continuing legal education providers. Some providers offer the course entirely online. The course typically includes the education component and may bundle with exam preparation materials.

Step 2: Pass the Pennsylvania Notary Exam

After completing the education course, you must pass the Pennsylvania Notary Examination. This is a written exam administered by approved testing providers — it's not a casual quiz. Pennsylvania takes the examination seriously as a gateway to commission.

The exam tests knowledge of:

• Pennsylvania notary law (the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts as enacted in PA)
• Types of notarial acts: acknowledgments, jurats (verifications on oath or affirmation), copy certifications, administering oaths
• Identification requirements for signers
• Notarial certificate language — what the correct certificate for each act looks like
• Prohibited acts — what a Pennsylvania notary may not do
• Journal requirements and what must be recorded
• Electronic and remote online notarization (RON) procedures
• Notary stamp/seal requirements

The exam has a passing threshold — you must score at or above the required percentage to qualify for commission. The Pennsylvania Association of Notaries provides exam preparation courses and materials specifically designed for this exam.

Step 3: Complete the Commission Application

With your education course completion certificate and exam results in hand, you apply for your PA notary commission through the Pennsylvania Department of State's online portal (dos.pa.gov). The application requires:

• Personal information and contact details
• County of residence (or business address if out-of-state resident)
• Education course completion certification
• Exam passing score documentation
• Application fee (currently $42 as of the most recent update — verify on dos.pa.gov)
• Background information (criminal history disclosure)

Applications are reviewed by the Department of State. Most straightforward applications are processed within a few weeks, though processing times vary with volume.

Step 4: Obtain Your Notary Bond

Pennsylvania requires notaries to maintain a $10,000 notary bond throughout their commission. The bond protects the public against errors — not the notary. Most bonding companies also offer errors and omissions (E&O) insurance as an add-on, which protects the notary from professional liability claims. E&O coverage is strongly recommended.

The bond and E&O policy are typically purchased from the same surety company. The Pennsylvania Association of Notaries, insurance companies, and surety bond providers all offer Pennsylvania notary bonds. Bond cost is typically $50–$100 for a four-year term.

Step 5: Take the Oath of Office

After your commission is approved, you must take the oath of office before a Pennsylvania notary public, an elected official authorized to administer oaths, or a court official. The oath must be taken within 45 days of commission approval. Failing to take the oath within this window requires reapplication.

Step 6: Obtain Your Notary Seal and Journal

Pennsylvania notaries are required to use an official notary seal (stamp) on notarial acts and maintain a notarial journal. Here are the requirements:

Notary seal: Must include your name as it appears on the commission, the words "Notary Public," the state of Pennsylvania, the county of your commission, and your commission expiration date. Both rubber stamp and embossing seal formats are accepted.

Notarial journal: Pennsylvania requires notaries to maintain a journal of all notarial acts. Each entry must include the date and time of the act, the type of act performed, the name and address of the person for whom the act was performed, the identification method used, and the fee charged if any.

Pennsylvania Notary Commission Term

Pennsylvania notary commissions are valid for four years from the date of commission. Renewal requires completing a three-hour refresher education course and passing the exam again. Renewal applications are submitted through the same Department of State online portal.

PA Notary Fees

Pennsylvania law caps notary fees at $5 per notarial act. This is lower than many states and has not been increased for some time. Some notarial acts — particularly loan signings where a loan signing agent fee is separate from the per-signature fee — charge accordingly, but the Pennsylvania statutory cap of $5 per notarial act applies to the notarial function itself.

What Pennsylvania Notaries Can and Cannot Do

Understanding the scope of Pennsylvania notary authority is essential — both for compliance and for knowing how to serve clients effectively.

A Pennsylvania notary public can:

• Take acknowledgments (confirm the signer appeared in person and acknowledged their signature)
• Administer oaths and affirmations
• Take verifications on oath or affirmation (jurats)
• Certify copies of documents (except government vital records)
• Witness signatures on documents
• Perform electronic notarizations and remote online notarizations (RON) — Pennsylvania has authorized both

A Pennsylvania notary public cannot:

• Provide legal advice or draft legal documents (unless also a licensed attorney)
• Notarize a document when the signer is not present (except RON with authorized platforms)
• Certify copies of vital records (birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates) — these must come from the issuing government agency
• Notarize their own signature on a document that benefits them
• Notarize for immediate family members on documents from which they directly benefit
• Notarize a document whose contents they know to be false

Remote Online Notarization in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania enacted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) in 2017, which was subsequently updated to fully authorize Remote Online Notarization (RON). Pennsylvania notaries who wish to perform RON must register with the Department of State and use an approved RON platform.

RON allows the notary and signer to complete the notarial act via secure video conference rather than in person. The signer must pass identity verification through the RON platform (knowledge-based authentication and/or identity document verification). Platforms like Notarize, Proof, and DocVerify offer Pennsylvania-compliant RON services.

The PA Notary Exam: Preparation Strategy

The Pennsylvania notary exam is not difficult if you've studied the course material — but it does require genuine engagement with the law, not just skimming the outline. Most exam failures happen because candidates underestimate the specificity of the questions.

Key areas to study thoroughly:

• The types of notarial acts and when each is appropriate (the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat is a common exam topic)
• Identification requirements — what documents are acceptable, whether multiple forms are required, how to handle signers who don't have ID
• What must be in the notarial certificate for each act type
• Journal requirements — what's required per entry and how long records must be retained
• Prohibited acts — the clearest disqualifiers under Pennsylvania law
• Electronic notarization procedures if RON is part of your practice

The PA notary exam guide on this site covers the test structure and preparation in detail. For information on the career and income potential of notary work in Pennsylvania, the PA notary career guide covers loan signing agent income and notary business models. The Pennsylvania Association of Notaries is the primary professional organization for PA notaries — membership includes exam prep resources and liability insurance options.