How to Become a Notary in Pennsylvania: Requirements, Fees and Bond
Pennsylvania notaries are commissioned through: Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation. The commission term is 4 years. A surety bond of $25,000 is required. The application fee is $42. Fields shown as not verified were not found on the official source; check the source page below.
| State | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | PA |
| Commissioning office | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation |
| Commission term | 4 years |
| Surety bond required | Yes |
| Bond amount | $25,000 |
| Application fee | $42 |
| Maximum fee, acknowledgment | Not verified from the official source |
| Maximum fee, jurat | Not verified from the official source |
| Fee note | $42 non-refundable fee covers the application and bond filing. The exam is a separate fee paid to the test provider (amount not read). No cap on notarial act fees was found. |
| Remote online notarization (RON) allowed | Not verified from the official source |
| Maximum RON fee | Not verified from the official source |
| Training required | Yes |
| Exam required | Yes |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Residency rule | Lives in Pennsylvania, or works or practices there |
| Official source | https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries.html |
| Additional official sources | https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries/bonding-requirement.html |
| Last verified | 2026-10-12 |
| Notes on how the row was compiled | Fetched page: four-year term, $42 fee, three-hour approved course (within six months before applying), Pearson VUE exam for first-time applicants, age 18, residency. Conflict resolved: the Department's bonding page, fetched 2026-10-12, states 'A $25,000 bond is required to get and keep a Pennsylvania notary commission', so the bond is $25,000. The page links to an electronic/remote notarization resource that was not read, so RON is null. Not found, so null: fee caps, RON fee cap. |
Official source (plain text, copy into your browser): https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/notaries.html
Last verified: 2026-10-12