Notaries in Pennsylvania: How to Become and Find One

Notaries in Pennsylvania: An Overview

A notary public in Pennsylvania is a state-commissioned official authorised to perform notarial acts — witnessing signatures, administering oaths, certifying copies, and verifying acknowledgments. Pennsylvania notaries serve an important role in commerce, real estate, legal proceedings, and everyday document authentication.

Pennsylvania's notary law is governed by the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), which the state adopted in 2017 and updated since. This law modernised Pennsylvania's notary framework significantly — introducing electronic notarization and remote online notarization (RON), establishing clearer requirements for notary conduct, and creating a more structured training and examination process than existed under the prior law.

If you're looking for notary services in Pennsylvania, you can find commissioned notaries through the Pennsylvania Department of State's notary public database, through banks, UPS stores, shipping centers, libraries, and law offices. If you're considering becoming a notary, this guide covers the full process.

How to Become a Notary in Pennsylvania

The process to become a commissioned notary in Pennsylvania follows a specific sequence of steps. Here's how it works:

Step 1 — Complete an approved training course: Pennsylvania requires all new notary applicants to complete a three-hour training course approved by the Department of State. This course covers Pennsylvania notary law, proper notarial procedures, journal requirements, and ethical obligations. The training is available online through several approved providers.

Step 2 — Pass the Pennsylvania notary exam: After completing the training, you must pass the notary public examination administered by PSI Exams. The exam is a 30-question multiple-choice test covering Pennsylvania notary law, procedures, and the RULONA provisions applicable in Pennsylvania. You have 45 minutes to complete it. The passing score is 70%.

Step 3 — Apply to the Department of State: Submit your notary public application through the Pennsylvania Department of State's online portal (pa.gov). You'll need to provide personal information, declare any criminal convictions, and pay the application fee ($42 as of the most recent fee schedule).

Step 4 — Obtain a surety bond: Pennsylvania notaries must secure a $10,000 surety bond, which protects the public against losses caused by notary misconduct. The bond is typically inexpensive (around $30–$50 for a four-year term) and available through insurance companies and notary supply vendors.

Step 5 — Take your oath of office: After your application is approved, you'll receive your commission documents. You must take the oath of office before a notary public or other authorized official within 45 days of your commission date. Failure to take the oath voids the commission.

Step 6 — Record your commission in your county: You must record your commission in the county where your business or employment address is located, or in your county of residence if you're not employed. Recording is done at the county courthouse (prothonotary's office).

Step 7 — Obtain your official seal and journal: Pennsylvania notaries must use an official notarial seal on all paper notarizations. You also need to maintain a notarial journal, recording each notarial act you perform. Both the seal and journal must meet specific state requirements.

Pennsylvania Notary Commission Details

Pennsylvania notary commissions are valid for four years. To renew, you must complete another three-hour continuing education course and pass the renewal examination before your commission expires. There's no grace period after expiration — performing notarial acts with an expired commission is unauthorized practice.

Your commission is tied to your residential or employment address in Pennsylvania. If you move to a different county, you must notify the Department of State and may need to re-record in the new county.

Notaries are personally responsible for all notarial acts performed under their commission. The surety bond provides some financial protection to injured parties, but it doesn't protect the notary from personal liability. Pennsylvania's RULONA includes specific prohibitions and requirements that, if violated, can result in commission suspension or revocation.

The Pennsylvania Notary Exam

The Pennsylvania notary examination is taken through PSI Exams at testing centers throughout the state. You register through PSI's portal after completing your approved training course — your training provider will give you an authorization code for exam registration.

The exam covers: the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) as adopted in Pennsylvania, acknowledgments and jurats, oaths and affirmations, signature witnessing, copy certifications, journal requirements, seal requirements, prohibited acts, electronic notarization, and remote online notarization (RON) basics.

Most candidates who complete the required three-hour training course and review the course material find the exam straightforward. The questions are directly derived from the training content and Pennsylvania's notary statutes. If you took the training seriously and didn't just click through the slides, you'll likely pass on your first attempt.

Common mistakes on the exam include confusing acknowledgments and jurats (the two most common notarial acts, with different purposes and requirements), misunderstanding journal requirements, and not knowing the specific prohibition rules around notarizing documents in which you have a direct financial interest.

Electronic and Remote Online Notarization in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania was an early adopter of remote online notarization (RON), which allows a notary to notarize documents for signers who appear via audio-visual technology rather than in person. This has become increasingly important as document signings cross county and state lines and physical presence becomes impractical.

To perform RON, Pennsylvania notaries must complete additional training, register with an approved RON platform, and comply with identity verification and record-keeping requirements specific to remote notarizations. The additional training covers the technology requirements, identity proofing standards, and the electronic journal and seal requirements for RON.

Standard in-person electronic notarization (where the notary and signer are physically present but the documents are electronic) is also permitted in Pennsylvania and has its own requirements around electronic signature tools, electronic seals, and journal entries for electronic acts.

Practice with PA Notary e-Notarization and RON questions to reinforce your understanding of the technological and procedural requirements for modern notarial practice in Pennsylvania.

What Notaries in Pennsylvania Can and Cannot Do

Pennsylvania notaries are authorised to perform a specific set of notarial acts — and they're strictly prohibited from doing anything beyond that scope.

Authorised notarial acts include: Taking acknowledgments (confirming a signer voluntarily executed a document), administering oaths and affirmations, taking verifications on oath or affirmation (jurats), witnessing signatures, certifying a copy of a document (when permitted), and noting protests of financial instruments.

Notaries may NOT: Prepare legal documents (that's practicing law), give legal advice about the effect of a document, sign on behalf of a signer who can't sign their own name without specific legal authority, notarize a document in which they have a direct financial interest, or charge fees that exceed the statutory maximum set by the Department of State.

Pennsylvania sets a maximum notary fee per notarial act. Notaries can charge up to the maximum but cannot exceed it. The current fee schedule is published by the Department of State. Many notaries in Pennsylvania charge fees below the maximum — particularly those employed by banks or businesses that offer notarizations as a customer service.

Finding Notary Services in Pennsylvania

If you need notary services rather than trying to become a notary, finding a commissioned notary in Pennsylvania is straightforward. The Pennsylvania Department of State maintains a searchable database of active notaries at the Department of State website. You can search by name, county, or zip code.

Common places to find walk-in notary services in Pennsylvania include banks (many offer free notarizations to customers), UPS stores and shipping centers, public libraries, law offices, credit unions, and real estate offices. For more complex or urgent notarizations, independent notary signing agents who travel to you are available in most metropolitan areas.

When having a document notarized, bring valid government-issued photo identification. The notary must verify your identity before performing most notarial acts — typically by examining your ID. Documents that require notarization should not be signed before you appear before the notary unless the specific act being performed doesn't require a signature before a notary (copy certifications, for example, don't require the original signer to be present).

PA Notary Bond and Oath Requirements

The surety bond and oath of office are two requirements that new notaries sometimes underestimate in their importance. The bond isn't just a formality — it's a financial protection mechanism that the public can claim against if a notary's misconduct causes them financial harm.

The oath of office is equally substantive. By taking the oath, you're formally swearing to faithfully discharge your duties as a Pennsylvania notary. It's a legal commitment, not a paperwork exercise. Failing to take the oath within the required timeframe voids your commission.

Practice with PA Notary Bond and Oath questions to reinforce your understanding of these requirements, the timeline for compliance, and what happens if you fail to meet the post-commission requirements on schedule.

Managing your commission information — keeping your address current with the Department of State, understanding when updates are required, and knowing the process for changes — is also part of your ongoing notary responsibilities. The PA Association of Notaries provides member resources for commissioned notaries in Pennsylvania, including guidance on commission management and continuing education.

Why People Become Notaries in Pennsylvania

People become notaries in Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons. Some do it to serve their employer — many businesses require employees to be commissioned notaries to handle document signings internally. Real estate professionals, paralegals, banking staff, and insurance professionals often hold notary commissions as part of their job responsibilities.

Others become notaries as a side business. Notary signing agents — notaries who specialise in loan closings and real estate transactions — can earn $75–$200 per signing appointment in Pennsylvania. This can add up to meaningful supplemental income for notaries who market their services to title companies and mortgage lenders.

Some become notaries simply to serve their community — offering free or reduced-cost notarizations to neighbors, church members, or community organisations. Pennsylvania notaries have the flexibility to charge up to the statutory maximum or to waive fees entirely.

Preparing for the PA Notary Exam

The most effective preparation for the Pennsylvania notary exam is to take the required training course seriously — not as a box to check, but as the primary source of exam content. The exam tests exactly what the training covers: Pennsylvania's notary law, proper procedures for each notarial act, journal and seal requirements, prohibited acts, and the basics of electronic and remote notarization.

After completing the training, review your notes and work through practice questions that simulate the exam format. Pay particular attention to the differences between acknowledgments and jurats — these are the two most common notarial acts and are frequently confused. Know the journal requirements cold: what must be recorded, when entries are required, and how to handle corrections.

Also review the prohibited acts section carefully. Questions about what notaries cannot do — including the prohibition on notarizing documents in which you have a financial interest — appear on the exam and matter practically in your day-to-day notarial work.

Practice with PA Notary Commission Maintenance questions and PA Notary Official Seal and Security materials to round out your exam preparation across all tested areas. The exam is straightforward for well-prepared candidates — the goal is to understand and apply Pennsylvania's notary requirements, not to memorise obscure legal doctrine.