New Jersey tightened up in 2022 — there's now a real 6-hour education requirement and an online exam most states still don't have. Here's the actual process, the fee structure nobody explains clearly, and what changed.
Under P.L. 2021, c. 179 (effective October 2021, education requirements effective July 2022), New Jersey modernized its notary requirements. Eligibility criteria:
New Jersey is one of the cheaper states once you factor in the lack of a bond requirement. The education and exam are the new costs that didn't exist before 2022.
| Item | Required? | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| State application fee | Required | $25 |
| Online notary exam fee | Required (non-attorneys) | $15 max |
| 6-hour education course | Required (currently free via state portal) | $0–$50 |
| Surety bond | Not required | $0 |
| Notary stamp/seal | Required | $15–$35 |
| Mandatory journal | Required (since Oct 2021) | $10–$25 |
| E&O insurance (recommended) | Optional | $25–$50/yr |
| Total to get commissioned | $65–$150 |
Important note: NJ doesn't require a bond, which is unusual for the Northeast. The state instead requires a mandatory journal and the new education/exam system — designed to reduce notary errors at the source rather than insure against them.
Access the official NJ Notary Public Manual at nj.gov/njbgs. You must read it thoroughly AND watch the entire series of Notary Public Manual Training Videos. The course is currently delivered via the state portal at no cost.
The exam has 50 multiple-choice questions, you need 40 correct (80%) to pass, and you have 75 minutes to complete it. Fee is capped at $15 (currently set lower). The exam is administered at njportal.com/DOR/NotaryExam.
Go to the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services notary portal at njportal.com/dor/notary. Complete the Notary Commissioning Application and pay the $25 application fee. Your exam pass certificate will be linked to your application automatically.
Once approved by DORES, you'll receive a commissioning notice. Take this to the county clerk in your home county to be sworn in as a notary public. The county clerk filing fee varies but is typically $15-$25.
Your seal must include: your name, "Notary Public," "State of New Jersey," and "My Commission Expires [date]." Your journal must be bound (or tamper-evident if electronic) with chronological entries. Once you have both, you can begin notarizing immediately.
Get the complete notary guide — steps, costs, and how remote online notarization works — emailed to you. Free, no strings.
Under P.L. 2021, c. 179 (the Notarial Acts Act), you're authorized to perform these acts anywhere in NJ:
New Jersey has the lowest statutory notary fees in the country — capped at $2.50 per general notarial act under N.J.S.A. 22A:4-14. However, real estate transactions have higher caps:
The way professional NJ mobile notaries make real money: travel and service fees are NOT capped. You can charge a "service fee" or "travel fee" on top of the statutory notarial fee, as long as it's clearly itemized and disclosed up front. Typical full-service mobile notary pricing in NJ:
How you actually get those clients: our notary marketing guide — attribution, Google Business Profile, and where to spend limited money.
New Jersey authorized remote online notarization in 2021 as part of the broader Notarial Acts Act overhaul. To perform RON in NJ:
Before you invest in RON registration: what RON actually pays → — the platforms' own published numbers.
Your NJ commission is valid for 5 years. Renewal requirements depend on when you were first commissioned:
Yes. As of July 1, 2022, all new applicants must complete the 6-hour course and pass the online exam before their application will be approved. There's no grandfathering for new applicants. The state portal automatically blocks application submission until your exam pass is on file.
No. NJ law prohibits notarizing for yourself, your spouse, your parents, your children, or anyone where you have a direct financial interest in the transaction. Doing so is grounds for revocation of your commission.
New Jersey took a different regulatory approach when it modernized its notary laws in 2021. Instead of requiring a bond (which protects the public from your mistakes after the fact), NJ requires the education/exam system and mandatory journal (which prevent mistakes upfront). You can still buy E&O insurance to protect yourself personally — strongly recommended.
Yes. NJ allows residents of adjoining states (NY, PA, DE) to obtain an NJ commission if they maintain regular employment in New Jersey. You'll need to provide proof of employment from your employer.
If you study and pass the exam quickly, the entire process takes 2-4 weeks: a few days to study and pass the exam, then 1-3 weeks for DORES to process your application and for the county clerk swearing-in. The fastest path is to apply during a slow week and have your county clerk appointment scheduled in advance.
Yes, the per-act notarial fee is capped at $2.50 by statute — one of the lowest in the country. But this only applies to the notarial act itself. Travel fees, service fees, convenience fees, and document preparation fees are all unregulated and set by the notary, on top of the $2.50/act statutory fee.
New Jersey's dense population, high real estate transaction volume, and modern RON laws make it one of the highest-opportunity markets for mobile notaries.
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