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.
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:
New Jersey authorized remote online notarization in 2021 as part of the broader Notarial Acts Act overhaul. To perform RON in NJ:
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. Most NJ mobile notaries charge $50-$100 per visit on top of the $2.50/act statutory fee.
Under P.L. 2021, c. 179 (effective October 2021, education requirements effective July 2022), New Jersey modernized its notary requirements. Eligibility criteria: Be at least 18 years old. Be a resident of New Jersey, OR a resident of an adjoining state (NY, PA, DE) who maintains regular employment in NJ. Be able to read and write English. Have no disqualifying criminal convictions (felonies involving moral turpitude, fraud, or dishonesty). Complete the 6-hour education course approved by the State Treasurer (non-attorneys only). Pass the online notary exam with 80% or higher (non-attorneys only). Attorney exemption: Licensed NJ attorneys are exempt from the education, exam, and renewal continuing education requirements. What it actually costs, end to end 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. The 5 steps to your New Jersey commission 1 Read the NJ Notary Public Manual + watch training videos 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. 2 Take the online notary exam 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. 3 Submit your application online via DORES 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. 4 Get sworn in at your county clerk 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. 5 Order your seal and journal, then start notarizing 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. What New Jersey notaries actually do Under P.L. 2021, c. 179 (the Notarial Acts Act), you're authorized to perform these acts anywhere in NJ: Acknowledgments — Confirming a signer voluntarily executed a document Verifications/proofs of a deed — Confirming signature authenticity Oaths and affirmations — On affidavits and other sworn statements Jurats — Combining oath and signature witnessing Copy certifications — Of non-recordable documents Witness or attest signatures — In specific statutory contexts Electronic notarization (IPEN) — In-person with digital signature Remote online notarization (RON) — Audio/video with remote signer What you can actually make 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: $2.50 per general notarial act (acknowledgment, jurat, affirmation) $15 per real estate transfer transaction (regardless of how many signatures) $25 per real estate financing transaction (regardless of how many signatures) 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: Mobile notary visit: $50-$100 base + $2.50/act Loan signing (purchase or refinance): $100-$200 flat fee RON session: $25-$75 per act RON in New Jersey New Jersey authorized remote online notarization in 2021 as part of the broader Notarial Acts Act overhaul. To perform RON in NJ: Hold an active NJ notary commission Notify the State Treasurer of your intent to perform electronic notarizations Use a RON technology platform that meets NJ standards (most major platforms qualify) Verify signer identity via credential analysis + knowledge-based authentication (KBA) Record audio/video of every RON session, retain for 10 years Maintain a separate electronic journal for RON acts RON in NJ pays $25 per real estate financing act, which makes remote loan signings particularly lucrative if you can build a referral network with mortgage brokers and title companies. Renewing your New Jersey commission Your NJ commission is valid for 5 years. Renewal requirements depend on when you were first commissioned: If your commission has NOT expired yet: Submit the renewal application — you do NOT need to retake the full exam. If you completed the 6-hour course initially: Complete a 3-hour continuing education course to renew. If your commission expired more than 30 days ago: You're treated as a new applicant — full 6-hour course, exam, and application process required again. If you were commissioned before October 22, 2021: You must complete the 3-hour continuing education course at renewal. Questions New Jersey notaries actually ask Is the new education requirement actually enforced? 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. Can I notarize for myself or close family? 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. Why don't I need a surety bond? 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. I live in New York but work in NJ. Can I be a NJ notary? 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. How fast can I actually get commissioned? 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. Are the statutory fees really only $2.50 per act? 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. Most NJ mobile notaries charge $50-$100 per visit on top of the $2.50/act statutory fee. Founding Smoothquill cohort Ready to start? The 6-hour course is step one. 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. We're recruiting founding-cohort New Jersey notaries now — 10 spots, $10 platform fee for life.
Apply to Smoothquill →Founding cohort · 10 spots · $10 flat platform fee for life