Pennsylvania requires mandatory education, an exam, and — for anyone commissioned or reappointed on or after March 28, 2026 — a newly-increased $25,000 surety bond (up from $10,000; earlier commissions keep their $10,000 bond until they expire). The regulations fully implementing RULONA modernized the process.
To be commissioned as a notary public in Pennsylvania, you must meet all of the following requirements:
Source: Pennsylvania Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), 57 Pa.C.S. § 301 et seq. Full requirements at the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections, and Legislation.
PA is one of the more involved states. Plan for $270–$430 total. The biggest line-item change is the new $25,000 bond requirement that took effect March 28, 2026 for new applicants and reappointments (commissions issued before then keep their $10,000 bond until they expire).
| Item | Cost | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-hour education course | $50–$100 | Yes | Required for both new and renewing notaries. |
| Pearson VUE exam fee | $65 | Yes | Per attempt. Unlimited retakes within 6 months of authorization. |
| Application fee | $42 | Yes | Paid to the PA Department of State via notaries.pa.gov. |
| $25,000 surety bond | $30–$50 | Yes | Required for new applicants and reappointments on/after March 28, 2026 (up from $10,000). Commissions issued before then keep their $10,000 bond until they expire. |
| County recording fee | $50–$100 | Yes | Filed with the Recorder of Deeds in your county within 45 days. |
| Notary stamp/seal | $20–$40 | Yes | Must include name, "Notary Public," "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," county, and expiration date. |
| Notary journal | $15–$30 | Yes | Required by RULONA. Electronic journals permitted. |
| E&O insurance | $40–$100/yr | Optional | Strongly recommended given PA's $25K bond exposure. |
| Realistic total | $270–$430 | The new $25,000 bond requirement (effective March 28, 2026) is the biggest line-item change since RULONA first took full effect in 2017. County recording fees vary — confirm with your county. |
Three providers for Pennsylvania notaries. Confirm the current $25,000 bond price and term on each provider's site before you buy.
Disclosure: the links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, Smoothquill may earn a small commission at no cost to you. We only recommend providers we'd use ourselves.
Pennsylvania's process under fully-implemented RULONA is straightforward but lengthy. Start to finish, expect 4–8 weeks. The new $25,000 bond requirement (March 28, 2026, for new applicants and reappointments) is the most significant recent change.
PA requires all new and renewing notaries to complete a state-approved 3-hour education course. The course covers RULONA, acknowledgments, jurats, journal-keeping, and electronic notarization.
Approved providers include ThePANotary.com, NNA, the Pennsylvania Association of Notaries (PAN), and others. Courses range from $50–$100. After completion, you'll receive a course completion certificate that you'll need for your application.
Submit your application online with the $42 application fee. Upload your education certificate. Within a few days, you'll receive authorization to schedule the exam.
Your application gives you 6 months to pass the exam. The PA Department of State conducts a background check during this window. Make sure your name and address match your driver's license exactly — mismatches are the most common cause of rejection.
The PA notary exam is administered by Pearson VUE at testing centers across the state. $65 per attempt. Unlimited retakes within the 6-month authorization window. Tests basic RULONA, acknowledgments, jurats, and fee schedules.
Most candidates pass on their first attempt with even modest preparation. If you fail, you can retake immediately (with another $65 fee). The exam is closed-book, computer-based, and results are reported to the PA Department of State automatically.
After passing the exam, you'll receive a Notice of Appointment email from the PA Department of State. This is not your commission yet — there are still 3 critical steps to complete.
The Notice of Appointment includes instructions and a deadline. You have 45 days from the notice to complete the remaining steps (bond, oath, recording). Miss this deadline and you'll need to restart from the application.
New applicants and anyone reappointed on or after March 28, 2026 need a $25,000 surety bond (increased from $10,000); commissions issued before then keep their $10,000 bond until they expire. The bond must be issued by a Pennsylvania-licensed surety company and signed by the notary.
Bond premiums for $25,000 typically run $30–$50 for the 4-year term. The bond is filed with the Recorder of Deeds in your county.
See bond options →Within 45 days of your Notice of Appointment, bring your oath of office, commission certificate, signed bond form, and ID to your county's Recorder of Deeds office. Take the oath, file the documents, and pay the county recording fee ($50–$100).
You must also register your official signature with the prothonotary or the Recorder of Deeds of the county where your notary office is located — since 2023 the Recorder of Deeds is permitted, so most notaries handle everything in one place (in a second-class county the signature is registered with the clerk of courts). Sign your name exactly as it appears on your commission. After all filings are complete, you'll receive your commission certificate and wallet card.
Once your commission is filed, order your official PA notary stamp. It must include your name, "Notary Public," "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," your county, and your commission expiration date.
PA also requires a journal of notarial acts under RULONA (paper or electronic). Note the March 2026 rule that a journal may not record sensitive personal data — no Social Security number, full driver's-license or state-ID number, date and place of birth, mother's maiden name, or biometrics (last four digits are fine). Pennsylvania's per-act fee caps are low — see the fee section below. Electronic and remote notaries can also register separately with the Department of State.
Apply to Smoothquill →Get the complete notary guide — steps, costs, and how remote online notarization works — emailed to you. Free, no strings.
Pennsylvania notaries perform acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, copy certifications, and protests. PA's RULONA framework is one of the most comprehensive in the country, with detailed rules for both traditional and electronic notarization. The Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metros drive most demand. Pennsylvania separately authorizes electronic and remote notarization under Department of State registration, with strong adoption in real estate and legal services.
Pennsylvania caps notarial fees by statute, and the caps are low — a known pain point on both sides of the table. These are the maximums under the fee schedule (4 Pa. Code § 161 / 57 Pa.C.S.), including the changes effective March 28, 2026. Confirm the current schedule with the Department of State.
| Notarial act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Taking an acknowledgment | $5 (first individual) + $2 each additional name |
| Administering an oath or affirmation | $5 |
| Taking a verification on oath or affirmation | $5 |
| Witnessing or attesting a signature | $5 per signature (new, March 2026) |
| Certifying or attesting a copy or deposition | $5 |
| Noting the protest of a negotiable instrument | $3 per page |
| Electronic & remote notarial acts | Up to $20 per notarial act, in addition to the above |
Travel is where mobile notaries actually earn — the per-act fee is capped, but a reasonable travel fee (agreed with the signer in advance) is not. On Smoothquill you keep 100% of your travel fee and your state act fee.
PA's per-act fees are capped low (see the fee schedule above), so travel fees and loan-signing work — not the act fee — drive income. The Philly and Pittsburgh loan signing markets drive most full-time income. Registering for electronic and remote notarization opens additional work and serves clients beyond your immediate area.
Income estimates are based on the National Notary Association's annual notary income surveys, BLS data for legal services workers, and reported earnings from active notary marketplaces. Your actual income depends on market density, hours worked, and whether you certify as a Notary Signing Agent (NSA) for loan signing work.
How you actually get those clients: our notary marketing guide — attribution, Google Business Profile, and where to spend limited money.
Pennsylvania authorizes both electronic notarization (in-person, electronic records) and remote notarization (signer appears by communication technology) under RULONA. To perform them you register separately with the Department of State, use a Department-approved technology provider, and maintain electronic records. The March 2026 regulations tightened the standards technology providers must meet. The registration runs concurrently with your underlying commission and is renewed with it. For the current list of approved providers and requirements, check the Department of State — that's the authority, and the roster changes.
Before you invest in RON registration: what RON actually pays → — the platforms' own published numbers.
Pennsylvania commissions last 4 years. Renewal requires completing the 3-hour education course again (mandatory for renewals), submitting a new application with the $42 fee, and obtaining a bond. Because reappointment on or after March 28, 2026 counts as a new appointment, renewing notaries must obtain the $25,000 bond at renewal (a $10,000 bond from an earlier commission only lasts until that commission expires). The renewal window opens 60 days before expiration.
Effective March 28, 2026, Pennsylvania increased the bond requirement from $10,000 to $25,000 as part of the regulations fully implementing RULONA. It applies to new applicants and anyone reappointed on or after that date; commissions issued before then keep their $10,000 bond until they expire. The premium increase is modest — typically $30–$50 total for the 4-year term.
No, not immediately. Your existing $10,000 bond remains valid until your current commission expires. At renewal, you'll need to upgrade to the $25,000 bond.
Yes. Pennsylvania is one of the states that requires the 3-hour education course at every renewal, not just initial applications. The course is structured slightly differently for renewals but the time commitment is the same.
You have unlimited retakes within the 6-month authorization window. Each attempt costs $65. If you don't pass within 6 months, your application expires and you'll need to start over. Most candidates pass on first or second attempt.
Yes — Pennsylvania authorizes remote notarization. You register separately with the Department of State, use a Department-approved technology provider, and maintain electronic records. It's increasingly common for cross-state and remote signers. Check the Department of State for the current approved-provider list.
Either. You record your commission, bond, and oath with the Recorder of Deeds, and you register your official signature with the prothonotary or the Recorder of Deeds of the county where you keep your office. Since 2023 the Recorder of Deeds is permitted for the signature too, so most notaries now do everything in one place. (In a second-class county the signature is registered with the clerk of courts.)
Pennsylvania doesn't have to be complicated. Buy the bond, complete the steps, and you're commissioned in 4–8 weeks.
See bond options →Affiliate links — see disclosure below.