How to Become a Notary in Alaska 2026: Complete AK Notary Guide

How to Become a Notary Public in Alaska

Alaska does not require an exam to become a notary public. The application process is straightforward and handled through the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Alaska was one of the early states to authorize Remote Online Notarization (RON).

Alaska Notary Requirements at a Glance

Why Become an Alaska Notary?

• No exam required - Simple application process
• No mandatory education - Learn as you go
• Low bond requirement - Only $2,500
• Remote Online Notarization - Serve clients anywhere via RON
• No state-set fees - Notaries set their own rates
• Serve unique communities - Essential services in remote areas

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Looking for notary study materials or guides for other states? Check out our comprehensive resources. For additional education and supplies, visit the National Notary Association.

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Step-by-Step: How to Become an Alaska Notary

Step 1: Meet Eligibility Requirements

To become an Alaska notary public, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be an Alaska resident (physical residence address required - PO Boxes not accepted)
• Be able to read and write English
• Have no disqualifying criminal history

Step 2: Obtain Your Surety Bond

Before applying, obtain a $2,500 surety bond:

• Bond Amount: $2,500
• Bond Term: 4 years (matches commission term)
• Typical Cost: Approximately $50 for the 4-year term
• Options: Commercial bond (from insurance agency) OR Private bond (from a business, organization, or individual acting as surety)

Limited Governmental Notary Exception: If you're a federal, state, or municipal employee, an employer approval form replaces the bond requirement.

Step 3: Complete the Application

Submit your application to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor:

Required Documents:

1. Completed Application Form
2. $2,500 surety bond (commercial or State of Alaska form)
3. $40 application fee (non-refundable)
4. Notarized Oath of Office - Must be the wet signature original (page 2 of Application)

Important: Emailed, scanned, or photocopied oaths are not accepted - you must submit the original.

Submit to: Office of the Lieutenant Governor Notary Public Office PO BOX 110015 Juneau, AK 99811

Or apply online through the myAlaska account system.

Step 4: Wait for Approval

• The Office verifies your Alaska residency
• Processing typically takes 2-4 weeks
• You'll receive your commission certificate once approved

Step 5: Purchase Notary Supplies

After receiving your commission, purchase required supplies:

Official Notary Seal (Required):

• Rubber ink stamp recommended (embossers alone may not be photographically reproducible)
• Circular (max 2" diameter) OR rectangular (max 1" x 2.5")
• Must include: Your name exactly as on commission, "Notary Public," "State of Alaska"
• May include commission number and expiration date (optional on seal, but expiration date required on certificates)
• Cost: $25-$50

Notary Journal (Required):

• At least one journal in tangible (physical) medium is required
• Electronic journals allowed in addition to tangible journal
• Must chronicle all notarial acts
• Retain for 10 years after last entry
• Cost: $15-$30

Alaska Notary Fees

Alaska does not set maximum notary fees by state law. Notaries may set their own rates.

Important: If you intend to charge fees, you must provide a fee schedule to the signer before performing the notarization.

Alaska-Specific Requirements

Seal Requirements

Your Alaska notary seal must:

• Be sharp, legible, and photographically reproducible
• Include your name exactly as on your commission certificate
• Include "Notary Public" and "State of Alaska"
• Be either circular (max 2" diameter) or rectangular (max 1" x 2.5")

Recommendation: Use an inking rubber stamp rather than an embosser alone, as embossers may not be photographically reproducible.

Journal Requirements

Alaska requires notaries to maintain a journal:

Required Journal Entries:

• Date and time of notarial act
• Description of document/act type
• Signer's name and address
• Identification method used
• Fee charged (if any)
• Signer's signature (recommended)

Retention: Keep your journal for 10 years after the last entry.

Security: Keep your journal secure. Report loss or theft to the Notary Office immediately. Failure to produce your journal upon request can lead to commission revocation.

Certificate Requirements

Every notarial certificate must include:

• Your commission expiration date
• Your official seal impression
• Your signature

Remote Online Notarization (RON) in Alaska

Alaska permanently authorized RON effective January 1, 2021 (House Bill 124).

RON Requirements

To perform remote online notarizations in Alaska:

1. Submit written request to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor before performing RON
2. Review guidance - See "Guidance on Implementing Notarizations for Remotely Located Individuals"
3. Use approved technology - Select from the Lt. Governor's list of technology vendors (not state-endorsed)
4. Maintain RON journal - Separate journal required for remotely located individuals
5. Retain records - Keep RON journal for 10 years

RON Location Requirements

• Notary must be physically in Alaska when performing RON
• Signer can be anywhere in the world

Technology Vendors

The Lt. Governor's office maintains a list of RON technology vendors. However:

• None are officially endorsed by the State
• You're responsible for ensuring your provider meets legal requirements
• You're not limited to providers on the list

Total Cost to Become an Alaska Notary

Note: State employees applying for Limited Governmental Notary commissions may have the application fee waived.

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

Types of Alaska Notary Commissions

Regular Commission

• For general public notaries
• Requires $2,500 bond
• $40 application fee
• Can perform all notarial acts

Limited Governmental Commission

• For federal, state, or municipal employees
• Employer approval form replaces bond
• Application fee may be waived for state employees
• Cannot charge fees for notarizations

Renewing Your Alaska Commission

Alaska notary commissions do not automatically renew:

• Apply for a new commission before expiration
• Submit new application, bond, and fee
• Applications can be submitted close to expiration date
• There is no grace period - acting as notary with expired commission is prohibited

Start Your Alaska Notary Career Today

Alaska offers one of the simplest paths to becoming a notary public - no exam, no mandatory education, and low bond requirements. With the ability to perform Remote Online Notarization, Alaska notaries can serve clients anywhere.

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How to Turn This Alaska Notary Guide Into a Passing Study Plan

A notary exam or appointment review is not just a vocabulary test. It measures whether you can protect the signer, the document, the public record, and your own commission when the facts are messy. Read the rules above once for orientation, then convert them into a procedure checklist you can apply to acknowledgments, jurats, oaths or affirmations, copy certifications if allowed, and any remote or electronic notarization rules that apply in Alaska.

Your first checklist should follow the order of a real appointment. Confirm that the requested act is one you are authorized to perform. Confirm personal appearance under the rules that apply to the act. Identify the signer using the acceptable evidence described in your Alaska materials. Screen for willingness, awareness, and basic communication. Complete the notarial certificate with the correct venue, date, signer name, notarial wording, signature, seal, and commission information. Record the act in your journal if required, or keep a careful voluntary record when allowed and appropriate.

That sequence is important because many exam questions describe a signer who appears at the wrong time, presents weak identification, asks for legal advice, wants a blank document notarized, or asks the notary to choose the certificate. In those scenarios, memorizing definitions is not enough. You need to know the next lawful step. Usually the safest exam answer is the one that preserves impartiality, requires proper identification and personal appearance, refuses unauthorized practice of law, and follows the certificate requirements exactly.

Alaska Commission Workflow and Documents to Verify

Before relying on any checklist, verify the current Alaska commissioning process with the Secretary of State, commissioning authority, approved education provider, or official handbook named in your materials. Administrative steps can change even when the core notary duties stay the same. Confirm the current application form, training or exam requirement, bond requirement if any, oath filing, seal requirements, commission term, renewal timing, and whether remote online notarization has separate registration rules.

Keep a small commissioning file with your application confirmation, education certificate, exam result if applicable, bond or insurance documents, oath filing receipt, commission certificate, stamp order, and journal purchase record. If you plan to offer loan signing or mobile notary services, keep those business records separate from your official notary records. Your commission duties come first; marketing, travel fees, and signing-agent assignments never expand what state law allows you to notarize.

When you review fees, separate maximum notarial fees from optional charges such as travel or business service fees. If the article above lists a fee cap, treat it as a rule to verify and apply carefully. Fee questions often test whether the candidate can distinguish a notarization fee from a separate travel agreement, whether the fee must be disclosed in advance, and whether remote online notarization has a different fee structure.

Procedure Drills That Build Exam Readiness

The fastest way to improve is to practice short appointment scenarios. Write five columns on a page: requested act, signer identity evidence, document condition, certificate wording, and notary action. Then create examples. A signer wants an acknowledgment but has not signed yet. A signer wants a jurat but refuses an oath. A signer brings an expired ID. A spouse asks you to notarize for an absent signer. A customer asks whether a power of attorney is legally sufficient. A remote signer passes credential analysis but cannot communicate clearly. For each scenario, write what you would do and why.

Focus especially on the difference between acknowledgments and jurats. In an acknowledgment, the signer acknowledges signing willingly; the document may have been signed before appearing if state law and the certificate allow it. In a jurat, the signer swears or affirms the truth of the document and usually signs in the notary's presence. Exam questions often hide the correct answer in those verbs. If the certificate says subscribed and sworn, think oath or affirmation. If it says acknowledged before me, think acknowledgment and voluntary execution.

Also drill refusal rules. A notary should refuse when the signer is not properly identified, does not personally appear as required, appears unwilling or unaware, asks the notary to perform an unauthorized act, presents a document with blanks that cannot be completed, or asks for legal advice. A refusal should be calm, specific, and tied to the rule. On the exam, avoid answers that make the notary a document adviser, immigration consultant, attorney, or party to the transaction.

Recordkeeping, Seal, and Certificate Traps

Recordkeeping questions are easy points if you learn the pattern. The journal entry, when required or recommended, should document the date and time, type of act, document description, signer identity method, fee, and any signature or thumbprint requirement that applies. Do not invent information after the fact. Do not share journal details casually. Do not let an employer take control of official records unless your state rules clearly allow a specific arrangement.

Seal questions usually test completeness and control. Keep your stamp secure, use the exact name and commission information required, and never let another person use your seal. If a stamp is lost, stolen, damaged, or replaced after a name or commission change, follow the reporting and replacement process in your Alaska rules. If a certificate has an error, correct it only in the manner allowed by your commissioning authority; do not backdate or attach a loose certificate unless the facts and state rules support that action.

Certificate wording is another common trap. A notary may identify the type of notarial act requested, but should not choose the legal effect of a certificate for a signer. If the document lacks a certificate, the signer or document recipient may need to choose or provide the wording. Your role is to complete the notarial act correctly, not to decide which form gives the document legal effect.

If You Miss Questions in Practice

Use missed questions as a routing tool. If you miss identification questions, reread acceptable ID, credible witness, and personal knowledge rules. If you miss jurat questions, drill oath language and signature timing. If you miss fee questions, build a small chart of allowed fees and when they apply. If you miss remote notarization questions, separate traditional personal appearance from remote appearance, credential analysis, audio-video session rules, electronic journal requirements, and technology-provider rules.

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