How to Become a Notary in Delaware 2026: Complete DE Notary Guide

How to Become a Notary Public in Delaware

Delaware does not require an exam to become a notary public. The application process is handled through the Delaware Secretary of State online portal. Delaware is one of the few states that does not require a surety bond, making it one of the most affordable states to become a notary.

Delaware Notary Requirements at a Glance

Why Become a Delaware Notary?

• No exam required - Straightforward application process
• No surety bond - One of the few states without this requirement
• Flexible commission terms - Choose 2 or 4 years
• Affordable startup - Low fees without bond costs
• RON authorized - Remote Online Notarization legal since August 2023
• Online application - Easy digital process

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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 a Delaware Notary

Step 1: Meet Eligibility Requirements

To become a Delaware notary public, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a United States citizen or permanent legal resident
• Be a Delaware resident with a street address OR maintain an office/regular place of employment in Delaware (P.O. boxes, virtual offices, and registered agents do NOT qualify)
• Be able to read and write English
• Be of good moral character and reputation
• Have no felony convictions (unless rights have been restored)
• Have no convictions for crimes involving dishonesty or moral turpitude

Step 2: Create Your Online Profile

Apply through the Delaware Notary Public online system:

1. Visit notary.delaware.gov
2. Create an account with your email address
3. Complete your Notary Profile with required information
4. Verify your identity and address

Step 3: Submit Your Application

1. Complete the online application through your profile
2. Select your commission type:
   • Traditional Notary (2 or 4 years)
   • Limited Governmental Notary (no fixed term - tied to employment)
   • Notary for Certain Service Organizations (4 years)
3. Pay the application fee:
   • $60 for 2-year commission
   • $90 for 4-year commission
   • $0 for Limited Governmental/Service Organization commissions
4. Submit your application for review

Step 4: Receive Your Commission

Once approved by the Secretary of State:

• You'll receive your commission certificate
• Your commission is effective immediately upon issuance
• You can begin notarizing after obtaining your supplies

Step 5: Purchase Notary Supplies

After receiving your commission, purchase required supplies:

Official Notary Seal (Required):

• Rubber stamp OR metal embosser
• Must be sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible
• Must include: Your name, "State of Delaware," commission expiration date, and other required information
• Cost: $25-$50

Notary Journal (Required):

• Mandatory as of August 1, 2023
• Paper OR electronic format allowed
• Must be retained for 10 years
• Cost: $15-$30

Delaware Notary Fees

Important Guidelines:

• The maximum fee per notarial act is $5.00
• You may waive the fee entirely
• Travel fees are not regulated - follow the IRS standard mileage rate as a guideline
• Disclose fees before performing services
• Provide an itemized fee statement

Delaware-Specific Requirements

Seal Requirements

Your Delaware notary seal must include:

• Your name exactly as commissioned
• The words "State of Delaware"
• Your commission expiration date
• Additional information as required by the Secretary of State

Format: Sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible

New Seal Required: If your name changes, you must obtain a new seal.

Journal Requirements (Mandatory)

As of August 1, 2023, Delaware notaries must keep a journal:

Required Journal Entries:

• Date and time of the notarial act
• Type of notarial act performed
• Title or description of the document
• Signature and name of the signer(s)
• Identification method used
• Fee charged (if any)

Retention: Journal records must be kept for 10 years

Transfer of Records: If you do not renew your commission, records must be transmitted to the Delaware Notary Administration

Certificate Requirements

Every notarial certificate must include:

• Your official seal impression
• Your signature
• The date of the notarial act
• The statement required for the specific notarial act type

Remote Online Notarization (RON) in Delaware

Delaware permanently authorized RON starting August 1, 2023 through Senate Bill 262.

Becoming a Delaware Remote Online Notary

To perform RON in Delaware:

1. Be an active Delaware notary public in good standing
2. Request RON/Electronic privileges through your online Notary Profile
3. Select an SOS-approved technology provider from the list on the Notary Department website
4. Obtain an e-seal and e-signature conforming to Delaware standards
5. Maintain an electronic journal (mandatory for all electronic notarizations)

No additional exam or training required for RON in Delaware (though training is recommended).

RON Technology Requirements

• Must use a Secretary of State-approved Electronic/Remote Technology provider
• Approved providers include: Black Knight, Blend, BlueNotary, Cyberize It, Doc Magic, NotaryCam, Pavaso, SIGNiX, and others
• Cannot use general video conferencing like Zoom or FaceTime
• Must indicate your provider in your Notary Profile

RON Location Requirements

• Notary must be physically located in Delaware when performing RON
• Signer can be anywhere - remotely located domestically or internationally

RON Identity Verification

When performing RON, you must verify the signer's identity through:

• Remote presentation of one or more government-issued ID documents with photo and signature (e.g., U.S. passport, state ID, unexpired foreign passport, alien registration card)
• Other satisfactory evidence as permitted by law

RON Record Retention

• Technology provider must retain the visual and audio recording for 10 years
• Notary must maintain electronic journal for 10 years

Total Cost to Become a Delaware Notary

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

Delaware Notary Commission Types

Traditional Notary Public

• Term: 2 or 4 years (your choice)
• Fee: $60 or $90
• For: General public, businesses, independent notaries

Limited Governmental Notary

• Term: No fixed expiration (expires upon end of employment)
• Fee: $0
• For: State employees and qualified police agency employees

Notary for Certain Service Organizations

• Term: 4 years
• Fee: $0
• For: Qualifying service organization members

Renewing Your Delaware Commission

Renewal Process:

• Begin renewal at least 30 days before your commission expires
• Log into your online Notary Profile
• Complete the renewal application
• Pay the appropriate fee ($60 or $90)
• You'll receive a new commission with updated expiration

Important: You'll need a new seal with your updated expiration date.

Start Your Delaware Notary Career Today

Delaware offers an excellent opportunity to become a notary public with no exam, no bond requirement, and an easy online application process. The low startup costs make it one of the most accessible states to begin your notary career.

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How to Turn This Delaware 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 Delaware.

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 Delaware 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.

Delaware Commission Workflow and Documents to Verify

Before relying on any checklist, verify the current Delaware 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 Delaware 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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