Virginia Notary 2026: No Exam, No Bond, 4-Yr Commission

How to Become a Notary Public in Virginia

Virginia is a self-certifying state, meaning you do not need to pass an exam, complete a course, or obtain a surety bond to become a notary public in 2026. You simply need to meet the eligibility requirements and certify that you understand your duties when applying.

Heads-up for 2027: Virginia passed HB 163 / SB 316 in April 2026 to fight real estate deed fraud and notary impersonation. Starting July 1, 2027, all new and renewing notaries must complete mandatory education (4 hours first-time, 2 hours renewal) and pass a written exam. Until then, no exam is required. A separate journal-and-seal-proof rule already took effect July 1, 2026 (see the 2026 law changes section below).

Virginia Notary Requirements at a Glance

Why Become a Virginia Notary?

• No exam required (through June 2027) — self-certifying state
• No bond required — one of few states without a bond requirement
• No course required (through June 2027)
• Pioneer in RON — Virginia was the first state to authorize Remote Online Notarization (2012)
• Income potential — charge up to $10 for traditional acts, $25 for electronic/RON
• Large commission base — approximately 120,000 Virginians are commissioned at any given time

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NEW for 2026: Virginia Notary Law Changes (HB 163 / SB 316)

Virginia passed House Bill 163 and Senate Bill 316 in April 2026 to fight real estate deed fraud and notary impersonation. Two provisions took effect July 1, 2026, and more arrive in 2027.

Effective July 1, 2026

1. Mandatory journal for ALL notaries. Every Virginia notary — including traditional (paper) notaries — must now create and maintain a chronological record (journal) of each notarial act performed on or after July 1, 2026. Retain the journal for at least 5 years from the date of the transaction. Electronic notaries already kept an electronic journal; this new rule closes the gap for paper notarizations.

2. Proof of commission to buy a seal. You must present proof of your notary commission (your commission document issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth) when purchasing a physical notary seal/stamp from a vendor or manufacturer. Both you and the vendor must retain that proof for at least 5 years. You can no longer simply order a seal without documentation.

Effective July 1, 2027

3. Mandatory education and exam. First-time notary and electronic notary applicants must complete 4 hours of approved training (including at least 1 hour on real estate fraud and financial exploitation of elderly persons) and pass a written examination before receiving a commission. Renewing notaries must complete 2 hours of training (including 1 hour on real estate fraud and elder exploitation) before each renewal. Training must be completed within 6 months prior to application. The Secretary of the Commonwealth must develop the curriculum by January 1, 2027.

4. Property alert system. Circuit courts with electronic land-record systems must offer a property alert notification system so owners can monitor filings affecting their property.

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Explore More Notary Resources

Looking for notary study materials or guides for other states? Check out our comprehensive resources. The National Notary Association is also an excellent resource for notary education and supplies.

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Step-by-Step: How to Become a Virginia Notary

Step 1: Meet Eligibility Requirements

To become a Virginia notary public, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a legal resident of the United States
• Be a resident of Virginia OR regularly employed in Virginia and perform notary services in connection with that employment
• Be able to read and write English
• Have no felony conviction under U.S., Virginia, or any other state law (unless pardoned, conviction vacated by a writ of actual innocence, or civil rights restored)

Non-Resident Note: Non-residents may be appointed if they are regularly employed in Virginia and perform notary services in connection with their employment. Non-resident notaries who cease regular employment in Virginia must surrender their commission. Members of the U.S. armed services are eligible to register and be commissioned notwithstanding § 2.2-2800.

Step 2: Apply Online Through the Secretary of the Commonwealth

Virginia processes notary applications online via the Notary Management Account system:

1. Create a Notary Management Account on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website
2. Complete the online Notary Public Application
3. Pay the $45 non-refundable application fee (online by credit card, or by check/money order payable to Treasurer of Virginia)
4. Self-certify by signing the oath on the application, sworn before an officer authorized to administer oaths, that the answers are true and that you are qualified
5. If submitting by paper, your application must be notarized by a traditional Virginia notary (an electronic notary cannot notarize it)
6. Submit your application

Processing Time: Applications are typically processed within 3–4 weeks. You will be notified (usually by email) when your commission has been sent to your chosen Circuit Court.

Step 3: Receive Your Commission

Once approved:

• Your commission is sent to the Circuit Court in the city or county you elected on your application
• You will receive a notification (email or letter) from the Secretary of the Commonwealth
• You have 60 days from the commission issuance date to claim it and complete the oath of office

Step 4: Take Oath of Office at Circuit Court

Within 60 days of your commission issuance, you must:

1. Visit your local Circuit Court Clerk's office (the one you elected on your application)
2. Present photo ID and your notification
3. Take the Oath of Office and sign the register
4. Pay the $10 oath/qualification fee to the Clerk
5. Receive your official Notary Commission certificate

Important: If you fail to claim your commission within 60 days, it becomes void — no exceptions, including non-receipt of notice. You must reapply and pay a new $45 fee.

Renewal Oath Waiver (July 2024 — SB 8): If you are renewing your commission before expiration and are in good standing (not subject to any investigation or proceeding, never removed from office), you are no longer required to take your oath at the courthouse, and your renewal application does not need to be notarized. Digital copies of renewal commissions are provided once approved.

Step 5: Purchase Notary Supplies

After completing your oath, purchase required supplies. As of July 1, 2026, you must present proof of your commission (your commission certificate) to the seal vendor.

Official Notary Seal/Stamp (Required):

Virginia law (§ 47.1-16) requires a seal or stamp on every notarized document:

• Must be sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible
• Must contain your name exactly as on your commission
• Must include "Notary Public"
• Must include "Commonwealth of Virginia"
• Cost: $25–$50
• Proof required: Present your commission certificate to the vendor; both you and the vendor retain proof for 5 years

Note: The Secretary of the Commonwealth's office does NOT sell notary stamps/seals. You must purchase from an outside vendor.

Notary Journal (Required as of July 1, 2026):

• Now mandatory for all notarial acts (paper and electronic) per HB 163/SB 316
• Retain for at least 5 years from the date of the notarial act
• Should record: date and time, type of act, document description, signer name, identification method, fee, and signer signature
• Cost: $15–$30

Virginia Notary Fees (Effective July 1, 2024)

Important Notes:

• Fees were increased effective July 1, 2024 by House Bill 986 (from $5 to $10 for traditional acts)
• These are maximum fees — you may charge less or nothing at all
• Per notarial act, not per document or signature — multiple signers on one acknowledgment can be charged per signer
• Notaries are not required to charge a fee
• Charging more than the legal maximum is unlawful

Virginia-Specific Requirements

Seal Requirements (§ 47.1-16)

Your notary seal/stamp must:

• Be sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible
• Contain your name exactly as it appears on your commission
• Include "Notary Public"
• Include "Commonwealth of Virginia"
• Not obscure signatures or other parts of the document

Prohibited Acts

Virginia notaries may NOT:

• Notarize their own signature
• Notarize a document from which they or their spouse may benefit (direct financial interest)
• Notarize their spouse's signature
• Provide legal advice or draft documents
• Notarize incomplete documents
• Charge more than the statutory maximum fees
• Notarize for an absent signer (no personal appearance)

Jurisdiction

• Virginia notaries may only perform notarial acts within Virginia
• For electronic/RON acts, the notary must be physically located in Virginia; the signer can be anywhere

Remote Online Notarization (RON) in Virginia

Virginia was the first state to authorize Remote Online Notarization — Governor Bob McDonnell signed the bill in 2011 and the process was implemented in 2012, making Virginia a pioneer in the field.

Becoming a Virginia Electronic/Remote Notary

To perform electronic notarization or RON in Virginia:

1. First obtain a traditional VA notary commission
2. Obtain electronic seal and signature technology (digital certificate from a provider; the Secretary does not pre-approve platforms but published an early compliant list including DocVerify, Notarize, NotaryCam, Pavaso, SIGNiX, and others)
3. Complete the electronic notary application online via the Secretary's portal
4. Pay the $45 non-refundable application fee for electronic notary (paid online by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express)
5. Receive your electronic notary commission by email

The electronic notary commission shares the same expiration date as your traditional commission.

Electronic Seal Requirements

Your electronic seal must:

• Be obtained before applying for electronic notary status
• Include all required elements of a traditional seal (name, "Notary Public," "Commonwealth of Virginia")
• Use an electronic signature with the same name as on your commission

RON Rules

• Notary must be physically located in Virginia during the act
• Must use secure audio-video technology meeting VA standards
• Must maintain an electronic journal and audio-video recording of the session (kept 5+ years)
• Signer can be located anywhere (inside or outside the U.S.)
• Must verify signer identity through personal knowledge, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), digital ID/biometrics, or credential analysis
• Certificate must state "remote online notarization" and the notary's Virginia location
• RON is legally equivalent to in-person notarization

RON Fees

You may charge up to $25 for electronic notarial acts, including RON.

Total Cost to Become a Virginia Notary

Additional Electronic Notary Costs

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

Errors & Omissions Insurance

While not required, Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance is highly recommended:

• Protects you from liability for unintentional errors
• Typical coverage: $10,000–$25,000
• Annual cost: $20–$50

Commission Renewal

Renewal Process:

• Apply for renewal before (or within 30 days after) your commission expires
• Pay $45 renewal application fee
• As of July 2024 (SB 8), renewing notaries in good standing no longer need to take the oath at the courthouse or have the application notarized
• Digital commission copies are provided upon approval
• If your commission has expired by more than 30 days or your name changed, you must submit a new notarized application
• Coming in 2027: Renewing notaries must complete 2 hours of training (including 1 hour on real estate fraud and elder exploitation) before each renewal

Start Your Virginia Notary Career Today

Virginia makes it easy to become a notary public in 2026 as a self-certifying state with no exam, no course, and no bond requirements. Apply online, take your oath at the circuit court, purchase your seal (with proof of commission) and journal, and begin serving clients. Plan ahead for the July 1, 2027 education and exam mandate so you are ready when it arrives.

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How to Turn This Virginia 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 Virginia.

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 Virginia 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 — which is now mandatory for every notarial act as of July 1, 2026.

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.

Virginia Commission Workflow and Documents to Verify

Before relying on any checklist, verify the current Virginia commissioning process with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, approved education provider, or official handbook. Administrative steps can change even when the core notary duties stay the same — and Virginia's are changing in both 2026 and 2027. Confirm the current application form, training or exam requirement, bond requirement if any, oath filing, seal requirements (including proof of commission to your vendor), journal mandate, commission term, renewal timing, and whether remote online notarization has separate registration rules.

Keep a small commissioning file with your application confirmation, education certificate (required starting 2027), exam result if applicable, bond or insurance documents, oath filing receipt, commission certificate, stamp order with proof-of-commission record, 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 now that Virginia requires a journal for all acts. The journal entry should document the date and time, type of act, document description, signer identity method, fee, and any signature requirement that applies. Retain the journal for at least 5 years from the date of the act. 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. Remember that as of July 1, 2026, you must present proof of commission to your seal vendor, and both of you keep that proof for 5 years. If a stamp is lost, stolen, damaged, or replaced after a name or commission change, follow the reporting and replacement process in your Virginia 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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