Washington Notary 2026: No Exam, $40 Fee + Steps

How to Become a Notary Public in Washington State

Washington State does not require an exam or training course to become a notary public. However, the state strongly recommends that applicants familiarize themselves with notary laws and best practices. Applications are processed through the Washington State Department of Licensing.

Washington Notary Requirements at a Glance

Why Become a Washington Notary?

• No exam required - Straightforward application process
• No training required - Though strongly recommended
• Statewide commission - Serve clients across all 39 Washington counties
• Growing demand - Real estate, legal, and business needs
• Income potential - Charge up to $15 for traditional acts, $25 for RON
• Remote notarization - Washington allows Remote Online Notarization (since 2020)

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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 Washington Notary

Step 1: Meet Eligibility Requirements

To become a Washington State notary public, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a United States citizen or permanent legal resident
• Be a resident of Washington OR have a place of employment or practice in Washington
• Be able to read and write English
• Have no disqualifying criminal history (no felony or gross misdemeanor involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit within the past 5 years - evaluated on a case-by-case basis)

Step 2: Obtain Your Surety Bond

You must obtain a $10,000 surety bond before submitting your application.

• Bond Amount: $10,000
• Bond Term: Up to 4 years (matches commission term)
• Typical Cost: $35-$55 for a 4-year term
• Provider: Must be from a surety company licensed in Washington

Important: Your commission expiration date is based on your bond expiration date. If you purchase a 2-year bond, your commission will only be valid for 2 years.

Step 3: Apply Through Department of Licensing

Apply online through the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL):

1. Create an account on the Secure Access Washington (SAW) portal
2. Complete the Notary Public License Application
3. Submit proof of your $10,000 surety bond
4. Pay the $40 application fee

Optional: Add electronic notary endorsement for an additional $15 fee.

Step 4: Receive Your Commission

Once approved:

• You will receive your notary commission via the DOL portal
• Print a copy for your records
• Your commission is valid for 4 years (or until your bond expires)
• Optional: Pay $5 for DOL to mail a printed copy

Note: Unlike some states, Washington does NOT require you to take an oath of office.

Step 5: Purchase Notary Supplies

After receiving your commission, purchase required supplies:

Official Notary Stamp (Required):

Washington has specific stamp requirements under RCW 42.45.150 and WAC 308-30-070:

Size Requirements:

• Circular: Minimum 1-5/8 inches diameter
• Rectangular: Minimum 1 inch wide by 1-5/8 inches long
• Font size: Minimum 8-point type

Required Information:

• Notary's name as on commission
• "Notary Public"
• "State of Washington"
• Commission expiration date

Cost: $25-$50

Important: You need a new stamp every time you renew because the expiration date must be current.

Notary Journal (Required):

Washington requires a journal for both paper and electronic notarial acts:

• Must be a permanent, bound register with numbered pages
• Only one tangible journal at a time (for both paper and electronic acts)
• Must be kept for 10 years after your last entry
• Cost: $15-$40

Washington Notary Fees (Effective June 22, 2024)

Important Notes:

• Fees were updated effective June 22, 2024
• Maximum fees are set by WAC 308-30-220
• Travel fees must be disclosed as separate from notarial fees and agreed upon in advance
• Cannot charge for services not performed or incomplete acts
• Must display fee schedule conspicuously

Washington-Specific Requirements

Journal Requirements

Washington is one of the stricter states for journal requirements:

Required for ALL notarial acts (paper and electronic):

• Date and time of notarial act
• Type of notarial act
• Description of the document
• Name and address of each person for whom the act was performed
• Method of identification
• Fee charged
• Signature of person whose signature is notarized

Retention: Must keep journal for 10 years after last entry.

Stamp Requirements

Under RCW 42.45.150 and WAC 308-30-070:

• Must be photographically reproducible
• Must include current expiration date
• Must be inked (not embossed only)
• Must meet size requirements

Prohibited Acts

Washington notaries may NOT:

• Charge for protesting negotiable instruments
• Charge for services not performed
• Notarize their own signature
• Notarize when they have a financial interest
• Use an expired or incorrect stamp

Remote Online Notarization (RON) in Washington

Washington has allowed Remote Online Notarization since March 27, 2020.

Becoming a Washington Remote Online Notary

To perform RON in Washington:

1. First obtain a traditional WA notary commission (including $10,000 bond)
2. Obtain Electronic Notary Endorsement:
   • $15 fee (can add at initial commission or renewal)
   • Authorizes notarizing electronic documents in person
3. Obtain Remote Online Notary (RON) Endorsement:
   • No additional fee
   • Added after obtaining electronic endorsement
   • Apply through SAW portal or follow DOL instructions

RON Requirements

• No additional training or exam required - but strongly recommended
• Must use approved audio-visual technology
• Must verify signer identity through approved methods
• Must maintain electronic journal
• Signer can be located anywhere if act complies with WA RON rules

RON Fees

You may charge up to $25 for remote notarial acts.

Total Cost to Become a Washington Notary

Additional RON Costs

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

Renewal Process

Renewal Requirements:

• Apply before your commission expires
• Renewal fee: $42 (or $57 with e-endorsement)
• Provide updated surety bond
• Purchase new stamp with updated expiration date
• No exam or course required

Errors & Omissions Insurance

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

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

Important Washington Laws to Know

Key Statutes:

• RCW 42.45 - Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts
• WAC 308-30 - Administrative rules for notaries

Journal Retention: Washington's 10-year journal retention requirement is among the longest in the nation.

Start Your Washington Notary Career Today

Washington makes it straightforward to become a notary public with no exam or training requirements. Obtain your bond, apply through the Department of Licensing, and begin serving clients across the state.

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How to Turn This Washington 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 Washington.

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 Washington 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.

Washington Commission Workflow and Documents to Verify

Before relying on any checklist, verify the current Washington 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 Washington 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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