Commission & Application
Not publishedof exam
EligibilityBondFeesFiling
Notarial Acts & Duties
Not publishedof exam
AcknowledgmentOathJuratSignatureCopyProtest
Certificates & Identification
Not publishedof exam
CertificateVenueSatisfactory EvidenceCircuits
Journal, Seal & Fees
Not publishedof exam
Record BookSeal SpecsFee CapRetention
Remote Online Notary
Not publishedof exam
RONAudiovisualIdentity ProofingE-Journal
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Notary Public Commission
- Administrator
- Attorney General
- Format
- Closed-book written
- Pass
- 80%
- Questions/Time
- Not published
- Term
- 4 years
- Level
- Entry-level
- Manual
- Rev. April 2023
Eligibility Requirements
- Age
- 18 years minimum
- Residency
- Hawaii resident required
- Citizenship
- US citizen or national
- Work-authorized
- Alien authorized to work qualifies
- Non-resident
- Disqualified, no exception
- Application portal
- notary.ehawaii.gov account
Commission Terms
- Term length
- 4 years
- Appointing body
- Attorney General
- Renewal deadline
- Before expiration date
- Forfeiture
- Knowing failure to renew
- Restore window
- Within 1 year
- After 1 year lapse
- Reapply as new
- Change report
- Report change in writing
Bond & Commission Fees
- Surety bond
- $1,000 required
- Bond approval
- Circuit Court judge
- Application fee
- $20
- Exam fee
- $10 per attempt
- Commission issuance
- $100
- Renewal fee
- $100
- Restoration fee
- $80
- Name/address change
- $10
Filing & Authentication
- Filing required
- Photocopy of commission
- Filed with
- Circuit Court clerk
- Also filed
- Seal impression, signature specimen
- Authentication
- Clerk certifies notary's authority
- Used for
- Documents sent out-of-state
- Optional filing
- Any other circuit court
Notary Public Functions
Oath, Witness, Attest, Protest, Acknowledge
Administer oathsWitness signingAttest identityNote protests
Acknowledgment vs Jurat
Acknowledgment
- Signer appears after signing
- Confirms it was free act
- No oath taken
Jurat
- Signer swears in front of notary
- Oath or affirmation required
- "Subscribed and sworn" clause
Pre-signed vs oath-signed
Which Notarial Act To Use
- Signer wants free-act declaration→Acknowledgment
- Signer must swear document true→Jurat
- Need pledge without swearing→Affirmation
- Need written sworn statement→Affidavit
- Witness testimony for court→Deposition
- Payment refused on note→Protest
Core Notarial Acts
- Acknowledgment
- Signer confirms free act
- Oath or affirmation
- Solemn pledge or affirmation
- Jurat verification
- Signer swears; notary certifies
- Signature witnessing
- Notary attests a signature
- Copy certification
- Notary attests a copy
- Protest
- Note protest of note
Oath vs Affirmation
Oath
- Invokes God or deity
- Affiant says swear
Affirmation
- No religious invocation
- Affiant says affirm
Religious vs secular pledge
Disqualifying Interest Check
- Notary is a party→Must decline act
- Notary has beneficial interest→Must decline act
- Notary is mere relative→May notarize
- Notary is corp officer→May notarize, if not party
- Signer needs legal advice→Refer to attorney
- Document in foreign language→Refer to fluent notary
Duties & Limitations
- Own signature
- Never notarize
- Beneficial interest
- Disqualifies notary
- Mere relationship
- Does not disqualify
- Corporate officer
- May notarize, if not party
- Personal appearance
- Always required, in person
- Phone notarization
- Absolutely forbidden
- Foreign language doc
- Must understand language
- Legal advice
- Unauthorized practice of law
Mercantile vs Maritime Protest
Mercantile Protest
- Bills, notes, checks
- Payment was refused
Maritime Protest
- Ship master's statement
- Storm or peril damage
Payment vs voyage damage
Violations & Penalties
- Unauthorized practice
- Misdemeanor charge
- Failure to verify ID
- Auto commission revocation
- Failure to authenticate
- Auto commission revocation
- Misrepresent, 1st degree
- Intent to mislead, profit
- Misrepresent, 2nd degree
- Intent to mislead only
- Overcharging fees
- Violation of law
- Notarizing own signature
- Prohibited, always
Judicial Circuits Order
1st Oahu, 2nd Maui, 3rd Hawaii, 5th Kauai
1st: Oahu, Kalawao2nd: Maui, Molokai, Lanai3rd: Hawaii Island only5th: Kauai, NiihauNo 4th circuit exists
Personal Knowledge vs Evidence
Personal Knowledge
- Prior acquaintance
- No ID document needed
Satisfactory Evidence
- Photo ID required
- Signature comparison
Know signer vs verify ID
Identity Verification Picker
- Notary knows signer well→Personal knowledge
- Signer is a stranger→Satisfactory evidence
- Remote signer, no personal ID→RON two-factor proofing
- No valid photo ID for RON→Credible witness
- Document altered after signing→Refuse, report misrepresentation
- Interlineations present→Notary initials margin(Before signing)
Identity Verification
- Personal knowledge
- Prior acquaintance, certainty
- Satisfactory evidence
- Current photo ID document
- ID source
- US, state, or national govt
- ID must show
- Photograph and signature
- RON proofing
- Two ID methods minimum
- Credible witness
- RON identity alternative
Certificate & Venue
- Venue format
- State plus county/circuit
- Certificate signer
- Notary, signed and dated
- Certificate must show
- Name, seal, signature, jurisdiction, date
- Testimonium clause
- Hand and official seal
- 1st circuit
- Oahu and Kalawao
- 2nd circuit
- Maui, Molokai, Lanai
- 3rd circuit
- Hawaii Island only
- 5th circuit
- Kauai and Niihau
- No 4th circuit
- Does not exist
Seal Spec Recall
2 inches, circular, serrated, name plus number
Max 2 inch circleSerrated edge requiredName and number shown"Notary Public State of Hawaii"
Standard Fee vs RON Fee
Standard Act
- $5 per act
- Per party signing
RON Act
- $25 flat fee
- Remote signer only
In-person vs remote fee
Seal Specifications
- Shape
- Circular only
- Max diameter
- 2 inches
- Edge
- Serrated or milled border
- Seal text
- Name, number, title, state
- Seal count
- Only one type allowed
- Signature rule
- Match seal name exactly
- Surrender deadline
- 90 days after leaving
- Seal fine
- Up to $200
Fee Cap Recall
$5 standard, $2.50 extra copy, $25 remote
$5 per act$2.50 extra duplicate$25 for RONNo charge oath of loyalty
Seal Surrender vs Journal Retention
Seal
- Surrender within 90 days
- AG defaces it
Journal
- Notary keeps 10 years
- Subject to AG audit
Surrender vs retain
Record Book Requirements
- Cover
- Soft cover, bound
- Max size
- 11 by 16.5 inches
- Pages
- Consecutively numbered
- Entry: act info
- Type, date, time
- Entry: document
- Title, type, date
- Entry: parties
- Signature, name, address
- Entry: ID method
- Personal or satisfactory evidence
- Entry: fee
- Fee charged, if any
- Retention period
- 10 years
- Record fine
- $50 to $500
Notarial Act Fees (HRS 456-17)
- Acknowledgment
- $5 first, $2.50 extra
- Oath/affidavit
- $5 first, $2.50 extra
- Deposition/certificate
- $5 each
- Protest
- $5 each
- RON act
- $25 flat fee
- Oath of loyalty
- No charge
- Overcharging
- Violation of law
- Fee unit
- Per party signing
RON Fundamentals
- RON eligibility
- Active base commission required
- RON application
- Separate from base commission
- RON term
- Expires with base commission
- Notary location
- Must be in Hawaii
- Signer location
- Remotely located, anywhere
- AV recording
- Retained 10 years minimum
- Digital certificate
- Qualified authority required
- Authorizing law
- HRS 456-23, HAR 5-11
Common Traps
Acknowledgment ≠ Jurat
No oath required ≠ Oath is mandatory
Oath ≠ Affirmation
Invokes a deity ≠ Purely secular pledge
3rd Circuit ≠ Kauai
3rd is Hawaii Island ≠ Kauai is 5th circuit
Notary ≠ Attorney
Cannot draft legal documents ≠ Cannot give legal advice
Standard Fee ≠ RON Fee
Standard capped at $5 ≠ RON capped at $25
Relationship ≠ Beneficial Interest
Relation alone is allowed ≠ Financial interest disqualifies notary
Seal Surrender ≠ Journal Retention
Seal surrendered in 90 days ≠ Journal kept for 10 years
Last Minute
- 1.Passing score is 80 percent
- 2.Exam is closed-book, no notes
- 3.AG runs program, not SOS
- 4.Bond is $1,000 for 4 years
- 5.Commission term lasts four years
- 6.Seal: circular, max 2 inches
- 7.Journal retained for ten years
- 8.Standard fee capped at $5
- 9.RON fee capped at $25
- 10.Never notarize your own signature
- 11.Personal appearance is always required
- 12.No fourth judicial circuit exists
Buy on AmazonSame family resources
Explore More Notary Public
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
VideoFREE Hawaii Notary Exam Guide 2026: Pass Your HI Notary Public Exam on the First TryThis examVideoAlabama Notary 2026: No Exam, $50K Bond, 4-Year TermVideoAlabama Notary 2026: No Exam, $50K Bond, 4-Year TermVideoAlabama Notary 2026: No Exam, $50K Bond, 4-Year TermArticleFREE Hawaii Notary Exam Guide 2026: Pass Your HI Notary Public Exam on the First Try11 min readArticleFREE Wisconsin Notary Exam Guide 2026: Pass Your WI Notary Exam on the First Try11 min readArticleVirginia Notary 2026: No Exam, No Bond, 4-Yr Commission11 min readArticleHow to Become a Notary in South Carolina 2026: Complete SC Notary Guide11 min read