How to Become a Notary in Alaska (2026): Requirements, Cost & Steps
Quick answer
- Who qualifies
- 18+ · You must have established residency in Alaska and provide a physical residential address on the application — a PO Box alone is not accepted, which matters in a state where many communities rely on postal-box addresses
- Total cost
- About $100–$200 (estimate — breakdown below)
- Exam / course
- No exam, no mandatory course
- Bond
- Yes — $2,500 surety bond
- Commission term
- 4 years
- Online notarization
- Allowed (extra registration)
Requirements verified July 19, 2026 against Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Notary Public Office
Alaska notaries apply through the Lieutenant Governor's office (not a Secretary of State), pay a $40 application fee, and post a $2,500 bond — unless they qualify for a free, bond-exempt limited governmental commission through a government employer. No exam or training is required, and a regular commission runs four years.
Alaska routes notary commissions through the Lieutenant Governor's office in Juneau — there is no Secretary of State here. The standard path is simple: a $40 application, a notarized oath, and a $2,500 surety bond, with no exam and no required course. The bond is among the smallest in the nation, which keeps premiums cheap, and the commission runs four years with an expiration date you'll print on every certificate.
Costs stay low: $40 to the state, a small bond premium, and a stamp. Government workers get an even better deal — the limited governmental commission is free for state employees and swaps the bond for employer approval, though it only covers on-the-job notarizations and bans charging fees. One uniquely Alaskan wrinkle: the application demands a physical residential address, and the office will not take a PO Box, even though box-only mail delivery is common across the state.
Alaska also leaves notary pricing open — no fee cap exists, only a rule that you show signers your fee schedule before you charge. Remote notarization has been legal since January 1, 2021 under HB 124: you request authorization in writing, name your technology vendor, and pay $100 for a full four-year term (or $25 per remaining year), after which you can serve signers anywhere from inside Alaska.
Who can become a notary in Alaska?
- Age: at least 18 years old.
- Residency: You must have established residency in Alaska and provide a physical residential address on the application — a PO Box alone is not accepted, which matters in a state where many communities rely on postal-box addresses. You must also reside legally in the United States.
- Background: Under AS 44.50 you cannot be commissioned if, within the 10 years before the commission takes effect, you were convicted of a felony or incarcerated for a felony conviction. Older felonies outside that 10-year window are not an automatic bar.
- Your oath of office on the application must itself be notarized before you submit it.
- Federal, state, and municipal employees can seek a limited governmental commission instead: no application fee for state employees and employer approval replaces the bond, but it only covers notarizations for official government business and ends when the job does.
How to apply: step by step
- Choose your commission type: a regular four-year commission, or a limited governmental commission if you're a federal, state, or municipal employee who will only notarize for work.
- For a regular commission, buy a $2,500 surety bond from a company authorized in Alaska. Government employees applying for the limited commission submit employer approval instead of a bond.
- Complete the notary application (online or by mail) through the Office of the Lieutenant Governor's Notary Public Office, listing a physical Alaska residential address — not just a PO Box.
- Sign the oath of office and have your signature on it notarized.
- Pay the $40 non-refundable application fee (waived for state employees seeking a limited governmental commission) and submit everything to the Notary Public Office in Juneau — PO Box 110015, Juneau, AK 99811 if mailing.
- After your commission certificate arrives, order a seal — circular up to 2 inches across or rectangular up to 1 x 2.5 inches — showing your name exactly as commissioned, 'Notary Public', and 'State of Alaska'.
How long it takes: The Notary Public Office does not publish a standard turnaround. Applications are processed in Juneau; mailed applications from remote communities should build in extra transit time. Contact the office for current expectations.
What it costs in Alaska
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State application fee | $40 | A regular commission usually costs the $40 state fee plus a modest bond premium and a stamp. Government employees who only notarize on the job can often start for free with the limited governmental commission, since both the fee and the bond drop away. |
| Surety bond ($2,500 coverage) | Premium varies by vendor | You pay a small one-time premium, not the full bond amount. Regular commissions need a $2,500 bond covering the four-year term — one of the smallest notary bonds in the country, so premiums are correspondingly low. Limited governmental notaries file employer approval instead of a bond, and their authority is limited to official government business. |
| $2,500 surety bond premium, set by the bonding company (regular commissions only). | — | |
| Seal/stamp from a private vendor. | — | |
| Remote notarization authorization, if you add it | $100 with a new four-year commission, or $25 per remaining year of an existing commission. | |
| State employees applying for a limited governmental commission pay no application fee. | — | |
| Stamp & journal | $20–$60 (typical retail) | Estimate across major suppliers — see our supplies checklist. |
| Realistic total (estimate) | About $100–$200 |
Exam and training
Alaska does not require an exam or a mandatory course. No training requirement. The Notary Public Office publishes a handbook, FAQs, and guidance documents on its website, which are worth reading since nothing forces you to learn the rules before you start.
Can you notarize online in Alaska? RON allowed
Yes — Alaska authorizes remote online notarization (RON). Authorized by HB 124 (2020), which permanently allowed notarial acts for remotely located individuals effective January 1, 2021, under AS 44.50.075. Remote acts must be chronicled in a journal retained for 10 years.
To add RON to your commission: Hold an active Alaska commission, then send a written request to the notary administrator (acceptable by email to notary@alaska.gov) that includes your commissioned name and commission number, a description of the technology vendor you'll use, and copies of the electronic signature and seal you'll use on the platform. After approval, pay the state $100 alongside a new four-year commission or $25 per remaining year of your current commission. The Lieutenant Governor lists remote-platform providers as a courtesy but does not endorse or require any particular one; the technology must provide real-time synchronous audio-video.
Full guide: how to become a remote online notary.
After you're commissioned
Get your stamp and journal. AS 44.50.064 requires an official seal showing your name exactly as it appears on your commission certificate plus the words 'Notary Public' and 'State of Alaska'. It may be circular (up to 2 inches in diameter) or rectangular (up to 1 x 2.5 inches), and the impression must be sharp, legible, and photographically reproducible (AS 44.50.065). Your commission expiration date is optional on the seal — but if it isn't in the seal or the certificate wording, you must write 'My commission expires (date)' near your signature. See the new-notary supplies checklist and Alaska stamp requirements before you order.
What you can charge: Alaska sets no maximum notary fees. The one rule is transparency: if you intend to charge, you must give the signer a published fee schedule before performing the notarization. Limited governmental notaries may not charge at all.
E&O insurance: Not required. The $2,500 bond protects people harmed by notarial mistakes — and the surety can bill you back — so optional errors-and-omissions coverage is the only protection that pays on your side.
Earning more with your commission
Most new notaries who turn the commission into real income do it through loan signings — notarizing mortgage document packages for title companies. If that interests you, start with what a loan signing agent actually does and earns. Loan signing agent guide
Alaska notary FAQ
Who commissions notaries in Alaska?
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor — Alaska has no Secretary of State, and the Lieutenant Governor's Notary Public Office in Juneau handles applications, bonds, and commissions. You can apply online or mail everything to PO Box 110015, Juneau, AK 99811.
What does an Alaska notary commission cost?
The application fee is $40, non-refundable. Add the premium on the $2,500 bond — a small bond by national standards, so premiums are low — and a seal from a stamp vendor. State employees who apply for a limited governmental commission skip both the fee and the bond entirely.
What is a limited governmental notary commission?
A no-cost option for federal, state, and municipal employees who notarize as part of their job. Employer approval replaces the $2,500 bond, state employees pay no application fee, and the commission lasts as long as the employment does. The trade-offs: you may only notarize official government business, and you can never charge a fee.
How much can an Alaska notary charge per notarization?
There's no cap — Alaska statutes don't set maximum fees. The requirement is disclosure: hand the signer a published fee schedule before the notarization if you plan to charge. That freedom doesn't extend to limited governmental notaries, who cannot charge at all.
How do I become a remote online notary in Alaska?
Get a regular commission first, then email a written request to notary@alaska.gov with your commissioned name, commission number, the vendor technology you'll use, and copies of your electronic signature and seal. Once approved, you pay $100 with a fresh four-year commission or $25 per year remaining on your current one. Alaska has allowed remote notarization since January 1, 2021, and the state lists platform providers without endorsing any.
Can I use a PO Box on my Alaska notary application?
Not by itself. The application requires a physical residential address to verify Alaska residency, and the office explicitly will not accept a PO Box as your residential address — a real catch in bush communities where mail only comes to boxes. You can still receive mail at a PO Box; you just have to list where you physically live.
Official sources
Every requirement on this page traces to one of these official sources.
- Alaska Notary Public Office — Office of the Lieutenant Governor
- Notary Overview and Qualifications — Office of the Lieutenant Governor
- Types of Notary Commissions — Office of the Lieutenant Governor
- Alaska Statutes Chapter 44.50 — Notaries Public — Office of the Lieutenant Governor / Alaska Legislature
- Guidance on Implementing Notarizations for Remotely Located Individuals — Office of the Lieutenant Governor