How to Become a Notary in Delaware (2026): Requirements, Cost & Steps

Requirements verified July 18, 2026 against Delaware Secretary of State — Notary Public Department

Delaware notaries apply online through the Secretary of State's notary portal, pay a $60 fee for an initial two-year commission, and take the constitutional oath of office. There is no bond, no exam, and no required training, but every notary must keep a journal and applicants must show a reasonable need for a commission.

Delaware runs its notary program entirely online through the Secretary of State. You apply at the state's notary portal, pay $60, and everything after that — instructions, your oath paperwork, even the commission certificate itself — arrives by email. Delaware skips most of the hurdles other states pile on: no bond, no exam, no required class. Its one unusual filter is that you must show a 'reasonable need' for a commission, and if you have a criminal conviction you'll need a certified background check from wherever it happened. Your first commission lasts two years; at renewal you can pay $90 to stretch the next one to four.

The practical version: apply online, explain why you need the commission, pay $60, take the constitutional oath and send it back, then buy a stamp (embosser or black-ink) and a journal. The journal is not optional — since August 1, 2023, every Delaware notary must log each act and keep the records for 10 years. Nonresidents can qualify too, as long as they keep a real weekday office or job site in Delaware.

Two Delaware quirks shape the economics. Fees are capped at $5 per notarization on paper (though electronic acts can run $25), so stamp-and-sign work alone pays little. And Delaware is an attorney-settlement state: the state Supreme Court's Mid-Atlantic ruling requires a Delaware lawyer to conduct real estate settlements, which squeezes out the independent loan-signing business found in escrow states. The brighter spot is remote online notarization — since SB 262 took effect in 2023, any Delaware notary can add remote and electronic privileges through their profile using one of roughly 28 state-approved platforms.

Who can become a notary in Delaware?

• Age: at least 18 years old.
• Residency: You must either have a legal residence with a street address in Delaware, or maintain an office or regular place of employment in Delaware that is open Monday–Friday during normal business hours to accept service of process. P.O. boxes and virtual offices do not count. You must also be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
• Background: The state requires 'good character and reputation.' A felony conviction disqualifies you unless your rights have been restored, and convictions for crimes involving dishonesty or moral turpitude also make you ineligible. If you have a prior conviction, you must submit a certified background check from the jurisdiction where it happened, dated within the last six months.
• Able to read and write English.
• Must have a 'reasonable need' for a notary commission — Delaware asks you to explain why you need one on the application.
• You may only notarize inside Delaware's borders, even though nonresidents who work in Delaware can be commissioned.

How to apply: step by step

1. Create a notary profile and complete the online application at notaryforms.delaware.gov (the Delaware Secretary of State's notary portal). Paper applications are no longer the normal route — the whole process, including your commission certificate, runs through email and your online profile.
2. Answer every required question, including the statement of your reasonable need for a commission, and disclose any criminal history. If you have a conviction, attach a certified background check (dated within 6 months) from the jurisdiction where it occurred.
3. Pay the nonrefundable application fee: $60 for the initial two-year commission (Title 29 § 4307).
4. Watch your email — the Secretary of State's Notary Department sends instructions, and your commission certificate arrives electronically.
5. Take the oath of office prescribed by the Delaware Constitution and return the executed oath paperwork as instructed. Under Title 29 § 4308 you cannot perform notarial acts until this is done.
6. Buy your official stamp — either a metal embossing seal or a black-inked rubber stamp — showing your name as commissioned, 'Notary Public,' 'State of Delaware,' and 'My Commission expires on' with the date.
7. Set up a journal. Since August 1, 2023, Delaware law (Title 29 § 4332) requires every notary to keep a chronological journal of notarial acts and retain it for 10 years after the last entry.

How long it takes: Delaware does not publish an official processing time. The application, correspondence, and commission certificate are all handled by email through the online portal, and you cannot act until your oath paperwork is returned — ask the Notary Department (notary@delaware.gov) for current turnaround if timing matters.

What it costs in Delaware

Exam and training

Delaware does not require an exam or a mandatory course. The Secretary of State's site states plainly that training is not required. Optional courses exist from private providers, but Delaware neither requires nor approves them.

Can you notarize online in Delaware? RON allowed

Yes — Delaware authorizes remote online notarization (RON). SB 262 (signed September 9, 2022; 83 Del. Laws ch. 425) enacted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, effective August 1, 2023. Before that date, remote notarization in Delaware was limited to licensed attorneys; SB 262 opened it to all commissioned notaries who complete the authorization steps.

To add RON to your commission: You must already hold a Delaware commission, then request remote and/or electronic privileges through your online notary profile before performing any such acts (Title 29 §§ 4320 and 4333 require notifying the Secretary of State first). You must pick a technology provider from the state's approved list — about 28 providers as of mid-2026 — and record your choice in your profile. Remote sessions require at least two types of identity proofing and a full audio-visual recording, and every act goes in your journal.

Full guide: how to become a remote online notary.

After you're commissioned

Get your stamp and journal. Either a metal embossing seal or a black-inked rubber stamp is acceptable. It must show your name exactly as it appears on your commission, the words 'Notary Public' and 'State of Delaware,' and 'My Commission expires on' followed by the expiration date (Title 29 § 4330 also lets the Secretary of State require additional elements). You are responsible for keeping the stamping device secure, no one else may use it, and you must disable or destroy it when your commission ends. Electronic and remote notaries use an electronic seal and signature meeting secure e-notarization standards with the same wording. See the new-notary supplies checklist and Delaware stamp requirements before you order.

What you can charge: Delaware caps notary fees at $5 per notarial act on a paper record; $25 for an electronic record. Title 29 § 4311 caps fees at $5.00 per notarial act on a tangible (paper) record and $25.00 for an act on an electronic record. Overcharging is grounds for revocation plus a two-year ban on reappointment. The Secretary of State says travel charges may follow the IRS standard mileage rate. The $5 paper cap is low, so walk-in notarizing alone earns little in Delaware.

E&O insurance: Not required. Optional errors-and-omissions insurance covers you if a notarization mistake causes someone a loss; since Delaware has no bond, E&O is the only financial backstop a notary here can carry.

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. That path is limited in Delaware (see the callout above), so weigh it before investing in training. Loan signing agent guide

Delaware notary FAQ