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

Requirements verified July 18, 2026 against Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth

Virginia notaries apply through the Secretary of the Commonwealth for $45, then take an oath at a circuit court and pay the clerk $10. There is no bond and, until July 1, 2027, no exam or required course. The commission lasts four years.

Virginia keeps the entry cost low and the paperwork centralized. You fill out the application online through the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Notary Management Account system, pay $45, get your own signature notarized on the printed form, and mail it to Richmond. About three weeks later your commission arrives at the circuit court you picked — and the clock starts. You have exactly 60 days to show up, take the oath, and pay the clerk $10, or the commission is canceled and you start over. No bond, no exam, no required class stand between you and the stamp, at least for now.

The practical math: $55 in government fees plus a stamp, and the commission runs four years, expiring on the last day of your birth month. Two newer rules matter. Since July 1, 2026, every Virginia notary must keep a journal of notarial acts for five years, and stamp vendors must see proof of your commission before selling you a seal. And starting July 1, 2027, Virginia adds a mandatory course and written exam for new and renewing notaries — so applying before that date means a simpler path in.

Virginia's claim to fame is remote online notarization: its RON law took effect July 1, 2012, long before the rest of the country caught on. Once you hold a regular commission, another $45 application plus an electronic seal and digital certificate lets you notarize for signers anywhere by video, at up to $25 per act instead of the $10 paper cap. Loan-signing work is also open here — Virginia lets title companies, title agents, brokers, and banks run closings, not just attorneys.

Who can become a notary in Virginia?

• Age: at least 18 years old.
• Residency: You must live in Virginia, or live elsewhere but be regularly employed in Virginia and perform notary work as part of that job. A non-resident notary who stops working in Virginia must surrender the commission.
• Background: Va. Code § 47.1-4 bars anyone ever convicted of a felony under U.S., Virginia, or another state's law — unless the person was pardoned, had the conviction vacated by a writ of actual innocence, or has had their civil rights restored.
• Must be a legal resident of the United States.
• Must be able to read and write English.
• The name on your application must exactly match your state-issued ID, and your stamp must later match that commissioned name.
• You need access to a current Virginia notary: your own signature on the application must be notarized before you mail it.

How to apply: step by step

1. Create a Notary Management Account on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's system (notary.solutions.virginia.gov), answer the interview questions, and print the PDF application it generates. Pick the circuit court where you want to take your oath.
2. Pay the $45 non-refundable application fee — by credit card at the end of the online application, or by check or money order payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Have your signature notarized by a Virginia notary on Part 3 of the printed application.
4. Mail the notarized application (with payment, if you didn't pay online) to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Notary Office, P.O. Box 1795, Richmond, VA 23218. Processing takes about three weeks.
5. Watch for the approval notice, then go to the circuit court you selected, take the oath of office, and pay the clerk a $10 fee. You must claim the commission within 60 days of issuance — miss the window for any reason and it is canceled, and you start over with a new application and fee.
6. Buy your stamp from a vendor. It must be photographically reproducible and show your name exactly as commissioned, 'Notary Public', and 'Commonwealth of Virginia'. Since July 1, 2026, vendors must see proof of your commission before selling you a seal (Va. Code § 47.1-8.1).
7. Start a journal. Since July 1, 2026, every Virginia notary must keep a record of each notarial act and hold it for at least five years.

How long it takes: The Secretary of the Commonwealth says turnaround on a completed application is about three weeks. If you hear nothing within four weeks of mailing, call your chosen circuit court clerk, then the Secretary's office. After issuance you have 60 days to appear for your oath.

What it costs in Virginia

Exam and training

Virginia does not require an exam or a mandatory course. No course is required today. Starting July 1, 2027, applicants must complete a Secretary-approved course within six months before applying — four hours for a first commission, two hours at each renewal, including an hour on real estate fraud and elder financial exploitation.

Can you notarize online in Virginia? RON allowed

Yes — Virginia authorizes remote online notarization (RON). Virginia pioneered remote online notarization: the enabling law (2011 Acts, chs. 731 and 834) took effect July 1, 2012, years before other states followed. Remote signers must be identified by personal knowledge, prior in-person identity proofing, a biometric or PIV-verified digital certificate, or knowledge-based authentication, and you must keep the video-conference record for five years.

To add RON to your commission: You must already hold a traditional Virginia commission. Then buy an electronic seal and digital certificate first (the e-seal is a required item on the application), apply online through the Secretary of the Commonwealth, describe the technology you will use, and pay a $45 non-refundable fee. There is no state list of approved vendors — you choose your own platform and must tell the Secretary within 90 days if you change technology. The electronic registration expires on the same date as your regular commission.

Full guide: how to become a remote online notary.

After you're commissioned

Get your stamp and journal. A sharp, legible, permanent, and photographically reproducible seal image is required on paper notarizations (Va. Code § 47.1-16). It must show your name exactly as it appears on your commission, 'Notary Public', and 'Commonwealth of Virginia'. No shape or size is mandated, and the registration number is not required on paper certificates — but you must write your commission expiration date after each certificate ('My commission expires the ___ day of ___, ___'). Since July 1, 2026, stamp vendors must verify proof of commission before selling a seal. See the new-notary supplies checklist and Virginia stamp requirements before you order.

What you can charge: Virginia caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act; $25 per electronic or remote notarial act. Va. Code § 47.1-19 caps paper acts at $10 and electronic acts at $25. With the signer's agreement you may also recover actual, reasonable travel costs when you go somewhere other than your usual place of business.

E&O insurance: Not required. Because Virginia has no bond, errors-and-omissions insurance is the only financial backstop if a mistake leads to a claim; the state handbook suggests considering liability coverage.

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

Virginia notary FAQ