To be a notary in the state of Arizona you must meet the following qualifications:
The exact price depends on multiple factors, but here’s a breakdown of costs to keep in mind.
According to the Arizona Secretary of State, the standard processing time for a notary application is four weeks. Because the notary application process doesn’t involve any coursework or tests, most of your wait will be the time it takes the state to process your application.
No. Currently, only people who claim Arizona as their primary residence can apply to be a notary. Learn more on the Secretary of State website.
To renew your notary commission, you must reapply through the state. The State of Arizona does not have an automatic renewal process.
Your Arizona Notary Commission is valid for four years.
The State of Arizona recommends you start the renewal process no less than 60 days before your current commission expires.
No, no education is required to become an Arizona Notary.
Yes, Arizona requires that you fill out its notary application on the state website.
The State of Arizona requires all notaries to hold a $5,000 surety bond. The state does not provide these bonds, which must be purchased through a bonding agency like Notaries.com.
While you can begin the application without a bond, you will be asked if you have a bond about halfway through the application process. However, if you do not have a bond by that point in the application the process, it becomes rather complicated. That’s why we highly recommend you purchase the bond before you start the application.
No, Errors and Omissions Insurance is not a state requirement. However, this serves to protect the notary from lawsuits, whereas the $5,000 surety bond does not protect the notary.
The State of Arizona requires all notaries to have a notary stamp containing:
Since the stamp must have an expiration date on it, it cannot be created until you have received your Notary Commission.
Yes, the State of Arizona requires all notaries to keep records of their work.
No, you send your notary application to the state at this address:
Office of Secretary of State
Business Services Division, Notary Section
1700 West Washington, 7th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2888
No. You must get the bond notarized by a current Arizona Notary and then complete the state notary application and submit it to the state.
No, you must obtain a notary stamp before you start working. Your stamp cannot be made until you receive your application, since your stamp must list the expiration date listed on your notary commission.
Please refer all questions regarding the status of your notary commission to the state. You can find contact information on the Secretary of State website.
We cannot create your stamp until you:
Since the expiration date of your commission must be on the stamp, it cannot be made until then. If you've already sent us a copy of your commission, please wait 10 business to receive your stamp.
Yes. In order for us to make your stamp with the expiration date on it, we need a copy of your notary commission.
Yes, you can notarize a document from out of state as long as the notarization act itself follows all AZ laws.
Technically, yes. But the Arizona Secretary of State says doing so could “call into question a notary’s impartiality” and should be avoided.
No. The main duty of a notary is to act as an impartial third party to help prevent fraud and deception. Since you can’t be an impartial third party to yourself, you should not notarize your own documents.
No. Once a document is notarized, that notarization on the document itself does not expire.
Yes. Because valid notary stamps must show the current commission’s expiration date, notaries need a new stamp every time they renew.
You must stop notarizing until you renew your commission. Start the renewal process with our all-in-one Arizona notary package.
In Arizona, only eNotaries can notarize an electronic signature. The process of becoming a remote notary or eNotary is a little different from the process for standard notaries. Learn more on the Secretary of State website.
You must let the AZ Secretary of State know when you change your name or address. Start the process on the Secretary of State website.
Current Arizona notaries can request a duplicate of their commission by:
