To become a notary in Virginia, you must be 18, a legal resident of the United States who can read and write English, and a Virginia resident or someone regularly employed in the Commonwealth; you apply to the Secretary of the Commonwealth for $45 and take the oath before a circuit court clerk within 60 days. No bond is required. Commissions last four years. From July 1, 2027, first-time applicants also need a course and a written exam.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against the Secretary of the Commonwealth's notary pages, the July 2026 Virginia notary handbook and Code of Virginia Title 47.1. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | Short answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | 18 or older, a legal U.S. resident, able to read and write English, with no unpardoned felony. Nonresidents qualify only if regularly employed in Virginia. | Va. Code § 47.1-4 |
| Training | No course in the current application steps. A four-hour course becomes mandatory for first-time applicants on July 1, 2027. | Va. Code § 47.1-5.2 |
| Exam | A written exam joins the course for first-time applicants starting July 1, 2027. | Va. Code § 47.1-5.2 |
| How to apply | Online interview through a Notary Management Account, then print, have Part 3 notarized, and mail it. | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Notary Application Process |
| Application fee | $45, nonrefundable, paid by card online or by check or money order to the Treasurer of Virginia. | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Notary Application Process |
| Bond | Not required. | A Handbook for Virginia Notaries Public, revised July 1, 2026 |
| Oath and filing | Appear before the clerk of the circuit court holding your commission within 60 days and pay the court $10. | Va. Code § 47.1-9; Notary Application Process |
| Commission term | Four years, ending on the last day of your birth month in the fourth calendar year. | Va. Code § 47.1-21 |
| Stamp or seal | Name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public" and "Commonwealth of Virginia". Show the vendor proof of your commission. Details in our Virginia notary stamp guide. | Va. Code §§ 47.1-8.1, 47.1-16; 2024 Notary Handbook |
| Journal | Required for paper notarizations performed on or after July 1, 2026, and kept at least five years. | Va. Code § 47.1-14 |
| Renewal | File a new application. A name change, or a commission expired more than 30 days, means a new notarized application. | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Become a Notary or Renew page |
| Electronic notary | A separate electronic commission for $45, open only to current traditional notaries. | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Electronic Notary page |
Two national tables put this Virginia guide in context: which states require a notary journal and where remote online notarization is allowed.
Who qualifies for a Virginia notary commission?
You qualify at 18 if you are a legal resident of the United States, read and write English, and have no felony conviction, unless you were pardoned, had the conviction vacated through a writ of actual innocence, or had your rights restored.
Living in Virginia is one way to meet the location test. A nonresident can be commissioned only while regularly employed in the Commonwealth. The Secretary of the Commonwealth grants every commission, and the circuit court clerk issues it to you after the oath.
What are the steps to apply in Virginia?
Complete the online interview, pay $45, get Part 3 of the printed application notarized, and mail it to the Secretary's notary office. The approved commission is sent to the circuit court you picked, where you are sworn in.
- Open a Notary Management Account on the Secretary's notary portal and answer the application interview questions.
- Print the PDF application the system generates at the end.
- Pay the $45 fee by credit card at the end of the online application, or enclose a check or money order payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
- Have your signature on Part 3 notarized by a traditional Virginia notary before you mail it. The Secretary requires a traditional notary for this step, not an electronic notary.
- Mail the notarized application to the Secretary's notary office. The office quotes a general turnaround of about three weeks.
- Contact the circuit court you selected, confirm it has received your commission, and arrange to take the oath.
- Appear before the clerk with satisfactory evidence of identity, sign the oath, pay the $10 court fee, and receive your commission.
Step seven has a hard deadline. Under § 47.1-9, nobody may qualify after 60 days from appointment; clerks return unclaimed commissions every month and the Secretary cancels them. The handbook says the deadline is not excused for any reason, including a notice that never arrived.
What does a Virginia commission cost?
Government fees come to $55: $45 to the Secretary of the Commonwealth with the application and $10 to the circuit court when you are sworn in. You pay no bond premium, since Virginia does not require a bond.
The $45 is nonrefundable, so check your answers before submitting. Your other costs are supplies: the notary stamp and, because paper notarizations now require a record, a journal.
An electronic notary commission is a separate application with its own $45 fee. From July 1, 2027, the required course of instruction will be an added step for every applicant; the Secretary's pages do not yet list what that course will cost.
Does Virginia require notary training or an exam?
Not until July 1, 2027. The Secretary's current application steps include no course or test. On that date § 47.1-5.2 takes effect, adding a four-hour course and a written exam for first-time applicants and a two-hour course for every recommission.
The new rules, enacted in 2026, work like this:
- Timing. The course must be completed within the six months immediately before you submit the application.
- Content. The course is developed or approved by the Secretary and covers notarial law, best practices and identity verification, with one hour on real estate fraud and financial exploitation of elderly persons.
- Exam. First-time applicants complete a written examination to the satisfaction of the Secretary. The statute sets no numeric passing score.
- Who takes the course. Traditional and electronic notaries alike, at first commission and at every recommission.
From the same date, § 47.1-5 requires the application to include proof that you finished the course. Until then, the oath itself carries the study requirement: you swear under § 47.1-9 that you have carefully read Virginia's notary laws.
Is a bond required for Virginia notaries?
Virginia does not require one. The handbook revised July 1, 2026 states that notaries are not required to post a bond to obtain a commission, so nothing bond-related is filed with your application or at the clerk's office.
What completes qualification is the oath. Under § 47.1-9 the clerk attests your signed oath, issues the commission, and certifies your qualification to the Secretary within 14 days.
How long does a Virginia commission last, and how do you renew?
Four years. Your commission ends on the last day of your birth month in the fourth calendar year after it was issued, and you renew by filing a new application with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The Secretary's Become a Notary or Renew page splits renewals into two paths:
- Same name, and the commission has not expired by more than 30 days: renew online through your Notary Management Account.
- Name changed, or commission expired more than 30 days: submit a new notarized application, the same as a first-time applicant.
Renewal usually skips the courthouse. The handbook says a notary applying for recommission does not return to the circuit court for the oath, provided the notary is in good standing, is not under any ongoing investigation or proceeding, and has never been removed from office.
From July 1, 2027, each recommission also requires the two-hour course within the prior six months. If your stamp shows your expiration date, it will be out of date at renewal; our page on notary seal expiration covers what to check.
Which Virginia notary stamp should you order, and when?
Order only after the Secretary grants your commission, because § 47.1-8.1 requires you to show the vendor proof of it. The stamp must carry your name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public" and "Commonwealth of Virginia".
That proof rule arrived with the 2026 legislation, and both you and the vendor keep the proof for at least five years. Under § 47.1-16 every impression on paper must be sharp, legible, permanent and photographically reproducible. Virginia sets no size, shape or ink color. An embosser alone does not meet that standard, since an inkless impression does not photocopy, so it cannot stand in for the inked stamp.
The handbook revised July 1, 2026 goes a step further than the earlier edition. As a best practice, it says the seal should also show your commission expiration date and your notary registration number. Our guide to Virginia notary stamp wording walks through each line.
What journal must a Virginia notary keep?
Since July 1, 2026, every Virginia notary must keep a record of each paper notarization and hold it for at least five years from the transaction date. Electronic notaries have the same five-year duty for electronic acts.
Section 47.1-14 sets the minimum contents for each entry:
- date and time of day of the act;
- type of notarial act;
- type, title or description of the document or proceeding;
- printed name and address of each principal;
- evidence of identity, whether personal knowledge, the type of ID, or credible witness details;
- the fee charged, if any.
The Secretary's 2026 notary reference guide also lists the signer's signature among the journal entries. Choose a journal with a column for each of these fields, signature included.
How do you handle a name or address change in Virginia?
A new legal name means reapplying, because that is the only way to change the name on a commission. Meanwhile your current commission stays usable if each act notes the name it was issued under. Report a new home address to the Secretary right away.
The handbook's sample wording is "I was commissioned a notary public as" followed by your original name. Your stamp must match the commissioned name, so the replacement stamp waits for the new commission. Contact details can be updated in your online notary account.
Section 47.1-18 requires notice of a residential address change forthwith, and nonresident notaries must also report a change in place of employment. The handbook notes that only contact information can be updated online.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks does the Virginia application take?
The Secretary quotes about three weeks to process a completed application. After that, the clock for claiming the commission at the circuit court is 60 days from appointment.
Do I need a new stamp when I renew my Virginia commission?
If your current stamp shows your old expiration date, as the 2026 handbook recommends, yes. Either way, § 47.1-8.1 means the vendor will ask for proof of your commission before making a new one.
What supplies does a new Virginia notary need?
Two items are required in practice: an inked stamp whose impression is photographically reproducible under § 47.1-16, and, for paper acts on or after July 1, 2026, a journal you keep for five years. An embosser cannot serve as your only seal.
How much can a Virginia notary charge?
Up to $10 for a paper notarial act and up to $25 for an electronic one, under § 47.1-19. Actual travel expenses may be added only by prior agreement when you work outside your usual office.
How do I become an electronic notary in Virginia?
Hold a traditional Virginia commission first, then submit the electronic notary registration with a $45 nonrefundable fee. The electronic commission expires on the same date as your traditional one.
How can I verify a Virginia notary's commission?
Use the Verify or Search for a Current Notary tool linked from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's notary commissions page.
What should I do with an old notary stamp?
The Secretary advises rendering the stamp unusable before you throw it away, so no one can use it to commit fraud.
Once your commission is granted and you have proof in hand, order your stamp, embosser and journal from our Virginia notary stamps and seals. If you also hold a commission elsewhere, our overview of notary seal requirements in every state lays out the differences.
