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How to Become a Notary in New Jersey

To become a notary in New Jersey, you must:

To become a notary public in New Jersey, you must:

Meet the eligibility requirements listed in the next section.
Download and review the New Jersey Notary Public Manual.
Complete the notary commissioning application (for non-attorney applicants only) and pay the service fee.
Complete a six-hour course of study approved by the state treasurer. (At this time, reading the New Jersey Notary Public Manual satisfies the requirement for the course. Visit the state’s website for new course requirement updates.)
Take and pass the notary public exam prescribed by the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer may charge a fee of up to $15 for each test administered.
Complete the notary registration application and pay the $25 filing fee.
Be sworn in before the clerk of the county in which you reside within three months of receiving your notary commission.

Important: If you cannot take the oath of office within the allowed time, your notary commission will be voided, and you will need to file a new application.

Who can become a notary public in New Jersey?

To become a notary in New Jersey, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Be at least eighteen years of age.
Be a legal resident of New Jersey or have a place of employment or practice in New Jersey.
Not be disqualified from receiving a commission under Chapter 5 (Denial, Revocation, Suspension, or Limitation of a Commission).

This New Jersey notary guide will help you understand:

Who can become a notary in New Jersey.
How to become a notary in New Jersey.
How to become an electronic notary in New Jersey.
How to become a remote online notary in New Jersey.
The basic duties of a notary in New Jersey.

Apply Online Renew Online

How do I renew my notary commission in New Jersey?

If you are an active notary public and need to renew, you are not required to take the notary public exam and are only required to submit your notary renewal application.

If it has been over 30 days since your notary commission has expired, you will be considered a new notary applicant and you will be required to retake the notary public exam.

Who appoints notaries in New Jersey?

The state treasurer appoints and commissions New Jersey notaries. The Department of the Treasury’s Notary Public Unit receives the applications for appointment and reappointment as a notary public, administers the commissioning process, and maintains an electronic database of active notaries.

New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
Business Services Bureau/Notary Public Unit
PO Box 452
Trenton, NJ 08646-0452
Phone Numbers: (609) 292-0642
(609) 292-9292 (To check on a notary public application)

Can a non-resident of New Jersey apply for a commission as a notary public?

Yes. A person who is not a resident of New Jersey may apply for a commission if they meet one of the following conditions:

The applicant maintains or is regularly employed in an office in the state of New Jersey.
The applicant is an employee of a business with its domicile or primary place of business in New Jersey and performs their employment duties remotely from a home office or a co-working space.

A qualified non-resident applicant may apply by completing the steps outlined in the “To become a notary in New Jersey” section.

Note: The oath of office of a non-resident notary public shall be taken and subscribed before the clerk of the county in which the non-resident notary public maintains their office or the county in which they are an employee of a business with its domicile or primary place of business in New Jersey.

How long is a notary public's commission term in New Jersey?

The term of a New Jersey notary commission is five years, commencing on the date specified in the notary public’s commission certificate. Notaries cannot notarize documents after their notary commissions expire without first renewing their notary commissions.

Is notary training or an exam required to become a notary or to renew a notary commission in New Jersey?

Yes. New Jersey notary law requires new notary applicants to complete a six-hour course of study and pass the exam approved by the state treasurer. However, at the time this section was updated, the State Treasurer accepted reading the New Jersey Notary Public Manual in lieu of the six-hour course. Visit the state’s website for new course requirement updates.

How much does it cost to become a notary public in New Jersey?

The cost to become a notary in New Jersey includes:

A $25 non-refundable filing fee plus a New Jersey government services fee ($2.50 by credit card or $1 by e-check) to process a notary application.
Up to a $15 fee for the test administered online by the state treasurer.
A $15 fee to have the oath of office taken and recorded by the county clerk.
A notary stamp. Click here to view our notary stamp prices.
A notary journal to record all notarial acts performed. Click here to view our notary journal prices.
An errors and omissions insurance policy (optional) to protect yourself if you are sued for unintentional mistakes or if a false claim is filed against you.

Do I need a notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy to become a notary in New Jersey?

A notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy is not required to become a notary in New Jersey or to renew your notary commission. However, the American Association of Notaries strongly recommends that every New Jersey notary obtain a notary E&O insurance policy. A notary E&O policy covers unintentional notarial mistakes and pays for legal fees and damages based on the coverage you select as a New Jersey notary public.

Do I need a notary bond to become a notary in New Jersey?

New Jersey does not require a notary applicant to provide proof of a notary bond when applying to become a notary public or renewing their notary public commission.

Note: A notary public is liable to any person for damages that result from their negligence, errors, or omissions. New Jersey notaries are encouraged to purchase a notary E&O insurance policy to insure themselves against such claims.

Do I need to order a notary stamp in New Jersey?

Yes. A New Jersey notary must obtain a notary seal or stamp to authenticate every notarial act they perform.

The stamp or seal must be capable of being copied and include the following information:

The notary public’s name.
The title “Notary Public, State of New Jersey,”
The notary public’s commission expiration date.

Note: The New Jersey notary statute does not provide information on the ink color, shape, and dimensions of a notary seal.

The American Association of Notaries offers quality notary stamps and seals at savings of up to 40% compared to the cost of the same products elsewhere. Click here to order your New Jersey notary stamp, notary seal, complete notary package, and other notary supplies.

What are the steps to replace a lost or stolen New Jersey notary seal?

Within ten calendar days of the loss or theft of your notary seal, you must use the revenue general inquiry form (select “notary public application” under the service category) to notify the New Jersey State Treasurer of the loss or theft.

How much can a New Jersey notary public charge for performing notarial acts?

A New Jersey notary may collect the following fees:

For administering oaths, taking affidavits, taking proofs of a deed, and taking acknowledgements: $2.50 per act.
For administering oaths, taking affidavits, taking proofs of a deed, and taking acknowledgments of the grantors in the transfer of real estate, regardless of the number of such services performed in a single transaction to transfer real estate: $15.
For administering oaths, taking affidavits, and taking acknowledgments of the mortgagors in the financing of real estate, regardless of the number of such services performed in a single transaction to finance real estate: $25.

Is a notary journal required in New Jersey?

Notary journal requirements for each type of notarization in New Jersey:

For traditional notarizations, electronic notarizations, and remote online notarizations – A notary public is required to maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed. The journal may be created and maintained on a tangible medium or in an electronic format. A notary public shall maintain only one journal at a time to chronicle all notarial acts, whether those notarial acts are performed regarding tangible or electronic records. If the journal is maintained on a tangible medium, it shall be a permanent, bound register with consecutively numbered lines and consecutively numbered pages. If the journal is maintained in an electronic format, it shall be in a permanent, tamper-evident electronic format complying with any rules and regulations promulgated by the New Jersey State Treasurer.

In lieu of maintaining a notary journal, an attorney admitted to practice in New Jersey can maintain a record of notarial acts in the form of files regularly maintained for the attorney’s law practice or the title insurance company’s business activities, as the case may be.

A notary journal (also known as a record book, log book, or register book) is your first line of defense in proving your innocence if a notarial act you performed is questioned or if you are requested to testify in a court of law about a notarial act you performed in the past. A properly recorded notarial act creates a paper trail that will help investigators locate and prosecute signers who have committed forgery or fraud. Properly recorded notarial acts provide evidence that you followed your state laws and notary’s best practices.

The American Association of Notaries offers notary journals in tangible and electronic formats.

Click here to purchase a tangible notary journal.

Click here to become a member and access our electronic notary journal.

What information must New Jersey notaries record in their notary journals?

New Jersey notaries must record the following information in their notary journals when performing traditional, electronic, or remote online notarizations:

The date and time of the notarial act.
The type of notarial act, including but not limited to the taking of an acknowledgment, the taking of a proof of a deed, the administration of an oath, or the taking of an affidavit.
The name and address of each person for whom the notarial act is performed.
A statement if the identity of the individual is based on personal knowledge.
If the identity of the individual is based on satisfactory evidence, a brief description of the method of identification and the identification credential presented, if any, including, if applicable, the type, date of issuance, and date of expiration of an identification document, or the name and signature of any identifying witness and, if applicable, the type, date of issuance, and date of expiration of a document identifying the witness.
An itemized list of all fees charged for the notarial act.

Note: The above requirements apply to both tangible and electronic notary journals.

What steps should I take if my New Jersey notary journal is lost or stolen?

Within ten days of the loss or theft of your notary journal, you must use the revenue general inquiry form (select “notary public application” under the service category) to notify the New Jersey State Treasurer of the loss or theft.

How long should I retain my New Jersey notary journal?

As a New Jersey notary public, you have two options for retaining your notary journal when your notary commission expires:

Retain your notary journal for ten years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in the journal; or
Write to the New Jersey State Treasurer for instructions on how to send or transmit the manual securely to the Division.

On resignation from, or the revocation or suspension of, a notary public’s commission, the notary public shall either:

Retain the notary journal for ten years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in the journal; or
Write to the New Jersey State Treasurer for instructions on how to send or transmit the manual securely to the Division.

Where can I perform notarial acts in New Jersey?

You may perform notarial acts while you are physically present anywhere within the geographic borders of the state of New Jersey.

What notarial acts can a New Jersey notary public perform?

A New Jersey notary public is authorized to perform the following notarial acts:

Take an acknowledgment.
Administer an oath or affirmation.
Take a verification on oath or affirmation.
Witness or attest a signature.
Certify or attest a copy or deposition.
Note a protest of a negotiable instrument.

What kind of notarizations are allowed in New Jersey?

New Jersey law allows the following four types of notarizations:

Traditional notarizations – This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to meet physically in the same room within face-to-face proximity of one another. Traditional notarization involves an individual signing a tangible document with an inked pen and a notary public signing and affixing an inked notary stamp impression to the tangible notarial certificate.

Electronic notarizations – This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to meet physically in the same room within face-to-face proximity of one another. However, the notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate.

Remote online notarizations – The signer appears remotely before a notary via audio-visual communication technology. The notarization is performed on an electronic document using electronic signatures, an electronic notary seal, and an electronic notarial certificate. Remote online notarizations exclude the creation and execution of wills or codicils.

Remote inked notarizations - The signer appears before a notary via audio-video communication technology. This type of notarization requires the signer and the notary to send the document to each other and for the online notary public to use a physical stamp to notarize the document without the aid of an electronic seal or electronic signature.

What are the steps to become an electronic notary in New Jersey?

To become an electronic notary in New Jersey, you must:

Hold an existing commission as a traditional notary public.
Select one or more tamper-evident technologies to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records.
Notify the state treasurer electronically at https://www.njportal.com/DOR/Notary that you will perform such notarial acts and identify the technologies you intend to use.

For more information on how to become an electronic notary in New Jersey, visit the New Jersey Secretary of State’s website.

What are the steps to become a remote online notary in New Jersey?

To become a remote online notary in New Jersey, you must:

Hold an existing commission as a traditional notary public.
Contract with a RON provider that meets state requirements.
Notify the state treasurer electronically at https://www.njportal.com/DOR/Notary that you will perform such notarial acts and identify the technologies you intend to use.

For more information on how to become a remote online notary in New Jersey, visit the New Jersey Secretary of State’s website.

How do I update my address on my New Jersey notary commission?

If a New Jersey notary’s address on file with the state treasurer changes, they must update the information online on the New Jersey State Treasurer’s website.

How do I change my name on my notary commission in New Jersey?

If a New Jersey notary undergoes an official name change, they must notify the state treasurer by completing the name change online on the New Jersey State Treasurer’s website.

Revised:

May 2024

Legal disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. We do not claim to be attorneys and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. You should always seek the advice of a licensed attorney for any legal matters. It is your responsibility to know the appropriate notary laws governing your state. In no event shall the American Association of Notaries, its employees, or contractors be liable to you for any claims, penalties, losses, damages, or expenses, howsoever arising, including, and without limitation, direct or indirect loss, or consequential loss, out of or in connection with the use of the information contained on any of the American Association of Notaries website pages. Notaries are advised to seek the advice of their state’s notary authorities or attorneys if they have legal questions.

Notary bonds and errors and omissions insurance policies provided by this insurance agency, American Association of Notaries, Inc., are underwritten by Western Surety Company, Universal Surety of America, or Surety Bonding Company of America, which are subsidiaries of CNA Surety.