Notary Public

Effective August 3, 2018, state law requires that a Notary Public’s Commission Number be imprinted on the Notary Public’s Official Seal.  View additional notary law changes here:  HB2178 or download a copy of the updated Notary Public Reference Manual

Effective Monday, March 5, 2018, the fees that a Notary Public may charge have changed. A Notary may charge any fee from "No Charge" up to $10.00. Fee schedules must also be posted under new rules. View the new requirements here: Notary Rules. You can also download a pdf to post your fee schedule here. Be sure to include your business or office name, or your name at the top of the fillable schedule. If you would like to learn more about how these rules were made visit the Final Rulemaking package as published in the Arizona Administrative Register here.

The Secretary of State records and maintains notary public commissions in Arizona. A notary public witnesses signatures and verifies identities of signers and must be impartial.

Every state commissions notaries; however, every state allows notaries to perform different functions. In Arizona, notaries can perform only acknowledgments, jurats, copy certifications, and oaths and affirmations. Samples of each can be found in our Notary Public Reference Manual (PDF).

An Arizona notary must meet several basic requirements which are listed in Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) § 41-312(E). These requirements will be reviewed and verified in the application process. Our office cannot commission someone who does not meet these standards.

What to File

Document to File: Notary Public Application and completed notary bond

Filing Fee: Standard application $43. You may expedite your application if you include an additional $25 fee. Checks and money orders can be made out to the “Arizona Secretary of State.” Please do not send cash by mail. We recommend paying with cash for in-person filings only.

Commission Length: 4 years

Processing time: 3-4 weeks. Expedited applications are processed within 1-2 days from when we receive your application.

Filing Tips

  • You must submit these three* items together:
    • Original signed Notary Application
    • Original notarized Notary Bond
    • $43 filing fee
    • Our office reserves the right to request additional documentation or fees required for processing.
  • If you have changed any address (mailing, home and/or business) more than 30 days from today’s date and did not report that change to our office, include a civil penalty of $25 to avoid a delay in processing your application. (A.R.S. § 41-323).
  • If you are mailing in an expedited application, noticeably write “EXPEDITE” on your envelope so that your application is processed promptly.
  • You may renew a commission up to two months before your term expires. If you are unsure of when your commission ends, look at your stamp or check our online search feature.
  • Upon receipt of your commission certificate, we recommend that you review your name, county of residence and commission dates to ensure your stamp is made accurately.
  • Any application requiring further review, i.e. felony conviction, professional license action or past notary complaint, cannot be expedited. If the expedited fee is included, it will either be returned or refunded.
  • Copies of the notary bond can be requested with the Public Record Request Form (PDF) for $3.10. A notary application is not available for public inspection or duplication, and can only be released by order of a subpoena.
  • If you have any questions, please call us at 602-542-6187 or 1-800-458-5842 or email us.

Where to File

Filing By Mail

Secretary of State
Attn: Notary Dept.
1700 W. Washington Street, Fl. 7
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808

In-Person Filing - Phoenix Office

State Capitol Executive Tower
1700 W. Washington Street
Suite 220

In-Person Filing - Tucson Office

Arizona State Complex Building
400 West Congress
First Floor, Suite 141