Notary Exam Notice

To help protect the public from fraud and reinforce the integrity of our notarial system, per A.R.S. § 41-270, the Office of Secretary of State will be instituting a notary competency examination. Beginning July 1, 2025, all new and renewing Arizona notaries public will be required to pass this examination.

The broader objective is to reduce the risk Arizona residents face from financial loss and increase confidence in notary services across our state. By ensuring each notary meets a baseline of knowledge, notaries can mitigate costly abuses that come from the misuse of their seal and cause serious financial harm. As trusted participants in document transactions, notaries play a vital role in protecting the public.

The examination will be proctored by Prometric, a state-approved professional test administration vendor which provides similar test proctoring services for other state entities. The examination can be taken at any of Prometric's ten testing sites in Arizona or taken remotely. A $46.75 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination. A passing grade of 80% is needed to renew or start your notary commission. The examination will consist of 40 basic questions drawn directly from the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual and must be completed within 60 minutes. The examination is 'open book'. If the examination is failed, it can be retaken after 30 days.

Though the examination will become a requirement as of July 1, it will be available beginning May 1, 2025. This will provide a two-month window to take, and if need be, retake the examination before the July 1 requirement takes effect. To avoid any potential lapse to current notary commissions and the ability of current notaries to perform notarial acts, all current notaries should plan to take the examination well ahead of their commission's expiration date. This early compliance will help ensure a seamless renewal process.

To help you succeed, we urge you to study the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual prior to the examination, which can be found by following the QR code or on our website. It covers all the content tested in the examination.

If you have any questions about these new requirements, contact Business Services at (602) 542-6187 or email [email protected]. Thank you for your attention to this announcement and for your continued service. By preparing for and adhering to these new standards, you help safeguard both our citizens and our state from fraudulent activity.

Notary Complaints

Notary Complaints

The Secretary of State commissions notaries public for the state of Arizona. If any member of the public believes that an Arizona notary has committed a violation under Arizona's Notary Statutes, he or she may file a complaint with the Secretary of State's Office (Secretary).

Our office will open complaints on active notaries.

The Secretary only has authority to determine if under the notary statutes, the notary fully and faithfully discharged the duties of a notary public, and properly notarized the document(s). If the notary is in violation of any notary statute the Secretary has the authority to suspend, revoke, or, if there are no violations, take no action against a notary publics commission. Only a judge can validate or invalidate a document.

Our office, however, cannot open complaints if:

  • The Notary is commissioned by another state
  • The complaint does not indicate a specific notary statute violation
  • Statement of Complaint form was not complete when received
  • Supporting documentation was not included or incomplete (e.g. only one page of a four-page document is supplied)
  • Statement of Complaint form must be signed and dated

The Secretary does not have the authority to assess whether any signature(s) on the document(s) were forged or to settle any legal disputes regarding the document(s). If criminal activity has been identified, please contact your local law enforcement agency to file a report. If you have opened a complaint, or if you are the notary aggrieved, you may consult an attorney or legal aid for specific statute questions or definitions. Our office cannot provide legal advice.

For more information on the notary complaint process, please see our flowchart (PDF).

Statement of Complaint against a Notary Public (PDF). Also may be submitted on company letterhead. Please follow the format of our complaint form.

Filing Fee: None

Processing Time: Investigation may take up to 180 days

  • Double check: did you complete and sign the complaint form? Are all pages of the disputed document included?
  • Information and complaint status will not be released until a determination is made.
  • Any decision made by the Secretary of State which changes the status of a commission may be appealed. A written, signed appeal must be received within 30 days of the date on the notice.
  • If you are required to attend a workshop, you must attend our in-person workshop or a comparable online workshop through a notary organization that produces a certificate of completion before your suspension period ends. The video workshop available on our website will NOT be accepted as a form of workshop attendance.
  • If your commission is suspended, you must attend either our free notary public workshop or a comparable online workshop before the end of your suspension period. If proof of attendance is not received before the end of your suspension period, our office will revoke your commission.
  • To receive copies of a complaint file, submit a Public Record Request Form. Our website does not provide electronic scanned images of complaint documents. Our office will contact you with the cost (10 cents per page filing fee, and certified results must include an additional $3) and you will need to provide a check with the balance so we can process your request. If any information is redacted, its confidential and can only be released by receipt of a subpoena. Only the notary, the notarys personal representative or an employee or officer of the federal, state or local government who is acting in an official capacity can see non-redacted documents. A.R.S. § 41-312(F).
Filing By Mail

Secretary of State
Attn: Notary Complaint 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
Second Floor, Suite 221

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Resources

Contact Business Services

Starting February 3, 2025, both the Phoenix and Tucson offices will be open Monday through Friday (excluding Holidays) from 8 am to 5 pm.

Office of the Secretary of State
Business Services Division - Phoenix
1700 W Washington St, Fl 2
Phoenix AZ 85007-2808

602-542-6187

Office of the Secretary of State
Business Services Division - Tucson
400 West Congress Street, Suite 221
Tucson, AZ 85701

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