NOTARY ACADEMY
Washington Notary Education & Professional Development
Washington doesn't require a notary examination or mandatory commissioning course. But understanding the responsibilities of your commission is still essential to performing the work correctly.
Whether you're preparing to become commissioned, renewing your appointment, or building an independent notary business, Notary Academy offers education, practical learning, and professional development to help you build the skills and judgment the work demands.
Button: Explore Inner Circle Membership
Where Are You in YourĀ Washington Notary Career?
Preparing to Become a Notary
You're learning Washington's commissioning requirements, arranging your surety bond, and preparing to understand the responsibilities you'll assume once commissioned.
Commissioned, But Still Finding Your Footing
You've received your commission, but now you're navigating unfamiliar documents, identification questions, notarial certificates, journal entries, and decisions that require careful professional judgment.
Ready to Build a Stronger Business
You want to become more visible in your community, build professional relationships, develop reliable client processes, and establish a business that can grow through consistent, intentional action.
Wherever you are today, your next step should support what you're actually trying to accomplish.
Understanding Washington Notary Requirements
Washington notaries public are commissioned through the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL).
The state establishes eligibility requirements, bonding obligations, notarial procedures, recordkeeping standards, and additional requirements for electronic and remote notarization.
Washington does not require applicants to complete a mandatory notary education course or pass a state notary examination. However, the Department of Licensing strongly recommends education to help notaries understand the legal responsibilities of the commission.
Becoming a Washington Notary Public
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, be able to read and write English, and reside in Washington or maintain a place of employment or practice within the state.
Applicants must also meet the state's statutory eligibility standards.
The commissioning process requires applicants to obtain a $10,000 surety bond, complete and have their oath of office notarized, and submit the required application and supporting documentation to the Washington State Department of Licensing.
Applications may be submitted online through SecureAccess Washington (SAW) or by mail.
Washington notary commissions are issued for a term of up to four years. The commission expires earlier if the supporting surety bond expires before the end of that four-year period.
The surety bond is required to protect the public in the event of covered notarial misconduct. Errors and omissions insurance is separate and is not a condition of commissioning.
Washington Notary Education and Renewal
Washington does not require a mandatory education course or examination for initial commissioning or traditional commission renewal.
Although formal training is optional, the Department of Licensing strongly encourages notaries to obtain education and become familiar with Washington's notary laws and procedures.
Notaries may submit renewal applications up to 120 days before their commissions expire.
Renewal requires a current qualifying surety bond, the applicable renewal application, and payment of the required fee.
If a Washington notary commission has already expired, the notary cannot renew that commission and must apply for a new one.
Understanding the commissioning requirements is an important starting point. Continuing to develop procedural knowledge, professional judgment, and practical skills helps notaries carry out their responsibilities throughout the commission.
Washington Notary Journal Requirements
Washington requires notaries to maintain a journal recording their notarial acts, with a narrow statutory exception for certain attorney notaries.
The required tangible journal must be a permanent, bound register with numbered pages. A notary may maintain only one tangible notarial journal at a time.
An electronic records notary may maintain a supplemental electronic journal, but it does not replace the required tangible journal.
Journal entries must be recorded at the time of the notarial act and contain the information required by state law and administrative rules.
Washington generally requires notarial journals to be retained for ten years after the last notarial act recorded in the journal.
The statutory journal exception applies to a notary who is an attorney licensed to practice law in Washington when documentation of the notarial act is otherwise maintained as part of professional practice.
An employer's recordkeeping does not, by itself, relieve other notaries of their journal responsibilities.
Electronic and Remote Notarization in Washington
Washington distinguishes traditional notarization, electronic-records notarization, and remote notarization.
Electronic-records notarization involves an electronic document. When the signer and notary are physically present together, the act is performed in person, even though the document is electronic.
A Washington notary must obtain an electronic records notary endorsement before performing electronic notarial acts. The notary must identify the intended technology to the Department of Licensing and satisfy applicable requirements before beginning electronic notarizations.
Remote notarization requires an additional, separate remote notary endorsement. A notary must hold both the electronic records endorsement and the remote endorsement before performing authorized remote notarial acts.
The notary must be physically located in Washington during the remote notarial act. The remotely located individual may be elsewhere, subject to applicable legal requirements.
Remote notarization carries additional identity-verification, communication-technology, audiovisual-recording, journal, and record-retention obligations.
Important Washington Notary Law Change: SHB 2158
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2027
Washington enacted Substitute House Bill 2158, Chapter 21, Laws of 2026, amending RCW 42.45.280 to expand the types of remote notarial acts that qualified electronic records notaries may perform.
The legislation was signed into law on March 11, 2026, with an effective date of January 1, 2027.
The new provisions address three situations:
1. Remote Notarization of a Tangible Record Not Physically Before the Notary
Beginning January 1, 2027, Washington law establishes a procedure for performing an authorized remote notarial act involving a tangible, or paper, record that is physically with the remotely located individual rather than the notary.
This procedure includes specific safeguards:
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The remotely located individual must sign the tangible record during the required audiovisual recording.
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The individual must also sign a declaration, under penalty of perjury, identifying the record as the same tangible record involved in the remote notarial act.
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The declaration must be part of or securely attached to the tangible record.
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The individual must send both the tangible record and declaration to the electronic records notary no later than three days after the notarial act was performed.
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The notary must record the individual signing both the tangible record and declaration.
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After receiving the tangible record and declaration, the notary must complete the required notarial certificate, including language identifying the remote witnessing of the signatures through communication technology.
When all statutory requirements are satisfied, the notarial act is effective on the date the remotely located individual signed the declaration.
This procedure creates a legally defined method for handling qualifying paper records when the signer and notary are in different physical locations.
It does not eliminate identity-verification, audiovisual-recording, endorsement, certificate, or other applicable requirements.
2. Remote Acknowledgment of a Tangible Record Physically Before the Notary
The law also authorizes a qualified Washington electronic records notary to use communication technology to take an acknowledgment of a signature on a paper record physically present with the notary.
Under this procedure, the tangible record must be displayed to and identified by the remotely located individual during the required audiovisual recording.
The notary must also satisfy the applicable identity-verification, communication-technology, recording, and certificate requirements.
This provision is different from the first procedure because the paper record is already physically with the notary.
3. Administering Remote Oaths and Affirmations
Effective January 1, 2027, the amended law also expressly authorizes a qualified electronic records notary located in Washington to administer an oath or affirmation to a remotely located individual using communication technology, unless another Washington law provides otherwise.
The notary must establish the individual's identity using a method authorized by RCW 42.45.280. These methods include personal knowledge, qualifying credible-witness identification, or at least two different types of identity proofing.
The notary must create, or arrange for the creation of, an audiovisual recording of the individual taking the oath or affirmation.
The recording must be retained in accordance with Washington's applicable retention requirements.
Requirements That Continue to Apply
SHB 2158 expands remote notarial procedures, but it does not eliminate the existing safeguards governing remote notarization.
Qualified notaries remain subject to applicable requirements concerning:
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Active commissioning and the necessary electronic and remote notary endorsements.
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Physical location of the notary within Washington during the remote act.
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Authorized identity-verification procedures.
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Compliant communication technology and audiovisual recording.
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Notarial certificates identifying the use of communication technology when required.
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Required notarial journal entries.
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Retention of required audiovisual recordings, generally for at least ten years unless a different period is established by applicable rule.
When the remotely located individual is outside the United States, additional statutory conditions concerning the record's connection to the United States and the law of the foreign jurisdiction continue to apply.
Department of Licensing Implementation
Effective date of SHB 2158: January 1, 2027.
The Washington State Department of Licensing is responsible for implementing administrative rules addressing the expanded procedures, including methods for confirming the identity of tangible records.
The department began the rulemaking process in 2026. As of November 9, 2026, proposed implementing rules have been published, but final adoption has not been verified for this page.
Notaries interested in offering the expanded services should review the final Department of Licensing rules, technology requirements, and official instructions before performing an act under the new provisions.
Until January 1, 2027, the additional authority created by SHB 2158 is not yet effective.
Official authority: Substitute House Bill 2158, Chapter 21, Laws of 2026, amending RCW 42.45.280.
Washington Notary Fees and Travel Charges
Washington establishes maximum fees for authorized notarial acts.
The current maximum fee for several common traditional notarial acts, including acknowledgments, jurats, and witnessing signatures, is $15. The maximum fee for an authorized remote notarial act is $25.
A notary may charge an additional travel fee when the notary and the person requesting the service agree on the travel fee before travel begins.
The notary must also explain that the travel fee is separate from the notarial fee and is not required by law.
Understanding the state's fee limits and disclosure requirements is an important part of establishing lawful and professional business practices.
Official Washington Notary Resources
The Washington State Department of Licensing administers notary commissions and endorsements and provides the official guidance for licensing, renewal, and professional responsibilities.
The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC) establish the controlling legal requirements.
Applicants and commissioned notaries should consult the current official sources when preparing for commissioning, renewal, electronic or remote notarization, or other authorized notarial work.
(Click the links below)Ā
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Washington Department of Licensing: Notary PublicĀ Ā Notary program
Becoming a Washington Notary:Ā Commissioning instructions
Washington Notary Renewal and Updates:Ā Ā Renewal information
Washington Notary FAQs:Ā Ā Official FAQs
Washington Notary Resources and Remote Endorsements:Ā Ā Resources and publications
Washington Notary Laws and Rules:Ā Ā Current laws and rules
Washington Notary Statutes, RCW Chapter 42.45:Ā Ā Notary statutes
Washington Administrative Rules, WAC Chapter 308-30:Ā Ā Notary regulations
Washington SHB 2158: Enacted 2026 Law:Ā Ā Enacted legislation
RCW 42.45.280: Current and January 2027 Versions:Ā Ā Official statutory text
Washington DOL: Notary Rulemaking Updates:Ā Ā Rulemaking status
Your Commission Is Only the Beginning
Washington does not require a notary examination or mandatory commissioning course. That makes understanding the responsibilities of your commission especially important.
Receiving the commission doesn't automatically teach you how to complete an unfamiliar notarial certificate, manage a difficult appointment, or recognize when a request falls outside your authority.
What happens when someone presents identification you're uncertain about? When a journal entry raises questions? When a client asks whether you can perform a notarization remotely?
And if you're building your own business, how do you become known by the people and organizations most likely to need your services?
These are the situations where continued education, practical experience, professional judgment, and intentional business development make a difference.
Your commission authorizes the work. What you learn and implement afterward shapes how you perform it.
Professional Development That Continues Beyond the Classroom
Notary Academy is a national notary education and professional development institution founded by Kimberly Sennett in 2020.
Our educational approach connects notarial knowledge, professional judgment, practical application, and business development.
Education Grounded in the Profession
Learn from experienced notary professionals who understand the responsibilities of the commission and the realities of serving clients.
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Learning That Connects to Practice
Develop your understanding through education, real-world examples, practical resources, and opportunities to apply what you've learned.
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A Path for Continued Business Growth
Whether you're strengthening foundations, establishing business, becoming visible, or refining skills, there is a structured pathway to help identify what deserves your attention next.
"Because being commissioned is only the beginning."
What Happens After You Learn the Information?Ā
Knowing the rules is one part of professional development. Knowing how to apply what you've learned, make decisions, communicate with clients, and operate your business takes continued practice.
The Notary Academy Inner Circle brings education, practical resources, live learning, and professional guidance together in one ongoing membership.
It's an environment where you can continue building your skills and business without having to piece together every next step on your own.
Build the Skills and Business That Fit Your Goals
Washington notaries serve in different professional settings. Some perform notarizations as part of their employment, while others want to establish independent mobile notary businesses, develop relationships with local professionals, or expand into electronic and remote services after obtaining the necessary endorsements.
Building a professional practice involves more than knowing which services you're authorized to perform. You also need reliable client communication, sound business processes, a clear understanding of your responsibilities, and a way for people to find and remember you.
Your professional development should reflect your commission, the services you're prepared to offer, your personal circumstances, and the business you want to build.
Inside the Inner Circle, The Implementation Path helps members identify their current stage and focus on the work that matters most.
Strengthen Your Foundations
Develop your understanding of notarial responsibilities, procedures, compliance, and professional judgment.
Become Known in Your Community
Learn how to develop your professional presence, build local relationships, communicate your value, and become easier to find & hire.
Build With IntentionĀ
Develop business systems, evaluate your progress, practice unfamiliar situations, and make informed decisions about the future.Ā
How do I become a Notary Public in Washington State?
Does Washington require notary education or an examination?
Does Washington require a notary journal?
Can Washington notaries perform remote online notarizations, including paper documents?
Does Inner Circle membership replace Washington's commissioning requirements?
Ready to Build More With Your Washington Notary Commission?
Washington gives you the opportunity to become commissioned without a mandatory course or examination. Developing the knowledge, professional judgment, and business skills to make responsible use of that commission is work worth continuing.
If you're ready to strengthen your notarial skills, practice unfamiliar situations, become more visible in your community, and build a business that fits your goals, explore the ongoing professional development available through Notary Academy.
"Because being commissioned is only the beginning."
