How to become a notary in Massachusetts
Eligibility, the application, fees and the oath, in the order you'll do them — from the Office of the Governor, Notary Public Office (commissions approved by the Governor's Council; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section, qualifies notaries and handles renewals and changes).
Step by step
- Check that you qualify — 18+, Must live in Massachusetts, or have a regular place of work or business there; the application is valid for out-of-state applicants who work in MA; Application must be signed by 4 references who know you, one of them a Massachusetts attorney in good standing. Your signature on the application must be notarized, and you must attach a current resume. You must certify that you have read G.L. c. 222. The Governor may deny an application for a material misstatement, criminal convictions (prison sentence, certain misdemeanors, OUI), an admission to sufficient facts, a civil fraud finding, a license revocation, or any other reason making the applicant unsuitable (G.L. c. 222 §13).
- Complete the background check — No fingerprinting. The application asks about criminal convictions, professional license suspensions and dismissals for misconduct; the Governor's office reviews it before approval by the Governor's Council.
- Apply to the Office of the Governor, Notary Public Office (commissions approved by the Governor's Council; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section, qualifies notaries and handles renewals and changes) — Pay the $60 state fee.
- Take the oath and file it — The Secretary of the Commonwealth mails notice of appointment with swearing-in and $60 payment instructions. You must take and subscribe the oath within 3 months of appointment, or the appointment is void (G.L. c. 30 §12). The oath may be taken before the Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth, two councillors or two commissioners to qualify public officers (G.L. c. 30 §11).
- Get your seal and journal — Seal: Required: seal or stamp showing the notary's name exactly as commissioned, "notary public" and "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" (or "Massachusetts"), "My commission expires ___" and a facsimile of the state seal. Ink seals must use black ink. A new seal is required on renewal or name change (G.L. c. 222 §8). Journal: Required.
Notary packages & supplies
- National Notary Association — state packages: bond, seal, journal and any required training
- Notaries.com — lower-cost state packages with bond, stamp and supplies
Bond, stamp and journal in one order; check that the package matches Massachusetts's rules. Some links may be affiliate links.
Massachusetts notary requirements
| Commissioned by | Office of the Governor, Notary Public Office (commissions approved by the Governor's Council; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section, qualifies notaries and handles renewals and changes) |
| Who can apply | 18+ · Must live in Massachusetts, or have a regular place of work or business there; the application is valid for out-of-state applicants who work in MA |
| Course | Not required No education requirement for a traditional commission. Notaries who want to perform remote online notarization must first complete training required by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. |
| Exam | Not required No state exam |
| State fee | $60 |
| Other fees | None charged with the application. The $60 commission fee is paid to the Secretary of the Commonwealth only after the Governor and Governor's Council approve you. You buy a seal/stamp separately. |
| Surety bond | None No surety bond required |
| E&O insurance | Optional |
| Background check | No fingerprinting. The application asks about criminal convictions, professional license suspensions and dismissals for misconduct; the Governor's office reviews it before approval by the Governor's Council. |
| Term | 7 years |
| Oath / filing | The Secretary of the Commonwealth mails notice of appointment with swearing-in and $60 payment instructions. You must take and subscribe the oath within 3 months of appointment, or the appointment is void (G.L. c. 30 §12). The oath may be taken before the Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth, two councillors or two commissioners to qualify public officers (G.L. c. 30 §11). |
| Seal | Required: seal or stamp showing the notary's name exactly as commissioned, "notary public" and "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" (or "Massachusetts"), "My commission expires ___" and a facsimile of the state seal. Ink seals must use black ink. A new seal is required on renewal or name change (G.L. c. 222 §8). |
| Journal | Required |
| Max fee per notarization | No statutory maximum for ordinary notarial acts. G.L. c. 262 §41 caps only protest and noting fees (noting max $1.25), and the SJC held in Richardson v. The UPS Store (2020) that the cap does not apply to other acts. A disclosed technology services fee is allowed for remote acts. |
| Remote online notary | Allowed Remote online notarization was authorized by St. 2023, c. 2 (effective Jan 1, 2024). Before your first remote act you must complete the Secretary of the Commonwealth's training and register/notify the Secretary through the online notification form, naming your communication technology provider; you must use a provider on the Secretary's registry. You must be physically in MA, record the session on audio-video and keep the recording 10 years. Wills, codicils and election records cannot be notarized remotely. |
| Renewal | No automatic renewal. Reappointment uses the same notary public application (it asks whether you held an MA commission before). Contact the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Public Records Division (617-727-2836) about renewals. The Governor or Council may decline to reappoint for misconduct. |
Apply by mail only: a 4-page paper application plus resume, sent to the Notary Public Office, State House Room 184, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133. Do not send payment with it. Application status: Governor's Council 617-725-4016. Notaries may notarize only while physically in Massachusetts. A journal is required for every notarial act (G.L. c. 222 §22) except for attorneys, their employees and government-employed notaries; never record SSNs or card numbers in it. The current notary law is G.L. c. 222 as amended by Ch. 289 of the Acts of 2016 and the RON law St. 2023, c. 2 (§§ 28-33). Mass.gov and sec.state.ma.us block automated access, so mass.gov content was read from its May 2026 archived copy and the Feb 2026 application PDF.
Sources: Mass.gov - Apply to become a notary public · Notary Public Application (PDF) · Mass.gov - Massachusetts law about notaries public (Trial Court Law Libraries) · Secretary of the Commonwealth - Remote online notarization · G.L. c. 222 §13 (qualifications). Checked 2026-10.
Earn more as a loan signing agent
Many notaries add mortgage closings: title and escrow companies pay signing agents per loan package. It needs a notary commission plus signing-agent training and a background screening.
- Loan Signing System — loan signing agent training to earn from mortgage closings ($347)
- NNA Notary Signing Agent certification — the certification and background screening title companies ask for
- Notaries.com signing agent course — budget signing agent course ($109)
Some links may be affiliate links.
Get a Massachusetts notary checklist and renewal reminder
A printable checklist of every step and an email before your commission expires. Free.
Notary course and exam rules across the US
Other Massachusetts licenses
Life & Health insurance license · Property & Casualty insurance license · Adjuster insurance license · All Massachusetts insurance licenses · Mortgage loan officer (MLO) license
Questions
How much does it cost to become a notary in Massachusetts?
The state fee is $60, plus None charged with the application. The $60 commission fee is paid to the Secretary of the Commonwealth only after the Governor and Governor's Council approve you. You buy a seal/stamp separately.. Add a seal and a journal.
How long does it take to become a notary in Massachusetts?
About 2 weeks (the application instructions say up to 18 days) from mailing to written notice of appointment.
Do I need to take a class or exam to be a notary in Massachusetts?
No. Massachusetts requires no course or exam, though a short course helps you avoid mistakes.
How much can a notary charge in Massachusetts?
No statutory maximum for ordinary notarial acts. G.L. c. 262 §41 caps only protest and noting fees (noting max $1.25), and the SJC held in Richardson v. The UPS Store (2020) that the cap does not apply to other acts. A disclosed technology services fee is allowed for remote acts..
Can I be an online notary in Massachusetts?
Yes. Remote online notarization was authorized by St. 2023, c. 2 (effective Jan 1, 2024). Before your first remote act you must complete the Secretary of the Commonwealth's training and register/notify the Secretary through the online notification form, naming your communication technology provider; you must use a provider on the Secretary's registry. You must be physically in MA, record the session on audio-video and keep the recording 10 years. Wills, codicils and election records cannot be notarized remotely.