For Notaries · Alaska
How to Become a Notary in Alaska
To become a notary in Alaska, you must be at least 18, an Alaska resident legally in the U.S., with no felony conviction or incarceration in the prior 10 years. Post a $2,500 surety bond, pay the $40 state application fee, and serve a 4-year term. No exam or training is required.
Last updated: July 16, 2026 · By Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary
Alaska notaries are commissioned by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, administered by its Notary Public Office in Juneau. The process is refreshingly simple: there's no mandatory training course and no exam. You obtain a $2,500 surety bond, file your application with the Lieutenant Governor through the myAlaska online portal (or by mail), sign a notarized oath of office, and pay the $40 state fee. Once approved, your regular commission runs for a four-year term. Applicants must show an Alaska physical residence address (PO Boxes aren't accepted for residency). After you're commissioned, you can also register to perform remote online notarizations for signers appearing by audio-video technology.
Alaska Notary Requirements at a Glance
| Eligibility | Be at least 18 years old, an Alaska resident who is legally present in the United States, and free of any felony conviction or incarceration for a felony in the 10 years before the commission takes effect. Applicants with a prior revoked commission or notarial-misconduct discipline must contact the office before applying. A physical Alaska residence address is required (no PO Box). |
|---|---|
| Surety bond | Required. Execute a $2,500 official surety bond and submit it with your application. The bond must run for the full four-year term of the commission. Federal, state, or municipal employees applying for a Limited Governmental commission may substitute an employer approval form for the bond. |
| State filing fee | $40.00 nonrefundable, non-transferable state application fee (waived for State of Alaska employees applying for Limited Governmental commissions). |
| Commission term | 4 years |
| Notary education | Not required. Alaska does not mandate any notary training or education course. |
| Exam | Not required. Alaska does not require a notary exam. |
Alaska requires a $2,500 surety bond for the four-year commission term and a $40 nonrefundable state application fee. — Alaska Lieutenant Governor - Notary Overview and Qualifications
How to Become a Notary in Alaska: Step by Step
- 1
Confirm you're eligible
Verify you are 18 or older, an Alaska resident legally present in the U.S., with no felony conviction or incarceration in the past 10 years. Have a physical Alaska residence address ready (PO Boxes aren't accepted for residency).
- 2
Obtain your $2,500 surety bond
Get a $2,500 notary bond for the full four-year term from a commercial insurance agency, or use the state's notary bond form with a third-party individual surety. You cannot act as your own surety.
- 3
Complete the application and oath
Apply through your myAlaska account on the Online Notary Database (or by mail). Print, sign, and have your oath of office notarized by an Alaska notary; the wet-signature original must be submitted.
- 4
Submit application and pay the $40 state fee
File your application, bond, and notarized oath with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor Notary Public Office, and pay the $40 nonrefundable application fee by card, check, or money order payable to State of Alaska.
- 5
Receive your commission and start notarizing
Approval can take up to four weeks. Once commissioned for your four-year term, buy your notary seal, keep records, and optionally register with a technology vendor and notify the Lieutenant Governor to perform remote online notarizations.
How to Become an Online (Remote) Notary in Alaska
Available. Alaska notaries can perform remote online notarizations (RON) for remotely located individuals. First get commissioned, then select an approved communication-technology vendor and notify the Lieutenant Governor's office and receive approval BEFORE performing your first remote act. The communication technology must provide synchronous audio-video, credential analysis, and knowledge-based identity proofing by a reputable third party. In addition to the $40 notary application fee, Alaska charges a separate RON registration fee: $100 at the time of the initial request following approval of a 4-year commission, or $25 per remaining year of a pre-existing commission, payable to the State of Alaska. No additional bond beyond the standard $2,500 notary bond is required for RON. An audio-video recording of each remote notarization must be retained (10-year retention).
Online / remote notary application fee: $100 one-time for a new 4-year commission, or $25 per remaining year of an existing commission, payable to the State of Alaska (separate from vendor fees)
Authorized by HB 124; operative January 1, 2021 (AS 44.50.075)
The commission, the RON registration and the platform account are three separate things — which of them you can do entirely online sorts them out.
Walk through the Alaska remote online notarization process →
Need a document notarized in Alaska instead? Notarize online with a Alaska commissioned notary.
Traditional Notary vs. Remote Online Notary in Alaska
Alaska allows remote online notarization, so once you hold a Alaska commission you can register to notarize for signers who appear over live video — and take on assigned online signings.
| Traditional (in-person) notary | Remote online notary (RON) | |
|---|---|---|
| How the signer appears | In person, in the same room | Over a live, recorded audio-video call |
| Available in Alaska? | Yes | Available now — register once commissioned |
| What you need | Seal and journal | An approved RON platform, identity-proofing, and a digital certificate |
| Where the work comes from | Local, walk-in and mobile appointments | Nationwide — e.g. assigned online signings through USA Notary |
What Does It Cost to Become a Notary in Alaska?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State application fee | $40 |
| $2,500 surety bond (4-year term) | ~$50 (varies by supplier) |
| Education / exam | $0 (not required) |
| Notary seal / stamp | $25-$50 (varies by supplier) |
| Notary journal | $15-$30 (varies by supplier) |
| Remote online notarization vendor | Varies by supplier |
See costs and fees on USA Notary for platform-side details.
What a Alaska Notary Can Charge
The costs above are what you pay to get commissioned — this is the other side of the ledger. Alaska is one of the states that sets no statutory maximum on the in-person notarial fee, so the per-act price is whatever you and the signer agree to.
| Maximum in-person fee (per notarial act) | No cap |
|---|---|
| Maximum remote online notarization (RON) fee | No cap |
A statutory maximum is a ceiling, not a price list, and it covers the notarial act only — travel, printing and after-hours convenience are quoted as separate line items. See how Alaska compares with every other state in the full 50-state breakdown of what a notary costs.
Verified July 2026 against the National Notary Association "Notary Fees by State" table and primary state statutes/Secretary of State rules. Several states (WA, VA, NC) raised caps in 2023–2024. Fees are per notarial act/signature; a notary may charge less, never more. Confirm your state before relying on a figure.
Renewing Your Notary Commission in Alaska
Commission term in Alaska
4 years
No state renews a commission automatically, and notarizing on a lapsed one is treated as acting without authority — start the renewal before the date above arrives.
For timelines, typical costs, and what to do if you've already let a commission lapse, see our step-by-step notary commission renewal guide.
Turn Your Alaska Commission Into Income
USA Notary connects commissioned notaries with assigned, paid remote signings — so your commission actually earns. How Alaska notaries earn · membership cost · platform requirements · other states
Join USA Notary as a notaryFrequently Asked Questions
How long does an Alaska notary commission last?
A regular Alaska notary commission is issued for a four-year term with a specific expiration date that must appear on every notarial certificate. Limited Governmental commissions stay active as long as you remain employed by the government entity.
How much does it cost to become a notary in Alaska?
The state charges a $40 nonrefundable application fee. Add roughly $50 for the required $2,500 four-year surety bond, plus about $25-$50 for a seal and $15-$30 for a journal. Most applicants spend around $120-$170 total.
Is a class or exam required to become an Alaska notary?
No. Alaska does not require any notary training course or exam. You simply meet the eligibility rules, obtain the bond, and submit your application and oath to the Lieutenant Governor.
Who appoints notaries in Alaska?
Notaries are commissioned by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, administered through its Notary Public Office in Juneau. You apply online through the myAlaska portal or by mail.
Can Alaska notaries perform remote online notarizations?
Yes. Since January 1, 2021 (HB 124, AS 44.50.075), commissioned Alaska notaries may notarize for remotely located individuals using approved communication technology after notifying the Lieutenant Governor. Audiovisual recordings must be kept at least 10 years.
How much can a notary charge in Alaska?
Alaska sets no statutory maximum on the in-person notarial fee — it is whatever the notary and signer agree, disclosed before the appointment.
How much can a Alaska notary charge for online notarization?
Alaska sets no statutory cap on the fee for a remote online notarization.
When does a Alaska notary commission expire?
The Alaska commission term is: 4 years. No state renews a commission automatically — once yours lapses you cannot perform notarial acts until the renewal or reappointment is complete, so calendar the expiration date and start the paperwork early.
Where to go from here
The rest of the questions are the same in every state, so they live in one place each:
- How long it takes to become a notary — application, processing queue, and the waiting you can't control.
- What it costs to become a notary — the same line items as the Alaska cost table, priced across every state.
- Notary bond vs. E&O insurance — which one is a state requirement and which is your own call.
- What a loan signing agent does and earns — the highest-earning specialization once your commission arrives.
Becoming a Notary in Other States
Requirements differ by state — here are nearby Pacific guides and other popular states. See the full 50-state directory.
About the author
Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC
CEO & Founder, USA Notary Services LLC
Andrew Ray Yon is the founder and CEO of USA Notary Services LLC and the architect of the SharpNote remote online notarization platform. A Certified Notary Signing Agent since 2005, he has handled mortgage and title loan signings for two decades — personally completing more than 10,000 notarizations — and holds an MBA and the ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) designation. Based in Virginia’s Greater Richmond region, he leads the company’s strategy, compliance, and platform development.
Connect on LinkedInOfficial sources
- Alaska Lieutenant Governor - Notary Overview and Qualifications
- Alaska Lieutenant Governor - Notarial Resources (RON vendors & guidance)
This guide summarizes public requirements from Alaska's notary authority and is for general information, not legal advice. Requirements and fees can change — always confirm current details with your state before applying.