For Notaries · Arizona
How to Become a Notary in Arizona
To become a notary in Arizona, you must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, and an Arizona resident. File a $5,000 surety bond, pay the $43 application fee, and pass Arizona's mandatory proctored notary exam. The Secretary of State issues a four-year commission.
Need a document notarized instead? This guide covers becoming a commissioned notary in Arizona. If you are looking for a notary today, compare where to get a document notarized in Arizona or notarize it online in minutes.
Last updated: July 9, 2026 · By Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary
Arizona commissions notaries through the Secretary of State's office, and the path changed meaningfully in 2025. Unlike many states, Arizona now requires every new and renewing notary to pass a proctored competency exam before being commissioned. You will also file a $5,000 surety bond with a $43 filing fee, then receive a four-year commission. Once you are active, Arizona is a strong state for online work: remote online notarization has been legal and operative since 2020, so you can register as an electronic/remote notary at no additional state fee and start earning on assigned online signings.
Arizona Notary Requirements at a Glance
| Eligibility | You must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, and an Arizona resident (a resident of the state for income tax purposes). You must maintain Arizona residency for the entire four-year term, and applicants with certain criminal histories may be disqualified. Always confirm current eligibility details with the Secretary of State before applying. |
|---|---|
| Surety bond | Arizona requires a $5,000 notary surety bond, filed with the Secretary of State before you are commissioned. Under A.R.S. § 41-269(D) the $5,000 bond must be filed before your commission is issued and must cover acts you perform during your four-year commission term (§ 41-269(E)). The bond protects the public, not you, so many notaries add separate errors-and-omissions coverage. Premiums are set by your licensed surety, not the state. |
| State filing fee | $43.00 (combined application and bond filing fee, paid to the Arizona Secretary of State). Budget separately for the $46.75 exam fee and your surety bond premium. |
| Commission term | Four years. Arizona issues notary commissions for a four-year term, and your $5,000 surety bond must cover the same four-year period. To renew, you must pass the state competency exam again and re-file your bond and application before the commission expires. |
| Notary education | No mandatory training course, but the state exam is now a competency gate. Arizona publishes a free Notary Public Reference Manual to study from, and the Secretary of State offers an optional notary workshop. The exam questions come directly from that manual. |
| Exam | Required. Since July 1, 2025, all new and renewing Arizona notaries must pass a proctored competency exam administered by Prometric. It has 45 questions drawn from the state Notary Public Reference Manual, a 60-minute time limit, an 80% passing score, and a $46.75 fee per attempt. |
Beginning July 1, 2025, every new and renewing Arizona notary must pass a proctored competency exam of 45 questions within 60 minutes with an 80% passing score, administered by Prometric, and each attempt costs $46.75. — Arizona Secretary of State — Notary
How to Become a Notary in Arizona: Step by Step
- 1
Confirm you're eligible
Make sure you are at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, and an Arizona resident for income tax purposes. You will need to keep Arizona residency for the full four-year term.
- 2
Study the manual and pass the state exam
Download Arizona's free Notary Public Reference Manual and schedule the mandatory proctored exam with Prometric. You must score at least 80% on the 45-question, 60-minute test (a $46.75 fee applies) before you can be commissioned.
- 3
Buy and sign your $5,000 surety bond
Purchase a $5,000 notary surety bond from a licensed Arizona surety. The bond must run for the full four-year term; have it signed and notarized before you file.
- 4
Submit your application and $43 fee
Mail your completed notary application, the original signed and notarized bond, and the $43 application and bond filing fee together to the Secretary of State's Phoenix office.
- 5
Receive your commission and add RON
Once approved, you receive a four-year commission, so order your seal/stamp and journal to start notarizing. To work online, register as an electronic/remote notary with an approved technology provider (no extra state fee) and join USA Notary for assigned, paid remote signings.
How to Become an Online (Remote) Notary in Arizona
Remote online notarization is legal and operative in Arizona and has been since 2020; it is now governed by A.R.S. § 41-263 under Arizona's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, which replaced the original 2019 RON provisions (former A.R.S. §§ 41-371 to 41-380) effective July 1, 2022. You must first hold a current, active Arizona notary commission, then register as an electronic/remote notary with the Secretary of State and contract with an approved RON technology provider. There is no additional state fee or bond to add electronic/remote notary authority.
Online / remote notary application fee: No additional state fee (must use an approved technology provider)
RON was enacted by SB 1030 (2019) and took effect July 1, 2020; Executive Order 2020-26 only temporarily accelerated it during the 2020 emergency. It is now governed by A.R.S. § 41-263 under Arizona's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. The maximum notary fee is $10 per notarial act.
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 Arizona remote online notarization process →
Need a document notarized in Arizona instead? Notarize online with a Arizona commissioned notary.
Traditional Notary vs. Remote Online Notary in Arizona
Arizona allows remote online notarization, so once you hold a Arizona 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 Arizona? | 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 Arizona?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State filing fee (application + bond) | $43.00 (fixed by the state) |
| Proctored notary exam (Prometric) | $46.75 per attempt |
| $5,000 surety bond | Premium varies by licensed surety |
| Notary seal/stamp, journal & supplies | Varies by provider |
| Electronic/remote (RON) notary registration | No additional state fee |
See what USA Notary costs a Arizona notary for platform-side details.
What an Arizona Notary Can Charge
The costs above are what you pay to get commissioned — this is the other side of the ledger. Arizona caps what a notary may charge per notarial act, and here is exactly where those ceilings sit.
| Maximum in-person fee (per notarial act) | $10 |
|---|---|
| Maximum remote online notarization (RON) fee | $10 |
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 Arizona compares with every other state in the how Arizona fees compare across all 50 states.
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 Arizona
Commission term in Arizona
Four years. Arizona issues notary commissions for a four-year term, and your $5,000 surety bond must cover the same four-year period. To renew, you must pass the state competency exam again and re-file your bond and application before the commission expires.
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 Arizona Commission Into Income
USA Notary connects commissioned notaries with assigned, paid remote signings — so your commission actually earns. How Arizona notaries earn · membership cost · platform requirements · other states · compare RON platforms for Arizona notaries
Join USA Notary as a notaryFrequently Asked Questions
Does Arizona require a notary exam?
Yes. Since July 1, 2025, Arizona requires all new and renewing notaries to pass a proctored competency exam administered by Prometric. It is 45 questions in 60 minutes, you need an 80% score, and each attempt costs $46.75. The questions come from the state Notary Public Reference Manual.
How much does it cost to become a notary in Arizona?
The Arizona Secretary of State charges a $43.00 combined application and bond filing fee. You will also pay $46.75 for the proctored exam, plus the premium for your required $5,000 surety bond and the cost of a seal and journal. Adding electronic/remote (RON) notary authority carries no additional state fee.
How long is an Arizona notary commission valid?
Arizona notary commissions are valid for four years, and your $5,000 surety bond must cover the same four-year period. To renew, you must pass the state exam again and re-file your bond and application before your commission expires.
Does Arizona allow remote online notarization?
Yes. Remote online notarization has been legal and operative in Arizona since 2020, now governed by A.R.S. § 41-263 under Arizona's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts. Once you hold an active Arizona commission, you can register as an electronic/remote notary and notarize for signers who appear by live audio-video using an approved RON technology provider.
Do I have to be a traditional notary before becoming a remote online notary in Arizona?
Yes. You must already hold a current, active Arizona notary commission before you can register as an electronic or remote online notary. There is no additional state fee or bond to add that authority; you contract with an approved technology provider and file the eNotary/RON request with the Secretary of State.
How much can an Arizona notary charge per notarization?
Arizona caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act, and that maximum applies to in-person, electronic, and remote online notarizations alike. Beyond per-act fees, many Arizona notaries add income through loan signings and assigned remote online signings on platforms like USA Notary.
When does a Arizona notary commission expire?
The Arizona commission term is: Four years. Arizona issues notary commissions for a four-year term, and your $5,000 surety bond must cover the same four-year period. To renew, you must pass the state competency exam again and re-file your bond and application before the commission expires. 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 Arizona 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 Arizona 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 Mountain 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
- Arizona Secretary of State — Notary
- Arizona Secretary of State — Remote & eNotary
- National Notary Association — Become a Remote Online Notary in Arizona
- American Society of Notaries — Arizona Notary Exam Overview
This guide summarizes public requirements from Arizona'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.