For Notaries · Maine
How to Become a Notary in Maine
To become a notary in Maine, you must be at least 18, read and write English, and be a Maine resident or have a business or place of employment in Maine. No surety bond is required. You pass an open-book exam included with the application, pay the $50 state fee, and serve a 7-year term.
Last updated: July 16, 2026 · By Andrew Ray Yon, MBA, ChFC — CEO & Founder, USA Notary
Maine notaries public are appointed by the Secretary of State and administered through its Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions. The process is refreshingly light: there is no surety bond and no separate proctored test, but the paper application includes an open-book exam on Maine notary law that you must answer correctly. You mail the completed form with the $50 state fee, then take an oath before a Dedimus Justice within 30 days of appointment. Non-residents with a Maine job or business qualify too, and citizenship is not required. Commissions run a generous seven years. Once commissioned, you can also apply to add remote and electronic online notarization for Maine signers.
Maine Notary Requirements at a Glance
| Eligibility | At least 18 years old; able to read and write English; a Maine resident OR a non-resident with a business or place of employment in Maine. No U.S. citizenship required. You must have no disqualifying criminal convictions (no crime punishable by one year or more of imprisonment, and no crime involving fraud, dishonesty or deceit), no related findings of liability, and no notary commission revoked, suspended, or non-renewed for cause in any state. |
|---|---|
| Surety bond | No surety bond required. Maine does not require notaries to post a bond; errors and omissions (E&O) insurance is optional. |
| State filing fee | $50.00 state commission fee (check payable to Treasurer, State of Maine, or credit/debit card). Renewal is also $50.00. |
| Commission term | 7 years |
| Notary education | No mandatory education course. The Secretary of State offers an optional Notary Public Course of Study covering the material tested on the exam. |
| Exam | Required. New applicants must pass an open-book exam on Maine notary law that is included with the paper application form; all answers must be correct. It is not separately proctored. (Renewals take a 30-question online exam.) |
Maine notaries pay a $50 state commission fee for a seven-year term and are not required to post a surety bond. — Maine Secretary of State - Notaries Public FAQ
How to Become a Notary in Maine: Step by Step
- 1
Confirm you are eligible
Verify you are at least 18, can read and write English, and are a Maine resident or have a Maine business or place of employment. Confirm you have no disqualifying convictions or prior commission discipline.
- 2
Complete the application and pass the open-book exam
Download the Application for a Notary Public Commission from the Secretary of State's site, complete it, and answer the open-book exam questions on Maine notary law included with the form. All answers must be correct. Review the optional Course of Study first if you want to prepare.
- 3
Submit your application and the $50 state fee
Mail the completed application to the Secretary of State with the $50 fee (check payable to Treasurer, State of Maine, or pay by card). No surety bond is required. Processing takes roughly 15-20 business days.
- 4
Take your oath before a Dedimus Justice
After you receive your Certificate of Qualification, appear before a Dedimus Justice within 30 days of appointment to take the oath of office, then return the completed certificate to the Secretary of State within 45 days.
- 5
Get your supplies and start notarizing
Obtain a notary stamp (optional for in-person paper acts but strongly recommended) and, if desired, a journal. Once sworn in, you are commissioned for seven years and may notarize anywhere in Maine.
- 6
Add remote/electronic notarization (optional)
To notarize online, choose a Secretary of State-approved technology provider, complete its training, and submit the Notice to Perform Electronic and/or Remote Notarizations for Secretary of State approval. A journal and electronic stamp are required for these acts.
How to Become an Online (Remote) Notary in Maine
Remote online notarization is operative in Maine. After you hold a commission, you must submit the "Notice to Perform Electronic and/or Remote Notarizations" form and receive Secretary of State approval before performing remote or electronic acts. You must select a Secretary of State-approved technology provider, complete that provider's training (no additional state test), and use an electronic notary stamp. A journal is required for all electronic and remote notarizations. There is no additional state fee to file the notice; approved-vendor platform costs vary.
Online / remote notary application fee: No additional state registration fee; approved technology-provider platform costs vary by supplier.
Maine adopted the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), effective July 1, 2023 (4 M.R.S. ch. 39).
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 Maine remote online notarization process →
Need a document notarized in Maine instead? Notarize online with a Maine commissioned notary.
Traditional Notary vs. Remote Online Notary in Maine
Maine allows remote online notarization, so once you hold a Maine 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 Maine? | 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 Maine?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State commission fee | $50 |
| Surety bond | Not required ($0) |
| Exam / education | $0 (open-book exam included; optional course free) |
| Notary stamp & journal | Varies by supplier |
| Dedimus Justice oath fee | Varies |
| RON platform (optional) | Varies by approved provider |
See costs and fees on USA Notary for platform-side details.
What a Maine Notary Can Charge
The costs above are what you pay to get commissioned — this is the other side of the ledger. Maine 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 Maine 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 Maine
Commission term in Maine
7 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 Maine Commission Into Income
USA Notary connects commissioned notaries with assigned, paid remote signings — so your commission actually earns. How Maine notaries earn · membership cost · platform requirements · other states
Join USA Notary as a notaryFrequently Asked Questions
How long does a Maine notary commission last?
A Maine notary public commission is valid for seven years. You may renew it online through the Secretary of State's Total Notary Solution before it expires, which involves a 30-question online exam and the $50 renewal fee.
How much does it cost to become a notary in Maine?
The state commission fee is $50. There is no surety bond and no exam fee. Additional costs are a notary stamp and journal (optional for in-person paper acts, priced by supplier) and any fee a Dedimus Justice charges to administer your oath.
Is a class or exam required to become a Maine notary?
No training class is required. However, all new applicants must pass an open-book exam on Maine notary law that is included with the paper application; every answer must be correct. The Secretary of State offers an optional Course of Study to help you prepare.
Who appoints and administers notaries in Maine?
Maine notaries public are appointed by the Secretary of State and administered through its Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions in Augusta. You take your oath of office before a Dedimus Justice after your application is approved.
Can Maine notaries perform remote online notarizations?
Yes. Maine's RON law took effect July 1, 2023 under RULONA. After you are commissioned, you must file the Notice to Perform Electronic and/or Remote Notarizations, use a Secretary of State-approved technology provider, and receive approval before performing remote or electronic acts.
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen or Maine resident?
You do not need to be a U.S. citizen. You must be either a Maine resident or a non-resident who has a business or place of employment located in Maine.
How much can a notary charge in Maine?
Maine 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 Maine notary charge for online notarization?
Maine sets no statutory cap on the fee for a remote online notarization.
When does a Maine notary commission expire?
The Maine commission term is: 7 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 Maine 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 New England 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
- Maine Secretary of State - Notaries Public Frequently Asked Questions
- Maine Secretary of State - Notary Public Resources (fees, RON, renewal)
- National Notary Association - How to Become a Notary in Maine
This guide summarizes public requirements from Maine'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.