Become a notary in Arizona

Where to register

Applications go to the Arizona Secretary of State. Open their page for the current application, not a StampSide form.

• Commissioning page

  Arizona Secretary of State

  https://azsos.gov/business/notary

• Official lookup

  Official lookup for commissioned notaries in Arizona.

  https://apps.azsos.gov/apps/notary/search/default.aspx

Requirements

What the official page states. If a topic is missing here, that page did not spell it out.

Qualifications

The SOS new-notary page quotes A.R.S. § 41-312(E): Arizona resident; at least 18; able to read and write English; U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident; not convicted of a felony unless civil rights have been restored, or of a lesser offense involving moral turpitude or of a nature incompatible with notary duties.

Exam

The SOS requires a notary examination under A.R.S. § 41-270. The new-notary page says you must contact Pearson to register for the exam and obtain a Candidate ID Number before completing the application. The existing-notaries page describes a 45-question exam drawn from the current Notary Public Reference Manual, 60 minutes, passing score 80%, with a $35 fee assessed for every proctored examination.

Bond

A.R.S. § 41-315. The SOS will not process an application without a bond. The SOS FAQ states you are bonded for $5,000. Bonds are purchased from a licensed surety, not from the SOS. Commission dates on the bond must be four years apart and one day less, as the new-notary page illustrates.

Fee (as posted)

Standard application $43 (the application screen lists $25 application plus $18 bond filing). Checks and money orders to “Arizona Secretary of State.” Do not send cash by mail. Applicants agree to pay $25.00 if an account returns insufficient funds.

Term

Commission length: 4 years, as posted on the SOS notary page.

Manual, stamp, journal

The SOS FAQ says you are commissioned once the application and bond are on file and you have your stamp, journal, and notary public reference manual. The current manual is posted for download on the SOS site.

How to get started

1. 01

   Pass the Pearson notary exam

   Register with Pearson and get a Candidate ID before you finish the SOS application. The SOS existing-notaries page describes remote and in-person testing and a generic admission letter for remote-testing rules.

2. 02

   Complete the application and buy the bond

   Fill the SOS application, print and sign it. Buy the original notarized notary bond from a licensed surety. The application screen says an application older than 90 days is void.

3. 03

   Mail the original application, original bond, and $43 together

   The SOS notary page says those three items must be submitted together by mail. Processing time posted there is approximately 4 weeks from the date the office receives the packet.

4. 04

   Register on StampSide

   After you use the Arizona Secretary of State site, create a public page: photo, where you work, and how clients reach you. Share the URL on emails and invoices. The page stays unpublished until a commission is on file.

Processing time

The Arizona SOS notary page and application screen say standard processing is approximately 4 weeks from the date the office receives the application.

Tools after you apply

Official pages and named suppliers already listed in this product. Checkout is on their site — StampSide does not sell stamps.

• Bond or E&O

  Arizona posts a $5,000 surety bond filed with the application (A.R.S. § 41-315). The SOS does not sell bonds.

  National Notary Association

• Stamp or seal

  The SOS FAQ says to obtain a stamp and journal (office-supply or a bonding company that provides them). Buy them after you have the commission dates.

  Named suppliers on StampSide

• Journal

  The SOS FAQ treats a journal as part of being commissioned, alongside the stamp and the official reference manual.

  Notary Rotary

• More suppliers

  Notary Rotary, Notary.net, and the National Notary Association are on the supplies list. State-specific seals only.

  StampSide supplies list

More official pages

• Arizona SOS notary public
• Become a new Arizona notary
• Arizona notary FAQs

Remote / electronic notarization

The official search includes a RON (remote online notarization) filter.