Become a notary in Massachusetts

Where to register

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

• Commissioning page

  Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

  https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/notary-information.htm

• Confirm standing with the commissioning office

  Confirm standing with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth using the commissioning page above.

Requirements

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

Age and place

Mass.gov: at least 18 and live or work in the Commonwealth. The application is valid for out-of-state applicants.

Reading the law

Applicants must read Chapter 222 of the General Laws, as amended by Chapter 289 of the Acts of 2016, and agree to comply with all of its terms. The application makes you initial that statement under pains and penalties of perjury.

Endorsements

Mass.gov: four signatures of known and respected members of your community. The application form: four references who certify you are known to them, of high standing and character, and fitted for the office; one must be a member of the bar in good standing. The application itself must be notarized by a current Massachusetts notary.

Resume

Staple an up-to-date resume to the four-page application. If you have a business card, staple it to the upper left of the first page.

Fee (as posted)

$60 charged by the Secretary of the Commonwealth upon qualification — not with the application. Mass.gov and the application instructions say do not send a fee until you are notified that the Governor and Governor’s Council have approved.

Term

Mass.gov’s complaints section states that notaries serve seven-year terms.

How to get started

1. 01

   Download and complete the application

   Use the Mass.gov how-to. Print your commissioned name the way you will sign. Answer the disclosure questions (convictions, license revocations, dismissals). Mail is to Notary Public Office, State House, Room 184, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133.

2. 02

   Get four endorsements and a Massachusetts notarization

   One endorser must be a Massachusetts attorney in good standing. A current Massachusetts notary completes the jurat on the application.

3. 03

   Mail with no payment

   Staple all four pages plus the resume. The application instructions cite constitutional time parameters of as many as 18 days from mailing to a notice of approval. Mass.gov also says approximately 2 weeks from mailing the completed form to written notification, with swearing-in instructions.

4. 04

   Pay $60 and take the oath after approval

   The Secretary of the Commonwealth sends payment and swearing-in directions with the appointment notice. Status questions go to the Governor’s Council at (617) 725-4016.

5. 05

   Register on StampSide

   After you use the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth 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 application instructions say the process may take as many as 18 days from mailing to a notice of approval. Mass.gov says approximately 2 weeks from mailing the completed form to written notification.

Tools after you apply

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

• Stamp or seal

  Mass.gov says many reputable providers are online, or you may buy a stamp from a local office-supply store. Order a new seal through the Public Records Division questions listed on that page after you are commissioned.

  Named suppliers on StampSide

• 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

• Apply to become a notary public (Mass.gov)
• Notary Public Application (PDF)