How to Become a Notary in Massachusetts

The short answer

To become a notary public in Massachusetts, you must be at least 18 and live or regularly work or do business in Massachusetts. You apply by mailing a completed, notarized application to the Notary Public Office at the State House, with four community signatures, including one from a Massachusetts attorney, and a current resume. After the Governor and the Governor's Council approve your appointment, you pay the commission fee and take your oath of office. A commission lasts seven years, and Massachusetts does not require a training course or exam for a traditional commission.

Step 1: Confirm you are eligible

• You are at least 18 years old.
• You live in Massachusetts, or have a regular place of work or business in Massachusetts.
• You have read Chapter 222 of the Massachusetts General Laws and agree to comply with it.

The Governor may deny an application for reasons that include inaccurate or incomplete information, certain criminal convictions, a civil finding of fraud or deceit, or a revoked or denied commission or professional license elsewhere.

Step 2: Complete the application

Download the notary public application from Mass.gov. The application requires the signatures of four known and respected members of your community, one of whom must be a Massachusetts attorney. Include a current resume, and check the current form for any additional requirements before you submit it.

Step 3: Have it notarized and mail it to the State House

Sign your application before a notary public so it is notarized, then submit it by mail, not online, to the Notary Public Office at the State House in Boston. The state indicates that you can expect written notice of your appointment in about two weeks. You can check the status of an application with the Governor's Council.

Step 4: Pay the fee and take your oath

Once your appointment is approved, you pay the $60 commission fee to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Your appointment notice includes instructions for being sworn in. The Secretary of the Commonwealth administers oaths by appointment at its Boston, Springfield and Fall River offices. Follow the timeline in your notice.

Step 5: Get your seal and journal

Your notary seal must show your name exactly as commissioned, the words "notary public" and "Commonwealth of Massachusetts" or "Massachusetts," "My commission expires" with the date, and a facsimile of the Commonwealth seal. Ink seals must be black. You must also keep a journal of every notarial act: a bound paper register with numbered pages, or a tamper-evident electronic journal. Under your signature on each certificate, print your name and your commission expiration date. You can download our free Massachusetts notary certificates to get started.

How long a commission lasts, and renewal

A Massachusetts notary commission lasts seven years. Renewal is not automatic; the state mails renewal applications before your commission expires, and you will need a new seal for each new commission or a legal name change.

Is training required?

Massachusetts does not require a course or exam for a traditional notary commission. Even so, training is the best way to avoid mistakes that can harm signers and your reputation, especially for specialized work such as apostilles, corporate signings, hospital and bedside signings and loan signings. If remote online notarization becomes available, the Secretary of the Commonwealth may require up to three hours of training for it.

What notaries can earn

Massachusetts law does not set a general cap on fees for most notarial acts, but fees must be disclosed and recorded in your journal, and certain acts may not be charged for. Many notaries build a practice through mobile services, loan signings, hospital visits, and apostille and document authentication work. Understand the rules in What a Massachusetts Notary Can and Cannot Do before you begin.

Common mistakes new notaries make

• Cutting corners on identification. Every signer needs satisfactory evidence of identity: a current government-issued photo ID, a credible witness or your personal knowledge. See Identifying Signers.
• Notarizing for family. A Massachusetts notary cannot notarize for close family members or when they have a personal interest in the document.
• Giving advice. Choosing a form or explaining what a document means is legal advice. Refer signers to whoever prepared the document.
• Skipping the journal. Record every notarial act, including how you identified the signer and any fee charged.
• Completing a certificate that does not match the act. An acknowledgment and a jurat are different acts with different wording. See Acknowledgment vs. Jurat.

For practical tips on completing the application itself, see The Notary Application.

Learn from experienced notaries

We are preparing practical training for Massachusetts notaries who want to grow beyond basic notarizations: apostilles and embassy legalization, corporate and life sciences clients, bedside signings and building a professional mobile practice. Join the notary training interest list to hear about it first. See also Reasons to Become a Notary and Notary Resources.