How to become a notary public in Utah

Utah notary public licenses

Utah issues 2 notary public credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Utah notary public license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Requirements

Minimum age

18 years old²¹

Renewal

How often

Every 4 years¹

Who needs a Notary Public certificate

Four-year commission from the Lieutenant Governor to perform jurats, acknowledgments, signature witnessings, copy certifications and oaths or affirmations anywhere in Utah, for people in the notary's presence. A notary may charge at most $10 per act ($10 per signature for acknowledgments and jurats, per page for certified copies, per person for oaths), plus an agreed travel fee no higher than the federal mileage rate.¹

Requirements for a Notary Public certificate

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Education or training

No course required. Study the Lieutenant Governor's free Study Guide and Handbook, the 2026 journal supplement and the Notary Code before the exam.²

Exam

Utah notary public examination (online, Lieutenant Governor)²
Given by: Lieutenant Governor's online notary application system (notaryapplication.utah.gov); results are given instantly on payment.²
Passing score: ⁵

Background check

Background check required²
Not an automatic bar: the Lieutenant Governor may deny (or later revoke or suspend) for a conviction for a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude, a revoked, suspended or restricted notary commission or professional license in any state, or official misconduct. Applicants list all convictions, including pleas of no contest, and may upload a written explanation.²

Residency or citizenship

U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (INA s.245), who has lived in Utah or worked in Utah for at least 30 days immediately before applying and keeps that residence or employment for the whole commission.¹

Surety bond

$5,000⁶ (Every notary; bond term matches the four-year commission. Must be signed by the notary as principal and name must match the application; dated within 90 days of approval.)

Also required

Take a constitutional oath of office and have it notarized before uploading it (the oath usually comes with the bond).⁶

Also required

Journal: anyone commissioned (or re-commissioned) on or after May 6, 2026 must keep a physical journal of every in-person notarial act in a secure location.³

Also required

Report a name change (with documentation and a bond rider) or a residential/business address change to the Lieutenant Governor within 30 days.¹

How much a Notary Public certificate costs

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Check you qualify: 18+, U.S. citizen or permanent resident, living or working in Utah for 30+ days, able to read, write and understand English.²
2. Study the Study Guide and Handbook, the 2026 journal supplement and Utah Code 46-1.²
3. Create an account at notaryapplication.utah.gov, take the online test and pay $95 ($55 application + $40 test) straight away; results show on payment. A failed test can be retaken within 30 days for $40.²
4. Submit the mandatory background check (no need to wait for the result).²
5. Buy a four-year $5,000 notarial bond from a surety, sign it as principal, and have your Oath of Office notarized.²
6. Upload the signed bond and notarized oath (and an explanation of any past crimes). There is no final submit button; the Certificate of Authority is e-mailed when approved.²
7. Buy your purple-ink notary stamp and a physical journal from a vendor.²

Apply online

notaryapplication.utah.gov⁷

Processing time

About two weeks from start to Certificate of Authority (the Notary Office's own estimate); the certificate is e-mailed once processed.²

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

No renewal: when the four-year commission ends you must reapply as new (application, test, background check, new bond and oath). You can start the new application within 90 days of expiry; keep the old and new commission dates from overlapping.⁸

Renewal fee

$95² (Reapplication (no renewal exists))

If it expires

No grace period: after a commission expires you may not notarize until you obtain a new commission.¹

Renew online

notaryapplication.utah.gov⁷

Moving to Utah with a license from another state

These are the routes the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor publishes for the Notary Public certificate. The other notary public licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Remote Notary certification

Add-on certification for a commissioned Utah notary to notarize for people who appear by live audio-video instead of in person. The notary must be physically in Utah, verify ID plus secondary authentication, record each remote notarization and keep a secure electronic journal; maximum fee $25 per act.¹

Requirements

Background check

Background check required¹

Residency or citizenship

Must hold (or be applying for) a Utah notary commission, which requires Utah residence or employment and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency; must be physically in Utah when notarizing remotely.¹

Surety bond

$5,000⁴ (Additional $5,000 on top of the $5,000 commission bond ($10,000 total), by rider or a separate bond running to the commission's expiry.)

Also required

Must be hired or contracted by an approved remote-notarization vendor and get that vendor's electronic signature and electronic seal (time-stamped).⁴

Fees

How to apply

1. Hold (or be applying for) a Utah notary commission.⁴
2. Get hired or contracted by an approved vendor.⁴
3. Raise bond coverage to $10,000 (rider recommended, or a separate $5,000 bond tied to your commission dates).⁴
4. Get your electronic signature and seal from the vendor.⁴
5. Submit the online application with the notarized Remote Online Notary Oath and Affirmation, the bond or rider, and a PDF of your e-signature and seal.⁴
6. Pay the $50 fee when e-mailed; you are then marked as a remote notary and get a confirmation e-mail.⁴

Renewal

When it expires

Ends with the notary commission; reapply for remote certification each time you get a new notary commission.⁴

Renewal fee

$50⁴ (Reapplication with each new commission)

From another state

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

City and county rules

Notary Public (Certificate of Authority of Notary Public)No local license or county filing: apply to the Lieutenant Governor only; a commission is valid statewide.¹

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a notary public in Utah, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Utah is on the Utah license lookup page.

Look up a license

notaryapplication.utah.gov⁸

File a complaint

cs.utah.gov⁸

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Utah Code Title 46, Chapter 1, Notaries Public Reform Act (46-1-1 to 46-1-23), as amended by Ch. 56, 2026 General Session
• Utah Code 46-1-3 (qualifications, background check, four-year term, exam), 46-1-4, 46-1-12, 46-1-13 (journal), 46-1-16 (official seal)
• Utah Code 46-1-3.5 (remote notary certification), 46-1-3.6 (remote notarization procedures), 46-1-3.7 (rulemaking), 46-1-4(2), 46-1-12, 46-1-13 (electronic journal)

Rule changes since January 2024

• September 15, 2026: The Lieutenant Governor replaced the notary application system with notaryapplication.utah.gov; incomplete submissions in the old system must start over.⁷
• May 6, 2026: Ch. 56, 2026 General Session amended Utah Code 46-1: notaries commissioned or re-commissioned on or after May 6, 2026 must keep a physical journal of in-person acts (remote notaries an electronic journal).¹ Ch. 56, 2026 General Session amended the remote notarization sections (46-1-2, 46-1-3.6, 46-1-3.7, 46-1-4, 46-1-13).¹

Common questions

Notary public licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming