How to become a notary public in Vermont

Vermont notary public licenses

Vermont 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 Vermont 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 old¹

Fees

How to apply

Apply online

sos.vermont.gov³

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years²

Renew online

sos.vermont.gov³

Who needs a Notary Public commission

Two-year commission from the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) to perform notarial acts on paper records in Vermont. Electronic records and remotely located signers need a separate special endorsement. No bond, required stamp, journal or statutory fee cap appears in chapter 103.¹

Work that does not need this license:

• Law-enforcement-related employees (certified officers, constables, employees of Vermont police agencies, Public Safety, Fish and Wildlife, Motor Vehicles, Liquor and Lottery, Corrections, Children and Families, Defender General, Attorney General, State's Attorneys and Sheriffs) are commissioned by law for official-duty notarizations and need no OPR commission; they cannot notarize outside work without one.²
• Vermont-licensed attorneys in good standing are exempt from the exam and from continuing education (they still apply and pay).¹

Requirements for a Notary Public commission

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

Education or training

No pre-commission course; OPR does not provide training.²

Exam

Vermont notary jurisprudence examination (statutes, rules and ethics)²
Exam waived: Vermont-licensed attorneys in good standing are exempt from the exam; judiciary- and law-enforcement-related employees acting in official duties are exempt from chapter requirements.¹

Background check

Background check required²
Not an automatic bar: OPR may deny or condition a commission for any felony or a crime involving fraud, dishonesty or deceit, among other grounds, after due process. Convictions during a commission must be reported within 30 days.²

Residency or citizenship

U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who lives in Vermont or has a place of employment or practice in Vermont.¹

Social Security number

Yes²

Also required

Sign an Oath of Office/Affirmation, have it notarized, and upload it with the online application. Your notarial signature must match the oath signature.²

Also required

A stamp is optional. If you use one it must show your legal name, jurisdiction and the OPR commission number (at least the last 7 digits) and be copyable; without one, print the required details on the certificate. Never use the Vermont State Seal. Wait for your commission number before ordering.⁴

How much a Notary Public commission costs

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee.

Fee waivers and reductions:

• Judiciary-related employees (judges, Superior Court clerks, probate registers, case managers, docket clerks, assistant judges, county clerks and others) acting in official duties must still apply but pay no fee and are exempt from the other requirements, including CE.¹
• Town clerks, their assistants and justices of the peace are exempt from the $30 fee.¹

How to apply

1. Check you qualify: 18+, U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, living or working/practicing in Vermont.¹
2. Sign and notarize the Oath of Office/Affirmation (OPR recommends a Vermont notary).²
3. Create or log in to your OPR online licensing account and choose Apply for Individual License (one account only).²
4. Answer the application questions (including the jurisprudence exam and any convictions with explanation and certified court documents), upload the oath and pay $30 by card or ACH.²
5. Watch your e-mail; once approved, print your commission from your online account, then order a stamp (optional) showing your new commission number.²

Processing time

Allow 3-5 business days for application processing.²

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

All commissions expire January 31 of odd-numbered years (next: January 31, 2027). A first commission issued 90 days or less before that date runs through the following full two-year period; one issued 91+ days before must be renewed at the upcoming date.²

Renewal fee

$30⁵

Continuing education

At least 1 hour each renewal period²

Required topics

Must be OPR-approved (see OPR Course Search). Live virtual courses count as in-person where rules require it.⁶

Exemptions

Law-enforcement-related employees, judiciary-related employees and Vermont attorneys are exempt from CE.²

If it expires

Renew online by midnight on the expiry date (January 31 of odd years) or late penalties apply; OPR sends three courtesy e-mails but renewing on time is your responsibility. Replace any stamp that shows the old expiry date.²

Moving to Vermont with a license from another state

These are the routes OPR publishes for the Notary Public commission. The other notary public licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Special commission endorsement for notarial acts on electronic records and for remotely located individuals

Add-on to a Vermont notary commission that allows notarial acts on electronic records and, using communication technology, for remotely located individuals. The notary must be in Vermont, identify the signer by personal knowledge, a credible witness or at least two types of identity proofing, and create an audio-visual recording.²

Requirements

Residency or citizenship

Must hold a Vermont notary commission and be located in Vermont when notarizing for a remote signer.¹

How to apply

1. Hold a Vermont notary commission.¹
2. Apply to OPR on its application with the required fee ($30) and evidence of eligibility set by rule.¹

Renewal

When it expires

Ends with the notary commission on January 31 of odd years; endorsement renewal steps are set by rule (not verified).²

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 (commission)No local license: apply to OPR online. Town and county clerks no longer handle notary commissions.²

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

sos.vermont.gov³

File a complaint

sos.vermont.gov³

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• 26 V.S.A. chapter 103, Notaries Public (§§ 5301-5380; Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts), as of the 2026 session
• 26 V.S.A. § 5305 (exemptions), § 5324, § 5341 (qualifications), § 5342 (grounds for denial), § 5343 (renewal, CE)
• 26 V.S.A. § 5341(d)-(e) (special endorsement), § 5324(b), § 5379 (remote notarial acts), § 5380 (technology and identity-proofing standards)

Rule changes since January 2024

• July 1, 2025: OPR fee chart updated 7/1/2025: notary application $30, renewal $30, specialty endorsement $30.⁵
• February 26, 2025: OPR Notaries Public Administrative Rules took effect 2/26/2025.⁷

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
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming