How to Become a Notary Public in Utah

The state application and testing fee are $95. According to the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor, a surety bond will typically cost $50, a stamp will cost around $25 and a journal around $15.

The cost of your bond, seal and optional supplies will vary based on the vendor you choose. Some vendors may package required items with additional supplies — training or processing fees for example. New Notaries may need more "how-to" assistance than experienced Notaries. Books, training and live expert assistance are often must-have items.

According to the Lieutenant Governor's website, it will take approximately two weeks to process your application.

The term of a Utah Notary Public commission is four years.

There are basic qualifications for a person to become a Notary in Utah. All applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a resident of Utah, or be employed in the state, for at least 30 days
• Be able to read, write and understand English
• Be a citizen of or have permanent resident status in the U.S.
• Be free of any disqualifying offenses or license revocations

All Notary applicants are required to undergo a criminal background check. You will need to fill out, sign and submit a waiver to the Lieutenant Governor's office. They will give your information to the Department of Human Resource Management to conduct the screening. The Department will provide all of the information they gather to the Lieutenant Governor.

Training is not required for Utah Notaries, but the state does provide a Utah Notary Public Study Guide to prepare you for the exam.

You can also find several reputable Notary Public training providers with a quick online search.

Yes, passing an exam is required to become a Notary in Utah. If you don't pass on your first try, you can retake the test within 30 days for $40. If you wait longer than that, you'll have to pay the full $95 fee.

A Notary seal is required. Your Notary seal must be a purple-inked stamp for traditional notarizations. You may also use an embosser, in addition to the inked stamp. The seal shape must be rectangular with a border no larger than 1" x 2.5" surrounding the following information:

• Your name as it appears on your commission
• The words "Notary Public"
• The words "State of Utah"
• The words "My commission expires _______ (date)"
• Your commission number
• Facsimile of the Great Seal of Utah

A second seal can help you avoid downtime if your seal is ever misplaced, and an embosser can help add an additional layer of fraud prevention security. When shopping for seal stamps, quality and durability can vary greatly among vendors. Stamps should not bleed during or after use, as this can cause county officials to reject documents due to smudging.

While a Notary journal is not required by law, Utah considers it a best practice for Notaries to use a Notary record book. When buying a journal, there are a few important features you should consider. A journal with numbered pages and tamper-proof sewn construction allows Notaries to identify missing pages in their journals, which becomes extremely helpful if you're ever named in a lawsuit. Simple notebooks or glue-bound journals simply do not offer the same level of security.

Yes. A $5,000 four-year bond is required for Utah Notaries. Additionally, many also choose to purchase optional errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policies to protect themselves from legal expenses. E&O insurance is not a requirement in Utah.

The Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor, located in Salt Lake City, UT, issues Notary Public commissions.

Yes. Several companies offer Notary training, supplies, insurance and assistance with the entire application process. The Lieutenant Governor's website has the application process posted if you want to get things started on your own.

You will be able to notarize anywhere in the state of Utah.

You can notarize for everyone, excluding yourself. You cannot notarize your own signature except in case of a self-proved will as provided in Section 75-2-504, nor can you notarize documents you are named in or would benefit from. Utah law doesn't specifically prohibit notarizing for a spouse or relative or for a spouse's business. If you perform notarizations as part of your employment, your employer may limit the notarizations you perform during your work hours.

Traditional Notaries may not perform notarizations for signers outside of Utah unless you've received authorization to perform a remote notarization.

The Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor authorizes Utah Notaries to charge $10 per signature. An additional fee for travel may be charged. Utah Notaries are also required to display a fee schedule of notarial acts in English and may have other non-English-language fee schedules posted as well.

If you move or change your name, you must notify the Lieutenant Governor within 30 days after the change. For an address change, you must provide the new address either by phone, email, fax or online. Note: If you move out of state, you must resign your commission.

For name changes, you must provide the Lt. Governor your new name, including official documentation of the name change, and a bond policy rider. You'll also need to get an official seal with your new name.

According to the Lieutenant Governor's website, there isn't an official renewal process in Utah. If your legal name hasn't changed, you may use your current username and password to update your information and take the exam. If your name has changed, you'll need to create a brand new account.

As of November 1, 2019, remote online notarization (RON) is allowed in Utah. You must first hold an existing commission as a traditional Notary Public before you can apply. Afterward, take the steps in this guide to learn how you can become a UT remote Notary.

There are additional requirements to become a remote notary such as a required journal, Utah Notaries are also allowed to charge up to $25 per remote online notarization.

If you're not quite ready yet, we have additional resources where you can learn what a Notary is, what they do and why you should become a commissioned Notary.