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Application Procedures
Step 1: Complete the District of Columbia's Online Notary Public Application
Follow the instructions at Notary Commissions to complete and submit the notary public application. The application may be submitted entirely online or started online, printed, and mailed.
Step 2: Complete mandatory orientation
Within approximately three weeks of the submission of an application, a representative from the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications will contact new applicants to schedule a mandatory orientation. The communication should arrive via email unless you do not have an email address. Otherwise, you will be contacted by telephone.
Once mandatory orientation is completed, the office will send candidates a notice letter that contains their commission date and other pertinent information, as well as a bond form, if indicated. The notice and bond form should arrive within a two week period subsequent to attendance at the mandatory orientation.
New and Renewing Notary Packages
Renewing Notary Packages do not come with a notary journal
Step 3: Order your Official Embossing Seal, Notary Journal and other supplies from The Notary's Store, but you will need to order your notary bond separately.
Once you have received the information from the State regarding your official bond, embossing seal and commissioning instructions you will need to order your notary supplies. Please visit The Notary's Store, you will be entering the District of Columbia section for your official notary supplies. We offer a New Notary Supply Package and a Renewing Notary Supply Package which includes your District of Columbia Notary Seal Embosser and District of Columbia Notary Journal, and other needed notary supplies at a special reduced price, but you will need to order your required $2,000 District of Columbia Notary Bond separately. To order, enter the required information and scroll down through the page to locate the notary packages, or purchase the seal embosser and notary journal separately.
The District of Columbia requires all notaries public to purchase a $2,000.00 surety bond before taking the oath of office. Before performing notarial acts as a District of Columbia notary public, one must also obtain an embossing seal and some form of notarial journal to keep record of all notarial acts performed.
Note: An Errors and Omissions Insurance Policy does not replace a bond, but will help to repay the bonding company if a claim is ever made. Errors and Omissions is not required by law, but may be purchased as it protects the notary public and pays for any charges the notary might owe for legal fees and costs should the notary be sued.
Step 4: Collect the items necessary and take your Oath of Office:
Once secured, the notary candidate will bring the bond and notary supplies with them to take their oath of commission in the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications, 441 4th Street NW, Suite 810 South. If appearance is not made within 60 days of receipt of the Appointment Notice, the commission will be cancelled and you will need to re-apply.
After you take your Oath of Office you will be a notary public for the District of Columbia and ready to begin your duties as such.
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