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Important Upcoming Changes

AZ Senate Bill 1479

Signed: April 09, 2026

Effective: September 12, 2026

The legislation, which addresses deed fraud, requires Arizona Notaries Public to obtain the signer's right thumbprint in their notary journal when notarizing:

  • Deeds
  • Quitclaim deeds
  • Deeds of trust
  • Other documents affecting real property
  • Powers of attorney
Notary Exam Notice

Remote Notary Exam Notice!

Due to a technical issue, the option to take the Notary Exam remotely has had to be temporarily suspended. We have identified and are pursuing a potential solution to bring back the remote option.

In the meantime, the exam can still be taken at any one of Prometric’s 12 statewide testing sites (Flagstaff, Goodyear, Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson, Yuma.)

If you have already registered with Prometric and paid to take a Notary Public exam remotely, please contact Prometric for options.

To help protect the public from fraud and reinforce the integrity of our notarial system, A.R.S. § 41-270, the Office of Secretary of State will be instituting a notary competency examination. Beginning July 1, 2025, all new and renewing Arizona notaries public will be required to pass this examination.

The examination can be taken remotely or at any of Pearson’s testing sites. A $35 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination. A passing score of 80% is needed to renew or start your notary commission. The examination will consist of 45 basic questions drawn directly from the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual and must be completed within 60 minutes. The examination is 'open book'*1. The examination can be taken 3 times, after the 3rd fail, you will be required to wait 30 days to reschedule. Pearson Customer Support: 888-405-5776.

*1 The manual is built into the examination. A physical copy is NOT allowed at testing sites or during remote testing.

To help you succeed, we urge you to study the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual prior to the examination. It covers all the content tested in the examination.”

To help protect the public from fraud and reinforce the integrity of our notarial system, per A.R.S. § 41-270, the Office of Secretary of State will be instituting a notary competency examination. Beginning July 1, 2025, all new and renewing Arizona notaries public will be required to pass this examination.

The broader objective is to reduce the risk Arizona residents face from financial loss and increase confidence in notary services across our state. By ensuring each notary meets a baseline of knowledge, notaries can mitigate costly abuses that come from the misuse of their seal and cause serious financial harm. As trusted participants in document transactions, notaries play a vital role in protecting the public.

The examination will be proctored by Prometric, a state-approved professional test administration vendor which provides similar test proctoring services for other state entities. The examination can be taken at any of Prometric's ten testing sites in Arizona or taken remotely. A $46.75 cost will be assessed for every proctored examination. A passing grade of 80% is needed to renew or start your notary commission. The examination will consist of 45 basic questions drawn directly from the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual and must be completed within 60 minutes. The examination is 'open book'*1. If the examination is failed, it can be retaken after 30 days.

*1 A link for the notary manual is built into the examination, the manual can be accessed once you've started the examination. A physical copy is NOT allowed at testing sites or during remote testing.

Though the examination will become a requirement as of July 1, it will be available beginning May 1, 2025. This will provide a two-month window to take, and if need be, retake the examination before the July 1 requirement takes effect. To avoid any potential lapse to current notary commissions and the ability of current notaries to perform notarial acts, all current notaries should plan to take the examination well ahead of their commission's expiration date. This early compliance will help ensure a seamless renewal process.

To help you succeed, we urge you to study the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual prior to the examination, which can be found by following the QR code or on our website. It covers all the content tested in the examination.

If you have any questions about these new requirements, contact Business Services at (602) 542-6187 or email [email protected]. Thank you for your attention to this announcement and for your continued service. By preparing for and adhering to these new standards, you help safeguard both our citizens and our state from fraudulent activity.

Notary Public

Notary Public

The Secretary of State records and maintains notary public commissions in Arizona. A notary public witnesses signatures and verifies identities of signers and must be impartial.

Every state commissions notaries; however, every state allows notaries to perform different functions. In Arizona, notaries can perform only acknowledgments, jurats, copy certifications, and oaths and affirmations. Samples of each can be found in our Notary Public Reference Manual (PDF).

An Arizona notary must meet several basic requirements which are listed in Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) § 41-312(E). These requirements will be reviewed and verified in the application process. Our office cannot commission someone who does not meet these standards.

Document to File: Notary Public Application and completed notary bond

Filing Fee: Standard application $43. Checks and money orders can be made out to the "Arizona Secretary of State." Please do not send cash by mail.

Commission Length: 4 years

Processing time: Approximately 4 weeks.

  • You must submit these three* items together:
    • Original signed Notary Application
    • Original notarized Notary Bond
    • $43 filing fee
    • Our office reserves the right to request additional documentation or fees required for processing.
    • Applicants agree to pay a $25.00 fee if their account returns insufficient funds.
  • If you have changed any address (mailing, home and/or business) more than 30 days from today's date and did not report that change to our office, include a civil penalty of $25 to avoid a delay in processing your application. (A.R.S. § 41-323).
  • You may renew a commission up to two months before your term expires. If you are unsure of when your commission ends, look at your stamp or check our online search feature.
  • Upon receipt of your commission certificate, we recommend that you review your name, county of residence and commission dates to ensure your stamp is made accurately.
  • Copies of the notary bond can be requested with the Public Record Request Form for $3.10. A notary application is not available for public inspection or duplication, and can only be released by order of a subpoena.
  • If you have any questions, please call us at 602-542-6187 or 1-800-458-5842 or email us.
  • The Application ID barcode located on the top right-hand corner of the application is required to check the status
  • Prior to completing your application, you MUST contact Pearson to register for the Notary Exam and obtain a Candidate ID Number.
  • Notary Exam Accommodations
    If you require special accommodations for the notary exam, please submit your request, along with the appropriate supporting documentation directly to Pearson.
  • Applicants agree to pay a $25.00 fee if their account returns insufficient funds.
Filing By Mail

Secretary of State
Attn: Notary Dept.
1700 W. Washington Street, Fl. 7