TRADITIONAL NOTARY PUBLIC
A traditional notarization is an official act performed by a traditional notary public using their seal
and physical signature on documents.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT
(§ 47.1-3, § 47.1-4)
Under the laws of Virginia, the Governor may appoint an unlimited number of notaries public.
A notary must be:
1. At least eighteen years old
2. A legal resident of the United States
3. Able to read and write the English language
4. A resident of Virginia or regularly employed in the state and perform notary services in
connection with their employment. (A non-resident notary who ceases to be regularly
employed in Virginia must surrender their commission.)
5. No person who has ever been convicted of a felony under the laws of the United States, the
Commonwealth of Virginia, or the laws of any other state, qualify to be appointed and
commissioned as a notary public unless such person has had their civil rights restored or
received a pardon for the crimes –depending on where the felony was occurred.
OBTAINING A COMMISSION
(§ 47.1-5, § 47.1-8, § 47.1-9)
Applications for appointment as a notary public are available from most Circuit Court clerk’s
offices, on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website, and from the Secretary of the
Commonwealth’s office.
To become a commissioned notary, a completed application, along with a fee of $45 must be sent
to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. The name on the application and commission must
exactly match the notary’s state issued identification.
Each notary commission is sent to the city or county Circuit Court in which the applicant has
elected to take the oath of office. A notice is sent to the preferred mailing address indicated by the
applicant on their application. When an e-mail address is indicated on the application as the
preferred mailing address, only an e-mail notice will be sent. It is the applicant’s responsibility to
go to the Circuit Court to claim his or her commission and take the oath of office. At that time, the
applicant will be required to pay a fee of $10 to the Clerk.
If a notary commission is not claimed within sixty days from its issuance, it becomes invalid.
Failure to claim the commission within sixty days is not excused for ANY REASON, including
non-receipt of the notice. Thereafter, if the applicant wishes to be a notary, a new application and
a new fee must be submitted.