How to check a notary’s commission before you book

Why check at all

A notarization is only as good as the commission behind it. An expired commission, or a video session from someone who never registered for remote acts, can get a document sent back by the bank, court, or county that receives it. The check is free, and it is faster than a second appointment.

On our methodology page, the grades cover hours, the identity check, and the session record for each company. They do not vouch for an individual notary. This page is how you check the person.

Three state searches you can use today

Other states have their own tools, often on the Secretary of State’s site. The state pages on our directory cite each state’s notary office as a source.

How to run the check

1. Get the full name and the commissioning state. Ask the notary, or read it from the company’s confirmation. A video notary is commissioned by one state, which may not be yours.
2. Search that state’s list. Use the exact last name. If you get too many results, add a first name or ZIP code.
3. Check the status. In Pennsylvania, search with “current” to see only active commissions. If the name appears only under “all,” the commission may have lapsed.
4. Check name history. If the notary uses a new last name, Pennsylvania shows the current name and a history link. Make sure the person matches.
5. Compare with the certificate. After the act, look at the notary’s name on the certificate and seal. It should match the record you found.

For a video session, check two more things

In the states below, a regular commission is not enough for a remote act. Ask about the extra step the notary’s state requires.

• Tennessee: the notary needs a separate online notary commission from the Secretary of State. See Tennessee online notary.
• New Jersey: the notary must notify the State Treasurer and name the technology before the first remote act. See New Jersey remote notary.
• Pennsylvania: the notary notifies the Department of State and names each technology from its approved list. You can open that list and look for the platform.
• Illinois: an electronic notarization needs an electronic notary public. A regular Illinois notary may still do the ink path, covered in Illinois remote ink notarization.
• Massachusetts: no notary can register yet. See Massachusetts remote notarization.

A public search may not show whether a notary holds the remote registration. If it does not, ask the notary or the company to confirm it in writing before the session.

When there is no public search

Some states do not offer one, or the tool is hard to find. New York’s Department of State announced its electronic notary portal on January 31, 2023. The release says registering for electronic notary services is opt-in, and it sends questions to the Department at 518-474-4429. If you cannot find a search, call the notary office in the commissioning state and ask.

Red flags

• The notary will not tell you which state commissioned them.
• The name on the confirmation does not match the commission search.
• A video session is offered over a plain meeting app with no ID check. See Teams notary.
• You are asked to sign before the notary is present, or to leave blanks.
• The price changes after the notary arrives. Many states cap the fee for the act itself. See how much does a notary cost.

Next step

Run the search for the notary you plan to use. For a video session, the companies on our directory are graded on hours, the identity check, and the session record. The methodology page explains the letters. The buttons below are video notaries, ordered by grade.