How to Become a Notary in Utah

How do I renew my notary commission in Utah?

To renew your notary commission in Utah, you need to follow the same initial application process as when you applied for a notary appointment, including taking a test, uploading the required documents, and paying the testing and administration fees.

If your legal name changes during your notary commission, you must create a new account on the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s website to proceed with an application for reappointment.

To renew your notary commission in Utah, visit the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s website at https://secure.utah.gov/account/log-in.html.

Who appoints notaries in Utah?

The lieutenant governor commissions applicants as notaries public. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor issues Certificates of Authority to Utah notaries public.

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor can be contacted at:

Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Notary Office
PO Box 142325
350 N. State Street, Suite 220
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2325
Phone: 801-538-1041
Fax: 801-538-1133
Email: notary@utah.gov
Website: https://notary.utah.gov

Can a non-resident of Utah apply for a commission as a notary public?

Yes. Pursuant to House Bill 276 (2021), individuals who do not reside in Utah but have been employed in Utah for at least thirty days are allowed to apply for a notary public commission.

How long is a notary public's commission term in Utah?

The term of office of a Utah notary public is four years commencing with the date specified in the notary public commission. However, a notary’s commission may be rendered void:

1. By resignation, death, or revocation.
2. When a notary no longer maintains permanent residency in Utah during the term of the notary’s commission and ceases to be employed in Utah.
3. When the notary is no longer a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States.
4. When a notary can no longer read, write, and understand English.

Is notary training or an exam required to become a notary or to renew a notary commission in Utah?

Yes. All new applicants seeking an appointment as a notary public and renewing notaries in Utah must pass the online test with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The online test consists of thirty-five multiple-choice questions totaling sixty-five points, and each applicant must pass with sixty-one points or higher to apply for a notary commission.

To take the initial online test, each applicant must create an account and log in to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s website with a username and password. If an applicant passes the online test, they can proceed and complete their notary application. Applicants who fail the initial online test will have thirty days after the first test date to retake the online test and pay an additional $40 fee. Applicants who retake the online test after the thirty days will be charged the administrative and testing fees of $95. The administration fee and testing fees are non-refundable.

How much does it cost to become a notary public in Utah?

To become a notary public in Utah, you must pay the following:

1. A $55 administration fee for processing your notary application.
2. A $40 testing fee.
3. The cost of a surety bond.

Other expenses include the cost of purchasing:

1. A Utah notary stamp.
2. A Utah notary journal (optional but recommended).
3. A notary errors and omissions insurance policy to protect yourself if you are sued for unintentional mistakes or if a false claim is filed against you as a notary (optional but recommended).

Do I need a notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy to become a notary in Utah?

A notary errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy is optional in Utah and is not required to become a Utah notary public or to renew your notary commission. However, the American Association of Notaries strongly recommends that every Utah notary obtain a notary E&O insurance policy. This insurance protects you from a claim if a client sues you as a notary. A notary E&O policy covers unintentional notarial mistakes and pays for legal fees and damages based on the coverage you select as a Utah notary public.

Do I need a notary bond to become a notary in Utah?

Yes. A surety bond in the amount of $5,000 is required if you are applying to become a Utah notary public or are renewing your notary commission. You can obtain a notary bond from a licensed surety.

A remote notary certification described in UCA §46-1-3.5 is not effective until the notary public named in the remote notary certification files evidence with the lieutenant governor that the notary has obtained a $5,000 bond in addition to the $5,000 bond to be commissioned as a traditional notary public.

Do I need to order a notary stamp in Utah?

Yes. The Utah notary statute requires all notaries public to use an official seal to authenticate all their official acts. Section 16 of the Utah Code Annotated provides the legal specifications regarding the layout and the information required on all official seals.

The official seal must contain the following elements:

• The notary public’s name exactly as indicated on the notary’s commission
• The words “Notary Public”
• The words “State of Utah”
• The words “My Commission Expires on (commission expiration date)”
• The notary’s commission number exactly as indicated on the notary’s commission
• A facsimile of the great seal of Utah

The official seal must have a rectangular border no larger than one inch by two-and-a-half inches surrounding the required words and official seal.

Note: Each official seal used by a Utah notary public for an in-person notarization must be in purple ink, and the seal must make a sharp, legible, and photographically reproducible ink impression.

Each official seal used by a remote notary for a remote notarization must be rendered in black.

A Utah notary may use a notary seal embosser that is not photographically reproducible in addition to, but not in place of, the photographically reproducible official seal required in UAC §46-1-16.

To order a Utah notary stamp, notary seal, complete notary package, and notary supplies, please visit the American Association of Notaries website at https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/notary-stamps/utah.

How much can a Utah notary public charge for performing notarial acts?

Utah notary fees are set by state notary statute UCA §46-1-12. The maximum allowable fees that a Utah notary can charge for various notarial acts are as follows:

• Acknowledgments: $10 per signature
• Oaths or affirmations without a signature: $10 per person
• Jurats: $10 per signature
• Certified copies: $10 per page certified
• Signature witnessing: $10 per signature
• Immigration status form: $10 per individual for each set of forms (does not apply to a licensed attorney, who is also a notary rendering professional services regarding immigration matters)

A notary public may charge a travel fee, which cannot exceed the approved federal mileage rate, when traveling to perform a notarial act, if:

1. The notary explains to the person requesting the notarial act that the travel fee is separate from the notarial fee.
2. The notary explains that the travel fee is not mandated by law.
3. The notary and the person requesting the notarial act agree upon the travel fee in advance.

“A notary shall display an English-language schedule of fees for notarial acts and may display a non-English-language schedule of fees” [UCA §46-1-12(3)].

Is a notary journal required in Utah?

Notaries are not required by law to maintain a notary journal. However, the office of the lieutenant governor’s website states:

“While Utah law does not require a notary to keep a journal, here is a good question to ask yourself when considering whether or not to keep one: How will you defend yourself in a court of law if a notarization is called into question? If your answer is: “My notary journal,” you would be correct. The journal is the only sure way you can prove you used reasonable care in your performance as a notary and may also be used as irrefutable evidence that a correct notarization occurred. Without it, you’re on your own.”

Utah notaries are encouraged to maintain a permanent, paper-bound journal with numbered pages to create and preserve a chronological record of every notarial act performed.

Note: Utah law requires all remote notaries to keep a secure electronic notary journal.

To order a Utah notary journal, please visit the American Association of Notaries website at https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/record-book/utah.

Where can I perform notarial acts in Utah?

You may perform notarial acts while physically anywhere within the geographic borders of the state of Utah.

What notarial acts can a Utah notary public perform?

A Utah notary is authorized to (UCA §46-1-6):

• Take acknowledgments
• Administer oaths or affirmations
• Perform jurats
• Certify copies
• Witness signatures

Can I perform electronic notarizations in Utah?

Yes. The Utah Code Annotated, Chapter 4, Section 201 of the “Uniform Electronic Transactions Act” authorizes Utah notaries public to obtain an electronic signature and electronic seal to notarize electronic documents in the physical presence of the individual seeking the notarization.

Can I perform remote online notarizations in Utah?

Yes. You can perform remote notarizations in Utah. Read the next section on how to become a remote online notary.

How do I become a remote online notary in Utah?

To become a remote online notary in Utah, you must:

1. Hold an active notary public commission certificate.
2. Complete a Remote Notary Application.
3. Have the application notarized by an active notary public.
4. Select an approved remote notary vendor listed on the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s website.
5. Purchase a $5,000 remote notary bond or increase your current notary bond to $10,000.
6. Obtain an electronic seal and signature from your selected vendor.
7. Email the application, bond, or bond rider (if you increased your notary bond) and a PDF file containing your electronic signature and seal to notary@utah.gov.
8. Pay the $50 application fee; payment instructions will be emailed to you from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
9. Wait to receive your approval by email.

How do I update my address on my Utah notary commission?

If your residential or business address on file with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor changes, you must notify that office within thirty days of a change by providing the old and new addresses to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

You can update the address for your Utah notary commission by:

1. Submitting an address change online at the Office of Lieutenant Governor’s website.
2. Contacting the Office of the Lieutenant Governor by:

• Calling 801-538-1041
• Emailing notary@utah.gov
• Faxing 801-538-1133

No fee is required for an address change.

How do I change my name on my notary commission in Utah?

Within thirty days of a name change, you must provide the lieutenant governor with the following:

• A bond policy rider - to obtain a rider, you must contact your insurance company and request a bond rider that will reflect both the previous and new notary name
• A copy of the document that changes your name (marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.)
• Your updated contact information reflecting your current address, phone number, and email (if applicable)

You are not required to change your name by adopting your spouse's surname.
 

Submit documents to:

Lieutenant Governor’s Office
350 North State Street, Suite 220
PO Box 142325
Salt Lake City, UT 84114

Or

Email documents to notary@utah.gov.

Revised:

January 2023