Professional Notary Public Services in Pennsylvania
Licensed, Bonded & Insured Mobile and Online Notary Services
Professional notary services throughout the Keystone State Our certified notaries provide same-day mobile notary services and secure online notarization throughout Pennsylvania.
About Notary Services in Pennsylvania
How Pennsylvania commissions and trains its notaries
Pennsylvania runs one of the more rigorous notary regimes in the country. The operative statute is the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) at 57 Pa. C.S. Chapter 3, enacted by Act 73 of 2013 and fully effective October 26, 2017 via Act 40 of 2017. The Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, Notary Public Section commissions every notary for a four-year term (57 Pa. C.S. § 321(e)). New applicants must be at least 18, US citizens or permanent residents, able to read and write English, and either a resident of Pennsylvania or maintain a place of employment or practice in the Commonwealth (§ 321(a)). Every commissioned notary posts a $10,000 surety bond filed with the Department under § 321(d). The knowledge gate is real. Three hours of approved basic education within the six-month window before applying (§ 322(b)), then a state-administered exam delivered through Pearson VUE (§ 322(a)). At every renewal, three hours of continuing education (§ 322(c)). Notaries who plan to perform notarial acts on electronic records or for remotely located signers file separate notifications with the Department of State under §§ 320(b) and 306.1(f)(1). Every Pennsylvania notary, electronic or not, keeps a contemporaneous journal of every act (§ 319).
Where notaries work in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's notary demand has more than one shape. Center City Philadelphia concentrates the heaviest signing volume in the eastern half of the state: corporate authorizations, life-sciences and biotech licensing, M&A signature pages, and the deed-and-transfer-tax stack that comes with Philadelphia real estate. The Pittsburgh corridor pushes a different mix, anchored by healthcare and medical research in Oakland and Shadyside, university research at the major Pittsburgh institutions, and the technology and robotics economy in the East End and along the Allegheny. Lancaster County runs an unusual local market built around plain-community real estate, family-business transactions, and dairy and produce operations across Lititz, Ephrata, Strasburg, Bird-in-Hand, and Manheim. The Marcellus Shale corridor reaches into Washington, Greene, and Westmoreland in the southwest and Bradford, Tioga, Lycoming, and Susquehanna in the northeast, where gas leases, royalty assignments, and surface-use agreements move every week. The Lehigh Valley around Allentown and Bethlehem carries logistics, manufacturing, and distribution-center work. Hershey concentrates pharma and food production. The Pocono region runs a steady book of second-home transactions, and Erie sits on cross-border commerce with Ontario.
Remote online notarization in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania authorized RON on a permanent statutory basis through Act 97 of 2020 (House Bill 2370), signed October 29, 2020 and codified at 57 Pa. C.S. § 306.1. The state was a mid-cycle adopter, several years after Virginia (2012), Texas (2018), and Florida (2020), and well ahead of California, which is still not operational. Pennsylvania's RON market is mature now. To perform a remote act, the notary must hold an active commission, must be physically located in Pennsylvania at the time of the act, and must notify the Department of State of the intent to use communication technology before performing the first remote act (§ 306.1(f)(1)). Identity is verified through personal knowledge, a credible witness on oath, or at least two different identity-proofing processes (§ 306.1(b)(1)). Every session is recorded, and the audio-visual recording is retained for at least 10 years (§ 306.1(e)(2)(i)). Performance of notarial acts on electronic records (the Electronic Notary Public capability) requires a separate Department notification under § 320(b). The traditional journal requirement under § 319 still applies to every act, electronic or not.
What notaries can charge in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania notary fees are set by the Department of State by regulation under 57 Pa. C.S. § 329.1, with the current schedule at 4 Pa. Code § 167.3. The schedule was updated by the final RULONA implementing regulations published in early 2026 (56 Pa.B. 1672). Acknowledgment of the first individual on a certificate is $5, with $2 for each additional name in the same certificate. Administering an oath or affirmation is $5 per individual. A verification on oath or affirmation (the Pennsylvania equivalent of a jurat) is also $5 per individual. Witnessing or attesting a signature is $5 per signature. Certifying or attesting a copy or deposition is $5 per certified copy. Noting a protest of a negotiable instrument is $3 per page. Electronic and remote notarial acts may carry an additional fee of up to $20 per act on top of the base fee under 4 Pa. Code § 167.3(b), so a typical RON act tops out at $25. A Pennsylvania notary cannot charge anything for notarizing an Emergency Absentee Ballot affidavit or an assistance affidavit for a voter using an absentee ballot. Travel and clerical fees are not capped by the Department. They must be customary, reasonable, disclosed before the act, and itemized on the receipt the notary is required to provide whenever any fee is charged.
What this page covers
This page covers what Pennsylvania requires of its notaries, what you will actually pay, the documents Pennsylvania notaries handle most often, and the questions Pennsylvania signers ask before booking. The directory below covers Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Harrisburg, and Wilkes-Barre. Filter by city, ZIP, capability, and same-day availability to find a Pennsylvania notary near you.
Notary Services in Pennsylvania
State Regulations
Pennsylvania requires notaries to be commissioned by the Department of State and maintain a $10,000 surety bond.
Average Pricing
Notary services in Pennsylvania typically range from $20-$65 for a typical mobile appointment including travel.
Service Features
- Mobile notary services available
- Healthcare industry specialists
- Real estate transaction services
- Corporate document services
- Academic institution services
Pennsylvania Notary Requirements
Statutory requirements for becoming and operating as a notary public in Pennsylvania.
Commission Term
4 years
Renewal required before expiration. Recommissioning application opens up to 10 weeks before the term ends.
Surety Bond
$10,000
Bond posted with the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, Notary Public Section.
Training & Exam
Required
Three hours of basic notary education approved by the Department of State, completed within the six-month period immediately preceding application (57 Pa. C.S. § 322(b)). Renewals require three hours of approved continuing education within the six-month period immediately preceding the renewal application (§ 322(c)). Both basic and continuing education courses must be preapproved by the Department under § 322(d). Pennsylvania is one of the more rigorous states in the country for notary education, with mandatory training at every renewal under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts framework enacted by Act 73 of 2013 and fully effective October 26, 2017 via Act 40 of 2017. A state-administered notary public examination is required for every applicant who does not already hold a Pennsylvania commission, under 57 Pa. C.S. § 322(a). The exam is delivered by Pearson VUE under contract with the Department of State and is based on the approved three-hour basic education curriculum. Title 57 does not provide a categorical examination exemption for Pennsylvania-admitted attorneys, which differs from New York Executive Law § 130. Attorneys are exempt from the prohibition on using the term "notario" under § 325(c)(2), but they still take the standard exam to be commissioned as a notary public.
Minimum Age
18+
Residency
Resident or in-state work / business
Out-of-state applicants may qualify if they have a regular place of work or business in Pennsylvania.
Remote Online Notarization
Legal since 2020
House Bill 2370, signed into law as Act 97 of 2020 on October 29, 2020, permanently authorized remote online notarization in Pennsylvania and added 57 Pa. C.S. § 306.1. To perform RON, a Pennsylvania notary must hold an active commission and separately notify the Department of State of the intent to perform notarial acts using communication technology, identifying the technology used (§ 306.1(f)(1)). The notary must be physically located in the Commonwealth at the time of the act. Identity is verified through personal knowledge, a credible witness on oath or affirmation, or at least two different identity-proofing processes (§ 306.1(b)(1)). The notary creates an audio-visual recording of every session, including all interactions with the remotely located individual (§ 306.1(b)(3)), and retains the recording for at least 10 years (§ 306.1(e)(2)(i)). Performance of an electronic notarial act on an electronic record (Electronic Notary Public capability) requires a separate notification to the Department under § 320(b). Every Pennsylvania notary, electronic or not, also maintains a journal of every notarial act under § 319.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, Notary Public Section. Last verified 2026-05-14.
Pennsylvania Notary Fee Schedule
Statutory maximum fees for notarial acts performed in Pennsylvania.
| Notarial Act | Maximum Fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment, verification, or proof (paper) | $5.00 per signature |
| Jurat (paper) | $5.00 per signature |
| Oath or affirmation (no signature) | $5.00 per person |
| Certified copy | $5.00 |
Pennsylvania notary fees are set by the Department of State by regulation under 57 Pa. C.S. § 329.1, with the current schedule at 4 Pa. Code § 167.3 (codified by the final RULONA implementing regulations published in early 2026 at 56 Pa.B. 1672). Acknowledgment of the first individual on a certificate is $5, with $2 for each additional name in the same certificate. An oath or affirmation is $5 per individual. A verification on oath or affirmation (the Pennsylvania equivalent of a jurat) is $5 per individual. Witnessing or attesting a signature is $5 per signature. A certified or attested copy or deposition is $5. Noting a protest of a negotiable instrument is $3 per page. Electronic notaries public and remote notaries public may charge an additional fee of up to $20 per notarial act performed on an electronic record or using communication technology under 4 Pa. Code § 167.3(b), so a typical RON act is capped at $25 ($5 base plus $20 EN/RON addition). A notary may not charge any fee for notarizing an Emergency Absentee Ballot supporting affidavit or the assistance affidavit for a person needing help to vote by absentee ballot. Travel and clerical fees (copying, postage, phone calls, mileage) are not capped by the Department. They must be customary and reasonable for the geographic area, disclosed to the customer before the notarization, separately itemized in the journal, and included on the receipt the notary must provide whenever any fee is charged (4 Pa. Code § 167.3(c)).
Statutory maximums set by Pennsylvania. Travel and convenience fees may apply for mobile services and are negotiated separately between the notary and the signer.
Documents Commonly Notarized in Pennsylvania
The document types that drive most Pennsylvania notary appointments, with practical notes on what to expect.
Pennsylvania Statutory Power of Attorney
Pennsylvania POAs under 20 Pa. C.S. §§ 5601 through 5611 were substantively reformed by Act 95 of 2014, with the new signing formalities effective for POAs executed on or after January 1, 2015. The principal signs in front of two qualifying witnesses AND a notary, with separate prescribed Notice (signed by the principal) and Acknowledgment (signed by the agent) pages. The agent's later acceptance acknowledgment can be executed and notarized at a separate appointment when the agent is ready to act. Bring the form unsigned, a current government-issued photo ID, and arrange the two qualifying witnesses ahead of the appointment.
Healthcare POAs and Advance Directives
The Pennsylvania Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will under 20 Pa. C.S. § 5421 et seq. require the principal's signature in front of two qualifying witnesses, with notarization commonly added so that hospitals and skilled nursing facilities accept the document without follow-up. Volume runs heavy in the Main Line suburbs around Bryn Mawr and Wayne, the Pittsburgh North Hills, the Lehigh Valley, and the retirement-heavy corridors around Hershey and the Pocono region.
Revocable Living Trusts and Trust Amendments
Pennsylvania trust volume is heavy in the Philadelphia Main Line, the Pittsburgh North Hills around Wexford and Fox Chapel, and the Lehigh Valley. The trust instrument, every restatement, and every later amendment all need the trustor's notarized signature. Many signers handle the funding deed (usually a special warranty or quitclaim deed transferring real property into the trust) at the same appointment as the trust signing itself.
Pennsylvania Real Estate Deeds and Transfer Tax Documents
Pennsylvania conveyances move by warranty deed, special warranty deed, or quitclaim deed depending on the transaction. Each requires notarization to be recordable in the county recorder of deeds office. Every deed recording is accompanied by Pennsylvania Realty Transfer Tax forms, including REV-183 (Statement of Value) and REV-1651 where applicable. Philadelphia closings carry a heavier load because the 3.278% Philadelphia Realty Transfer Tax stacks on top of the 1% state tax for a 4.278% combined rate, versus the 2% combined rate that applies in most of the rest of the state.
Marcellus Shale Gas Leases, Royalty Assignments, and Surface Use Agreements
Heavy notarization volume runs along the Marcellus corridor: Washington, Greene, and Westmoreland counties in the southwest, plus Bradford, Tioga, Lycoming, and Susquehanna counties in the northeast. Original gas leases, lease ratifications, division orders, royalty assignments, and right-of-way grants all move through a notary. Many of these documents have to be recorded in multiple county recorder of deeds offices, so they have to be notarized correctly the first time.
Wills, Codicils, and Self-Proving Affidavits
A Pennsylvania will does not require notarization to be valid, but the self-proving affidavit under 20 Pa. C.S. § 3132.1 (signed by the testator and the attesting witnesses) is notarized so that the will can be admitted to probate at the county Register of Wills without compelling the witnesses to appear later. Mobile notaries handle a steady stream of self-proving affidavits at law offices, hospital bedsides, assisted-living facilities, and home appointments across Pennsylvania.
Subscribing Witness Acknowledgments
A distinctive Pennsylvania practice authorized under 57 Pa. C.S. § 304(a) (which permits notarial acts under other Pennsylvania statutory provisions) and the recording acts at 21 P.S. § 291.7. When the signer cannot personally appear before the notary (medical incapacity, hospice care, or post-death proof of execution), a person who actually witnessed the signer execute the document can present the document to the notary and, under oath, identify the signer's signature as the signer's own. Used in coordination with counsel on estate, guardianship, and incapacity files.
Documents Bound for Apostille
The Pennsylvania Department of State runs apostille services from Harrisburg. International document flow is steady across corporate authorizations, university credentials from the major Pennsylvania universities, adoption documents, and dual-citizenship filings, with heavier volume to EU, LATAM, and East Asia destinations. The notarization on the underlying document comes first. The Department of State then certifies that the notary's signature is authentic.
UCC-1 Financing Statements and Article 9 Security Documents
Steady commercial volume from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh financial services, suburban small business through King of Prussia and the Pittsburgh South Hills, and central-Pennsylvania agriculture. The Article 9 financing statement itself does not require notarization to be filed, but the related security agreement, personal guaranty, and continuing guaranty almost always are. SBA-backed loans, asset-based credit lines, and equipment financings in agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics all run through this paperwork.
Loan Signing Packages
Mortgage refinances, HELOCs, jumbo mortgages (common in the Main Line, the Pittsburgh South Hills, and the Lehigh Valley), reverse mortgages, loan modifications, and short-sale packages make up steady Pennsylvania signing-agent work. The directory has notaries with active loan-signing experience across Philadelphia and the four collar counties, Allegheny and Butler counties around Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley, the Capital Region around Harrisburg, the Lancaster and York corridor, and the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre Northeast.
How to Find a Notary in Pennsylvania
Finding a notary in Pennsylvania comes down to two things: what you're signing and how soon you need it. For most Pennsylvania signers in 2026, the answer is a mobile notary at your location, booked through this directory. Pennsylvania also runs a mature remote online notarization program, operational since Act 97 of 2020, and that path is the right call for a wide range of signings. A few specific cases route differently. Most don't apply to most signers.
Mobile notaries are the workhorse of the Pennsylvania directory. Book one and they come to you: your townhouse in Society Hill, your office in University City, a kitchen table in Mt. Lebanon or Squirrel Hill, a hospital bedside in Cranberry Township, a hotel lobby downtown, an attorney's conference room in Williamsport, a counter at a dairy operation outside Lititz. Pennsylvania mobile notaries on this directory work evenings, early mornings, weekends, and holidays. Center City Philadelphia M&A associate signing notarized officer certificates the night before a Friday closing? Same-day booking. Cranberry Township family signing healthcare POAs at her mother's hospital bedside outside Pittsburgh? Common ask. A Williamsport landowner signing a Marcellus Shale royalty assignment at his attorney's office before a Friday filing deadline? Book it the same day. A Lancaster County family signing a buy-sell agreement for the family dairy operation at the kitchen table on a Saturday morning? Routine. King of Prussia small business owner signing UCC-1 financing statements and personal guaranties for an SBA loan on a Tuesday evening, with her CFO joining as a second signer? Same answer. Filter the directory by city, ZIP, and capability to find one near you.
Remote online notarization is the other path, and Pennsylvania does it well. Sign from anywhere with a phone or laptop, evenings and weekends, often same-day for time-sensitive transactions. Pennsylvania's RON program runs under 57 Pa. C.S. § 306.1, added by Act 97 of 2020 and operational since October 29, 2020. The state was a mid-cycle adopter (after Virginia, Texas, and Florida, well ahead of New York and California), and the registered electronic notary pool has matured into routine availability for most asks. To perform RON, the notary holds an active Pennsylvania commission and has separately notified the Department of State of the intent to use communication technology under § 306.1(f)(1). The notary verifies identity through personal knowledge, a credible witness on oath, or at least two different identity-proofing processes (§ 306.1(b)(1)). Every session is recorded, and the audio-visual recording is retained for at least 10 years (§ 306.1(e)(2)(i)). The EN/RON capability adds up to $20 per act on top of the base fee under 4 Pa. Code § 167.3(b), separate from any platform fee the technology provider charges. Filter the directory to the RON view to see online-capable Pennsylvania notaries.
Real estate is the special case worth calling out. For a Pennsylvania purchase closing routed through a title company, that title company will usually arrange the notary at the closing table. Everything else around Pennsylvania real estate, you source. Refinances where the borrower picks the notary instead of the lender's vendor. FSBOs in suburban Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties. Philadelphia city deed transfers, which carry a heavier document load than the rest of the state because the 3.278% Philadelphia Realty Transfer Tax stacks on top of the 1% state tax for a 4.278% total, versus the 2% combined rate that applies in most other Pennsylvania jurisdictions. Marcellus Shale gas leases, royalty assignments, and surface-use agreements in Washington, Greene, and Westmoreland counties in the southwest, plus Bradford, Tioga, Lycoming, and Susquehanna counties in the northeast. Vacant farmland deeds in Lancaster, York, and Berks counties. Pocono second-home transactions in the Mount Pocono and Pocono Pines corridor. Quitclaim deeds among family members for trust funding or estate cleanup. The directory has notaries with active loan-signing experience across Philadelphia and the four collar counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery), Allegheny and Butler counties around Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley, the Capital Region around Harrisburg, the Lancaster and York corridor, and the Northeast around Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.
One last option to mention. Some Pennsylvania institutions provide in-branch notary as an account-holder courtesy. That works when you have a single-page document, are an account holder in good standing at a branch close enough to actually visit, can wait until banking hours, and the branch happens to have a commissioned notary on staff that day. Outside that narrow stack of conditions (multi-document signings, after-hours appointments, anyone who cannot easily get to a branch, anything mobile, anything time-sensitive, anything online), the directory is the right tool.
Pennsylvania notaries on this directory are commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, Notary Public Section under 57 Pa. C.S. § 321 and bonded at $10,000 under § 321(d). Every Pennsylvania notary keeps a contemporaneous journal of every act under § 319. Fees are set by the Department under § 329.1, with the current schedule at 4 Pa. Code § 167.3. The directory is filterable by city, ZIP, and capability. Most Pennsylvania signings booked through the directory get done the same day.
Major Service Areas in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Notary FAQs
Answers to the questions Pennsylvania residents most often ask before booking a notary.
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