How to Become a Notary Public in Vermont

Section 5341(b) sets the qualifications, and OPR's rule 4-2 restates them with the added requirement of a notarized oath and the fee.

Some applicants are treated differently. Certain law-enforcement-related employees need no commission at all for acts within their official duties. Judiciary-related employees and Vermont attorneys still need a commission but are exempt from the exam and continuing education, and judiciary employees also skip the fee. Justices of the peace, town clerks and their assistants pay no fee but must meet every other requirement. OPR's List of Exemptions has the details.

Before OPR issues a commission, section 5341(c) requires an oath of office. OPR's application instructions tell you to complete the official Oath of Office/Affirmation form before starting the online application, sign it in front of a notary, and upload a scanned copy.

Sign carefully. OPR's FAQ says the signature you use on notarized documents must match the one on your oath, and it should be your legal name. If you later change your name, rule 4-5 requires a new notarized oath and court documentation, and you may not notarize under the new name until OPR has it.

OPR does not accept paper applications. Create an account in its Online Services system (or log in to an existing one), choose to apply for an individual license, and answer every question. You will be asked for your Social Security number, which OPR says is required under federal law for tax, child support and labor compliance and is not released in public records requests.

Unless you are exempt, the application also contains the Vermont Notary Public Jurisprudence Examination, which you complete and upload as part of the process. Report any criminal conviction with a written explanation and certified court documents; OPR notes that a conviction does not automatically bar a commission. The companion Vermont exam guide explains the test.

Section 5324(a) sets the commission fee at $30, paid online by debit card, credit card or ACH, and it is non-refundable. OPR asks applicants to allow three to five business days for processing, and it emails you if anything is missing. Once approved, you print your commission from your online account.

No bond is required by chapter 103. Wait until you have your commission number before ordering a stamp, if you want one; Vermont does not require a stamp at all, but any stamp you use must carry that number.

A basic commission covers only paper records signed by people physically in the room. Section 5341(d) requires a special endorsement for notarial acts on electronic records or for remotely located individuals. Rule 6-2 makes you eligible if you hold a commission in good standing and attest to using compliant tamper-evident, communication and identity-proofing technology, and section 5324(b) sets the endorsement fee at $30.

Because everything happens online, Vermont can be quick. Once the oath is signed and notarized, the application, exam upload and payment can be finished in one session, and OPR's stated processing time is three to five business days. The slowest part is usually getting the oath notarized and making sure every question is answered, since rule 3-1 says incomplete applications are not processed and may be deemed expired after six months.

Timing within the two-year cycle matters too. An applicant approved in the autumn of an even-numbered year faces a renewal in January unless the 90-day rule described below applies, so check the date before you plan continuing education.

Commissions run on fixed two-year periods that end January 31 of odd years, so the current period ends January 31, 2027. Under rule 4-9, if your first commission is issued within 90 days of the end of a period, it carries through the next full period without renewing, paying a renewal fee or completing continuing education. OPR's renewal instructions say renewals open six weeks before the expiration date, and the notary page expects the application to open in mid-December.

To renew, submit the online application with the $30 renewal fee and proof of at least one hour of approved continuing education under rule 9-1, plus one more hour on electronic or remote acts if you hold the special endorsement. OPR audits a random sample of renewals. A commission not renewed by midnight on the expiration date lapses, and practicing on it is a violation of 3 V.S.A. section 127; late renewals carry reinstatement penalties. Report changes of name, address or email within 30 days.