How to Become a Notary Public in Vermont

Checked against Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) · Verified 2026-10-10

Exam: Required
Training: Not required
Term: 2 years
State fee: $30 application fee (plus $30 for the remote/electronic specialty endorsement, if applicable). Town clerks, assistants, justices of the peace and judiciary-related employees are exempt from the fee.
Bond: No bond required
Commissioned by: Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation (OPR)

Take the free notary practice test →

Who can apply

Be at least 18 years old.
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
Live in Vermont, or have a place of employment or practice in Vermont.
Not be disqualified under 26 V.S.A. 5342. Report all criminal convictions with a written explanation and certified court documents; a conviction does not automatically bar you.
Pass the notary jurisprudence exam (attorneys and judiciary-related employees are exempt).

Step by step

Sign your Oath of Office/Affirmation form in front of a notary (OPR recommends a Vermont notary) and scan it.
Create or log in to your account on OPR's Online Services System on a laptop or desktop.
Click 'Apply for Individual License' and complete the notary public application.
Take the Vermont Notary Public Jurisprudence Examination inside the online application if it applies to you.
Upload your notarized oath and pay the $30 fee by card or ACH.
Wait for OPR's approval email (about 3 to 5 business days), then print your commission from your online account.
Order a stamp only after approval, since you get a new commission number (a stamp is optional in Vermont).

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No training to get licensed; OPR does not provide notary training. Renewals need at least 1 hour of approved continuing education per 2-year cycle (attorneys, judiciary-related and law-enforcement-related employees are exempt).

Exam: Vermont Notary Public Jurisprudence Examination on statutes, rules and ethics, taken within the OPR online application. Attorneys and judiciary-related employees are exempt. The state does not publish a passing rule; confirm with the approved provider.

Practice for the notary exam free — role & powers, prohibited acts, and procedures & recordkeeping →

What it costs in Vermont

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

OPR application fee$30
Notarizing your oath of office$
Official stamp (optional)$
Remote/electronic special endorsement(optional)$30

Estimated total in Vermont$30Plus 1 item with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Notarizing your oath of office
Optional official stamp
Continuing education course fees at renewal

How long it takes

OPR asks you to allow 3 to 5 business days for application processing; you are emailed when approved and print your commission from your online account.

What other sites get wrong about Vermont

Myth: Vermont notaries need a $10,000 surety bond.

Fact: Vermont has no bond requirement. To qualify you pass the jurisprudence exam, file a notarized oath and pay the fee (OPR Rules, Part 4-2). source

Myth: The Vermont notary application fee is $43.

Fact: The fee for a notary commission is $30, with another $30 for the electronic and remote special endorsement (26 V.S.A. 5324). source

After you're commissioned

Renewal: Renew online through OPR every two years by January 31 of odd-numbered years, with at least 1 hour of continuing education; late penalties apply after expiration.

Remote online notarization: Yes, but only with a separate OPR Special Endorsement (Parts 6 to 8 of the notary rules), which requires a current commission and tamper-evident technology.

Good to know in Vermont

Renewal cost: Renewal costs $30 every two years, plus $30 if you hold the remote/electronic endorsement (26 V.S.A. 5343 and 5324). Fees for the required continuing-education hour are set by the course provider.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) before you apply.