Pennsylvania notary applicants tend to circle the same set of questions before they commit to applying. The answers below come directly from the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3) and the Pennsylvania Code (4 Pa. Code Part VIII Subpart C), the two primary sources tested on the exam.
Does every Pennsylvania notary applicant have to take an exam?
Yes. The exam is required for every applicant who does not currently hold a valid Pennsylvania commission. That includes first-time applicants and anyone whose commission has lapsed, even by a single day. Active commission holders who renew on time complete a 3-hour continuing education course but do not sit the exam again.
The exam is computer-based, delivered by Pearson VUE under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of State. You cannot schedule it until the department has approved your application.
How many questions are on the exam?
The exam has 30 multiple-choice questions: 25 scored items and 5 unscored pretest items scattered throughout. You will not know which five are pretest, so treat every question as if it counts. Once you accept the non-disclosure agreement at the start of the session, you have 60 minutes.
What score do I need to pass?
Pennsylvania uses a scaled score of 75 as the passing standard, set by 4 Pa. Code § 167.15(d)(1). The state does not publish a raw number-correct equivalent. Because questions are weighted before the score is scaled, a simple percentage such as “75% correct” is unofficial and unreliable.
Your result shows on screen immediately after you finish. A passing result remains valid for 1 year from the test date.
How much does the exam cost, and how do retakes work?
Each attempt is $65, paid to Pearson VUE. Your first attempt may be taken online from home or your office under remote proctoring. Any retake must be at a physical Pearson VUE test center.
After the Department of State approves your application, you receive a 6-month authorization window. Within that window:
- You may test as many times as needed.
- You may not sit the exam more than once in any 24-hour period.
If the window closes before you pass, you must complete the 3-hour basic education course again (within the 6 months before re-applying) and submit a fresh application with a new $42 fee.
What topics does the exam cover?
The 25 scored questions fall across three official content domains:
- Obtaining Notary Commission: eligibility rules (age, residency or employment connection, citizenship), the application process, the basic education requirement, the surety bond, oath of office, and the 4-year commission term.
- Performing Notarial Acts: the six statutory acts (acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, witnessing or attesting signatures, certifying copies, and noting protests of negotiable instruments), signer identification methods, certificates and short forms, electronic notarization, and remote online notarization. This is by far the largest block at roughly 18 of the 25 scored items.
- Notary Commission Management and Compliance: the official stamp, journal-keeping requirements, fee caps, prohibited acts, and the sanctions the Department of State may impose.
Both primary sources are testable: RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. Chapter 3) and the Department of State’s notary regulations (4 Pa. Code Part VIII Subpart C). The full text of both is available through the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Is an education course required before I can sit the exam?
Yes. First-time applicants must complete at least 3 hours of department-approved basic education within the 6 months immediately before filing the application. Passive self-study does not qualify: courses must be interactive instruction or classroom instruction from a provider preapproved by the Department of State.
You cannot schedule the exam until the department has reviewed and approved both your application and your proof of education, so build that review time into your plan.
What are the eligibility requirements for a Pennsylvania notary commission?
To qualify you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident
- Be able to read and write English
- Be a Pennsylvania resident, or have a place of employment or practice in Pennsylvania
Out-of-state residents who work or operate a business in Pennsylvania can qualify through the employment or practice connection. Non-residents need a Pennsylvania business address where they can receive mail.
How long does a Pennsylvania notary commission last?
A commission lasts 4 years. Renewal is available up to 90 days before expiration and requires completing 3 hours of continuing education; no exam is needed for timely renewals.
The application fee is $42 for both initial applications and renewals. A $25,000 surety bond from a Pennsylvania-authorized insurance company is required. If the commission lapses by even one day, the initial route applies again: basic education plus the exam.
Can I perform electronic or remote notarizations?
Yes, after prior notification. Before your first act on an electronic record, or before your first remote notarization, you must notify the Pennsylvania Department of State and identify each department-approved technology provider you plan to use. This notification is filed at www.notaries.pa.gov.
Remote notarizations require an audio-visual recording of the entire session, kept for at least 10 years after it is made. Only platforms appearing on the department’s approved provider list may be used; no one can require you to use a platform you have not selected yourself.