How to Start a Notary Business in Virginia: $45 Commission, $10 Paper Fee Cap, 2026 Journal, 2027 Exam

October 29, 2026

If you want to start a notary business in Virginia, begin with one fact: the state calls your authority a commission, not a license. Searches for a Virginia notary license or a notary license Virginia lead to the same process. The Secretary of the Commonwealth commissions notaries under Va. Code 47.1-8. It is not DPOR, and it is not the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The SCC forms businesses but issues no business license, and Virginia has no general statewide business license.

This guide covers how to become a notary in Virginia, what the commission costs, what notaries may charge, the two law changes you need to plan for, and how a mobile notary or loan signing agent business is typically set up. Two dates matter most: the journal requirement took effect on 2026-07-01, and the course and exam requirement takes effect on 2027-07-01.

What You Need Before You Apply

Gather these items before you start so a missing piece does not delay your application.

• The current commission application from the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
• A traditional notary who will notarize your application signature. Line this up before you apply.
• Payment for the $45 application fee. Confirm the accepted payment methods with the Secretary.
• Your full legal name, written exactly as you want it commissioned, because your seal must match it.
• A calendar entry for the 60-day window to claim your commission at the circuit court.
• After the commission is issued: a seal from an outside vendor and a journal, which is required from 2026-07-01.

Costs at a Glance

Item	Cost	Paid to
Notary commission application, new or renewal	$45, non-refundable ($35 plus a $10 technology fee)	Secretary of the Commonwealth
Electronic notary application	$45	Secretary of the Commonwealth
Maximum fee per paper notarial act	$10	Charged to the client
Maximum fee per electronic document	$25	Charged to the client
Name reservation	$10 for 120 days	SCC
Assumed name (DBA) certificate	$10	SCC
LLC articles of organization (Form LLC1011)	$100	SCC
LLC annual registration fee	$50 per year, with no annual report	SCC
Expedited LLC filing (online only, non-refundable)	$50 or $100 next day; $200 same day	SCC
Local BPOL license	Set by your city or county, if one applies	Locality

Key Dates for Virginia Notaries

Effective date	What changes	Who it affects
2026-07-01	Every notary must keep a journal and retain the record of each notarial act for at least five years. A notary must show proof of commission to a stamp or seal vendor, and the vendor keeps that proof for at least five years.	All notaries, including paper notaries
2026-07-01	The settlement agent duty-of-care law applies. Read it before accepting work.	Those working real estate closings
2027-07-01	Initial applicants must complete a four-hour course, one hour on real estate fraud and financial exploitation of elderly persons, and pass a written exam. Both must be completed within the six months before applying (Va. Code 47.1-5.2, 2026 cc. 364 and 365).	Initial applicants
2027-07-01	Each recommission requires a two-hour course.	Renewing notaries

How to Become a Notary in Virginia: Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility and the training timing

Confirm your eligibility with the Secretary of the Commonwealth before you pay anything. Then check the timing of the training rule, because it changes on 2027-07-01.

Until 2027-07-01, Virginia does not require an initial applicant to take a training course or pass an exam. Effective 2027-07-01, under Va. Code 47.1-5.2 (2026 cc. 364 and 365), an initial applicant must complete a four-hour course, one hour of it on real estate fraud and financial exploitation of elderly persons, and pass a written exam. Both must be completed within the six months before you apply. Also effective 2027-07-01, each recommission requires a two-hour course.

Ask the Secretary how the change applies to an application filed close to that date. Do not assume a transition rule.

Step 2: Complete and notarize the application

Fill out the application completely and have a traditional notary notarize it. Use the exact spelling of your name here. Your commission and your seal must carry that name exactly, so a mistake now can carry into the seal order.

Step 3: Pay the Virginia notary commission fee and file with the Secretary

The application fee is $45, made up of $35 plus a $10 technology fee under Va. Code 2.2-409. The fee is non-refundable, so review every line before you submit. The same $45 applies when you renew. An electronic notary application also costs $45.

Step 4: Claim your commission at the circuit court within 60 days

After the commission is issued, you must claim it at the circuit court within 60 days after the issue date. If you miss that window, you must submit a new application and pay the $45 fee again. Put the deadline on your calendar the day you receive the commission. Confirm the oath and filing steps with the circuit court clerk before you go.

Step 5: Order a compliant seal

Your seal must be photographically reproducible. It must show your name exactly as commissioned, the words Notary Public, and the words Commonwealth of Virginia. Seals and stamps come from outside vendors, not from the state. A notary must show proof of commission to the vendor, and under the 2026 law the vendor must keep that proof for at least five years. Expect the vendor to ask for it before producing your seal.

Step 6: Meet the Virginia notary journal requirement, starting 2026-07-01

Starting 2026-07-01, every notary must keep a journal, including paper notaries. Record each notarial act and keep that record for at least five years. Older guides that say Virginia notaries keep no journal are out of date for any notary acting on or after 2026-07-01.

Set up the journal before your first appointment. Record the details of each act as you complete it, not from memory later. Confirm the required entries with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Step 7: Charge only what the law allows

Under Va. Code 47.1-19, the most you may charge is $10 per paper notarial act. That covers taking an acknowledgment, administering an oath, certifying an affidavit or deposition, and certifying a true copy of a paper document. For the same acts on an electronic document, the maximum is $25. Charging more than the cap is unlawful.

Travel is the exception that causes trouble. You may recover your actual and reasonable travel expense to reach a place that is not your usual office, but only with the agreement of the person charged. A fee set in advance without any link to your actual cost may not fit that standard. Confirm how to document and agree on travel expense with the Secretary or an attorney before you rely on it.

Electoral board members and registrars may not collect notary fees while they serve in those roles.

Step 8: Set up a Virginia notary signing agent model

A mobile notary or loan signing agent is paid per appointment. Your income depends on your volume, your location, and the companies you work with, and no income is guaranteed. Plan your startup around a realistic number of appointments rather than a headline figure.

Ask each signing service or title company what it requires. Requirements for certification, background checks and insurance are set by each company, so ask them directly and get the answers in writing.

Real estate closings carry extra duties. The settlement agent duty-of-care law took effect on 2026-07-01 and applies to those working real estate closings. Read it before you accept closing work.

Also check whether you need any settlement agent registration. Check with the SCC and the Virginia State Bar before you assume none is required. A notary commission does not by itself answer the registration question, so ask the SCC and the Virginia State Bar.

Step 9: Choose your business entity

You can work as a sole proprietor or form an LLC. If you operate under a name other than your own, you need an assumed name certificate. It costs $10 and is filed with the SCC, not the circuit court. Search business names and file through the SCC Clerk's Information System at https://cis.scc.virginia.gov/.

For an LLC, the articles of organization (Form LLC1011) cost $100. Your name must contain limited company, limited liability company, LC, L.C., LLC or L.L.C., and it must be distinguishable from names already on file. You can reserve a name for $10 for 120 days, renewable in the 45 days before it expires.

Virginia LLCs file no annual report. They pay a $50 annual registration fee, due the last day of the 12th month after the month the LLC was organized, and every year after that. The SCC assesses the fee about two months ahead. A late payment adds a $25 penalty, and the LLC is canceled at the end of the third month after the due date.

A Virginia LLC must keep a registered agent who is a Virginia resident with a Virginia street registered office, available during business hours. The agent must be a member of the Virginia State Bar or a member, manager, officer, trustee or general partner of the entity. An entity cannot be its own agent. Expedited filing is online only: next day for $50 or $100, submitted by 2:00 PM Eastern, or same day for $200, submitted by 10:00 AM Eastern. Expedited fees are non-refundable.

Step 10: Check your local BPOL license

Virginia has no general statewide business license, and the SCC issues none. The local business license is the Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax under Va. Code 58.1-3700 et seq. Each city or county administers its own BPOL, usually through the Commissioner of the Revenue.

Not every locality levies a general BPOL. Va. Code 58.1-3704 allows a locality to levy none. Stafford, Rockingham, Bedford County, Washington County, Montgomery County, Louisa and Fluvanna are examples of localities with no general county license. In some places a town's license tax can take the place of the county tax, so confirm which government applies to your business.

The statutory floor depends on population. A locality over 50,000 people cannot require a license for gross receipts under $100,000. A locality with 25,000 to 50,000 people cannot require one for gross receipts under $50,000. No floor applies to a locality under 25,000 people. Localities over 50,000 people may waive the license for gross receipts up to $200,000 (verify the waiver ceiling with your locality).

Localities set their own rates and filing deadlines, so do not apply one city's rate to another. Ask your Commissioner of the Revenue whether a notary or signing agent business is subject to BPOL and which category applies. Virginia Tax at https://www.tax.virginia.gov/ answers statewide tax questions, but local license questions go to your city or county.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Filing with the wrong agency. The Secretary of the Commonwealth commissions notaries, not DPOR or the SCC.
• Missing the 60-day window to claim your commission at the circuit court. A missed window means a new application and a second $45 fee.
• Ordering a seal that does not show your name exactly as commissioned, or that leaves out Notary Public or Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Charging more than $10 per paper act or $25 per electronic document, or adding a travel charge without the client's agreement.
• Skipping the journal. It is required from 2026-07-01, including for paper notaries.
• Planning as if no training applies. Initial applicants face a four-hour course and a written exam from 2027-07-01, so check the timing before you pay.
• Assuming no local license applies because the state has none. BPOL is local and varies by city and county.
• Assuming signing agent work needs no further registration. Check with the SCC and the Virginia State Bar.
• Accepting closing work without reading the settlement agent duty-of-care law that took effect on 2026-07-01.

What to Realistically Expect

A commission can help you take on notary work, but it does not guarantee bookings or income. Some notaries start part time and grow gradually. Results may depend on your area, your availability, the title companies and law offices you reach, and how carefully you keep your journal and fee records.

For free help with business planning, the Virginia Small Business Development Center network offers advising at https://www.virginiasbdc.org/.

Important Notice

This article is informational content about Virginia notary commissions and business formation. It is not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, deadlines and rules change, so confirm each item with the named agency before you file or pay. Consult a qualified attorney or CPA for complex situations, including settlement work, entity choice and tax treatment.