Notary Bond

How much does a notary public bond cost in Utah?

Utah notary public bonds cost $50 for four years and are issued instantly online. Errors and omissions coverage with your bond ensures you are NOT held personally liable for mistakes made while notarizing documents and can be purchased along with your bond for an additional premium. Visit our blog for more information on this essential coverage.

Simply click Buy Now to visit our secure bond checkout and purchase your bond online today. It only takes a few minutes to be on your way to being bonded as a notary in Utah.

What is the purpose of the $5,000 notary bond?

Utah notaries must post a $5,000 surety bond with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor prior to operating within the state. By posting a Utah notary bond, the notary public pledges to conduct all duties commissioned to him/her ethically and in accordance with the laws of the state. If the principal fails to adhere to the law and the terms of the surety bond, the bond protects harmed parties from financial loss up to the full bond amount.

Terms of a notarial bond in Utah

Utah notary bonds run continuously for four years from the effective date and must be renewed at the end of the term. A notary public signature is required on the bond form to acknowledge the agreement between the surety and the principal.

How to become a notary public in Utah

Potential Utah notaries must meet the following qualifications below before taking the examination and applying to work in the state:

• Minimum of 18 years old
• Be a U.S citizen or have permanent resident status under Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
• Lawfully reside in Utah 30 days immediately preceding the filing for notarial commission and maintain permanent residency thereafter
• Be able to read, write, and understand English

If you meet the above qualifications, you can then begin to prepare for the required examination. Use the Utah Notary Public Study Guide and Handbook to help you study, as well as the other resources listed by the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. Then, follow these steps:

1. Create an account with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor
   You must create an account to be able to access the examination and application. Once you have created an account, you will be directed to begin the test.
   
2. Pass the examination and pay the fee.
   You will be immediately prompted to pay the testing and administration fee of $95 after taking the test. Once you pay, your test is automatically submitted and the results are immediate. When you pass the test, you will be able to print out the application.
   
   If you fail, you receive your results and then you must pay an additional testing fee of $40 each time until you pass the test. (Note: this offer will only be good for 30 days from the date of the first test.)
   
3. Obtain your notarial bond of at least $5,000.
   
4. Have your Oath of Office notarized.
   This appears at the bottom of our bond form; you must have it notarized.

How to become a remote notary public in Utah

To become an online notary in Utah, you must already be a properly commissioned notary public in the state. Then, follow these steps to transition your notarization work remotely:

1. Be hired or contracted by an approved vendor
   A vendor is the company/system/organization in which you would use to conduct remote notarizations. Utah has 9 approved vendors in which you should be hired or contracted with to work — each vendor will provide you with the specific application you must submit to the state.
2. Increase your notarial bond amount to $10,000.
   If you have been working with the initial notarial bond amount of of $5,000, you can obtain a rider or adjustment for your current bond and increase the amount to $10,000 OR you can take out a separate $5,000 in addition to your original one.
   Note that this new bond is tied to your notarial commission date and coverage for both bonds will need to be renewed when you renew your commission, despite how long the remote notary bond has been in effect
3. Obtain electronic signature/seal from vendor.
   Each vendor will have a unique electronic signature/seal; although each electronic seal will be different, it must have some type of timestamp or way to digitally track when it was signed.
4. Submit your application, additional bond coverage, and a copy of your electronic seal/signature via email to [email protected].
5. Complete a background check.
   As of November 1st, 2019, every notary in the State of Utah is required to submit a mandatory background check. If you did not submit one when initially becoming a notary, a link to do so will be sent to you once the office has received and processed your application.
6. Pay the application fee.
   Once your background check is submitted, pay the $50 application fee to the State of Utah.
   Call the Office of the Lt. Governor at (801)-538-1041 and pay over the phone with credit or debit card
   If you did not need a background check, the office will call and have you pay immediately after getting confirmation that your application was approved

Once everything is approved, you will be marked as a “remote notary” in the system and emailed confirmation that you are now an active online notary in the state of Utah.

Additional Resources

Utah State Legislature Title 64, Chapter 1, Section 11 Prohibited Acts

The Process of Becoming a Notary