IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ELECTRONIC
NOTARY (E-NOTARY) APPLICANTS

   Effective September 25, 2009, the Pennsylvania Department of State is no longer accepting new applications for the e-Notarization program.  The Department is currently reevaluating the existing process for obtaining a digital certificate and looks forward to implementing an improved program in the near future.

NOTE:  Pennsylvania notaries who have obtained and downloaded a digital certificate (Electronic Notary Seal) from the National Notary Association prior to September 25th will retain their certificates and may continue to notarize electronically using the existing digital certificate.  Digital certificates issued prior to September 25th, will be active through June 30, 2010, or the assigned date of expiration, whichever comes first.  

     The Division of Legislation and Notaries of the Bureau of Commission, Elections and Legislation administers the duties imposed on the Secretary of the Commonwealth by Pennsylvania's Notary Public Law. The Division works on behalf of the Secretary to appoint, commission and regulate all notaries public in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For over 200 years, notaries public have been officially recognized by the Commonwealth for administering oaths and affirmations, certifying copies and taking depositions, affidavits, verifications and acknowledgements. Notaries public in Pennsylvania certify, verify and acknowledge hundreds of thousands of important documents each year. More than 80,000 men and women hold notary public commissions in Pennsylvania.

Citations:
The Notary Public Law, 57 P.S. § § 147-168.3; The Uniform Acknowledgement Act, 21 P.S. § § 291.1-291.13.

Regulations of the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation pertaining to notary public fee schedule: 4 Pa. Code § 161.1.