VA NOTARY VIRGINIA NOTARY PUBLIC VERIFIED EXAM SOLUTIONS -
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CURRENT VERSION
(2026/2027)
Virginia Notary Public Commission
1. Who may be appointed as a notary public in Virginia?
ANSWER Any person who is at least 18 years of age, a resident of Virginia or
a non-resident who is regularly employed in Virginia, and able to read and write
English may be appointed.
2. What is the minimum age to become a Virginia notary?
ANSWER 18 years of age.
3. Can a non-Virginia resident become a Virginia notary?
ANSWER Yes, if the person is regularly employed in Virginia and meets all
other qualifications.
4. Who appoints notaries public in Virginia?
ANSWER The Secretary of the Commonwealth appoints notaries public in
Virginia.
5. How long is a Virginia notary commission term?
ANSWER A Virginia notary commission is valid for four (4) years.
6. Must a Virginia notary be a U.S. citizen?
ANSWER No, U.S. citizenship is not required; however, the applicant must
meet residency or employment requirements.
7. Can a convicted felon become a notary in Virginia?
ANSWER A person with certain felony convictions may be disqualified; the
Secretary of the Commonwealth reviews each application.
8. What happens if a notary moves out of Virginia?
, ANSWER If the notary no longer resides in or is regularly employed in
Virginia, they must resign their commission.
9. Is there a residency requirement for Virginia notaries?
ANSWER Yes, the applicant must be a Virginia resident or regularly
employed in Virginia.
10. Can an attorney serve as a notary in Virginia?
ANSWER Yes, attorneys licensed in Virginia may serve as notaries public.
APPLICATION PROCESS
11. How does one apply to become a Virginia notary?
ANSWER Applications are submitted online or through the Secretary of the
Commonwealth's office, along with the required fee.
12. What is the application fee for a Virginia notary commission?
ANSWER The fee is $45 for a four-year commission.
13. What must a new notary do after receiving their commission?
ANSWER The notary must take the oath of office before a person authorized
to administer oaths, such as a judge or clerk of court.
14. Where is the oath of office administered for a Virginia notary?
ANSWER The oath may be administered by a judge, clerk of court, or other
authorized official.
15. Must a Virginia notary file their commission with the circuit court?
ANSWER Yes, notaries must record their commission in the circuit court of
their county or city of residence or employment.
16. How soon after receiving a commission must a Virginia notary qualify?
ANSWER Within 60 days of the commission date.
17. What happens if a notary fails to qualify within 60 days?
ANSWER The commission becomes void and the notary must reapply.
18. Can a Virginia notary renew their commission?
ANSWER Yes, notaries may apply for renewal before their current
commission expires.
19. Is there a training or education requirement for Virginia notaries?
, ANSWER Virginia does not require mandatory education or training for
traditional notary commissions, but electronic notary applicants must complete
approved training.
20. Must a Virginia notary post a bond?
ANSWER Virginia does not require a surety bond for notaries, though one is
recommended for protection.
NOTARIAL ACTS
21. What is an acknowledgment?
ANSWER An acknowledgment is a notarial act in which the signer personally
appears before the notary and declares that they signed the document
voluntarily.
22. What is a jurat?
ANSWER A jurat is a notarial act in which the signer signs the document in
the notary's presence and takes an oath or affirmation that the contents are true.
23. What is a copy certification?
ANSWER A copy certification is a notarial act in which the notary certifies
that a copy of a document is a true and accurate reproduction of the original.
24. What is an oath or affirmation?
ANSWER An oath is a sworn promise invoking a deity; an affirmation is a
solemn declaration without religious reference. Both are legally equivalent.
25. Can a Virginia notary certify copies of vital records?
ANSWER No, notaries may not certify copies of vital records such as birth,
death, or marriage certificates issued by a government agency.
26. Can a Virginia notary take depositions?
ANSWER Yes, Virginia notaries are authorized to administer oaths in
connection with depositions.
27. What is a protest?
ANSWER A protest is a formal notarial certificate attesting to the dishonor of
a negotiable instrument such as a check or promissory note.
28. May a Virginia notary draft legal documents?
, ANSWER No, unless the notary is also a licensed attorney. Drafting legal
documents for others constitutes the unauthorized practice of law.
29. What does 'personal appearance' mean in notarization?
ANSWER The signer must be physically present before the notary at the time
of the notarial act, unless electronic or remote notarization is used.
30. Can a Virginia notary witness a will?
ANSWER A notary may serve as a witness to a will, but this is a separate
function from notarization.
IDENTIFICATION OF SIGNERS
31. How must a notary identify a signer?
ANSWER Through personal knowledge, satisfactory evidence such as a
government-issued photo ID, or a credible witness.
32. What forms of ID are acceptable for notarization?
ANSWER Government-issued photo IDs such as a driver's license, passport,
military ID, or state-issued ID card.
33. What is a credible witness?
ANSWER A credible witness is a person who personally knows the signer, is
personally known to the notary, and can vouch for the signer's identity.
34. Can a notary use an expired ID to identify a signer?
ANSWER No, an expired ID is generally not acceptable as satisfactory
evidence of identity.
35. What is 'personal knowledge' of a signer?
ANSWER The notary has known the signer long enough and well enough to
be personally certain of the signer's identity without requiring identification.
36. Can two credible witnesses be used instead of a photo ID?
ANSWER Yes, in some jurisdictions, two credible witnesses who know the
signer may vouch for identity.
37. May a notary accept a foreign passport as identification?
ANSWER Yes, a foreign passport is generally an acceptable form of
identification.
38. Should the notary record the type of ID used in the notarial certificate?
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CURRENT VERSION
(2026/2027)
Virginia Notary Public Commission
1. Who may be appointed as a notary public in Virginia?
ANSWER Any person who is at least 18 years of age, a resident of Virginia or
a non-resident who is regularly employed in Virginia, and able to read and write
English may be appointed.
2. What is the minimum age to become a Virginia notary?
ANSWER 18 years of age.
3. Can a non-Virginia resident become a Virginia notary?
ANSWER Yes, if the person is regularly employed in Virginia and meets all
other qualifications.
4. Who appoints notaries public in Virginia?
ANSWER The Secretary of the Commonwealth appoints notaries public in
Virginia.
5. How long is a Virginia notary commission term?
ANSWER A Virginia notary commission is valid for four (4) years.
6. Must a Virginia notary be a U.S. citizen?
ANSWER No, U.S. citizenship is not required; however, the applicant must
meet residency or employment requirements.
7. Can a convicted felon become a notary in Virginia?
ANSWER A person with certain felony convictions may be disqualified; the
Secretary of the Commonwealth reviews each application.
8. What happens if a notary moves out of Virginia?
, ANSWER If the notary no longer resides in or is regularly employed in
Virginia, they must resign their commission.
9. Is there a residency requirement for Virginia notaries?
ANSWER Yes, the applicant must be a Virginia resident or regularly
employed in Virginia.
10. Can an attorney serve as a notary in Virginia?
ANSWER Yes, attorneys licensed in Virginia may serve as notaries public.
APPLICATION PROCESS
11. How does one apply to become a Virginia notary?
ANSWER Applications are submitted online or through the Secretary of the
Commonwealth's office, along with the required fee.
12. What is the application fee for a Virginia notary commission?
ANSWER The fee is $45 for a four-year commission.
13. What must a new notary do after receiving their commission?
ANSWER The notary must take the oath of office before a person authorized
to administer oaths, such as a judge or clerk of court.
14. Where is the oath of office administered for a Virginia notary?
ANSWER The oath may be administered by a judge, clerk of court, or other
authorized official.
15. Must a Virginia notary file their commission with the circuit court?
ANSWER Yes, notaries must record their commission in the circuit court of
their county or city of residence or employment.
16. How soon after receiving a commission must a Virginia notary qualify?
ANSWER Within 60 days of the commission date.
17. What happens if a notary fails to qualify within 60 days?
ANSWER The commission becomes void and the notary must reapply.
18. Can a Virginia notary renew their commission?
ANSWER Yes, notaries may apply for renewal before their current
commission expires.
19. Is there a training or education requirement for Virginia notaries?
, ANSWER Virginia does not require mandatory education or training for
traditional notary commissions, but electronic notary applicants must complete
approved training.
20. Must a Virginia notary post a bond?
ANSWER Virginia does not require a surety bond for notaries, though one is
recommended for protection.
NOTARIAL ACTS
21. What is an acknowledgment?
ANSWER An acknowledgment is a notarial act in which the signer personally
appears before the notary and declares that they signed the document
voluntarily.
22. What is a jurat?
ANSWER A jurat is a notarial act in which the signer signs the document in
the notary's presence and takes an oath or affirmation that the contents are true.
23. What is a copy certification?
ANSWER A copy certification is a notarial act in which the notary certifies
that a copy of a document is a true and accurate reproduction of the original.
24. What is an oath or affirmation?
ANSWER An oath is a sworn promise invoking a deity; an affirmation is a
solemn declaration without religious reference. Both are legally equivalent.
25. Can a Virginia notary certify copies of vital records?
ANSWER No, notaries may not certify copies of vital records such as birth,
death, or marriage certificates issued by a government agency.
26. Can a Virginia notary take depositions?
ANSWER Yes, Virginia notaries are authorized to administer oaths in
connection with depositions.
27. What is a protest?
ANSWER A protest is a formal notarial certificate attesting to the dishonor of
a negotiable instrument such as a check or promissory note.
28. May a Virginia notary draft legal documents?
, ANSWER No, unless the notary is also a licensed attorney. Drafting legal
documents for others constitutes the unauthorized practice of law.
29. What does 'personal appearance' mean in notarization?
ANSWER The signer must be physically present before the notary at the time
of the notarial act, unless electronic or remote notarization is used.
30. Can a Virginia notary witness a will?
ANSWER A notary may serve as a witness to a will, but this is a separate
function from notarization.
IDENTIFICATION OF SIGNERS
31. How must a notary identify a signer?
ANSWER Through personal knowledge, satisfactory evidence such as a
government-issued photo ID, or a credible witness.
32. What forms of ID are acceptable for notarization?
ANSWER Government-issued photo IDs such as a driver's license, passport,
military ID, or state-issued ID card.
33. What is a credible witness?
ANSWER A credible witness is a person who personally knows the signer, is
personally known to the notary, and can vouch for the signer's identity.
34. Can a notary use an expired ID to identify a signer?
ANSWER No, an expired ID is generally not acceptable as satisfactory
evidence of identity.
35. What is 'personal knowledge' of a signer?
ANSWER The notary has known the signer long enough and well enough to
be personally certain of the signer's identity without requiring identification.
36. Can two credible witnesses be used instead of a photo ID?
ANSWER Yes, in some jurisdictions, two credible witnesses who know the
signer may vouch for identity.
37. May a notary accept a foreign passport as identification?
ANSWER Yes, a foreign passport is generally an acceptable form of
identification.
38. Should the notary record the type of ID used in the notarial certificate?
