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How to Become a Notary in the State of Maryland

Would you like the title of notary public in the state of Maryland? The information below will guide you step-by-step through the process of becoming a Maryland notary. To become a Maryland notary, a notary applicant must:

1. Be 18 years of age or older
2. Be living in the state of Maryland or working in the state of Maryland and a resident of a state that allows Maryland residents working in that state to serve as a notary public in that state 
3. Be of known good character and integrity

If you meet the above qualifications, you can apply to become a Maryland notary by:

1. Learning the duties and responsibilities of a notary public and how to properly perform notarial acts
2. Starting an online notary application on the Secretary of State's website
3. Gathering personal information from three references (non-family members or your employer) who can be contacted to attest to your character
4. Uploading a copy of your driver's license or a valid government-issued ID
5. Paying the $9.00 application fee and the $2.00 service fee to have your online notary application processed
6. Waiting for an email notification indicating that you should appear before the clerk of the circuit court of the county (or Baltimore City) in which you reside 
7. Paying the clerk the $10.00 commission fee and $1.00 registration fee to take the oath of office and have your Maryland notary public commission certificate issued to you

How can I start the Maryland notary application process to become a Maryland notary?

To become a Maryland notary, please follow the instructions listed on the previous section on "How to become a Maryland notary". Click here for more information on how to become a Maryland notary, and read our Maryland law section. More information can found at the Maryland Secretary of State's website.

This article was originally published on December 18, 2017 by American Association of Notaries