Pennsylvania Notary Public Exam Study Guide
- Exam fee
- $65
- Governing body
- Pennsylvania Department of State
Before you can be commissioned as a notary public in Pennsylvania, you must pass a required examination. Knowing the logistics up front helps you plan, budget, and schedule with confidence.
The essentials at a glance
- Exam required: Yes — Pennsylvania requires prospective notaries to pass an examination.
- Who administers it: The exam is administered by the Department of State's examination vendor, Pearson VUE.
- Cost: $65 per test.
- Testing window: You have six months from the time you are authorized to sit for the exam to successfully pass it.
Plan around the six-month window
Because the authorization window is limited to six months, treat your study schedule as time-boxed. The $65 fee applies per test, so a focused first attempt saves both money and time. Build your prep plan backward from the end of your window and aim to test well before the deadline, leaving room for a retake if needed.
At its core, the notary's job is about trust. A notary public is a public officer commissioned by the state to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of documents and to deter fraud.
Why impartiality matters on the exam
Almost every exam scenario tests this single idea from a different angle: is the notary acting as a neutral, careful witness? When you read a question, ask yourself whether the notary is protecting the integrity of the signing or bending the rules for convenience. The impartial-witness standard is the lens that resolves most tricky questions.
The single most tested distinction on notary exams is the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat. Memorize the mechanics of each.
Acknowledgment
In an acknowledgment, the signer appears before the notary and declares that the signature on the document is genuine and that it was made willingly. The signer does not have to sign in the notary's presence, and takes no oath.
Jurat
In a jurat, the signer must sign the document in the presence of the notary and take an oath or affirmation that the statements in the document are true. A jurat is used for affidavits and sworn statements.
The memory hook
The fastest way to tell them apart: a jurat always involves an oath and requires signing in front of you, while an acknowledgment involves neither an oath nor mandatory in-presence signing. If the document is an affidavit or contains sworn statements, expect a jurat.
A notarization is only as trustworthy as the notary's certainty about who is signing. The notary must positively identify the signer, either through personal knowledge or by satisfactory evidence such as a current government-issued identification document.
Two acceptable paths to identity
- Personal knowledge: The notary already knows the signer well enough to be certain of their identity.
- Satisfactory evidence: Reliable proof such as a current government-issued ID.
On the exam, watch for scenarios where a signer offers an expired ID or where the notary has only a casual acquaintance. When identity cannot be established through one of these two paths, the notarization cannot proceed.
A large share of exam questions describe a situation and ask, "May the notary proceed?" The following prohibitions decide most of them.
The core prohibitions
- Self-interest: A notary must not notarize a document to which the notary is a party or in which the notary has a direct financial or beneficial interest in the transaction.
- Absent signer: A notary may not notarize a signature unless the signer is physically present at the time of the notarization.
- Unauthorized legal work: A notary who is not an attorney may not give legal advice, accept fees for legal advice, or prepare legal documents for others.
When to refuse
Beyond the outright prohibitions, a notary must refuse to perform a notarization if the signer appears to be coerced, does not understand the transaction, or cannot be properly identified.
A reliable exam strategy: if any answer choice has the notary notarizing for an absent signer, notarizing where they personally benefit, giving legal advice as a non-attorney, or proceeding despite coercion or confusion, that choice describes a violation.
Recordkeeping and the official seal are the notary's tools of accountability. Expect direct questions on what goes in the journal and what appears on the seal.
What the journal records
A notary journal records the date and time of the act, the type of act, the type of document, the name and address of each signer, and the method used to identify the signer.
What the seal contains
The official seal typically includes the notary's name, the words "Notary Public," the commissioning state, and the commission expiration date.
Exclusive control
The notary must keep the seal and journal under the notary's exclusive control and must not allow another person to use them. Because these items authenticate official acts, lending them out or leaving them accessible to others is a serious breach — a common wrong-answer trap on the exam.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pass an exam to become a notary public in Pennsylvania, and what does it cost?
Yes. Pennsylvania requires you to pass an examination to become a notary public. The exam is administered by the Department of State's examination vendor, Pearson VUE, and costs $65 per test. Once you are authorized to sit for the exam, you have a six-month window to pass it. Because you pay per attempt, budgeting time to study before your first sitting can save you the retest fee.
What is the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat?
These are two of the most commonly tested notarial acts. In an acknowledgment, the signer appears before the notary and declares that the signature is genuine and was made willingly; the signer does not have to sign in the notary's presence and takes no oath. In a jurat, by contrast, the signer must sign the document in the notary's presence and take an oath or affirmation that the statements in the document are true — jurats are used for affidavits and sworn statements. The practical exam takeaway: a jurat always involves both an in-person signature and an oath, while an acknowledgment involves neither.
When must a Pennsylvania notary refuse to perform a notarization?
A notary must refuse to perform a notarization if the signer appears to be coerced, does not understand the transaction, or cannot be properly identified. To identify a signer, the notary must rely on personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence such as a current government-issued identification document. The signer must also be physically present at the time of notarization — a notary may not notarize a signature otherwise. And a notary must never notarize a document to which the notary is a party or in which the notary has a direct financial or beneficial interest. On the exam, watch for scenarios combining these red flags: an absent signer, a pressured signer, or a notary standing to benefit are all grounds to decline.
What do I need to record in my notary journal, and what goes on my seal?
For each notarial act, the journal records the date and time of the act, the type of act, the type of document, the name and address of each signer, and the method used to identify the signer. Your official seal typically includes your name, the words "Notary Public," the commissioning state, and your commission expiration date. Both tools must be kept under your exclusive control — you must never allow another person to use them. Because the journal captures who signed, when, and how they were identified, it is your primary evidence if a notarization is ever challenged, which is why exclusive control matters so much.