Pennsylvania Notary Bond

Within 45 days after the date of his/her appointment, a notary public is required to execute a $10,000 bond. This notary bond specifically protects the public, not the notary. Each notary public bond shall have as a surety a duly authorized surety company or two sufficient individual sureties, to be approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

The bond is conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of notary public and for the delivery of the notary public's register to the office of the recorder of deeds of the proper county in case of the death, resignation or disqualification of the notary public within 30 days of such event.

A corporate surety charges a fee for the bond and the surety (and not the notary public) completes the bond form. As noted earlier, unless the bond as well as the commission and oath of office are recorded with the proper office of the recorder of deeds within 45 days of the beginning of the term upon appointment or reappointment, the commission becomes null and void. Should you miss the 45 day deadline, please ensure that you have the bond form that comes with your most recent appointment executed and recorded and not the one that accompanied the earlier appointment(s) that is now null and void.

Every notary, upon appointment and prior to entering upon the duties of the office of notary public, shall take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office, and shall give a surety bond, payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($ 10,000), which bond shall, after being recorded, be approved by and filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Every such bond shall have as surety a duly authorized surety company or two sufficient individual sureties, to be approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of notary public and for the delivery of the notary's register and seal to the office of the recorder of deeds of the proper county in case of the death, resignation or disqualification of the notary within thirty (30) days of such event. Such bond, as well as the commission and oath of office, shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county in which the notary maintains an office at the time of appointment or reappointment. The commission of any notary hereafter appointed who shall, for forty-five (45) days after the beginning of the term, neglect to give bond and cause the bond and the commission and oath to be recorded, as above directed, shall be null and void.