Maryland notary public
Exam requiredWhat it takes to become a notary public in Maryland, from the state's official commissioning authority.
- Written exam
- Exam required
- Administered by
- State-approved training course + exam required since October 2021 (list of authorized course/exam providers maintained by Secretary of State)
- Commission term
- 4 years
- Surety bond
- None — no bond required to be commissioned or to maintain commission
- Notes
- Application requires approval by the applicant's state Senator before Secretary of State/Governor appointment — an unusual political-sponsorship step. Confidence on the exam requirement is medium: the SOS's own Notary Division page did not spell this out directly in the fetched content (it only referenced a list of 'Authorized Course of Study and Examination Providers'), but the October 2021 course+exam mandate is corroborated by multiple independent notary-industry sources.
Some Maryland details were ambiguous on the official site when we researched this (July 2026) — double-check specifics with the commissioning authority before you rely on them.
Preparing to be a Maryland notary
Maryland requires a written exam, and PrepTempo's Notary course covers the notarial concepts it tests — notarial acts, identifying signers, journals and seals, and unauthorized practice of law. Study your Maryland statute on top of the core.
Start the Notary course →Official sources
Educational information only, researched July 2026 — not legal advice. Requirements change; confirm with the Maryland commissioning authority. PrepTempo is not affiliated with any state authority or the National Notary Association.