WA notary public bonds.
$50 flat.

Washington requires every notary public to file a fixed $10,000 bond with the Department of Licensing — required by RCW 42.45.200 and set at $10,000 by Department of Licensing rule, WAC 308-30-030 — for the four-year commission term. Ours is $50 flat, set by our carrier's rate book for this bond — the application collects no credit information. Optional E&O insurance is a separate product, not required by the state.

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Required for your WA notary commission — new applicants and renewals through the Department of Licensing

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Fixed price, fixed amount — $10,000 bond, $50, no quote process

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E&O is separate and optional — the state requires the bond, not errors-and-omissions coverage

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How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

Notary bonds are about the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Your details and an effective date. That is the application — no credit section on this bond.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

Notary bonds are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with your commission application

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with the Department of Licensing for your new or renewing notary commission. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the notary bond actually guarantees

Washington appoints notaries through the Department of Licensing, and RCW 42.45.200 conditions a commission on a surety bond in an amount the director establishes by rule — $10,000 under WAC 308-30-030 — filed for the four-year commission term. The bond is a public-protection guarantee: it protects people who are harmed by a notary's improper act.

It is a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the State of Washington (the obligee), with the public as the protected parties. If a notary fails to follow notary law — notarizing without the signer present, or for someone committing fraud — a harmed person can recover against the bond.

The bond is not the same as errors-and-omissions insurance. The state requires the bond; E&O is optional coverage that protects you from liability for honest mistakes. This product is the required $10,000 bond — if the surety pays a claim against it, you repay the surety.

RCW 42.45.200 / WAC 308-30-030 (notary bond)RCW 42.45.200 requires a Washington notary public to file a surety bond with the Department of Licensing as a condition of the commission, in an amount the director establishes by rule, covering acts performed during the commission term; WAC 308-30-030 requires evidence of a ten thousand dollar bond, and the commission runs four years. Neither the statute nor that application rule requires errors-and-omissions insurance; E&O is a separate, optional product. Confirm details on your commission application.

You need this bond if you're

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Applying for a WA notary commission — the bond is filed with your application

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Renewing your commission at the end of the four-year term

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An electronic records notary who still must file the underlying $10,000 bond

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Required by an employer to hold an active notary commission

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — no credit section in the application, because this bond doesn't have one.

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FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Washington notary bond?The premium is $50 — set by our carrier's rate book for the fixed $10,000 bond amount, covering the four-year notary commission term. The $10,000 is set by WAC 308-30-030 under RCW 42.45.200, so there is no quote process.

Do I pay the $10,000?No. You pay $50. The $10,000 is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond — not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

Is errors-and-omissions insurance the same thing?No. The state requires the $10,000 surety bond, which protects the public. E&O insurance is separate and optional — it protects you from liability for honest mistakes. The Department of Licensing does not require E&O.

Is there a credit check?The application collects no credit information for this bond. Most applications approve instantly.

How long does the bond last?It covers the four-year Washington notary commission term. We send renewal notices before your commission expires so you can refile in time.

Related bonds

Other Washington bonds.

Finish your notary application today.

$50 flat, no credit review, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

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Your price$50

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