Notary Compliance in Washington

Notaries public commissioned in Washington must follow Washington state law. Core requirements: maintaining a $10,000 surety bond, holding a valid Washington notary commission (renewed every 4 years), no mandatory course, and charging no more than the Washington fee schedule ($10 per notarial act). Washington also requires notaries to keep a sequential journal of every notarial act.

A compliant Washington mobile notary will present a state-issued commission certificate on request, carry their official seal, keep a valid $10,000 surety bond on file, and never charge more than the Washington statutory maximum ($10 per notarial act). Always confirm the commission expiration date before signing.

Washington notaries can perform acknowledgments (confirming a signer's identity and willingness), jurats (administering an oath that a document's contents are true), copy certifications, and — where the state has authorized it — remote online notarization (RON) through an approved platform.

No. Mobile notaries in Washington operate under the standard Washington notary public commission — there is no separate "mobile notary" license. Loan signing agents often add voluntary certification through the National Notary Association (NNA) or the Signing Professionals Workgroup (SPW), which title companies frequently request for mortgage signings.

Frequently notarized Washington documents include real estate deeds and mortgage packages, powers of attorney, affidavits and sworn statements, trust and estate paperwork, vehicle title transfers, and international documents needing an apostille. Loan signings for purchases and refinances make up a large share of mobile notary work across Washington.