New Jersey Notary Public Program
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Notary Public in New Jersey?
A Notary Public is a public officer of the State of New Jersey who serves as an impartial witness to
the signing of documents and to the acknowledgement of signatures on documents. A Notary Public
may also administer oaths and affirmations.
A1423: A notary public who is not licensed as an attorney-at-law shall not use or advertise the title
of lawyer or attorney-at-law. A notary who advertises his services must provide a statement “I am
not an attorney licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any
other legal matter or accept fees for legal advice”.
1. Who is eligible to become a Notary Public in New Jersey?
A resident of New Jersey; or
A resident of an adjoining state that regularly works in New Jersey or maintains an office here.
A resident who is 18 years of age or older.
A person who has been convicted of a crime under the laws of any state or the United States, for an
offense involving dishonesty, or a crime of the first or second degree, may only be appointed by the
State Treasurer with approval from the Attorney General of New Jersey.
2. How do I apply to become a Notary Public in New Jersey?
You must file an application with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
(DORES) and pay the filing fee of $25 (plus a convenience fee of $5 if filing online). Your
application must be endorsed by a State Legislator before being submitted to DORES. Applications
filed online will be endorsed electronically by State Legislators. Paper applications must be
submitted to a State Legislator for endorsement before filing with DORES. The Notary Public
Online Application System (NPAFS) and paper applications are available from DORES’ website at:
www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/.
3. What information do I need to file an online application?
Besides entering your personal information, you will need a credit card or electronic check
information to submit your application. If you are not a New Jersey resident, you will need to
upload an electronic copy of a business affidavit to attest that you are employed in New Jersey.
Applicants with a criminal conviction will need to upload certified copy of the judgment(s) of
convictions and certificate showing completion of a rehabilitative program(s). Acceptable file
format for uploads include JPG, PDF and PNG, with 3 MB as the maximum file size limit per file.
4. What are the payment options when filing an online application?