Surety bond
Arizona Notary Bond Requirements
Before a commission is issued, A.R.S. § 41-269(D) requires a $5,000 surety bond filed with the Secretary of State. You may perform notarial acts in Arizona only while that assurance is on file. The bond is the surety’s promise to claimants. It is not an insurance policy that pays you.
A.R.S. § 41-269 was read on azleg.gov on 2026-09-29, including subsections D, E, F, and G. The SOS Notary Resources page did not load that day, so this page does not quote an SOS slogan about the bond. The $5,000 figure below is the amount in the statute, not a vendor quote.
The filing the statute requires
An employer may not cancel the assurance because the notary leaves that job. A stamp purchase, an association membership, or a practice-test score does not file this assurance. This page does not sell bonds.
- Amount: $5,000, as a surety bond.
- Issuer: a surety or other entity licensed or authorized to do business in Arizona.
- Form: the form the Secretary of State prescribes.
- Coverage: acts during the commission term.
- Cancellation: the surety must give the SOS 30 days’ notice before canceling, and must notify the SOS within 30 days after paying a claimant.
- While it is missing: you may not perform notarial acts in Arizona.
Official source: A.R.S. § 41-269 — Commission as notary public; assurance · A.R.S. § 41-269
Who the bond answers to
If the notary violates Arizona notary law, the surety is liable under the assurance. The commission itself gives the notary no immunity and no extra public-official benefit. Errors-and-omissions insurance, if you buy it, is a separate contract. § 41-269 does not say that insurance replaces the bond.
Official source: A.R.S. § 41-269 — Commission as notary public; assurance · A.R.S. § 41-269
If an employer paid
A.R.S. § 41-269(G) says the commission, the stamping device, and a journal that contains only public-record entries stay the notary’s property even when an employer paid the commissioning costs. The employer also may not limit your notarizations to people the employer picks.
Related reading
Study material on this site is independently written for exam practice. Fees, passing scores, and procedures can change. Always verify against the Arizona Secretary of State before you apply or notarize.