Microsoft Word - FAQ_New Jersey Notary Public Program.docx

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?

Acceptable forms of payment are MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express as well as debit

cards that can be processed as a credit card. In addition, there is an eCheck option for payment.

5. How will I know the status of my application after I file it?

If you filed your application online using NPAFS, you can expect to receive one or more e-mails

that will provide the status of your application. In addition, you can check the status of your

application at any time from here by using your Payment Confirmation Number. This number can

be found in the e-mail we sent to you after receiving your application.

If you filed your application by paper, you may contact our Notary Public Unit to find out the status

of your application. See question #12 for contact information.

6. What additional steps are required to become a Notary Public in New Jersey?

After DORES accepts and processes your application, you will be mailed the Notary Public

Commission Packet. To be commissioned as a Notary Public in New Jersey, you must take your

Commission Packet to your County Clerk Office’s within 90 days to swear to the Notary Public

Oath of Office. Please be aware that you must pay an additional fee of $15 to your County Clerk for

the recording of your Oath of Office.

7. What if I am unable to take my Oath of Office within 90 days from the date my commission?

Your commission is void and you will need to file a new application and pay another filing fee.

8. Do I need to keep a journal of my notary actions?

No. However, it is recommended that you do so.

9. What is the time period of my Notary Public Commission?

Notary Publics in New Jersey are commissioned for a period of 5 years. Commissions may be

renewed for additional 5 year periods. We will mail you a reminder notice before your commission

expires providing information about the renewal application process.

10. May a Notary Public charge for administering an oath or affirmation or by taking an

acknowledgment or proof or execution?

Yes.

Notary Publics in New Jersey may charge the following fees:

Administering an oath/affirmation $2.50/ea.

Executing a jurat $2.50/ea.

Taking proof of a deed (proof of execution) $2.50/ea.

Taking an acknowledgment $2.50/ea.

11. When filing my application online, why do I have to select a County?

Selecting a County provides you with information about the location(s) of County Offices where

you may take your Oath of Office. You may only take your oath after you have filed your

application and received your Notary Public Commission Packet. Below are the links to all the

County Offices in New Jersey –

12. Who to contact for filing support?

For questions about filing an application online using NPAFS, please contact the

New Jersey e-Government Services Help Desk at:

Phone: 609-586-2600

E-Mail: Contact Us

For general questions about the New Jersey Notary Public Program, please contact DORES’s

Notary Public Unit at:

Phone: 609-292-0642

E-mail: http://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/digitaldirector

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Atlantic

http://atlanticcountyclerk.org/

Bergen

http://www.bergencountyclerk.org/

Burlington

http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/countyclerk

Camden

http://www.camdencounty.com/clerk

Cape May

http://www.capemaycountygov.net/cit-e-access/webpage.cfm?tid=5&tpid=417

Cumberland

http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/content/173/2133/2190.aspx

Essex

http://www.essexclerk.com/

Gloucester

http://www.co.gloucester.nj.us/depts/c/cclerk/

Hudson

http://www.hudsoncountyclerk.org/

Hunterdon

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/countyclerk.htm

Mercer

http://nj.gov/counties/mercer/officials/clerk/

Middlesex

http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/countyclerk/

Monmouth

http://www.co.monmouth.nj.us/page.aspx?ID=125

Morris

http://www.morriscountyclerk.org/

Ocean

http://www.oceancountyclerk.com/

Passaic

http://www.passaiccountynj.org/index.aspx?NID=131

Salem

http://salemcountyclerk.org/

Somerset

http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/clerk/

Sussex

http://www.sussexcountyclerk.com/

Union

http://ucnj.org/government/county-clerk/

Warren

http://www.co.warren.nj.us/CountyClerk/Index.html