Please read this first

We work to keep state commissioning information current, but requirements, fees, and forms can change faster than we can update this page. Confirm every step with the Connecticut Secretary of the State using the official links below before you apply. This article is a checklist, not legal advice.

Overview

Connecticut licenses notaries through eLicense. Public Act 23-28 authorizes remote notarial acts effective October 1, 2023. There is no separate online notary commission. Follow the Notary Public Manual for technology and identification rules. Notaries are not required to offer remote acts.

Use this page as a checklist of where to go and what to complete. Follow the Secretary of the State’s current instructions if anything here differs from the official site.

For a U.S. overview of remote online notary authorization, see the National Notary Association’s How to Become a Remote Online Notary. Follow the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s instructions if anything differs.

Who Can Apply

To be commissioned as a Connecticut notary public, you must meet all of the following:

Connecticut resident or business

You must be at least 18 and either reside in Connecticut or have a principal place of business in Connecticut.

At least 18 years of age

Required for a new notary public commission.

Examination in the application

The application includes an examination on the Notary Public Manual. You must answer each question correctly before a commission is issued.

Start Here: eLicense.ct.gov

Connecticut uses eLicense for new applications and renewals. There is no separate SOS “online notary portal” for a RON commission.

1

Read the official licensing page

Open Notary Public Licensing and the Notary Public Manual (updated for Public Act 23-28).

2

Create an eLicense account

Register at eLicense.ct.gov, then choose Online Services → Initial Application → Notary Public Certification.

3

If you are already a Connecticut notary, use License Lookup

Find your name and license number before you renew or decide whether to offer remote notarial acts. Lapsed commissions need a reinstatement request, not a new-application path.

Part 1: Traditional Connecticut Notary Commission

Skip this section if you already hold an unexpired Connecticut notary commission. Remote notarial acts, if you offer them, are performed under that same commission.

Checklist

1

Review the official how-to

Notary Public Licensing and Notary Public Manual.

2

Complete traditional notary education

Study the Notary Public Manual. The exam is inside the eLicense application; there is no separate SOS education course fee listed.

3

Obtain a surety bond

Not listed on the official site as a required notary bond for commissioning.

4

Submit the traditional application

Complete the Jurat and Writing Sample (notarized), have an unrelated person complete a Certificate of Character, and pay the statutory $120 non-refundable fee in eLicense. Approval is typically 3–5 business days.

5

Take the oath and record the certificate

Take the oath of office and record the certificate and oath with the town clerk (residence town, or business town if you are a non-resident) within 30 days of receiving the Certificate of Appointment. Commissions last five years.

Part 2: Online (RON) Commission

Connecticut does not issue a separate online (RON) commission. If you offer remote notarial acts under PA 23-28, follow the Notary Public Manual. Keep this section so the checklist matches other states.

Have these ready

X.509 digital certificate

Not applicable as a required SOS RON filing. PA 23-28 remote notarial acts are described as using communication technology; the SOS does not require a digital-certificate upload for a separate online commission.

Electronic seal image

Not applicable as an SOS online-commission seal upload. Use the seal and signature your traditional commission requires, including for remote paper acts as the manual describes.

Identity proofing capability

Follow the identification rules in the Notary Public Manual for remote notarial acts. Confirm current requirements there before you offer remote acts.

Electronic journal and recording

Follow the journal and recording rules in the manual for remote notarial acts. Confirm current retention requirements there.

Checklist

1

Read the official online-notary instructions

Use the Remote Notarization section of Notary Public Licensing and the Notary Public Manual. There is no separate RON commission application.

2

Complete online notary education

Not applicable as a separate SOS RON course. The manual covers PA 23-28.

3

Start the online commission application

Not applicable. There is no separate online commission. Remote acts, if offered, use your existing notary license.

4

Sign with a digital certificate

Not applicable as an SOS portal step.

5

Upload your electronic seal

Not applicable as an SOS portal step.

6

Pay and submit

Not applicable. There is no separate SOS RON filing fee listed.

After You Are Commissioned

Where you must be

Follow the Notary Public Manual for where you and the remotely located person must be during a remote notarial act.

Keep certificate and seal current

Report name and address changes through the Secretary of the State (name change is a $15 statutory fee). There is no RON portal profile.

Renew the five-year commission in eLicense during the 90 days before expiration (or 90 days after). The renewal fee is $60. There is no separate online commission to renew.

Fees Listed by the Secretary of the State

Amounts below are from Notary Public Licensing. Confirm them there before you pay. Town clerk recording fees are set by the town.

Item Office fee
Traditional notary education Not listed as a separate SOS course fee (exam is in the application)
Online / RON education Not applicable (no separate RON course)
New notary application $120 (non-refundable)
Online (RON) application Not applicable
Surety bond Not listed on the official site as a required commissioning bond

Official Connecticut Links

Resource Where to go
Notary Public Licensing portal.ct.gov/.../notary-public-licensing
Notary Public Manual (PDF) Manual (Rev. 2023)
eLicense elicense.ct.gov
Business Services [email protected]

Common Questions

Q: Can I apply for the online commission first?

A: No. Connecticut does not issue a separate online commission. Obtain a traditional notary license first. Remote notarial acts under PA 23-28, if you offer them, use that license.

Q: Does Connecticut approve a list of RON platforms?

A: The Secretary of the State does not publish a RON platform approval list on the licensing page. Confirm current technology guidance in the official Notary Public Manual.

Q: Where can I confirm a fee or form changed?

A: Use Notary Public Licensing and eLicense.ct.gov.

Last Updated: August 26, 2026  |  Author: Customer Success Team  |  Version: v1.0

Дали Ви помогна овој одговор? 0 Корисниците го најдоа ова како корисно (0 Гласови)