U.S. · notary reference

Notary bond and E&O requirements by state.

Bond amounts and insurance rules for seven states, and the difference between a bond that protects the public and E&O that protects you.

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The table

Statute and rule text read 2026-10-20. Seven states only; other states are not covered.
State	Surety bond	E&O insurance	Filing and notes	Authority
California	$15,000, from an admitted surety insurer (no cash deposit in lieu)	Not required. The handbook says the bond "is not an insurance policy for the notary public."	File the bond and oath with the county clerk within 30 days.	Gov. Code 8212, 8213
Florida	$7,500 surety bond for the whole term, payable to any individual harmed by a breach of duty	Not required for an ordinary notary. An online notary must carry E&O of at least $25,000 and a separate $25,000 bond; a RON service provider must carry at least $250,000 of E&O in the annual aggregate.	Bond is approved and filed with the Department of State. An online notary's $25,000 bond under 117.225(6) satisfies the $7,500 requirement.	Fla. Stat. 117.01(7), 117.225(6), (7), 117.295(5)
Illinois	$5,000 four-year bond; $25,000 for a notary who performs remote or electronic acts by audio-video communication; one $30,000 bond covers both	Not required by the bond section	The bonding company must verify the bond information to the Secretary of State.	5 ILCS 312/2-105
Oregon	Not required	Not required; the Secretary of State guide says both are left to the notary's discretion	Chapter 194 contains no bond provision.	Oregon Notary Public Guide, FAQ 9; ORS ch. 194
Pennsylvania	Statute: $10,000, or the amount set by regulation. The Department of State states $25,000.	Not required (Department of State)	Bond must be from an insurer authorized in Pennsylvania, with 30 days' notice to the Department before cancellation.	57 Pa.C.S. 321(d); DOS bonding page
Virginia	Not required	Optional; the handbook suggests considering liability insurance	No bond or insurance filing is part of the commission.	Handbook, "Bonds and Insurance"; Va. Code Title 47.1
Washington	$10,000 four-year surety bond	Not required, and an E&O policy does not replace the bond	The bond must be on file for the notary to act.	RCW 42.45.200(4); WAC 308-30-030; DOL FAQ

Bond versus E&O: who gets paid

A surety bond is a promise to the public, not insurance for the notary. California's handbook puts it plainly: the bond "is designed only to provide a limited source of funds for paying claims against the notary public," and the notary "remains personally liable" and may have to reimburse the bonding company. Errors and omissions insurance is the opposite arrangement: it is the notary's own policy against a claim of a mistake. Among the seven states checked, only Florida ties E&O to a commission, and only for online notaries.

Reading the table

Required bonds: California ($15,000), Florida ($7,500), Illinois ($5,000), Pennsylvania (the Department says $25,000) and Washington ($10,000).
No bond: Oregon and Virginia. Oregon's Secretary of State guide says it "does not require its notaries public to be bonded or to have liability insurance," and Virginia's handbook says notaries are "not required to post a bond."
E&O required by statute: only Florida's online notaries, at a $25,000 minimum (117.225(7)); the bond for an online notary is also $25,000 (117.225(6)).

Worked example: an Illinois remote notary (hypothetical)

An Illinois notary who also performs notarizations remotely by audio-video communication needs the $5,000 four-year bond under 2-105(a) and a separate $25,000 bond under 2-105(b), which is "exclusively conditioned on the faithful performance of remote notarial acts." The statute then says that "one bond totaling $30,000 shall satisfy the provisions of this Section." So the buyer asks a surety for one $30,000 bond rather than two. We do not quote bond premiums because the statutes do not set them and prices vary by surety.

The Pennsylvania mismatch

The statute says the bond is $10,000 or the amount set by regulation of the department. The Department of State page states "A $25,000 bond is required to get and keep a Pennsylvania notary commission." The two are consistent because the regulation sets the higher amount, but a reader of the statute alone would buy the wrong bond. For a requirement the statute delegates, follow the regulator's current figure.

Edge cases

Florida online notaries. Registering as an online notary requires a $25,000 bond and at least $25,000 of E&O. Section 117.225(6) says compliance with the $25,000 bond satisfies the ordinary $7,500 bond requirement, so the bonds are not stacked, but the E&O is separate.
Washington. The Department of Licensing answers "no" to whether an E&O policy can stand in for the bond. The bond runs four years, or until the commission expires, whichever is first.
California. The bond must be a surety bond and not "a deposit in lieu of bond."
Employers. Virginia's handbook tells notaries who act in connection with their employment to ask the employer whether the employer's policy covers them or could.

Who this is for

Applicants working out what to buy before filing, employers who sponsor notary commissions, and signing agents deciding whether optional coverage is worth carrying.

What this does not cover

Only seven states; others may require a bond or insurance and are not on this page. It does not cover acknowledgment wording by state or apostilles and other authentication for foreign use, and it does not price bonds or recommend a provider. General information, not legal or insurance advice.

FAQ

How much is a notary bond in California?

$15,000. It must be an official bond from an admitted surety insurer and not a deposit in lieu, and it is filed with the county clerk within 30 days of the start of the term (Gov. Code 8212 and 8213).

How much is the notary bond in Florida?

$7,500 for the term of the commission, approved and filed with the Department of State (Fla. Stat. 117.01(7)(a)). Online notaries instead post a $25,000 bond and also carry at least $25,000 of errors and omissions insurance.

Do I need a bond to be a notary in Oregon or Virginia?

No. Oregon's Secretary of State guide says Oregon does not require bonding or liability insurance, and Virginia's handbook says notaries are not required to post a bond. Both leave insurance to the notary.

Is errors and omissions insurance required for notaries?

Not for an ordinary notary in the seven states checked. Florida requires it, at a $25,000 minimum, only for online notaries. Pennsylvania's Department of State says E&O is not required to obtain or keep a commission.

What is the notary bond amount in Pennsylvania?

The statute says $10,000 or an amount set by regulation, and the Department of State states that a $25,000 bond is required to get and keep a commission.

Does a notary bond protect me?

No. It pays claims from the public, and the notary stays personally liable and may have to repay the surety. E&O insurance is the policy that covers the notary's own mistakes.

Can one bond cover in-person and remote notarization in Illinois?

Yes. The statute requires $5,000 for the commission and $25,000 for remote or electronic audio-video acts, and says one bond totaling $30,000 satisfies both.

Sources

Retrieved 2026-10-20. Each link was opened and the figure next to it was checked against the text.

Not legal advice

This page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes, rules and fees change, and your facts may differ. Confirm anything that matters with your state's commissioning office or a lawyer before you act. Nothing you pick on this page is sent anywhere.