Is there training and an exam in Montana?

Yes, four hours of approved training and an online exam at 80%, required for new and renewing applicants. You get three attempts per cycle.

What happens if you fail the Montana exam three times?

You must wait three months before attempting it again. The exam is 50 questions, online, and must be passed within six months of applying.

Does Montana require a notary journal?

Yes. You keep a journal of every act and retain it for ten years after your last entry. A stamp is also mandatory.

Becoming a Montana Notary (2026): Training, Exam & the $25,000 Bond

This guide is educational and informational, not legal advice. Montana notary rules are set in Title 1, Chapter 5 of the Montana Code and can change, so confirm the details with the Montana Secretary of State before you apply. We link to official resources; we never sell or submit applications.

Quick answer: To become a notary in Montana you must be 18 and a Montana resident. You complete four hours of approved training and pass an online exam at 80%, then post a $25,000 surety bond and apply online with a $25 fee. The bond form includes an oath you sign before another notary. The commission lasts four years, and training and the exam repeat at every renewal. Use the checklist below to total your cost.

Open the cost checklist ↓

What does it cost to become a notary in Montana?

Becoming a Montana notary usually costs $100 to $160. The fixed state charge is just the $25 application fee, and the $25,000 bond is inexpensive to buy, typically $50 to $70 for the four-year term. The rest is the training course, a small fee to have your oath notarized, and your stamp and journal. Tick what applies and the checklist totals it live.

How do you become a notary in Montana?

You become a Montana notary by training, passing the exam, and bonding before you apply. The steps, in order, are:

Complete four hours of approved training. Take the course from a Secretary of State-approved provider within 12 months of applying and save your certificate.
Pass the online exam. Score at least 80% on the state exam; details and practice are on our Montana notary exam page.
Buy a $25,000 bond and sign the oath. Purchase the bond on the state form, then sign the Oath of Office on it before a current notary who notarizes your signature.
Apply online with the $25 fee. Upload your training certificate, exam certificate, and notarized bond through the Secretary of State portal; the name must match the bond exactly.
Get your stamp and journal. Once approved, download your commission certificate, then buy a compliant stamp and a journal before you notarize.

How much is the Montana notary bond?

The Montana notary bond is $25,000, so any guide still listing $10,000 is out of date. You buy it on the standardized state form, which also contains your Statement of Qualifications and the Oath of Office, and you sign the oath section before another notary who notarizes it. The premium is usually $50 to $70 for the full four-year term, the name on it must exactly match your application, and there is no county filing because you upload the bond with your online application.

Do you have to take training and an exam in Montana?

Yes, Montana requires four hours of approved education and a passing exam for all applicants, new and renewing, under rules phased in during 2019 and 2020. The exam is taken online through the Secretary of State, runs 50 questions, and requires 80% to pass; you get three attempts, and after a third failure you wait three months before trying again. Take the exam within six months of applying, and prepare with our Montana notary practice test so you clear it on the first try.

What are the requirements to become a Montana notary?

The Montana requirements pair education and a bond with strict recordkeeping. You must be at least 18, able to read and write English, and a Montana resident, or hold a current Montana professional license, with no disqualifying convictions or revoked commission. You complete the training and exam, carry the $25,000 bond, and use an inked stamp. Montana also requires a journal of every notarial act, kept for ten years after your last entry, and caps the fee you may charge at $10 per act.

How do you renew or notarize online in Montana?

You renew by completing four hours of continuing education, passing the exam again, posting a new $25,000 bond with a fresh notarized oath, and reapplying for the $25 fee, up to 30 days before expiration or within a 30-day grace period afterward, though you cannot notarize while lapsed. Montana allows both remote online notarization for electronic documents and remote ink notarization for paper documents, each requiring you to be physically in Montana and to use approved audio-video technology.

Becoming a Montana notary: frequently asked questions

How much is the Montana notary bond?: $25,000, not the $10,000 some older guides list. The premium is usually $50 to $70 for the four-year term, and the bond form includes the oath.
Is there training and an exam in Montana?: Yes, four hours of approved training and an online exam at 80%, required for new and renewing applicants. You get three attempts per cycle.
What happens if you fail the Montana exam three times?: You must wait three months before attempting it again. The exam is 50 questions, online, and must be passed within six months of applying.
Does Montana require a notary journal?: Yes. You keep a journal of every act and retain it for ten years after your last entry. A stamp is also mandatory.
Can Montana notaries work remotely?: Yes, through both remote online notarization for electronic documents and remote ink notarization for paper, while physically in Montana.

Published June 13, 2026 by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Montana Secretary of State, Notary and Certifications Division; Montana Code Annotated Title 1, Chapter 5 and ARM 44.15.101. Confirm current fees and steps with the Montana Secretary of State before applying.