The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Subchapter
003
:
COMMISSIONS
(Cite as: 26 V.S.A. § 5341)
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§ 5341. Commission as notary public; qualifications; no immunity or benefit
(a) An individual qualified under subsection (b) of this section may apply to the Office
for a commission as a notary public. The applicant shall comply with and provide the
information required by rules adopted by the Office and pay the application fee set
forth in section 5324 of this chapter.
(b) An applicant for a commission as a notary public shall:
(1) be at least 18 years of age;
(2) be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States;
(3) be a resident of or have a place of employment or practice in this State;
(4) not be disqualified to receive a commission under section 5342 of this chapter; and
(5) pass a basic examination approved by the Office based on the statutes, rules, and
ethics relevant to notarial acts.
(c) Before issuance of a commission as a notary public, an applicant for the commission
shall execute an oath of office and submit it to the Office.
(d) A notary public shall not perform a notarial act on an electronic record or for a
remotely located individual without obtaining a special endorsement from the Office.
A notary public shall hold a notary public commission to be eligible for a special
endorsement to perform notarial acts on electronic records and for remotely located
individuals. The Office shall adopt rules for obtaining and regulating a special commission
endorsement authorizing a notary public to perform notarial acts on electronic records
and for remotely located individuals. These rules shall require notaries public performing
notarial acts on electronic records and for remotely located individuals to ensure
the communication technology and identity proofing used for the performance of the
notarial act on electronic records or for remotely located individuals comply with
the requirements of section 5380 of this chapter and any rules adopted by the Office
in accordance with section 5323 of this chapter. A notary public shall apply for the
special commission endorsement for the performance of notarial acts on electronic
records and for remotely located individuals by filing with the Office an application
provided by the Office accompanied by the required fees and evidence of eligibility,
as required in rules adopted by the Office in accordance with section 5323 of this
chapter.
(e) A commission to act as a notary public authorizes the notary public to perform notarial
acts except for notarial acts on electronic records or for remotely located individuals.
A commission with a special endorsement issued under subsection (d) of this section
authorizes a notary public to perform notarial acts on electronic records and for
remotely located individuals. The commission does not provide the notary public any
immunity or benefit conferred by law of this State on public officials or employees. (Added 2017, No. 160 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2019; amended 2021, No. 171 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. July 1, 2022.)