For decades, becoming a notary in Arizona was mostly a paperwork exercise. You filled out a form, secured a surety bond, mailed everything to the Secretary of State’s office, and waited a few weeks for your commission certificate. No test. No interview. Just a stamp and a handshake with bureaucracy. That era ended on July 1, 2025, when A.R.S. §41-270 went into effect and introduced a mandatory competency examination for every new and renewing notary in the state. If you’re preparing to sit for this exam in 2026, here’s what you actually need to know—minus the fluff.
What Changed and Why It Matters
The Arizona Secretary of State’s office was blunt about its reasoning: the exam exists to reduce fraud and protect residents from financial loss caused by incompetent notarizations. A mishandled seal, a botched acknowledgment, or a failure to properly identify a signer can create cascading legal and financial problems. The state decided that a $5,000 surety bond wasn’t enough of a safeguard on its own. They wanted proof that every commissioned notary actually understands what they’re doing.
The exam is administered by Prometric, the same testing vendor that handles licensing exams for attorneys, accountants, and healthcare professionals in multiple states. You can take it at one of ten physical testing centers across Arizona or remotely through Prometric’s online proctoring system. Either way, it’s monitored. Gone are the days when you could casually study on your couch and self-certify your readiness.
The Exam Format: Straightforward, But Timed
Forty-five multiple-choice questions taken straight from the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual make up the test. You get 60 minutes to finish, and you need at least an 80% score—that’s 36 correct answers—to pass. Each attempt costs $46.75, and if you fail, there’s a mandatory 30-day waiting period before you can try again. Three failures trigger a one-year lockout. So while the stakes for any single question feel low, the cumulative pressure is real.
Here’s the part that trips people up: the exam is technically open-book, but the only reference material you can access is a digital version of the state manual embedded in the testing software. You can’t bring a printed copy, and you can’t open a separate browser tab. If you’ve never navigated the manual on a screen while a countdown timer ticks in the corner, the experience can be jarring. The questions are scenario-based, too, meaning you won’t just be asked to recite a statute. You’ll need to apply the law to a real-world situation, like determining whether a signer’s identification is adequate or whether a particular document requires jurat language versus an acknowledgment.
The Biggest Hurdle Isn’t the Content—It’s the Format
Adapting to a proctored digital environment is the biggest hurdle for Arizona’s notary applicants. Because the clock is ticking and the interface is unfamiliar, visual learners often struggle with the transition from reading a static PDF to answering scenario-based questions under supervision. To bridge this gap, using an AZ notary practice test with video answers is highly effective. It lets you see the reasoning behind the laws in a format that mirrors the modern, digital testing experience—so the actual exam day feels like a repeat, not a surprise.
Practical Tips for 2026 Test-Takers
First, download the 2025 Notary Public Reference Manual from the Secretary of State’s website and get familiar with its structure before exam day. Knowing which chapter covers identification requirements versus journal-keeping rules will save you precious minutes during the test. Second, don’t rely on the open-book feature as a crutch. Candidates who treat the manual as a backup—not a lifeline—consistently perform better under time pressure. Third, remember that your passing score is only valid for 90 days. Once you clear the exam, don’t sit on it. Submit your commission application promptly so you don’t have to retake the test.
The Bottom Line
Arizona’s shift to a proctored notary exam is part of a broader national trend toward accountability in public commissioning. It’s not designed to be a gatekeeping exercise—it’s designed to make sure the people stamping legal documents know exactly what their stamp means. If you’re renewing or applying for the first time in 2026, take the preparation seriously. The old way of becoming a notary in Arizona is gone, and honestly, that’s probably a good thing.
