DC requires a journal for all notarial acts under § 1-1231.18 — retained until transmitted to the Mayor on resignation or death. RON A/V recording retained 10 years. D.C. Law 25-281 (eff. March 7, 2025) added document language refusal rights and updated commission term rules. Electronic endorsement requires training + phone oath. No bond. $5 max fee. 5-year commission.
📋 D.C. Law 25-281 — Effective March 7, 2025: The Notarial Acts Clarification Amendment Act of 2024 made several amendments to DC’s RULONA. Key changes: notary officers may now refuse to act if they do not read or understand the document language; may require a certified translation; commission terms clarified to start on the 1st or 15th of the month; and training statute language updated to apply to all notaries.
| ⚖️ Washington DC Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | D.C. Code Chapter 12A (RULONA) · § 1-1231.18 (journal) · § 1-1231.13a (RON) · D.C. Law 25-281 (eff. March 7, 2025) |
| Journal Required? | Yes — all notarial acts ✓ |
| Retention / Disposition | Retain until transmitted to the Mayor · Must transmit on resignation, revocation, suspension, or death ✓ |
| Journal Format | Tangible: permanent bound numbered pages · Electronic: tamper-evident · Separate journals permitted for tangible and electronic records |
| RON A/V Recording | Mandatory — retained at least 10 years ✓ |
| 2025 Update (D.C. Law 25-281) | New refusal right for foreign-language documents · May require certified translation · Commission term dates clarified ✓ |
| Electronic Endorsement | Requires: mandatory training + phone oath within 10 business days · Endorsement on existing commission (same term) ✓ |
| Prohibited Documents | ⛔ Cannot notarize: vital records (birth/death/marriage/divorce), FBI fingerprints, original passports, I-9s, 501(c)(3) letters ✓ |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | Not required · Not prohibited · Optional in NotaryAct DC configuration |
| Commission Types | Residential (live in DC) · Business/Government (workplace in DC, supervisor letter required) · Dual available |
| Surety Bond | Not required |
| Application Fee | $75 · Submit via nap.os.dc.gov online portal |
| Max Fee Per Act | $5 per notarial act · Government employees on duty: no fee · RON: no specific cap stated beyond $5 |
| Commission Term | 5 years · Begins 1st or 15th of month · ONCA manages · Renew at least 45 days before expiration |
DC adopted RULONA through D.C. Law 22-189 (effective December 4, 2018). Unlike most states with fixed retention periods, DC requires notaries to retain their journal indefinitely until a triggering event — resignation, revocation, suspension, or death — at which point the journal must be transmitted to the Mayor (managed through ONCA). This means an active DC notary may hold journals spanning their entire career; there is no 7-year or 10-year destruction date while actively commissioned.
DC’s $5 maximum fee per notarial act is among the lowest in the country. Government employees performing notarial acts in the course of their official duties charge no fee.
The Business/Government commission type is particularly relevant for the DC market: attorneys, government contractors, lobbyists, and nonprofit employees who work in DC but live in Maryland or Virginia can obtain a DC notary commission. They need a supervisor statement on company letterhead confirming DC employment and explaining how notarial services will be used in the course of work.
| 1 | Date and time — Auto-timestamped by NotaryAct. |
| 2 | Description of record and type of notarial act — Acknowledgment, verification, signature witnessing, copy certification, protest, or oath. NotaryAct covers all DC-authorized act types. |
| 3 | Full name and address of each individual — Auto-filled via barcode scanner from any DC or other government-issued ID. |
| 4 | Identity verification method — Personal knowledge, government-issued photo/signature ID, or credible witness oath. ONCA administrative rules specify acceptable ID types. |
| 5 | Fee charged (max $5) — Required. NotaryAct fee field in every entry. |
| 6 | Signature of each individual — Required in DC journal entries. NotaryAct captures signature during session. |
✔ NotaryAct is configured for Washington DC: All six required journal fields including signer signature. Tamper-evident electronic format for electronic notarizations. Indefinite secure cloud storage with ONCA-transmittable export. RON A/V session documentation with 10-year retention. Updated to reflect D.C. Law 25-281 (effective March 7, 2025). Fingerprint capture available as optional feature.
Other state guides: Virginia · Maryland · New York · New Jersey · All 50 States →
NotaryAct’s DC configuration journals every notarial act with all six required fields, secure cloud retention until ONCA transmittal, and full RON electronic journal and A/V documentation — updated for March 2025 law changes.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects D.C. Official Code Chapter 12A (RULONA, D.C. Law 22-189) as amended by D.C. Law 25-281 (effective March 7, 2025) as in effect June 2026. Consult the DC Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) at os.dc.gov or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
