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Commission

Also called: notary commission, appointment

The official authorization from the Pennsylvania Department of State that allows a person to act as a notary public. Runs for four years from the date of appointment.

A commission isn’t the same as an oath. The commission is granted by the Department of State; the notary then takes an oath of office and files it with the county Prothonotary within 45 days. Only after that filing is the notary actually authorized to perform notarial acts. Missing the 45-day deadline voids the commission.

Source: 57 Pa.C.S. § 321 — Appointment, commissioning, and renewal

See also: oath-of-office, bond, commission-id

This page is educational information, not legal advice. Pennsylvania notary law changes; always verify against the current version of RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331) and 4 Pa. Code at pa.gov. Consult a PA-licensed attorney for specific situations.