Colorado Notary BondOptional • 4-Year Term

No. According to Colorado law (C.R.S. §24-21-514), Colorado does NOT require notaries to obtain a surety bond. The Colorado Secretary of State explicitly states: "A notary does not have to be bonded in Colorado, but it's something you may want to consider. A bond provides a layer of protection for the notary from liability incurred by improperly notarizing." While the statute does not mandate bonding, optional bonds and E&O insurance provide financial protection for notaries handling high-value transactions.

Optional surety bonds and E&O insurance protect you from personal financial liability if you make a notarial error. While CO law doesn't require bonds, they provide peace of mind when handling high-value documents in industries like Denver real estate, tech startups, or energy sector contracts in the Rocky Mountain region.

CO requires: being at least 18 years old, Colorado residency or employment in CO, completing state-approved training course (free from Colorado SOS or paid providers ~$25-$50), passing exam with 100% score (~30 minutes, online, not proctored), and $10 application fee. You must also be lawfully present in the U.S.

Optional surety bonds for CO notaries typically cost $100-$200 for a 4-year term depending on coverage amount ($10,000-$25,000). E&O insurance costs $150-$400 annually. Since bonds aren't required, you can choose coverage levels based on your specific notarization activities and client base.

A surety bond protects the public from your errors (you must repay claims), while E&O insurance protects you from financial liability (insurance pays claims). In states like CO where bonds aren't required, E&O insurance is often the better choice because it actually protects the notary, not just the public.

Colorado requires all notary applicants (including renewals) to complete an approved Colorado notary training course. The Colorado Secretary of State offers free online eLearning training. Alternatively, you can take courses from approved vendors for fees ranging from $25-$50. Training takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

The Colorado notary exam requires a 100% passing score but is not proctored and is open-book. The online exam takes approximately 30 minutes and tests your familiarity with Colorado notary law, operational procedures, and guidelines. Because it's online and open-book, most prepared applicants pass.

Denver Metro notaries handling high-value real estate transactions, tech startup documentation, or energy sector contracts often choose $25,000+ E&O insurance policies. The Denver-Boulder area's booming economy and expensive real estate market create higher liability exposure for errors in these specialized documents.

Colorado sets maximum notary fees at $5 per signature for most notarial acts. Remote online notarizations may be charged up to $25. Notaries may charge less but cannot exceed these statutory limits. Travel fees for mobile services are unregulated.