Welcome to the application process for the Society of Notaries Public of BC. 

A complete application is required in order for the SNPBC to assess your information and to determine and advise you on the best course of action to ensure your success on the statutory examinations and in practice in your chosen profession.

Before proceeding you are strongly encouraged to read the information on this website. Read the frequently asked questions. If you have a civil law degree or a Master of Laws degree, you will not qualify for admission to the Notary Education Program. Please contact SFU and the Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies.

An application checklist is available at the bottom of this page.

It is important that you read and know the process for enrolment as attending the Notary Education program is not a mandatory requirement under the Notaries Act. The Notary Education Program is designed to prepare applicants for the statutory examinations.

The Notaries Act says:

Application for enrolment

5 (1) A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada may, on payment of the prescribed fee, apply to the court under the Supreme Court Civil Rules for enrolment as a member.

(2) An application for enrolment as a member must be files in the Vancouver registry and heard in Vancouver.

(3) At least 30 days before the hearing of an application for enrolment as a member a copy of the application must be served on the secretary of the society and on the executive director of the Law Society of British Columbia.

(4) At least 30 days before the hearing of an application for enrolment as a member, a notice of the application and the date of the hearing must be published in a manner determined by the society.

(5) A person may oppose the application at the hearing, if the person serves notice of the person’s opposition on the applicant and files a copy of the notice with the registrar.

Enrolment

6 (1) If the court is satisfied that an applicant is a fit person for enrolment as a member, it may order that the applicant be examined in the duties of a notary public and, if found qualified on the examination, be enrolled as a member.

(…)

Enrolment after examination

11   If an applicant

(a) files proof with the registrar that the applicant has satisfactorily passed the required examination and has taken an oath of office in the prescribed form before a judge of the court, and

(b) pays the prescribed fee,

the registrar must enrol the applicant as a member.

Under section 6, the Court generally seeks the opinion of the Secretary of the Society to attest to whether an applicant is a fit person for enrolment. In part, the Secretary’s opinion is based on an applicant having successfully completed the Notary Education Program.

Unless you are a lawyer licensed in BC who practices in the areas defined by the Notary Scope of Practice, your chances of success on the statutory examinations are remote. The Notary Scope of Practice is highly specialized and specific to this province and the province’s laws and systems.  Our experience is that lawyers with years of practice in other jurisdictions have not been successful in passing the statutory examinations.

The Application Process

  1. Prior to starting your application, please review the next step and ensure that you have all the required information and documents. If you have to leave the application without completing it, you will lose what you have entered and have to start over.
  2. Please be prepared to provide the following information:
  3. a) Personal details
    b) Citizen/Immigration status
    c) Contact information details and mailing address
    d) Two pieces of identification one of which must be government issues photo ID. (You must click the “Add another ID” button)
    e) Details about your last 5 years of residential addresses
    f) Transcripts from each educational institution. You must include proof of enrolment/completion of financial accounting. For applicants currently enrolled in SFU MA ALS, please upload an interim transcript. For applicants with non Canadian degrees a comprehensive report from the International Credential Evaluations Centre is required.  
    g) Details about your last 5 years of employment history
    h) Details about any other licenses, professional certifications, investigations or inquiries by any regulatory or law enforcement agency
    i) The names and contact details of three (3) referees (not family of close associates)
    j) You must provide the name of a notary public who is a member of the Society who will act as a notary referee for you. You will be required to provide their name after having confirmed that they are willing to act as your referee.  You can find notaries in your area by searching here.
  4. You will be required to upload the following These must be in PDF format:
  5.  As a final step, you will be required to make several declarations and authorizations.
  6. Payment of the application fee (450 +gst)
  7. Download a copy of the application checklist here to ensure that you have all documents prepared and ready to create an account.
  8. Create an Account Here

Please note, once you start the application submission process in the portal, you must complete the process. Applicants are not able to save information and return at a later time to continue.

The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia is subject to the Freedom of Information/ Protection of Privacy Act. The SNPBC collects, uses and protects person information as part of the application process.

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