Who requires it
Department of the Attorney General — Notary Public Office (circuit court filing)
License & permit · Hawaii
Hawaii Notary Public Bond
Every Hawaii notary public must execute a one-thousand-dollar official surety bond before entering upon the duties of the commission. HRS §456-5 requires a circuit court judge to approve the bond, after which the original is deposited with the clerk of the circuit court for the judicial circuit where the notary resides. The Attorney General’s Notary Public Office administers the commission, but the statutory bond filing path runs through the circuit court.
Common bond amount
$1,000
Fixed official bond under HRS §456-5; circuit court judge approval required.
How you file
File the official bond with the circuit court clerk after a judge approves it
Renewal
Maintain for commission term; continuation certificate / refiling as court and AG process require
Who requires it
Persons commissioned as Hawaii notaries public under chapter 456, other than government notaries who the Attorney General’s help materials identify as excepted from the bond requirement.
How much is required
Section 456-5 fixes the official surety bond at one thousand dollars. The bond is payable to the State. The surety must be a company authorized to do business in Hawaii. Bond continuation certificates follow the same approval and filing path.
How to get and file it
After the Notary Public Office approves your application and you pass the examination, arrange a $1,000 official bond with an authorized surety. Email a copy for Notary Public Office review as that office directs, then take the original bond with your commission packet to the circuit court for judge approval and clerk filing before you begin notarizing. File the approved original with the circuit court clerk of the circuit where you reside. Keep coverage continuous for the commission term; use a bond continuation certificate when the surety and court process require it for renewals.
Cost note
One thousand dollars is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $1,000
- Approval
- Judge of the circuit court in the notary’s judicial circuit
- Filing
- Deposit original with the circuit court clerk where the notary resides
- Exception
- Government notaries — no bond per Attorney General Notary Public help materials
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a Hawaii notary bond?
After a circuit court judge approves it, deposit the original with the clerk of the circuit court for the judicial circuit where you reside. The Attorney General’s Notary Public Office also reviews a copy during the commission packet process.
Can I notarize before the Hawaii notary bond is approved?
No. HRS §456-5 requires the bond before entering upon the duties of the commission, and the Attorney General’s help page states the original bond must be approved by a circuit court judge before you begin notarizing documents.
Related Hawaii bond guides
Public Adjuster Bond
$10,000
Hawaii public adjuster applicants must file a ten-thousand-dollar surety bond with the insurance commissioner before the license issues and keep it in force while licensed. HRS §431:9-223 conditions the bond on accounting to insureds for moneys or settlements the adjuster handles. A like deposit of cash or commissioner-approved securities may substitute for the surety bond.
Collection Agency Bond
$25,000 / $15,000
Hawaii collection agencies registering with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs must file and maintain a surety bond under Chapter 443B. The first office in the State carries a twenty-five-thousand-dollar amount; each additional Hawaii office carries a fifteen-thousand-dollar amount. Official Bond Form CA-02 is what PVL’s registration checklist requires for every office.
Contractors Bond
≥ $5,000 (when required)
Hawaii contractor licensing through the Contractors License Board does not impose one fixed surety amount on every general or specialty licensee. HRS §444-16.5 authorizes the Board to require a specialty or general contractor—individual or corporate—to furnish a surety bond of not less than five thousand dollars after weighing financial condition and experience. When that bond is imposed, HAR §16-77-76 and the Board’s maintain-bond instructions control how long it must stay in force and when a waiver may be requested.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Hawaii application
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Last verified 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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