Notaries in British Columbia are held to the very highest standards of ethics and maturity. The process to become a notary is extremely difficult and only the best applicants will make it through the entire process. Prospective notaries must attend an 18-month training course, pass a series of strenuous examinations and be declared worthy of being a notary by the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Graduate from college. You must have a college degree with at least a 3.0 GPA to apply to be a notary.

Fill out the preliminary application. A link to the application form is below in the resources section.

Get a criminal background check. You must have a criminal records check performed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The fee for a criminal records check is $25 CAN. The link to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is listed in the resources section.

Gather supporting documents. You will need a copy of your transcripts, your resume and proof of your criminal records check.

File your application. Send your preliminary application, transcripts, resume, criminal history check and filing fee of $900 to:

Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia Box 44 Suite 1220-625 Howe St. Vancouver, BC V6C 2T6

Undergo a background investigation. Your education and finances will be investigated by the Society of Notaries. Your friends, neighbors and previous employers may be contacted and asked to write letters with regard to your character. This initial screening may take up to a year to complete.

Attend an interview. If your background is found to be satisfactory, you will be contacted for an interview. If you are successful, you will be approved for the program.

Complete the 18-month Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies program at Simon Fraser University.

Complete six weeks of practical training with the Society of Notaries. At the completion, you will become a notary.