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New York · Notary PublicNYS Notary Practice Exam 2026: New York Notary Exam Questions
To become a notary public in New York, you must pass a written multiple-choice exam given by the New York Department of State (DOS), Division of Licensing Services. The exam covers license law, general terms, and the duties of a notary as set out in the DOS Notary Public License Law booklet. You get 1 hour, and results come back as pass or fail only.
ExamCleared's independent New York notary practice test has 149 original questions based on the Executive Law, Real Property Law and the DOS booklet. Every question comes with an explanation and a cited statute or official source, along with the date we last checked it. You can take a timed 1-hour exam in the official multiple-choice format, and you can try 10 questions free without an account. Pricing is one-time with no subscription: $14.99 for 60 days of access or $19.99 for 120 days, with a 7-day money-back guarantee. ExamCleared is not affiliated with the New York Department of State.
- Questions
- Not published by NY DOS (multiple choice)
- Time
- 1 hour (60 minutes)
- To pass
- Not published (results reported as pass/fail only)
- Exam fee
- $15 exam fee + $60 commission application fee
- Required course
- None required
Free NYS notary practice exam questions
Five sample questions from the bank — open each answer to see the explanation and the legal source. Take the free 10-question test to practice with a timer and a score.
1. The venue caption of the RPL §309-b out-of-state certificate form provides for which of the following?
- "State of New York" and a county, with no other place allowed
- A county and a town or village, with no reference to a state
- A state, District of Columbia, territory, possession, or foreign country
- Only the judicial district where the officer is authorized to serve
Show answer
Answer: C. A state, District of Columbia, territory, possession, or foreign country
Because §309-b covers acknowledgments taken outside New York, its venue caption reads "State, District of Columbia, Territory, Possession, or Foreign Country ss.:". The in-state §309-a form uses "State of New York, County of ___ ss.:".
Source: Real Property Law §309-b(1) · verified 2026-11-07
2. A notary qualified in Kings County, which is within New York City. Besides the other items required by Executive Law §137, what must this notary also affix in black ink to each instrument?
- The notary's home address and telephone number
- The official number assigned by the county clerk
- The identification number of the signer's credential
- The fee charged for the notarial act
Show answer
Answer: B. The official number assigned by the county clerk
A notary who qualified, or filed a certificate of official character, in a county within New York City must also affix the official number or numbers assigned by the county clerk, in black ink.
Source: Exec. Law §137 · verified 2026-11-07
3. Under 19 NYCRR 182.7, identity proofing for electronic notarization must meet at least which standard?
- The ISO 9001 quality management standard for document vendors
- The DOS Platform Certification Level 1 standard for all vendors
- NIST Identity Assurance Level 2, or an equal or more secure standard
- The federal REAL ID Act standard for state driver licenses
Show answer
Answer: C. NIST Identity Assurance Level 2, or an equal or more secure standard
Identity proofing must meet at least Identity Assurance Level 2 in the NIST Digital Identity Guidelines (SP 800-63-3), or an industry standard that is at least as secure. New York does not certify platforms.
Source: 19 NYCRR 182.7(a) · verified 2026-11-07
4. A notary's commission expired while she was serving in the U.S. armed forces, so she could not reapply on time. She received an honorable discharge on March 15, 2026. By what date must she apply for reappointment for the Secretary of State to be able to waive the qualifying requirements?
- March 15, 2027
- September 15, 2026
- June 13, 2026
- March 15, 2028
Show answer
Answer: A. March 15, 2027
The waiver is available if the application is made within 1 year after a military discharge under conditions other than dishonorable. March 15, 2026 + 1 year = March 15, 2027.
Source: Exec. Law §130(1) · verified 2026-11-07
5. A year after appointment, DOS learns that a notary misstated a material fact on the application for appointment. What may happen?
- Nothing, because the commission has already been issued
- The notary may only be charged a $10 correction fee
- The notary may be removed from office
- The notary must only retake the written exam
Show answer
Answer: C. The notary may be removed from office
A notary may be removed from office for misstating a material fact in the application for appointment. Issuing the commission does not cure the misstatement.
Source: Misconduct by a notary and removal from office · verified 2026-11-07
What the New York notary public exam is and who takes it
The New York State Notary Public Written Examination is run directly by the Department of State's Examination Unit. A notary public is appointed for a four-year term. You must pass the exam before you can apply for a commission.
- Who must take it: anyone applying for a New York notary public commission. You must be a New York resident or have an office or place of business in the state.
- Who is exempt: attorneys admitted in New York and court clerks of the Unified Court System.
Official information: DOS – Become a Notary Public.
NY notary exam format: questions, time limit and scoring
- Question type: multiple choice.
- Time: 1 hour. The clock starts after the instructions end.
- Number of questions and passing score: DOS does not publish either one. Figures you may see on other websites do not come from an official DOS document.
- Scoring: results are reported as passed or failed, with no numerical score, and are sent to you by mail.
- Closed book: dictionaries, books and other reference materials are not allowed, and phones and other electronic devices must be turned off.
- What to bring: current government-issued photo ID with your signature, the $15 fee and two #2 pencils. Pencils are not provided.
- Languages: the exam is also offered in Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian and Chinese. Tell the proctor when you arrive.
Source: DOS July–December 2026 exam information and schedule.
Fees and how to register or schedule the exam
- Exam fee: $15 per attempt, paid at the exam site by check or money order made payable to the Department of State, or by MasterCard or Visa. Cash is not accepted, and the fee is non-refundable.
- Commission application fee: $60, non-refundable. Renewal is also $60.
- Outside New York City: no pre-registration is required. Seats are limited and given out first-come, first-served at walk-in sites such as Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Carmel, Franklin Square, Hauppauge, Rochester, Syracuse and Utica. Arrive at least 15 minutes early, because late arrivals are not admitted.
- New York City (123 William Street): you must schedule in advance. Email exams@dos.ny.gov with the subject line "Schedule Notary Public Exam" and include your full name, address, exam type and the dates you prefer. Go to the site only after you get an email confirmation.
Dates can change, so check the current schedule on the DOS Notary Public page before you travel.
Prerequisites for a New York notary commission
New York does not require a pre-licensing course. Under Executive Law §130, applicants must:
- be a New York resident or have an office or place of business in New York;
- be of good moral character;
- have the equivalent of a common school education and be familiar with a notary's duties and responsibilities;
- have no disqualifying criminal conviction, unless the Secretary of State finds that the conviction is not a bar under the applicable law.
You must also pass the exam (unless you are exempt), submit the application and $60 fee, and upload the Oath of Office (form DOS-2201). See Executive Law §130.
What topics the new york notary public exam covers
DOS describes the exam topics as license law, general terms, and information about the duties and functions of a notary public, as outlined in the Notary Public License Law booklet. DOS does not publish a content outline or topic weights. Our question bank follows the booklet's structure:
- Appointment, qualifications and the commission (Executive Law §§130–133)
- Powers and duties of a notary public (§135, §137 statement of authority, §138)
- Acknowledgments, proofs and certificate forms (Real Property Law Article 9, including §309-a and §309-b)
- Oaths, affirmations, affidavits and jurats
- Notary fees and recordkeeping (Executive Law §136, 19 NYCRR Part 182)
- Electronic notarization (Executive Law §135-c)
- Prohibited acts, unauthorized practice of law and penalties (Judiciary Law §484, Penal Law §175.40 and §195.00)
- Definitions of legal terms from the booklet's glossary
Study tips for NY notary exam questions
- Study from the official booklet. Use the current Notary Public License Law booklet. It contains the statutes, the electronic notary rules and the glossary that the exam draws on.
- Memorize the exact numbers. These include the four-year term, the fees a notary may charge under §136, how long records must be kept, and the two years your exam results stay valid. Wrong answer choices often change just one number.
- Know the limits on a notary's authority. Notaries who are not attorneys may not give legal advice or draft legal documents. Pay close attention to questions about wills, marriages and acknowledgments given by phone.
- Know the difference between similar acts. Acknowledgments, oaths, affirmations, affidavits, depositions and jurats are easy to confuse.
- Practice under time pressure. The exam is closed book with a 1-hour limit, so take timed practice exams without notes and review the explanation for every question you miss.
After you pass: applying for your commission
If you pass, DOS sends you a notice by mail. To apply for the commission, log in to or create a NY Business Express account and submit the Notary Public Commission application (DOS-0033). You will upload a scanned PDF of the completed Oath of Office (DOS-2201) and pay the $60 fee. Your exam results are valid for two years, so apply within that window. If you fail, you can retake the exam on another date and time of your choice and pay the $15 fee again.
Pricing
Practice free with 10 questions. Full access is a one-time payment — no subscription, no auto-renewal, 7-day money-back guarantee.
Full access unlocks all 149 questions with explanations and sources, practice by topic, a timed full-length practice exam and your results by topic. No account is needed: after checkout you get a personal access code — save it to use your access on your other devices. Your access period starts immediately after purchase.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the New York notary exam?
You get 1 hour, starting when the instructions end. The exam is multiple choice.
How many questions are on the NY notary exam, and what is the passing score?
DOS does not publish either number. Results are reported only as pass or fail.
How much does it cost to become a notary in New York?
The exam is $15 per attempt and the commission application is $60. Both fees are non-refundable.
Do I need to register for the exam in advance?
Not outside New York City, where exams are walk-in and first-come, first-served. For the New York City site, you must schedule by emailing exams@dos.ny.gov and wait for a confirmation.
Is the New York notary exam open book?
No. Dictionaries, books and other reference materials are not allowed at the exam center.
What if I fail?
You can retake the exam on another date and time of your choice and pay the $15 fee again.
How long is a passing result valid?
Exam results are valid for two years.
Is a course required before the New York notary public exam?
No. New York does not require a pre-licensing course. The exam is based on the DOS Notary Public License Law booklet.
Is there a free NYS notary practice exam?
Yes. The first 10 questions are free, with no account or email needed. Full access to all 149 questions, practice by topic and the timed full-length exam starts at $14.99 as a one-time payment.
Is the New York notary exam hard?
It depends on your preparation. The official passing score is not published (results reported as pass/fail only). The most reliable way to check is a timed full-length practice exam: ours has 40 questions and shows your percentage against a practice target, and your results by topic show which areas still need work.
Related practice tests
- California Notary Public practice test
- Pennsylvania Notary Public practice test
- North Carolina Notary Public practice test
- Louisiana Notary Public practice test
Sources
- https://dos.ny.gov/july-december-2026-notary-written-exam-info-and-schedule — Time limit: 1 hour
- https://dos.ny.gov/new-york-city-november-december-2026-notary-public-examination-instructions-and-schedule — NYC scheduling by email
- https://dos.ny.gov/become-notary-public — $60 application fee
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EXC/130 — Four-year term
- https://dos.ny.gov/notary-public-frequently-asked-questions — Results valid two years (FAQ)
ExamCleared is independent and not affiliated with New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services (exam administered in-house by the DOS Examination Unit; no third-party vendor). Our questions are original practice questions written from public law and official materials — not actual exam questions. Confirm current requirements with the official agency before you register.