The New York State (NYS) Notary Exam is a critical step in becoming a Notary Public in New York. This exam is designed to assess your understanding of the laws, rules, and regulations governing notarial acts, as outlined in the NYS “Notary Public License Law” booklet. The exam measures your ability to perform duties such as administering oaths and affirmations, taking affidavits and depositions, receiving and certifying acknowledgments or proof of deeds, mortgages, and powers of attorney, and others.
The NYS Notary Exam is a written test consisting of 40 multiple-choice questions. You will be allowed 1 hour to complete the exam. You need to score at least 70%, or 28 out of 40, to pass the exam. The questions are based entirely on the New York State Notary License Law. The exam is offered in several languages including Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian, and Chinese. If you fail the written exam, you may retake it at another date and time of your choice. However, examination results are only valid for a period of two years.
Notaries public are commissioned in their counties of residence. After receiving and approving an applicant for a notary public commission, the Secretary of State forwards the commission, the original oath of office, and the signature of the notary public to the appropriate county clerk. The county clerk maintains a record of the commission and signature. The public may then access this record and verify the “official” signature of the notary at the county clerk’s office.
The NYS Notary Exam comprises a series of 40 multiple-choice questions covering a wide range of topics related to notarial duties and New York State law. Administered in a traditional paper format, the test results are used by employers to verify that a prospective notary public possesses the necessary legal knowledge to perform their duties. Interestingly, attorneys admitted to practice in New York State and court clerks of the Unified Court System can be appointed as a notary public without taking the exam. Additionally, the exam is offered in several languages.
The NYS Notary Exam is a valid and reliable assessment tool that ensures that those who pass it have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform notarial acts in accordance with New York State law. It is an essential part of maintaining the integrity and professionalism of notarial services in the state.
Remember to bring your $15 examination fee and a form of government-issued signature identification which must be photo-bearing to the exam. The identification must be current and could be a driver’s license, state-issued identification, military ID, United States Passport, or others as listed in the examination instructions. Also, bring two #2 pencils as they will not be provided at the exam site.
The exam is administered at 11 locations across New York State. Five of these locations (Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, Binghamton, and Utica) do not require an appointment, while the other six (New York City, Syracuse, Pomona, Franklin Square, Hauppauge, and Plattsburgh) require an email-confirmed appointment. The exam schedules are published one month in advance.