New York State Notary Public License Exam
Questions with Verified Answers 2026 update
1. Notaries public are commissioned by | | | | :
- answer The Secretary of State
| || | | |
2. A/An may be appointed a notary public without an examination-
| | | | | | | |
: - answer an *attorney* admitted to practice in NewYork State (bonus point:also exempt are officially
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| appointed *Court Clerks* in the NY State court system)
| | | | | | | |
3. True/False:
Non-residents of NewYork state who have offices or places of business in the state may also
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| become notaries |
- answer True.
| ||
An office or place of business is sufficient.
| | | | | | |
4. *Notary Public* |
(The full definition, as laid out in NY state law.
| | | | | | | | |
- answer A *public officer who executes acknowledgements of deeds or writings* in order to
| || | | | | | | | | | | | |
| render them available as evidence of the facts therein contained; administers oaths and
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| affirmation as to the truth of statements contained in papers or documents requiring the
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| administration of an oath. | | |
5. *Laches
- answer The delay or negligence in asserting one's legal rights.
| || | | | | | | | |
1 |/ |24
6. The (1) | and (2) | of the notary must be filed in the office of
| | | | | | | | |
| the county clerk of the county where the notary is located, or has office or place of
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| business
: - answer 1) *oath of office*, 2) *signature*
| | | | | | | | |
7. *Affiant
,- answer The person who makes and subscribes their signature to an affidavit. (Hint: the
| || | | | | | | | | | | | |
| term 'affiant' may be used interchangeably with the word *deponent*... remember this.)
| | | | | | | | | | |
8. *Extra credit*, from NY State Law. Fill | | | | | |
| in the blank:
| |
"Use of the office of notary in other than the
| | | | | | | | | procedure required |
| is viewed as a serious offense
| | | | |
- answer *"specific, step-by-step"*
| || |
9. True/False:
A notary public is allowed to administer an oath to herself or himself under certain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| circumstances (by a requesting judge in a civil trial, or at the request of the Secretary of | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| State
- answer False.
| ||
A notary public can never administer an oath to themselves.
| | | | | | | | |
10. True/False:
A jurat is not the affidavit
| | | | |
- answer True.
| ||
The jurat is the specific part of the document where the notary public certifies that the document
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| was sworn to before her or him in person.The key words here are:
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
*sworn* and *in person.* | | |
11. *Guardian
2 |/ |24
- answer A person in charge of a minor's person or property.
| || | | | | | | | | |
12. Bonus:
(From NYS Notary License Law) | | | |
"Equally unacceptable to the Secretary of State is the | | | | | | | | |
| administra- tion of oaths | | |
- answer *"slipshod"*
| ||
,13. The simplest form in which an oath may be administered:
| | | | | | | | |
"
- answer "Do you solemnly swear that the contents of this affidavit subscribed by you is
| || | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| correct and true?" | |
14. A/An may be used for persons who conscientiously de- cline
| | | | | | | |
| taking an oath | |
- answer An *affirmation*
| || |
15. *Escrow
- answer The placing of an instrument in the hands of a person as a depository who on the
| || | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| happening of a designated event, is to deliver the instrument to a
| | | | | | | | | | |
third person.This agreement, once established, should be unalterable. (Often an
| | | | | | | | | |
*attorney*, but not always) | | |
16. As best you can, name the activities (involving the practice of law) that are
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| prohibited by a notary public. | | | |
May not | |
| May not | |
| etc.
(How many are listed?
| | |
- answer Four things listed:
| || | |
1. May not *give advice* on the law
| | | | | |
2. May not ask for and get *legal business* to send to a lawyer
| | | | | | | | | | | |
3. May not divide or agree to *divide their fees3*/ 2w4 ith a lawyer
| | | | | | | |
| |
| |
4. May not advertise or circulate in any manner that they have powers or rights *not granted by law*
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
17. What document is a notary never to acknowledge
| | | | | | |
- answer A will
| || |
18. What is *NewYork County* also known as | | | | | | |
, - answer Manhattan.
| ||
19. True/False:
The Secretary of State must have notaries commissioned in every county, and no
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| more notaries per county than are residents of that county
| | | | | | | | |
- answer False.Unlimited
| || |
number.There is no restriction to the number of notaries the Secretary of State can appoint.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
20. How long is the term of a notary public | | | | | | | |
- answer 4 years
| || |
21. True/False:
A notary public for NewYork must have their primary residence in NewYork-
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
: False. An office or place of business is enough. Many people live in NJ or CT and
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| commute to work in Manhattan, for example.They still qualify because their
| | | | | | | | | | |
*workplace* is in NY state. | | | |
22. True/False:
A notary public must be a United States citizen, or an illegal alien with court appointed
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| guardian
- answer False. No illegal aliens.
| || | | |
23. What is *Kings County* also known as | | | | | |
- answer Brooklyn.
| ||
24. 1) What are the qualifying requirements4/2f4or notary public applicant by the Secretary of
| | | | | || | | | | | | |
| State? 2) How many requirements are there?
| | | | | |
Must have | |
| Must be | |
| Have etc
|
..
- answer There are 3 qualifying requirements.
| || | | | |
Questions with Verified Answers 2026 update
1. Notaries public are commissioned by | | | | :
- answer The Secretary of State
| || | | |
2. A/An may be appointed a notary public without an examination-
| | | | | | | |
: - answer an *attorney* admitted to practice in NewYork State (bonus point:also exempt are officially
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| appointed *Court Clerks* in the NY State court system)
| | | | | | | |
3. True/False:
Non-residents of NewYork state who have offices or places of business in the state may also
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| become notaries |
- answer True.
| ||
An office or place of business is sufficient.
| | | | | | |
4. *Notary Public* |
(The full definition, as laid out in NY state law.
| | | | | | | | |
- answer A *public officer who executes acknowledgements of deeds or writings* in order to
| || | | | | | | | | | | | |
| render them available as evidence of the facts therein contained; administers oaths and
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| affirmation as to the truth of statements contained in papers or documents requiring the
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| administration of an oath. | | |
5. *Laches
- answer The delay or negligence in asserting one's legal rights.
| || | | | | | | | |
1 |/ |24
6. The (1) | and (2) | of the notary must be filed in the office of
| | | | | | | | |
| the county clerk of the county where the notary is located, or has office or place of
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| business
: - answer 1) *oath of office*, 2) *signature*
| | | | | | | | |
7. *Affiant
,- answer The person who makes and subscribes their signature to an affidavit. (Hint: the
| || | | | | | | | | | | | |
| term 'affiant' may be used interchangeably with the word *deponent*... remember this.)
| | | | | | | | | | |
8. *Extra credit*, from NY State Law. Fill | | | | | |
| in the blank:
| |
"Use of the office of notary in other than the
| | | | | | | | | procedure required |
| is viewed as a serious offense
| | | | |
- answer *"specific, step-by-step"*
| || |
9. True/False:
A notary public is allowed to administer an oath to herself or himself under certain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| circumstances (by a requesting judge in a civil trial, or at the request of the Secretary of | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| State
- answer False.
| ||
A notary public can never administer an oath to themselves.
| | | | | | | | |
10. True/False:
A jurat is not the affidavit
| | | | |
- answer True.
| ||
The jurat is the specific part of the document where the notary public certifies that the document
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| was sworn to before her or him in person.The key words here are:
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
*sworn* and *in person.* | | |
11. *Guardian
2 |/ |24
- answer A person in charge of a minor's person or property.
| || | | | | | | | | |
12. Bonus:
(From NYS Notary License Law) | | | |
"Equally unacceptable to the Secretary of State is the | | | | | | | | |
| administra- tion of oaths | | |
- answer *"slipshod"*
| ||
,13. The simplest form in which an oath may be administered:
| | | | | | | | |
"
- answer "Do you solemnly swear that the contents of this affidavit subscribed by you is
| || | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| correct and true?" | |
14. A/An may be used for persons who conscientiously de- cline
| | | | | | | |
| taking an oath | |
- answer An *affirmation*
| || |
15. *Escrow
- answer The placing of an instrument in the hands of a person as a depository who on the
| || | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| happening of a designated event, is to deliver the instrument to a
| | | | | | | | | | |
third person.This agreement, once established, should be unalterable. (Often an
| | | | | | | | | |
*attorney*, but not always) | | |
16. As best you can, name the activities (involving the practice of law) that are
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| prohibited by a notary public. | | | |
May not | |
| May not | |
| etc.
(How many are listed?
| | |
- answer Four things listed:
| || | |
1. May not *give advice* on the law
| | | | | |
2. May not ask for and get *legal business* to send to a lawyer
| | | | | | | | | | | |
3. May not divide or agree to *divide their fees3*/ 2w4 ith a lawyer
| | | | | | | |
| |
| |
4. May not advertise or circulate in any manner that they have powers or rights *not granted by law*
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
17. What document is a notary never to acknowledge
| | | | | | |
- answer A will
| || |
18. What is *NewYork County* also known as | | | | | | |
, - answer Manhattan.
| ||
19. True/False:
The Secretary of State must have notaries commissioned in every county, and no
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| more notaries per county than are residents of that county
| | | | | | | | |
- answer False.Unlimited
| || |
number.There is no restriction to the number of notaries the Secretary of State can appoint.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
20. How long is the term of a notary public | | | | | | | |
- answer 4 years
| || |
21. True/False:
A notary public for NewYork must have their primary residence in NewYork-
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
: False. An office or place of business is enough. Many people live in NJ or CT and
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| commute to work in Manhattan, for example.They still qualify because their
| | | | | | | | | | |
*workplace* is in NY state. | | | |
22. True/False:
A notary public must be a United States citizen, or an illegal alien with court appointed
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| guardian
- answer False. No illegal aliens.
| || | | |
23. What is *Kings County* also known as | | | | | |
- answer Brooklyn.
| ||
24. 1) What are the qualifying requirements4/2f4or notary public applicant by the Secretary of
| | | | | || | | | | | | |
| State? 2) How many requirements are there?
| | | | | |
Must have | |
| Must be | |
| Have etc
|
..
- answer There are 3 qualifying requirements.
| || | | | |
