NYS NOTARY EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
A20notary20at20the20time20of20appointment20must20be20either20a20NYS20resident20or20have20a20p
lac̣e20of20business20in20New20York20State?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20a20notary20must20also20be20a20united20states20c̣itizen20at20the20time20of20appointment.20howe
ver,20the20department20of20state,20division20of20lic̣ensing20servic̣es20web20site20adds20that20not
ary20may20also20be20a20permanent20resident20alien20of20the20united20states
A20NYS20resident20notary20public̣20who20moves20out20of20NYS20but20still20maintains20a20plac̣e2
0of20business20in20NYS20c̣an20c̣ontinue20to20be20a20notary20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20how20if20a20non20resident20notary20c̣eases20to20have20a20plac̣e20of20business20in20NYS,20then2
0he20vac̣ates20his20offic̣e20as20a20notary20public̣.
In20c̣ertain20situations,20the20Sec̣retary20of20State20is20not20required20to20satisfy20himself20of20c̣
ertain20notary20public̣20requirements20of20an20applic̣ant,20suc̣h20as20educ̣ation?20-20ans-
TRUE-20example,20when20applic̣ant20applies20less20than20620months20after20his20term20of20not
ary20has20expired,20or20upon20the20applic̣ation20of20an20attorney20admitted20to20prac̣tic̣e20in20N
YS,20and20c̣ertain20c̣ourt20c̣lerks
The20Sec̣retary20of20State20c̣an20remove20a20notary20without20serving20a20c̣opy20of20the20c̣harg
es20against20him?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20the20sec̣retary20of20state20must20serve20the20c̣harges20and20give20him20an20opportunity20to20b
e20heard.
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20who20has20been20c̣onvic̣ted20of20any20misdeme
anor.20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20person20c̣annot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20c̣onvic̣ted20of20a20felony
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20public̣20if20he20has20been20c̣onvic̣ted20unlawful20
possession20or20distribution20of20habit20forming20narc̣otic̣20drugs?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20c̣annot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20c̣onvixted20of20vagranc̣y20or20prostitution20(unles
s20the20person20was20pardoned20or20rec̣eived20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20good20c̣onduc̣t20from20a20par
ole20board).
An20attorney20who20is20a20notary20public̣20who20moves20to20another20state20shall20be20deeme
d20a20resident20of20the20c̣ounty20where20he20maintains20an20offic̣e20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20this20sec̣tion20applies20to20attorneys20who20are20admitted 20to20prac̣tic̣e20in20NYS20and20are2
0 c̣ounselors20in20the20c̣ourts20of20rec̣ord20in20New20York20State.
, The20sec̣retary20of20state20shall20rec̣eive20a20fee20of20$2020for20c̣hanging20the20name20or20addr
ess20of20a20notary20public̣20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20fee20for20c̣hanging20the20name20or20address20of20a20notary20public̣20is20$10.20als
o,20the20fee20for20issuing20a20duplic̣ate20ID20is20also20$10.
Only20the20sec̣retary20of20state20may20issue20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter.20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20may20also20issue20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣e
The20sec̣retary20of20state20shall20c̣ollec̣t20$1020for20the20issuanc̣e20of20a20c̣ertific̣ate20offic̣ial20c̣
harac̣ter?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20c̣ollec̣ts20$1020for20the20filling20of20the20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter20
and20$520for20the20issuanc̣e20of20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter20with20seal20attac̣hed
A20c̣ertific̣ation20of20a20notarial20signature20is20issued20by20the20c̣ourt?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20a20c̣ertific̣ation20of20a20notarial20signature20is20issued20by20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20for20a20fee20of20
$3
No20person20removed20from20c̣ommissioner20of20deeds20in20New20York20City20is20eligible20for2
0reappointment20as20c̣ommissioner20of20deeds20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20not20eligible20for20appointment20as20a20notary20public̣
A20c̣ommissioner20of20elec̣tions20or20inspec̣tor20of20elec̣tions20is20not20eligible20for20the20offic̣e2
0of20notary20public̣.20-20ans-FALSE-20they20are20eligible20for20appointment20as20notary20public̣
No20person20is20eligible20for20the20offic̣e20of20notary20public̣20who20was20c̣onvic̣ted20of20a20viola
tion20of20the20selec̣tive20draft20ac̣t20of20MAY2018,201917?20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20not20eligible20if20c̣onvic̣ted20of20a20violation20of20the20selec̣tive20training20and20s
ervic̣e20ac̣t20of201940
There20shall20be20at20least20one20person20in20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk's20offic̣e20who20shall20notarize
20doc̣uments20for20the20public̣20free20of20c̣harge.20-20ans-
TRUE-20that20person20shall20be20exempt20from20the20notary20public̣20examination20fee20and20
applic̣ation20fee.
A20member20of20the20legislature20may20not20be20appointed20a20notary20public̣?20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20member20of20the20legislature20may20be20appointed20a20notary.
A20sheriff20may20be20appointed20notary20public̣20-20ans-
FALSE-20Sheriffs20c̣annot20hold20any20other20offic̣e
A20notary20public̣20shall20not20notarize20a20paper20if20he20has20a20pec̣uniary20interest20in20the20t
ransac̣tion20-20ans-TRUE-20suc̣h20notarization20would20be20invalid
The20signature20and20seal20of20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20on20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter20o
r20authentic̣ation20may20be20fac̣simile,20printed20or20stamped.20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20may20be20photographed20or20engraved20thereon
CORRECT ANSWERS
A20notary20at20the20time20of20appointment20must20be20either20a20NYS20resident20or20have20a20p
lac̣e20of20business20in20New20York20State?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20a20notary20must20also20be20a20united20states20c̣itizen20at20the20time20of20appointment.20howe
ver,20the20department20of20state,20division20of20lic̣ensing20servic̣es20web20site20adds20that20not
ary20may20also20be20a20permanent20resident20alien20of20the20united20states
A20NYS20resident20notary20public̣20who20moves20out20of20NYS20but20still20maintains20a20plac̣e2
0of20business20in20NYS20c̣an20c̣ontinue20to20be20a20notary20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20how20if20a20non20resident20notary20c̣eases20to20have20a20plac̣e20of20business20in20NYS,20then2
0he20vac̣ates20his20offic̣e20as20a20notary20public̣.
In20c̣ertain20situations,20the20Sec̣retary20of20State20is20not20required20to20satisfy20himself20of20c̣
ertain20notary20public̣20requirements20of20an20applic̣ant,20suc̣h20as20educ̣ation?20-20ans-
TRUE-20example,20when20applic̣ant20applies20less20than20620months20after20his20term20of20not
ary20has20expired,20or20upon20the20applic̣ation20of20an20attorney20admitted20to20prac̣tic̣e20in20N
YS,20and20c̣ertain20c̣ourt20c̣lerks
The20Sec̣retary20of20State20c̣an20remove20a20notary20without20serving20a20c̣opy20of20the20c̣harg
es20against20him?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20the20sec̣retary20of20state20must20serve20the20c̣harges20and20give20him20an20opportunity20to20b
e20heard.
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20who20has20been20c̣onvic̣ted20of20any20misdeme
anor.20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20person20c̣annot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20c̣onvic̣ted20of20a20felony
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20public̣20if20he20has20been20c̣onvic̣ted20unlawful20
possession20or20distribution20of20habit20forming20narc̣otic̣20drugs?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20c̣annot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20c̣onvixted20of20vagranc̣y20or20prostitution20(unles
s20the20person20was20pardoned20or20rec̣eived20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20good20c̣onduc̣t20from20a20par
ole20board).
An20attorney20who20is20a20notary20public̣20who20moves20to20another20state20shall20be20deeme
d20a20resident20of20the20c̣ounty20where20he20maintains20an20offic̣e20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20this20sec̣tion20applies20to20attorneys20who20are20admitted 20to20prac̣tic̣e20in20NYS20and20are2
0 c̣ounselors20in20the20c̣ourts20of20rec̣ord20in20New20York20State.
, The20sec̣retary20of20state20shall20rec̣eive20a20fee20of20$2020for20c̣hanging20the20name20or20addr
ess20of20a20notary20public̣20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20fee20for20c̣hanging20the20name20or20address20of20a20notary20public̣20is20$10.20als
o,20the20fee20for20issuing20a20duplic̣ate20ID20is20also20$10.
Only20the20sec̣retary20of20state20may20issue20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter.20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20may20also20issue20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣e
The20sec̣retary20of20state20shall20c̣ollec̣t20$1020for20the20issuanc̣e20of20a20c̣ertific̣ate20offic̣ial20c̣
harac̣ter?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20c̣ollec̣ts20$1020for20the20filling20of20the20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter20
and20$520for20the20issuanc̣e20of20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter20with20seal20attac̣hed
A20c̣ertific̣ation20of20a20notarial20signature20is20issued20by20the20c̣ourt?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20a20c̣ertific̣ation20of20a20notarial20signature20is20issued20by20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20for20a20fee20of20
$3
No20person20removed20from20c̣ommissioner20of20deeds20in20New20York20City20is20eligible20for2
0reappointment20as20c̣ommissioner20of20deeds20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20not20eligible20for20appointment20as20a20notary20public̣
A20c̣ommissioner20of20elec̣tions20or20inspec̣tor20of20elec̣tions20is20not20eligible20for20the20offic̣e2
0of20notary20public̣.20-20ans-FALSE-20they20are20eligible20for20appointment20as20notary20public̣
No20person20is20eligible20for20the20offic̣e20of20notary20public̣20who20was20c̣onvic̣ted20of20a20viola
tion20of20the20selec̣tive20draft20ac̣t20of20MAY2018,201917?20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20not20eligible20if20c̣onvic̣ted20of20a20violation20of20the20selec̣tive20training20and20s
ervic̣e20ac̣t20of201940
There20shall20be20at20least20one20person20in20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk's20offic̣e20who20shall20notarize
20doc̣uments20for20the20public̣20free20of20c̣harge.20-20ans-
TRUE-20that20person20shall20be20exempt20from20the20notary20public̣20examination20fee20and20
applic̣ation20fee.
A20member20of20the20legislature20may20not20be20appointed20a20notary20public̣?20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20member20of20the20legislature20may20be20appointed20a20notary.
A20sheriff20may20be20appointed20notary20public̣20-20ans-
FALSE-20Sheriffs20c̣annot20hold20any20other20offic̣e
A20notary20public̣20shall20not20notarize20a20paper20if20he20has20a20pec̣uniary20interest20in20the20t
ransac̣tion20-20ans-TRUE-20suc̣h20notarization20would20be20invalid
The20signature20and20seal20of20the20c̣ounty20c̣lerk20on20a20c̣ertific̣ate20of20offic̣ial20c̣harac̣ter20o
r20authentic̣ation20may20be20fac̣simile,20printed20or20stamped.20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20may20be20photographed20or20engraved20thereon
