NYS NOTARY EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
A20notary20at20the20time20of20appointment20must20be20either20a20NYS20resident20or20have20a20p
lace20of20business20in20New20York20State?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20a20notary20must20also20be20a20united20states20citizen20at20the20time20of20appointment.20howe
ver,20the20department20of20state,20division20of20licensing20
̣ services20web20site20adds20that20not
ary20may20also20be20a20permanent20resident20alien20of20the20united20states
A20NYS20resident20notary20public20who20moves20out20of20NYS20but20still20maintains20a20place2
0of20business20in20NYS20can20continue20to20be20a20notary20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20how20if20a20non20resident20notary20ceases20to20have20a20place20of20business20in20NYS,20then2
0he20vacates20his20office20as20a20notary20public.
In20certain20situations,20the20Secretary20of20State20is20not20required20to20satisfy20himself20of20c
ertain20notary20public20requirements20of20an20applicant,20such20as20education?20-20ans-
TRUE-20example,20when20applicant20applies20less20than20620months20after20his20term20of20not
ary20has20expired,20or20upon20the20application20of20an20attorney20admitted20to20practice20in20N
YS,20and20certain20court20clerks
The20Secretary20of20State20can20remove20a20notary20without20serving2̣ 0a20copy20of20the20charg ̣
es20aga ̣ inst20him?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20the20secretary20of20state20must20serve20the20charge
̣ s20and20gị ve20him20an20opportunity20to20b
e20heard.
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20who20has20been20convicted20of20any20misdeme
anor.20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20person20cannot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20convicted20of20a20felony
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20public20if20he20has20been20convicted20unlawful20
possession20or20distribution20of20habit20forming2̣ 0narcotic20drugṣ ?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20cannot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20convixted20of20vagrancy
̣ 20or20prostitution20(unles
s20the20person20was20pardoned20or20received20a20certificate20of20go ̣ od20conduct20from20a20par
ole20board).
An20attorney20who20is20a20notary20public20who20moves20to20another20state20shall20be20deeme
d20a20resident20of20the20county20where20he20maintains20an20office20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20this20section20applies20to20attorneys20who20are20admitted 20to20practice20in20NYS20and20are2
0 counselors20in20the20courts20of20record20in20New20York20State.
, The20secretary20of20state20shall20receive20a20fee20of20$2020for20changị ng2̣ 0the20name20or20addr
ess20of20a20notary20public20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20fee20for20changị ng2̣ 0the20name20or20address20of20a20notary20public20is20$10.20als
o,20the20fee20for20issuing2̣ 0a20duplicate20ID20is20also20$10.
Only20the20secretary20of20state20may20issue20a20certificate20of20official20character.20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20county20clerk20may20also20issue20a20certificate20of20office
The20secretary20of20state20shall20collect20$1020for20the20issuance20of20a20certificate20official20c
haracter?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20the20county20clerk20collects20$1020for20the20filling2̣ 0of20the20certificate20of20official20character20
and20$520for20the20issuance20of20a20certificate20of20official20character20with20seal20attached
A20certification20of20a20notarial20sigṇ ature20is20issued20by20the20court?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20a20certification20of20a20notarial20sigṇ ature20is20issued20by20the20county20clerk20for20a20fee20of20
$3
No20person20removed20from20commissioner20of20deeds20in20New20York20City20is20eligị ble20for2
0reappointment20as20commissioner20of20deeds20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20not20eligible
̣ 20for20appointment20as20a20notary20public
A20commissioner20of20elections20or20inspector20of20elections20is20not20eligị ble20for20the20office2
0of20notary20public.20-20ans-FALSE-20they20are20eligị ble20for20appointment20as20notary20public
No20person20is20eligible
̣ 20for20the20office20of20notary20public20who20was20convicted20of20a20viola
tion20of20the20selective20draft20act20of20MAY2018,201917?20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20not20eligị ble20if20convicted20of20a20violation20of20the20selective20training2̣ 0and20s
ervice20act20of201940
There20shall20be20at20least20one20person20in20the20county20clerk's20office20who20shall20notarize
20documents20for20the20public20free20of20chargẹ .20-20ans-
TRUE-20that20person20shall20be20exempt20from20the20notary20public20examination20fee20and20
application20fee.
A20member20of20the20legị slature20may20not20be20appointed20a20notary20public?20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20member20of20the20legị slature20may20be20appointed20a20notary.
A20sheriff20may20be20appointed20notary20public20-20ans-
FALSE-20Sheriffs20cannot20hold20any20other20office
A20notary20public20shall20not20notarize20a20paper20if20he20has20a20pecuniary20interest20in20the20t
ransaction20-20ans-TRUE-20such20notarization20would20be20invalid
The20sign
̣ ature20and20seal20of20the20county20clerk20on20a20certificate20of20official20character20o
r20authentication20may20be20facsimile,20printed20or20stamped.20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20may20be20photogṛ aphed20or20engṛ aved20thereon
CORRECT ANSWERS
A20notary20at20the20time20of20appointment20must20be20either20a20NYS20resident20or20have20a20p
lace20of20business20in20New20York20State?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20a20notary20must20also20be20a20united20states20citizen20at20the20time20of20appointment.20howe
ver,20the20department20of20state,20division20of20licensing20
̣ services20web20site20adds20that20not
ary20may20also20be20a20permanent20resident20alien20of20the20united20states
A20NYS20resident20notary20public20who20moves20out20of20NYS20but20still20maintains20a20place2
0of20business20in20NYS20can20continue20to20be20a20notary20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20how20if20a20non20resident20notary20ceases20to20have20a20place20of20business20in20NYS,20then2
0he20vacates20his20office20as20a20notary20public.
In20certain20situations,20the20Secretary20of20State20is20not20required20to20satisfy20himself20of20c
ertain20notary20public20requirements20of20an20applicant,20such20as20education?20-20ans-
TRUE-20example,20when20applicant20applies20less20than20620months20after20his20term20of20not
ary20has20expired,20or20upon20the20application20of20an20attorney20admitted20to20practice20in20N
YS,20and20certain20court20clerks
The20Secretary20of20State20can20remove20a20notary20without20serving2̣ 0a20copy20of20the20charg ̣
es20aga ̣ inst20him?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20the20secretary20of20state20must20serve20the20charge
̣ s20and20gị ve20him20an20opportunity20to20b
e20heard.
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20who20has20been20convicted20of20any20misdeme
anor.20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20person20cannot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20convicted20of20a20felony
No20person20shall20be20appointed20a20notary20public20if20he20has20been20convicted20unlawful20
possession20or20distribution20of20habit20forming2̣ 0narcotic20drugṣ ?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20cannot20be20appointed20a20notary20if20convixted20of20vagrancy
̣ 20or20prostitution20(unles
s20the20person20was20pardoned20or20received20a20certificate20of20go ̣ od20conduct20from20a20par
ole20board).
An20attorney20who20is20a20notary20public20who20moves20to20another20state20shall20be20deeme
d20a20resident20of20the20county20where20he20maintains20an20office20in20NYS?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20this20section20applies20to20attorneys20who20are20admitted 20to20practice20in20NYS20and20are2
0 counselors20in20the20courts20of20record20in20New20York20State.
, The20secretary20of20state20shall20receive20a20fee20of20$2020for20changị ng2̣ 0the20name20or20addr
ess20of20a20notary20public20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20fee20for20changị ng2̣ 0the20name20or20address20of20a20notary20public20is20$10.20als
o,20the20fee20for20issuing2̣ 0a20duplicate20ID20is20also20$10.
Only20the20secretary20of20state20may20issue20a20certificate20of20official20character.20-20ans-
FALSE-20the20county20clerk20may20also20issue20a20certificate20of20office
The20secretary20of20state20shall20collect20$1020for20the20issuance20of20a20certificate20official20c
haracter?20-20ans-TRUE20-
20the20county20clerk20collects20$1020for20the20filling2̣ 0of20the20certificate20of20official20character20
and20$520for20the20issuance20of20a20certificate20of20official20character20with20seal20attached
A20certification20of20a20notarial20sigṇ ature20is20issued20by20the20court?20-20ans-FALSE20-
20a20certification20of20a20notarial20sigṇ ature20is20issued20by20the20county20clerk20for20a20fee20of20
$3
No20person20removed20from20commissioner20of20deeds20in20New20York20City20is20eligị ble20for2
0reappointment20as20commissioner20of20deeds20-20ans-TRUE20-
20also20not20eligible
̣ 20for20appointment20as20a20notary20public
A20commissioner20of20elections20or20inspector20of20elections20is20not20eligị ble20for20the20office2
0of20notary20public.20-20ans-FALSE-20they20are20eligị ble20for20appointment20as20notary20public
No20person20is20eligible
̣ 20for20the20office20of20notary20public20who20was20convicted20of20a20viola
tion20of20the20selective20draft20act20of20MAY2018,201917?20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20not20eligị ble20if20convicted20of20a20violation20of20the20selective20training2̣ 0and20s
ervice20act20of201940
There20shall20be20at20least20one20person20in20the20county20clerk's20office20who20shall20notarize
20documents20for20the20public20free20of20chargẹ .20-20ans-
TRUE-20that20person20shall20be20exempt20from20the20notary20public20examination20fee20and20
application20fee.
A20member20of20the20legị slature20may20not20be20appointed20a20notary20public?20-20ans-
FALSE-20a20member20of20the20legị slature20may20be20appointed20a20notary.
A20sheriff20may20be20appointed20notary20public20-20ans-
FALSE-20Sheriffs20cannot20hold20any20other20office
A20notary20public20shall20not20notarize20a20paper20if20he20has20a20pecuniary20interest20in20the20t
ransaction20-20ans-TRUE-20such20notarization20would20be20invalid
The20sign
̣ ature20and20seal20of20the20county20clerk20on20a20certificate20of20official20character20o
r20authentication20may20be20facsimile,20printed20or20stamped.20-20ans-
TRUE-20also20may20be20photogṛ aphed20or20engṛ aved20thereon
