Notary Public Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
1) When can a notary public reapply for commission without re-testing? - Answer1) Up
until 6 months from expiration date.
2) Up until 1 year after military discharge (except dishonorable)
3) When the renewal is mailed to the notary public reminding that expiration date is in 3
months.
/.2) Who is appointed to accept process service on behalf of the notary public who is a
non-resident? - AnswerThe Secretary of state.
/.3) Can a notary public be denied reappointment at the time of renewal, even if in
excellent, good standing? - AnswerYes, in any case the appointment is at the complete
discretion of the Secretary of State.
/.4) What are the general notary public eligibility requirements, although not limited to
these? - Answer1) US Citizen.
2) Reside or have a place of business in state.
3) Good moral character.
4) Common school education.
5) No felony convictions. No convictions of weapons, burglar instruments or burglary,
stolen property, unlawful entry, aiding prison escape, possession/distributing drugs,
violations of selective draft act.
6) 18 years old.
/.5) Does the notary public receive an ID or license? - AnswerYes, receives an ID card
within 2 weeks of Secretary of State receipt of passed exam with fee and application.
/.6) What is the term of the notary public commission? - Answer4 years.
/.7) Who issues the notary public id/license? - AnswerSecretary of State. The Division of
Licensing Services.
/.8) How does the notary public renew his license and when? - AnswerApproximately 3
months prior to the expiration, a renewal application is posted to the notary public,
which must be completed and returned with the $60 fee to the County Clerk.
/.9) What does a notary public do? - Answer1) Administer oaths / affimrations.
2) Take affidavits and depositions.
3) Receive / certify acknowledgements, deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney.
4) Demand / accept or payment of foreign and inland bills of exchange, promissory
notes and obligations in writing protesting the same for non-payment.
,/.10) Who commissions or license a notary public? - AnswerSecretary of State forwards
the commissions, the original oath of office and signature of the newly appointed notary
public to the county clerk.
/.11) What happens when a notary public moves out of the state and does not at least
retain an office address within the state? - AnswerBy doing so he vacates his office
commission.
/.12) How many notary public can the Secretary of State appoint? - AnswerAs many as
he/she likes.
/.13) What are the general regulations and procedures at the test center? - Answer1)
Photo ID.
2) Thumb print taken.
3) Arrive at least 15 minutes early.
4) First-come, first-serve
5) Bring two #2 pencils.
6) No study materials allowed
7) 1 hour to take the test, 40 multiple choice questions, 70% passes
/.14) What are 4 examples of activities involving the practice of law which are prohibited
for the notary public and can result in the removal from the office, possible
imprisonment or both? - Answer1) Giving advice on law, drawing papers, or any legal
documents recognized by courts.
2) Asking for or getting legal business to give to a lawyer and getting paid (it's ok to give
business to a lawyer if not being compensated.
3) Notary service on wills
4) Doing anything that infers you can give advice like advertising.
/.15) When are the only times a notary public can engage indirectly in the practice of
law? - AnswerNever, unless representing own self.
/.16) Of the 2 simplest forms of oath, what is required for both? - AnswerOath /
affirmation
1) A person who's oath is being taken must be in the presence of authorized office
(notary public) to administer it.
2) It must be an unequivocal and present act by which the affiant consciously takes
upon himself the obligation of oath.
/.17) What is the alternate simplest form in which an oath may be administered for those
who conscientiously decline taking an oath? - AnswerAffirmation: Do you solemnly,
sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the statements made by you are true and
correct?
"Plan B"
, /.18) Unacceptable to the Secretary of State is "slipshod" administration. What is the
simplest form which an oath may lawfully be administered (given) by the notary public? -
Answer"Do you solemnly swear that the contents of the affidavit subscribed by you is
correct and true?"
/.19) What happens if a document is notarized by a person who is not actually a notary
public? - AnswerSection 142A of the Executive Law deems it valid although the fake
notary public can still be prosecuted.
/.20) What choices does a woman notary who marries have for name to use? -
AnswerA) Married name.
B) Both maiden and married names.
C) Maiden name for life.
/.21) What are the notary public licensing fees? - Answer1) $15 exam.
2) $60 license, renew
3) $10 changes name and address
4) $10 duplicate ID cards
/.22) When is the one time you may take acknowledgements /affidavits over the phone
or without actually seeing the person making (signing) the acknowledgements? -
AnswerNever is it illegal.
/.23) How is the deviation or departing from the step-by-step procedures required of the
notary public viewed by the authorities? - Answer1) serious offense.
2) illegal.
3) subjects notary public license to revocation and / or prosecution.
/.24) Can a non-state resident be a notary public in the state? - AnswerYes,...
a) we can work in the state and may reside outside the state.
b) non-residents working within the states.
c) oath of office and signature must still be filed in county of their office.
/.25) When would the county clerk normally be called upon to authenticate the signature
of the notary public? What is the fee? - AnswerWhen documents will be used outside
the state, $3 fee.
/.26) How would you be notified of your exam result and what do you do next once you
pass? - AnswerPassed slip is mailed to you. Fill out application and return with fee.
Failed slip is mailed to you... you may retake the exam immediately.
New exam schedules from the State are updated two times per year.
You are not advised of what you got wrong.
/.27) What type of exam is given? - Answer$15 fee, multiple choice, 40 questions on the
machine readable score sheet,70% or 28 correct answers are required to pass.
Correct Answers
1) When can a notary public reapply for commission without re-testing? - Answer1) Up
until 6 months from expiration date.
2) Up until 1 year after military discharge (except dishonorable)
3) When the renewal is mailed to the notary public reminding that expiration date is in 3
months.
/.2) Who is appointed to accept process service on behalf of the notary public who is a
non-resident? - AnswerThe Secretary of state.
/.3) Can a notary public be denied reappointment at the time of renewal, even if in
excellent, good standing? - AnswerYes, in any case the appointment is at the complete
discretion of the Secretary of State.
/.4) What are the general notary public eligibility requirements, although not limited to
these? - Answer1) US Citizen.
2) Reside or have a place of business in state.
3) Good moral character.
4) Common school education.
5) No felony convictions. No convictions of weapons, burglar instruments or burglary,
stolen property, unlawful entry, aiding prison escape, possession/distributing drugs,
violations of selective draft act.
6) 18 years old.
/.5) Does the notary public receive an ID or license? - AnswerYes, receives an ID card
within 2 weeks of Secretary of State receipt of passed exam with fee and application.
/.6) What is the term of the notary public commission? - Answer4 years.
/.7) Who issues the notary public id/license? - AnswerSecretary of State. The Division of
Licensing Services.
/.8) How does the notary public renew his license and when? - AnswerApproximately 3
months prior to the expiration, a renewal application is posted to the notary public,
which must be completed and returned with the $60 fee to the County Clerk.
/.9) What does a notary public do? - Answer1) Administer oaths / affimrations.
2) Take affidavits and depositions.
3) Receive / certify acknowledgements, deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney.
4) Demand / accept or payment of foreign and inland bills of exchange, promissory
notes and obligations in writing protesting the same for non-payment.
,/.10) Who commissions or license a notary public? - AnswerSecretary of State forwards
the commissions, the original oath of office and signature of the newly appointed notary
public to the county clerk.
/.11) What happens when a notary public moves out of the state and does not at least
retain an office address within the state? - AnswerBy doing so he vacates his office
commission.
/.12) How many notary public can the Secretary of State appoint? - AnswerAs many as
he/she likes.
/.13) What are the general regulations and procedures at the test center? - Answer1)
Photo ID.
2) Thumb print taken.
3) Arrive at least 15 minutes early.
4) First-come, first-serve
5) Bring two #2 pencils.
6) No study materials allowed
7) 1 hour to take the test, 40 multiple choice questions, 70% passes
/.14) What are 4 examples of activities involving the practice of law which are prohibited
for the notary public and can result in the removal from the office, possible
imprisonment or both? - Answer1) Giving advice on law, drawing papers, or any legal
documents recognized by courts.
2) Asking for or getting legal business to give to a lawyer and getting paid (it's ok to give
business to a lawyer if not being compensated.
3) Notary service on wills
4) Doing anything that infers you can give advice like advertising.
/.15) When are the only times a notary public can engage indirectly in the practice of
law? - AnswerNever, unless representing own self.
/.16) Of the 2 simplest forms of oath, what is required for both? - AnswerOath /
affirmation
1) A person who's oath is being taken must be in the presence of authorized office
(notary public) to administer it.
2) It must be an unequivocal and present act by which the affiant consciously takes
upon himself the obligation of oath.
/.17) What is the alternate simplest form in which an oath may be administered for those
who conscientiously decline taking an oath? - AnswerAffirmation: Do you solemnly,
sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the statements made by you are true and
correct?
"Plan B"
, /.18) Unacceptable to the Secretary of State is "slipshod" administration. What is the
simplest form which an oath may lawfully be administered (given) by the notary public? -
Answer"Do you solemnly swear that the contents of the affidavit subscribed by you is
correct and true?"
/.19) What happens if a document is notarized by a person who is not actually a notary
public? - AnswerSection 142A of the Executive Law deems it valid although the fake
notary public can still be prosecuted.
/.20) What choices does a woman notary who marries have for name to use? -
AnswerA) Married name.
B) Both maiden and married names.
C) Maiden name for life.
/.21) What are the notary public licensing fees? - Answer1) $15 exam.
2) $60 license, renew
3) $10 changes name and address
4) $10 duplicate ID cards
/.22) When is the one time you may take acknowledgements /affidavits over the phone
or without actually seeing the person making (signing) the acknowledgements? -
AnswerNever is it illegal.
/.23) How is the deviation or departing from the step-by-step procedures required of the
notary public viewed by the authorities? - Answer1) serious offense.
2) illegal.
3) subjects notary public license to revocation and / or prosecution.
/.24) Can a non-state resident be a notary public in the state? - AnswerYes,...
a) we can work in the state and may reside outside the state.
b) non-residents working within the states.
c) oath of office and signature must still be filed in county of their office.
/.25) When would the county clerk normally be called upon to authenticate the signature
of the notary public? What is the fee? - AnswerWhen documents will be used outside
the state, $3 fee.
/.26) How would you be notified of your exam result and what do you do next once you
pass? - AnswerPassed slip is mailed to you. Fill out application and return with fee.
Failed slip is mailed to you... you may retake the exam immediately.
New exam schedules from the State are updated two times per year.
You are not advised of what you got wrong.
/.27) What type of exam is given? - Answer$15 fee, multiple choice, 40 questions on the
machine readable score sheet,70% or 28 correct answers are required to pass.
