New York State Exam New York State Notary Public Exam 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which New York State agency administers the Notary Public licensing exam?
- New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services (Correct answer)
- New York State Bar Association
- New York State Department of Education
- New York State Office of the Attorney General
Correct answer: New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services
The New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services administers the Notary Public exam and issues the license.
Question 2: What is the passing score required on the New York State Notary Public Exam?
- 60%
- 70% (Correct answer)
- 75%
- 80%
Correct answer: 70%
Applicants must score at least 70% on the New York State Notary Public written exam to pass.
Question 3: How long is a New York State Notary Public commission valid?
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 4 years (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely
Correct answer: 4 years
A New York State Notary Public commission is valid for 4 years from the date of appointment.
Question 4: Which of the following individuals is automatically a notary public in New York without taking the exam?
- A bank teller
- A licensed attorney admitted to practice in New York (Correct answer)
- A retired judge
- A certified public accountant
Correct answer: A licensed attorney admitted to practice in New York
Attorneys admitted to practice law in New York are automatically qualified to serve as notaries public without taking the written exam.
Question 5: A New York notary public may NOT perform notarial acts in which situation?
- When notarizing a document for a family member in most cases
- When the notary has a financial interest in the transaction (Correct answer)
- When the document is typed rather than handwritten
- When asked to notarize multiple documents at once
Correct answer: When the notary has a financial interest in the transaction
A notary public must not notarize documents in which they have a direct financial or personal interest, as this creates a conflict of interest.
Question 6: What is the maximum fee a New York notary public may charge for taking an acknowledgment?
- $0.25
- $2.00 (Correct answer)
- $5.00
- $10.00
Correct answer: $2.00
New York law caps the fee for taking an acknowledgment at $2.00 per signature.
Which New York State agency administers the Notary Public licensing exam?