If you are applying for a Wisconsin notary commission or renewing one, you will need to pass the online exam from the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). This page sets out the verified exam rules: 30 questions, a passing score of 90% or better, and results shown as soon as you finish. It also has free practice sets by topic and worked examples that explain each answer.
The WI Notary has 30 questions and costs $20[1][2] (Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Corporate and Consumer Services – Notary Public Sectio, verified Oct 22, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
According to Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Corporate and Consumer Services – Notary Public Sectio, “There are 30 questions related to the information from the notary public tutorial.”[1]
The WI Notary exam checks that you understand the material in the DFI notary public tutorial before you are commissioned. DFI states that the exam applies to new and renewing applicants. You must pass it with a score of 90% or better within 1 year before the date of your notary commission or renewal. To confirm whether it applies to your commission type, check the DFI tutorial introduction page.
You need 90% or better to pass. If you score lower, DFI shows you the questions you got wrong and the tutorial chapter each one came from. DFI asks you to review those chapters before you retake the exam. The instructions do not list a waiting period or a retake limit, so read the current DFI exam instructions before you start.
Under the Wisconsin notary statute, applicants who are not attorneys pay a $20 application fee when they file with the department. Attorneys should check DFI for the rules that apply to them. Fees and procedures can change, so the official DFI and statute pages are the final word.
Prepare for the WI Notary - Wisconsin Notary Exam exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: A Wisconsin notary is asked to notarize a document that the notary knows contains false information. What should the notary do?
Answer: C. Refuse to notarize the document to avoid participating in fraud.
Explanation:
C is correct. A notary is an impartial witness to a signature and does not certify that a document's content is true. But if you know a document is false, notarizing it means taking part in a possible fraud, so you must refuse.
Rule to remember: you do not have to check whether the content is true, but you must never knowingly notarize something false.
Question: Can a Wisconsin-commissioned notary perform a remote online notarization for a signer located in another state?
Answer: A. Yes, as long as the notary follows Wisconsin law and the act is valid in the destination state
Explanation:
A is correct. A Wisconsin notary authorized for remote notarization can serve a signer who is in another state. The notary must follow Wisconsin law, and the act must be recognized where the document will be used.
Rule to remember: for remote work, think "my state's law, and a document the destination will accept." Check that the document will be accepted where it is going before you start.
Question: When only ONE credible witness is used to identify a signer in Wisconsin, that witness must be:
Answer: B. Personally known to the notary
Explanation:
B is correct. If you rely on a single credible witness to identify a signer, that witness must be personally known to you, the notary. Your trust in the witness is what makes the identification reliable.
Rule to remember: with one credible witness, the chain runs from the notary to the witness to the signer, and you must personally know the witness.
Treat the DFI tutorial as your main source, since every exam question comes from it. Use our practice sets to check that the material has stuck.
The exam has 30 questions, all based on the DFI notary public tutorial. You need 90% or better to pass. That is a high bar with little room for error, so review every tutorial chapter carefully before you start.
No. DFI says you must complete the exam in one sitting and cannot save it and come back later. Before you begin, make sure you have uninterrupted time and a reliable device and internet connection.
You can retake it. If you score below 90%, DFI gives you a list of the questions you got wrong and the tutorial chapter each one relates to. DFI asks you to go back and review those chapters before retaking. For any waiting period or retake limits, check the current DFI exam instructions.
Straight away. DFI says the final exam is scored as soon as you finish it. If you do not pass, the results include the list of missed questions and their tutorial chapters, so you can start reviewing right away.
You must pass within 1 year before the date of your notary commission or renewal. If you pass too early, the score may not count for your application. Time your exam with your application date in mind, and check the DFI introduction page if you are unsure.
Under the Wisconsin notary statute, applicants who are not attorneys pay a $20 fee when they file their application with the department. Attorneys should check with DFI, because the statute treats them separately. Always confirm the current fee on the official DFI or statute pages before you pay.
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