Pass the NYS notary exam on your first try
Updated October 2026 · Based on the NY Department of State Notary Public License Law
The New York notary exam is short, but it is precise. One hour, multiple choice, on paper, and full of exact numbers that are easy to mix up. This site gives you the official facts, and a way to drill them.
Start here
| Free practice test | 20 exam-style questions with the answer and the rule behind it. |
|---|---|
| Exam format | How many questions, how long, what to bring, languages, results. |
| Exam dates 2026 | Test sites, how often they run, walk-in vs NYC booking. |
| Is it hard? | Where candidates lose points, and how to study in a week. |
| Cheat sheet | The numbers you must know cold: fees, days, years, penalties. |
| How to become a notary in NY | Eligibility, cost, the 5 steps from exam to commission. |
| Renewing your commission | When to renew, the $60 fee, and when you must retake the exam. |
Why most candidates lose points
The exam covers the official Notary Public License Law booklet published by the Department of State. The booklet is free, but it is dense: statutes, regulations, a glossary and a fee schedule packed into about twenty pages. Nobody fails because the ideas are hard. People fail because they confuse $2 and $25, 5 days and 10 days, a jurat and an acknowledgment.
That is why every page here is organized around what the exam actually tests: exact numbers, close definitions, and what a notary may never do.
What the state publishes, and what it does not
The Department of State confirms the format (multiple choice, 1 hour), the fee, the ID rules and the topics. It does not publish the number of questions or the passing score. You will read "40 questions, 70% to pass" on many sites: that figure is unofficial. Since results come back as pass or fail only, the safe target is to score 80% or more on practice questions before exam day.
The five things to know before you go
- Bring a current government photo ID with signature, the $15 fee (check, money order or card, never cash) and two #2 pencils.
- Arrive at least 15 minutes early. Late arrivals are not admitted.
- No reference material of any kind is allowed in the room.
- You can take the exam in English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian or Chinese. Tell the proctor when you arrive.
- Your pass is valid for 2 years: apply for your commission before it expires.