NY Notary Prep / NYS notary exam format: what to expect
NYS notary exam format: what to expect
Updated October 2026 · Based on the NY Department of State Notary Public License Law
Here is exactly how the New York notary exam runs, based on the Department of State's own exam instructions, plus a clear line between official facts and the numbers that only circulate online.
The official format at a glance
| Question type | Multiple choice |
|---|---|
| Format | Paper and pencil, in person. Bring two #2 pencils (not provided) |
| Time allowed | 1 hour, starting after the instructions |
| Fee | $15 per exam, check or money order to "Department of State", or MasterCard/Visa. No cash |
| Languages | English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian, Chinese |
| Reference material | Not allowed. The exam is not open book |
| Results | By mail, pass or fail only, no score |
| Validity of a pass | 2 years from the exam date |
| Content | License law, general terms, and the duties and functions of a notary, as covered in the official Notary Public License Law booklet |
How many questions? What score do you need?
This is the most searched question about the exam, and the honest answer is: the state does not say. The Department of State's exam instructions describe the format, timing and topics, but not the number of questions or the cut-off score.
Many study sites state "40 questions, 70% to pass". Others say 30 or 50 questions, or 80%. None of these figures appear in official material. What is official is that you only receive pass or fail, so you will never know by how much you passed or missed.
The practical consequence: do not aim to scrape by. Aim to score 80% or more on practice questions before exam day, so a few unlucky questions cannot sink you.
What you must bring
- A current, government-issued photo ID with your signature: driver's license, non-driver state ID, US or foreign passport, military ID, Employment Authorization Card, IDNYC, certificate of US citizenship, and certain consular IDs (Brazil, Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador) are on the accepted list.
- The $15 fee by check, money order or card.
- Two #2 pencils.
Do not bring dictionaries, books, large bags or briefcases. Phones must be turned off. Using notes, helping someone or taking exam material out of the room gets you dismissed.
On exam day
Arrive at least 15 minutes early: late arrivals are turned away. If you want to take the exam in one of the six non-English languages, tell the proctor when you check in. Candidates who need testing accommodations for a disability must request them in advance from the Department of State.
If you fail
You can retake the exam on another date of your choice. Each attempt costs another $15. There is no waiting period mentioned in the official instructions, so the limit is really how fast you can fix your weak spots. Since you will not get a score, use practice questions to find out which topics cost you points.
What the questions look like
Expect direct recall ("What is the maximum fee for administering an oath?") and short scenarios ("A customer asks you to notarize a document over the phone..."). The trickiest questions pair two close numbers or two close terms. Try 20 of them on the free NY notary practice test.