Checked on October 23, 2026, against the DOS Notary Public License Law booklet (September 2026 edition, 22 pages), the current July - December 2026 exam notice and the New York City November - December 2026 notice.
This NY notary exam study guide explains what the exam covers, how the official booklet is organized and how to study it, as of October 2026. DOS writes the exam from one free booklet, the Notary Public License Law, so the booklet is the core of any set of NYS notary exam study materials. If you are looking for an NYC notary exam study guide, the exam and the booklet are the same in New York City as everywhere else in the state. We also answer two common questions honestly: how many questions are on the NYS notary exam (DOS does not publish it) and whether the notary exam is hard.
What the NY notary exam covers
The DOS notice names three areas, "license law, general terms and information related to the duties and functions of a notary public," and points to the booklet for all of them. DOS does not publish how many questions come from each part. Get the current edition from the DOS notary page; the edition checked for this guide is dated September 2026.
What is in the September 2026 booklet
The booklet has eight parts: an introduction, professional conduct, appointment and qualifications, powers and duties, restrictions and violations, the DOS rules (19 NYCRR Part 182), about four pages of definitions and general terms and a schedule of fees. Most of it is statute text from the Executive Law, the Real Property Law, the Penal Law and other laws, with some older court and Attorney General opinions.
Our practice follows the booklet in 8 sections of equal weight. The table shows where each section comes from, so that you can check any answer against the booklet.
| Our practice section | Booklet parts |
|---|---|
| Appointment and Commission | Executive Law 130-133 and 140; Public Officers Law 3; County Law 534; renewal (19 NYCRR 182.10) |
| Powers and Limits | Executive Law 135, 135-b and 138; Domestic Relations Law 11; Banking Law 335; practice-of-law rules; advertising (182.1) |
| Oaths, Affirmations and Affidavits | Professional conduct (oath forms); CPLR 2309; the jurat; depositions (CPLR 3113) |
| Acknowledgments, Proofs and Certificates | Real Property Law 290-333; Executive Law 137 and 142-a; identity (182.5) |
| Fees and Recordkeeping | Executive Law 136; Public Officers Law 67 and 69; schedule of fees; records (182.9) |
| Electronic Notarization | Executive Law 135-c; 19 NYCRR 182.3-182.8 and 182.11 |
| Misconduct and Penalties | Executive Law 135-a; Judiciary Law 484, 485 and 750; Penal Law; Public Officers Law 15; removal |
| Legal Terms | Definitions and general terms (the glossary) |
How many questions are on the NYS notary exam?
DOS does not publish the number of questions or a pass mark. Its notices say only that the exam is multiple choice, that you get 1 hour and that "all exam results are reported as either passed or failed; you will not get a numerical score" (DOS notice). One county clerk page, from Oneida County, says you must answer at least 70 percent of the questions correctly. That is a county statement, not a DOS one. Many websites print a fixed question count as fact; no DOS source states one, so we do not give one, and our practice tests are our own length.
Is the notary exam hard?
DOS does not publish a pass rate, so nobody can say from official data how many people pass. What the official sources do show:
- The material is limited. Everything comes from one 22-page booklet.
- It is closed book. No dictionaries, books or other reference materials are allowed, and phones must be off (DOS notice).
- The details are exact. Many questions turn on a number (4 years, $2, 10 years) or a precise rule, such as who must appear in person.
- A miss costs $15. You can retake on another date of your choice, and each attempt costs $15.
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How to study the booklet
- Read the whole booklet once. Skim the statute text for the rule in each section; you do not need to memorize section numbers word for word.
- Make a list of the numbers. The box below has the ones that appear most often.
- Learn the pairs that are easy to mix up: an acknowledgment (the signer confirms signing) and an affidavit (a statement made under oath); an oath and an affirmation (legally the same); the statement under your signature (required) and a seal (not required).
- Read the glossary twice. The definitions and general terms run about four pages and include older legal words such as chattel, laches and codicil.
- Practice and check every miss against the booklet. Each of our questions names the booklet section it tests.
The booklet does not always agree with itself. For example, its schedule of fees and the text of Executive Law 132 give different amounts for filing a certificate of official character with a county clerk. Where two parts differ, read the statute section and the current DOS guidance, and note the difference rather than memorizing one figure.
Four original examples
These examples are our own, written from the booklet. Each answer cites the booklet section it tests. More are in the free NY notary practice test.
Example 1 (Fees and Recordkeeping)
Angela Ruiz and her brother Marcus both sign a deed, and a notary takes the acknowledgment of each of them. Under Executive Law 136, what is the most the notary may charge for the two acknowledgments?
- A. $2
- B. $4
- C. $5
- D. $25
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Executive Law 136 allows $2 for each person whose acknowledgment is taken, so two signers allow $4. The $25 figure is the fee for an electronic notarial act under 19 NYCRR 182.11, and $5 is the amount in pending bills, not the law. Booklet: Executive Law 136.
Example 2 (Acknowledgments, Proofs and Certificates)
Kevin Park signed a mortgage at home and calls a notary he knows well. He asks the notary to take his acknowledgment over the phone. What should the notary do?
- A. Take the acknowledgment, because the notary knows Kevin's voice
- B. Take it if Kevin emails a copy of his driver's license
- C. Refuse, because the signer must appear before the notary
- D. Take it and write "by telephone" on the certificate
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The booklet's professional conduct section says a telephone acknowledgment is illegal: the signer must personally appear before the notary. Knowing the person does not replace appearance. Electronic notarization by live audio-video is a separate process for registered electronic notaries only. Booklet: Professional Conduct; Real Property Law 303.
Example 3 (Acknowledgments, Proofs and Certificates)
Under Executive Law 137, which item must a New York notary print, type or stamp in black ink beneath the signature on a certificate?
- A. The notary's Social Security number
- B. The words "Notary Public State of New York"
- C. An embossed seal
- D. The signer's address
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Section 137 requires, beneath the signature, the notary's name, the words "Notary Public State of New York," the county where the notary originally qualified and the commission expiration date. New York law does not require a seal. Booklet: Executive Law 137.
Example 4 (Legal Terms)
According to the booklet's definition of "Sunday," which of these may NOT be taken on a Sunday?
- A. An oath
- B. An affidavit
- C. An acknowledgment
- D. A deposition in a civil proceeding
Show answer
Correct answer: D. The booklet's glossary says oaths, affidavits and acknowledgments may be taken on Sunday, but a deposition in a civil proceeding may not. Booklet: Definitions and General Terms, "Sunday."
What DOS does not publish
- The number of questions and the pass mark.
- How many questions come from each part of the booklet.
- The pass rate and the number of people who take the exam.
- How long it takes for mailed results to arrive.
Common mix-ups, checked against official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free NY notary exam study guide?
Yes. The DOS Notary Public License Law booklet is free on the DOS website, and it is the source DOS names for the exam topics. This guide and our free practice test are free too.
Is there a separate NYC notary exam study guide?
No. The exam and the booklet are the same in New York City and the rest of the state. Only the scheduling differs: the New York City exam is by email request.
Can I bring the booklet or notes to the exam?
No. Dictionaries, books and other reference materials are not allowed, and anyone found using notes or aids is dismissed.
How long is the NY notary exam?
You get 1 hour, and the time starts when the instructions end.
Can I take the exam in another language?
Yes. DOS offers it in Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian and Chinese. Tell a proctor when you check in.
What score do I need to pass?
DOS does not publish a pass mark and reports only pass or fail. One county clerk page, Oneida County, says at least 70 percent; DOS has not confirmed that figure.
Does the booklet change?
Yes. DOS re-issues it; the edition checked here is dated September 2026. Check the DOS notary page for the current edition before you study.
Next steps: see the NY notary exam schedule for dates and what to bring, read how to become a notary in NY for the steps after you pass, or go to the NY Notary Public Exam page for our practice sections.
Official sources
- DOS: Notary Public License Law booklet, September 2026 (PDF)
- DOS: July - December 2026 Notary Public Walk-In Written Examination Information and Schedule (PDF)
- DOS: November - December 2026 Notary Public Examination Instructions and Schedule, New York City (PDF)
- DOS: Notary Public
- NY Executive Law section 136
- NY Executive Law section 137
- NY Senate bill S10280 (pending)
- Oneida County Clerk: Notary Public Walk-In Examination (county page)
PrepRaven is an independent exam-prep site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the New York Department of State or any New York State agency. This guide describes the rules as published; it is not legal advice. Always confirm the rules in the current DOS notice and the current Notary Public License Law booklet.
Last updated October 2026