The Connecticut notary exam is a written test built into the application package itself, not a proctored sit-down at a testing center. You complete it on your own time, every question comes directly from the state’s Notary Public Manual, and the Secretary of the State requires every answer to be correct before issuing your commission.1Connecticut Secretary of the State. Notary Public Licensing
How the Exam Works
There is no exam appointment to schedule and no testing fee separate from the application. The questions are part of the application packet you download from the Secretary of the State’s website, and you submit your answers alongside the rest of your paperwork through the eLicense portal.
The pass standard is strict. You must answer every question correctly. One wrong answer and the application will not move forward, so treat this as an open-book exercise where you verify each answer against the manual before submitting rather than a test of memory.
The Notary Public Manual Is Your Only Study Source
Every question on the exam is drawn from the Notary Public Manual published by the Secretary of the State. Download the current version from the Secretary of the State’s site before you start. The manual has been updated to reflect Public Act 23-28, which added remote notarization authority in October 2023, so working from an older copy will leave gaps on topics the exam now covers.
Read the manual once through, then use it as a lookup document as you work the questions. The exam focuses on the technical rules for performing notarial acts, how to verify a signer’s identity, and the obligations and liabilities that come with the office.
What the Exam Tests
The Four Notarial Acts
Connecticut law recognizes four types of notarial acts, and the exam expects you to tell them apart.2Justia. Connecticut Code 3-94a – Notaries Public, Definitions
An acknowledgment certifies that a signer whose identity you’ve confirmed has voluntarily signed a document for its stated purpose. A jurat certifies that the signer made a voluntary signature in your presence and took an oath or affirmation that the document’s contents are truthful; the sworn statement about truthfulness is what separates it from an acknowledgment. An oath or affirmation certifies that a person made a vow on penalty of perjury, with an oath referencing a Supreme Being and an affirmation not. Copy certification is comparing a photographic or electronic copy against an original and certifying that the copy is accurate and complete; you cannot certify copies of vital records, documents a government agent must record, or federal documents that federal law prohibits copying.
Using the wrong certificate type can invalidate a document, which is why these distinctions carry weight on the exam.
Signer Identification
Connecticut gives you two ways to confirm a signer’s identity. The first is personal knowledge, defined as familiarity built through enough interaction over time to eliminate reasonable doubt about who the person is.2Justia. Connecticut Code 3-94a – Notaries Public, Definitions
When you don’t know the signer personally, you need “satisfactory evidence of identity”: at least two current documents, one issued by a federal or state government containing the person’s signature and either a photograph or physical description, and a second from an institution, business, or government entity containing at least the person’s signature. Social security cards and birth certificates do not qualify. If the signer has no proper documents, a credible witness who is personally known to you can vouch for the signer’s identity under oath.2Justia. Connecticut Code 3-94a – Notaries Public, Definitions
Remote Online Notarization
Since October 2023, Connecticut has authorized remote online notarization under Section 3-95b. You and the signer must communicate simultaneously by sight and sound using approved technology. Identity verification options for remote work include personal knowledge, a government-issued photo ID presented on camera, identity proofing through a third-party service that checks public or private data sources, or a credible witness who is either physically present with one of you or connected by live audio and video.3Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 33 – Secretary
Because the manual was updated to cover these procedures, expect exam questions on remote notarization rules.
Before You Can Apply: Eligibility
You need to clear the basic qualifications before the exam does you any good. You must be at least 18 years old and either live in Connecticut or maintain a principal place of business in the state. The Secretary of the State also evaluates whether you are a fit and proper person for the role, which the Certificate of Character helps establish.2Justia. Connecticut Code 3-94a – Notaries Public, Definitions
What You Submit With Your Exam Answers
The Certificate of Character
Someone else has to complete and sign a Certificate of Character on your behalf. That person must be a public official or a reputable business or professional person who is not related to you and has personally known you for at least one year.1Connecticut Secretary of the State. Notary Public Licensing Fill in every field before you upload. Blank fields and family-member signatures are the two most common reasons an application stalls.
The Application Fee
The non-refundable application fee is $120, payable by credit card, debit card, or ACH from a checking account.5Connecticut Secretary of the State. Notary Public Licensing
Submitting Through eLicense
Submit everything through the Connecticut eLicense portal at elicense.ct.gov. Create an account, then select “Online Services,” “Initial Application,” and “Notary Public Certification.” Upload your completed application, your exam answers, and the Certificate of Character.4Connecticut Secretary of the State. Notary Public Licensing
Processing takes several weeks and can run longer during high-volume periods. Watch your email for the digital copy of your commission certificate.
After You Pass: Record Within 30 Days
Receiving the certificate does not let you start notarizing. You have 30 days from the date you receive it to record the commission with the town clerk in the town where you live and take an oath of office in person.1Connecticut Secretary of the State. Notary Public Licensing The town clerk administers the oath and collects a signature sample. Recording fees vary by town; Stafford, for example, charges $20.6Town of Stafford, CT. Notary Services
Miss the 30-day window and your commission may be voided, meaning you’d start the whole application over. Put the deadline on your calendar the day the certificate arrives.