How to Become a Notary Public in NYC: Exam, Fees, and Renewal

To become a notary public in NYC, you meet New York’s basic eligibility rules, pass a 40-question state exam, and submit an online commission application through NY Business Express. The combined state fees come to $75 ($15 for the exam, $60 for the application), and a commission lasts four years once issued. It authorizes you to notarize documents anywhere in the five boroughs and throughout the rest of New York State.

Who Qualifies

New York Executive Law Section 130 sets the baseline. You must be at least 18, and either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. You also need to live in New York or maintain a place of business here. Residency in any borough satisfies the requirement. If you live in New Jersey or Connecticut but work at an office in the city, you still qualify as long as you can document that New York work location.

The state also asks for a “common school education,” which in practice means basic literacy, and “good moral character.” The application requires a full disclosure of criminal history, and false answers can lead to denial or perjury charges.

There is one shortcut. If you are already admitted to the New York State Bar, or you are a court clerk in the Unified Court System who was promoted through a civil service exam in the court clerk series, you can skip the written exam. You still pay the $60 application fee and complete the rest of the process.¹

The Notary Exam

Everyone else takes the state exam. The Department of State publishes a Notary Public License Law booklet on its website, and every exam question comes from that material.² It reads like the collection of statutes that it is. Focus on unauthorized practice of law, identification procedures, and the rules governing acknowledgments and oaths, since those areas come up repeatedly. The exam now also covers electronic and remote notarization, so don’t skip those sections.

Exams are administered walk-in at testing centers around New York City on a published schedule. No appointment is needed, seating is first-come, first-served, and late arrivals are turned away.³ Check the Department of State site for current dates and the Manhattan location before you go.

Bring three things: a current government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, U.S. passport, state non-driver ID, military ID, Employment Authorization Card, IDNYC card, or an accepted consular ID); two No. 2 pencils, since the center does not supply them; and the $15 nonrefundable exam fee, payable by check or money order to the Department of State, or by Visa or MasterCard. Cash is not accepted.³ The center also collects a thumbprint at check-in.

The test is 40 multiple-choice questions with a one-hour time limit. You need 28 correct — 70% — to pass. Results are mailed; you will not see your score at the testing center.

Applying for Your Commission

Once your passing notice arrives, you file the commission application online through NY Business Express. Paper filings by mail are not the current process.⁴ The sequence:

Download the Oath of Office form from the Department of State website.
Complete the oath and have it notarized by a current notary public.
Scan the notarized oath into a PDF.
Create a NY.gov account (or log in to one you already have) and open the Notary Public Commission application (DOS-0033) on NY Business Express.
Fill in your personal details, disclose any criminal history, upload the scanned oath, and pay the $60 nonrefundable application fee.

With the $15 exam fee, your total state cost is $75. Review typically takes several weeks, and you can log in to NY Business Express to track status.⁴

What Arrives and What You Need to Work

If approved, the Secretary of State mails you a commission and a notary public identification card. The state also sends your commission details and signature to the County Clerk in the borough where you live, so the public can verify your signature.¹ Confirm that your name appears exactly the way you want it used on notarized documents, because inconsistencies cause problems later.

New York does not require a rubber stamp or embossed seal. It does require that specific information appear clearly beneath your signature on every document you notarize, whether printed, typed, or stamped:

Your name exactly as it appears on your commission
The words “Notary Public, State of New York”
The county where you originally qualified
Your commission expiration date
If you’ve filed a certificate of official character in another county, a note identifying that county

Most notaries buy a pre-made rubber stamp that contains all of this. Notary supply kits with a personalized stamp and a record journal generally run $40 to $130. New York does not require a bond.

What You Can Charge

New York caps notary fees at $2 per person to administer an oath or affirmation, and $2 per person to take an acknowledgment. Each additional signer on the same document is another $2. Swearing in a witness is also $2.⁵ Overcharging exposes you to criminal prosecution, civil liability for treble damages, and possible removal from office. Remote online notarization is capped separately at $25 per act.

Keeping a Journal

Since January 2023, every New York notary — including those who only do traditional in-person work — must keep a journal of all notarial acts for 10 years.¹ Each entry has to include:

The date, approximate time, and type of notarial act
The name and address of each person for whom you performed the act
The type of identification the signer provided

Electronic notaries have an additional obligation: an audio and video recording of every electronic notarial act, on top of the written journal.¹ A missing or incomplete journal is a common ground for discipline, and it removes your best defense if a notarization is later challenged.

Remote Online Notarization

A standard commission does not automatically let you notarize documents over a video call. To do remote work, you need a separate electronic notary registration on top of your commission. Executive Law Section 135-C requires you to register the capability to perform electronic notarial acts with the Secretary of State before doing any remote notarizations.⁶ There is no separate registration fee, but you pay a $60 application fee through the same NY Business Express portal. You will also need to sign up with an approved remote online notarization platform, which sets its own monthly or per-transaction fees.

Renewing and Updating Your Commission

Commissions last four years.² Renewal costs $60 and runs through NY Business Express in the same way as the initial application.⁴ Do not let your commission lapse. Notarizing on an expired commission can invalidate the document and expose you to liability.

If you move, change your name, or change your business address during the four-year term, notify the Department of State using the Change Notice form (DOS-1473-f).⁷ A name or address change also means updating the identifying information printed beneath your signature, so plan on a new stamp.

Conduct That Can End Your Commission

The Secretary of State can suspend or remove a notary after notice and a hearing. The most common grounds are overcharging, notarizing when the signer is not personally present, notarizing your own signature, and the unauthorized practice of law. That last one catches well-meaning notaries who help someone fill out legal forms or offer advice on which document to sign. Penalties range from administrative removal to criminal charges, and you are personally liable to anyone injured by your misconduct for damages they can prove.

1
Department of State. Notary Public – Frequently Asked Questions
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Department of State. Notary Public
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New York Department of State. January – March 2026 Notary Public Walk-In Examination Schedule and Exam Information
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Department of State. Become a Notary Public
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New York State Senate. New York Executive Law 136 – Notarial Fees
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New York State Senate. New York Executive Law 135-C – Electronic Notarization
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Department of State. Renew or Update Notary Public License