The NYS notary oath of office, Form DOS-2201, is a one-page sworn statement you complete, sign in front of a qualified officer, and submit to the New York Department of State with your application and a $60 non-refundable fee.1New York State Senate. New York Code EXC 131 – Procedure of Appointment; Fees and Commissions; Fee Payment Methods Without a properly executed oath, the state will not issue your commission, no matter how well you did on the exam.
What to Have Ready Before You Fill It Out
DOS-2201 is one of the last steps in the notary process, not the first. Unless you are a New York-admitted attorney or a Unified Court System court clerk who earned the position through a civil service promotional exam in the court clerk title series, you have to pass the state notary public examination before filing anything.2New York Department of State. Become a Notary Public
You also need to satisfy the residency rule. At the time of appointment you must either live in New York or keep an office or place of business in the state. Attorneys admitted in New York who maintain a law office here can qualify while living in an adjoining state.3New York State Senate. New York Code EXC 130 – Appointment of Notaries Public
Download the current version of DOS-2201 directly from the Department of State. The Department instructs you to complete the oath before you start the application, not after, and if you plan to file online you’ll need a scanned copy of the finished, notarized form ready to upload.4New York Department of State. DOS-2201 Notary Public Oath of Office
Filling In the Applicant Section
The applicant fields are short: your full legal name, home address, and county of residence. That’s it. Print or type in black ink, and make sure the name and address match exactly what you’ll put on your application. Mismatches are one of the most common reasons packages get sent back.
Leave the “FOR OFFICE USE ONLY” section near the top of the form alone. Those boxes, including the appointment date and unique ID number, are filled in by the Department of State when they process your file.4New York Department of State. DOS-2201 Notary Public Oath of Office Writing in that area causes confusion during processing.
The center of the form contains the pre-printed oath. You do not draft it yourself:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Notary Public for the State of New York according to the best of my ability.”4New York Department of State. DOS-2201 Notary Public Oath of Office
Your job is to read it and sign it in front of the person administering the oath.
Signing in Front of a Qualified Officer
You cannot sign DOS-2201 alone at your kitchen table. The form instructions direct you to sign in the presence of a commissioned notary public.4New York Department of State. DOS-2201 Notary Public Oath of Office The governing statute, New York Public Officers Law § 10, is broader: judges of the Court of Appeals, the Attorney General, any officer authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds, and certain filing officers or their designated assistants can also administer oaths of office.5New York State Senate. New York Public Officers Law 10 – Official Oaths For most applicants, a notary at a bank or shipping store is the practical choice.
One point worth clearing up: CPLR 2309, which governs oath administration in other legal contexts, explicitly does not apply to oaths of office.6New York State Senate. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules CVP 2309 Public Officers Law § 10 controls here.
At the signing, appear in person, present identification, and sign the form while the officer watches. The officer then completes the jurat at the bottom, recording their name, signature, commission details, and stamp or seal. Check that section before you walk out. A form missing the officer’s signature, stamp, or commission information is not a valid oath, and the Department of State will reject it.
Swearing or Affirming
The oath text includes “or affirm” in parentheses. If you have a religious or personal objection to swearing, you can affirm instead. Both carry identical legal weight. Tell the officer which version you want before you sign.
Submitting the Form, Application, and Fee
New York offers two submission routes: online through NY Business Express or by mail. The Department of State encourages online filing for faster processing.2New York Department of State. Become a Notary Public
Online
Log in to NY Business Express and upload a scanned PDF of your completed, notarized DOS-2201 when the application prompts you. Keep the scan legible. A blurry phone photo can hold up processing. Pay the $60 fee electronically during checkout.
By Mail
Send the executed DOS-2201, the completed application, and a $60 check or money order payable to the “Department of State” to:
NYS Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
PO Box 22001
Albany, NY 12201-20012New York Department of State. Become a Notary Public
Acceptable payments include cash (in person only), money orders, certified checks, company checks, bank checks, personal checks, and credit or debit cards for online submissions.1New York State Senate. New York Code EXC 131 – Procedure of Appointment; Fees and Commissions; Fee Payment Methods The $60 is non-refundable whether or not your application is approved, and it covers your entire four-year term. Use a trackable mailing method. If the envelope disappears, your payment and original notarized oath go with it.
Mistakes That Get the Form Returned
Most rejected DOS-2201 filings come down to administrative slip-ups, not legal problems:
- Name mismatch between the oath and the application. Use the same legal name on both, spelled the same way.
- Missing or incomplete jurat. If the administering officer forgot to sign, stamp, or fill in their commission details, the oath is not valid.
- Wrong fee amount or check made out to the wrong entity. The fee is exactly $60, payable to the Department of State.
- Writing in the “For Office Use Only” section at the top of the form.
- Material misstatements on the application, such as a false address or concealed criminal history. These are grounds for denial and can lead to removal from office if discovered later.7New York Department of State. Notary Public License Law
Renewals Use the Same Form
DOS-2201 is not a one-time document. When your four-year commission approaches expiration, you execute a fresh oath, submit it with your renewal application, and pay another $60.1New York State Senate. New York Code EXC 131 – Procedure of Appointment; Fees and Commissions; Fee Payment Methods You can start the renewal up to 90 days before your commission expires, and the Department of State recommends filing through NY Business Express for quicker turnaround. If you file a paper renewal, include your name, license number (UID), home address, and expiration date exactly as they appear on record. Inaccurate information will cause the renewal to be returned.8New York Department of State. Renew or Update Notary Public License