To verify a notary public in New York, start with the Secretary of State’s list of active commissions on Open Data NY, then check the stamp on your document against that record, and if you need more assurance, compare the signature on file with the county clerk where the notary qualified. Each method catches something the others miss.
Search the Open Data NY Database
The Department of State does not run its own search form. It publishes the full list of commissioned notaries through Open Data NY, the state’s data portal, and points the public there for lookups.1Department of State. Search Commissioned NYS Notaries Public The dataset sits at data.ny.gov, where you can filter, sort, and export records.
You can search by any of these fields:2State of New York. Commissioned NYS Notaries Public
- Commission Holder Name, the notary’s full legal name as it appears on the commission.
- Commission Number, a unique identifier assigned to each notary. If you have it, this is the fastest route to an exact match.
- Commissioned County, the county where the notary qualified. The dataset has a built-in county filter.
- Commission Type, showing whether the notary holds a traditional commission, an electronic commission, or both.
A matching record also displays the business name and address when available, the commission’s issue date, and its expiration date. New York commissions run four years.3Department of State. Notary Public
What a No-Result Search Actually Means
The dataset lists only active commissions. It does not include expired, inactive, or revoked commissions, and it does not show commissions that lapsed while a renewal is pending.2State of New York. Commissioned NYS Notaries Public So an empty result can mean any of the following:
- The name is misspelled or the county filter is wrong. Try variations, or remove the county filter and broaden the search.
- The commission has expired. A notary whose four-year term has lapsed is not authorized to perform notarial acts.
- The person was never commissioned in New York.
When a record does come up, look at the expiration date. A commission that expires next week is technically valid today, but if your paperwork will take weeks to process or record, use a notary whose commission will still be in force when the document reaches its destination.
Check the Stamp Against the Record
Executive Law §137 sets out exactly what has to appear beneath every notary’s signature. Comparing those details to the Open Data NY record is one of the quickest ways to catch a fake. In black ink, printed, typed, or stamped, a notary must show:4Department of State. Notary Public License Law
- The notary’s full name.
- The words “Notary Public State of New York.”
- The county where the notary originally qualified.
- The commission expiration date.
A notary who has filed a certificate of official character with a second county clerk must note that county as well, and a notary qualified in a New York City county must include the official number assigned by that county clerk. New York does not require a physical seal or embosser. If a notary uses one, it should show the notary’s name and “Notary Public for the State of New York,” but a notarial act is not invalid solely because a seal is missing.4Department of State. Notary Public License Law
If the name, county, or expiration date on the stamp doesn’t line up with the Open Data NY record, treat that as a warning sign and dig further before relying on the document.
Verify Through the County Clerk
The county clerk’s office offers something the online database cannot: signature comparison. When the Secretary of State approves a commission, the commission certificate, oath of office, and the notary’s signature go to the appropriate county clerk. The clerk keeps those records, and the public can access them to verify the notary’s official signature.5NYCOURTS.GOV. Notary Public
This route matters most when you didn’t watch the notary sign, or when you suspect a signature was forged or someone impersonated a notary. Bring the notary’s name and commissioned county to the clerk’s office in that county. The clerk’s office is also where you go if an out-of-state agency asks for a certificate of official character.
Request Written Verification by Mail
If you need official written confirmation, for a legal proceeding or your own records, you can write to the Department of State. Include the notary’s full name, commissioned county, and commission number if you have one, and state that you’re asking for verification of commission status. Send it to:6Department of State. Renew or Update Notary Public License – Contact Us
NYS Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
PO Box 22001
Albany, NY 12201-2001
Plan on several weeks. The Division of Licensing Services has had mailing delays, so for anything time-sensitive, use the online database first or call the county clerk.
Verifying Electronic and Remote Online Notaries
New York authorizes notaries to perform electronic notarial acts using audio-video communication technology under Executive Law §135-c.7New York State Senate. New York Executive Law 135-C – Electronic Notarization Any notary qualified under Article 6 can perform remote online notarizations if the statutory conditions are met. Open Data NY’s “Commission Type” column tells you whether a given notary holds an electronic commission in addition to a traditional one.2State of New York. Commissioned NYS Notaries Public
One boundary to note: New York does not approve or certify remote online notarization platforms, and the Secretary of State does not keep a list of authorized providers. The notary is responsible for making sure the platform complies with state law. So the software used cannot tell you whether the notarization is valid. Verify the notary’s commission status and commission type instead.
Electronically notarized documents carry a digital certificate based on public key infrastructure. Open the file in a PDF reader and click the digital signature to see the certificate details, including who issued it and whether the document has been altered since signing. A certificate error or a modified-document warning means the file has been compromised.
If You Discover the Commission Was Expired
Finding out that a notary’s commission had lapsed when they notarized your document is unnerving, but the law is more forgiving than you might expect. Executive Law §142-a provides that notarial acts are not automatically invalidated by a list of defects, including expiration of the notary’s commission, misspellings in the appointment, failure to file the oath of office, and even a residence change that technically vacates the office.8New York State Senate. New York Executive Law 142-A – Validity of Acts of Notaries Public and Commissioners of Deeds Notwithstanding Certain Defects
The notary personally is not off the hook. Performing notarial acts with an expired commission, or engaging in fraud or deceit in the course of notarial duties, is a misdemeanor under Executive Law §135-a, and the Secretary of State can suspend or remove a notary for misconduct after charges and a hearing.9Department of State. Notary Public License Law So your document probably survives, while the notary could face prosecution and lose the commission.
The §142-a protection is broad but not universal, and the other side of your transaction may still challenge the notarization. Get legal advice before assuming a document is either safe or worthless.
Watch the Fee as a Fraud Signal
An unusually large charge is itself a red flag. New York caps notary fees at $2 for administering an oath or affirmation and $2 for each acknowledgment or proof of execution. Each additional person on the same document is another $2, and swearing each witness is $2.10New York State Senate. New York Executive Law 136 – Notarial Fees A notary who charges substantially more is either violating the fee schedule or bundling in other services that should be broken out separately.
Reporting Suspected Notary Fraud
If verification turns up trouble — someone claiming to be a notary who doesn’t appear anywhere in the records, a stamp with details that don’t match Open Data NY, or a traditional notarization performed without your physical presence — report it to the Department of State. The Secretary of State can investigate, suspend, and remove notaries for misconduct, and fraud or deceit in performing notarial duties is a misdemeanor.9Department of State. Notary Public License Law Departmental action does not block you from pursuing your own civil or criminal remedies.
File a licensing complaint through the Department of State’s website or by writing to the Division of Licensing Services at the address above. Include the notary’s name and commission number, the date and nature of the notarial act, copies of the documents involved, and a clear description of what you believe went wrong.