How to Become a Notary in New York

What It Takes to Qualify

New York notary commissions are issued by the Department of State (DOS), Division of Licensing Services. The basic requirements are straightforward: you must be at least 18 years old, either a resident of New York State or someone who maintains a place of business within the state, and you need the equivalent of a common school education with enough English proficiency to read laws and administer oaths.

Citizenship is not required. The Supreme Court ruled in Bernal v. Fainter (1984) that states cannot deny notary commissions based on citizenship, so permanent residents with green cards are eligible.

Convicted felons and certain misdemeanor offenders face disqualification under Corrections Law Article 23-A, though the DOS considers applicants who have received an executive pardon, a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities, or a Certificate of Good Conduct.

Two groups skip the written exam entirely: attorneys admitted to the New York State Bar, and court clerks of the Unified Court System who passed a civil service promotional exam in the court clerk series. Both still pay the $60 application fee and submit the Oath of Office.

Step 1: Pass the Written Exam

The exam is a 40-question, multiple-choice test with a one-hour time limit, covering the New York Notary Public License Law booklet. It's administered on a walk-in basis at 10 designated state testing centers: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Franklin Square, Hauppauge, New York City, Plattsburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica.

Bring a current government-issued photo ID with your signature, two #2 pencils, and $15 for the testing fee (check, money order, or credit card authorization form — no cash). Proctors collect a thumbprint before admitting you.

The passing score is 70%. Results arrive by mail in about 10 days as a simple pass/fail — no numerical score is provided. Your passing result stays valid for exactly two years. If you don't submit your application within that window, you retake the exam.

Step 2: Execute the Oath of Office

When your pass slip arrives in the mail, complete the Oath of Office form (DOS-2201). You must sign it in ink — physically, not digitally — in front of a currently commissioned New York notary public, who then adds their jurat and stamp.

Scan the completed oath as a single-page PDF. The licensing system rejects photo formats (JPEG, PNG) and multi-page uploads.

Step 3: Submit Your Application Online

Create or log into a New York Business Express account using your NY.gov ID. Navigate to the Notary Public Commission Application (Form DOS-0033), enter your personal details and exam pass date, upload the scanned oath PDF, and pay the $60 application fee with a credit or debit card.

One thing to know: your application address is subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law. If privacy matters to you, use a business address — only that address gets disclosed in FOIL requests.

Step 4: County Clerk Registration

After the DOS approves your application, the state automatically forwards your commission, oath, and signature specimen to the County Clerk of your home county (or the county where your business is located, if you're a non-resident).

You'll receive a printable PDF identification card via email from the DOS. It shows your name, commission address, county of qualification, UID license number, and commission term. The term is four years.

Processing takes roughly 4 to 6 weeks from application submission.

Step 5: Get Your Supplies

Before performing any notarial act, you need a compliant journal and must apply the required identifying information below the signature in black ink by printing, typing, or stamping it. New York does not mandate a physical ink stamp; if you use one, it must display your name exactly as commissioned, "Notary Public, State of New York," your county of qualification, commission expiration date, and your UID license number.

Your journal must be sequentially numbered and designed to prevent page removal, or you can use a compliant electronic ledger. Under 19 NYCRR Part 182, all New York notaries — including traditional in-person notaries — must keep a detailed journal of every notarial act and retain records for 10 years.

What the Whole Process Costs

Here's the mandatory spending: $15 for the exam and $60 for the application, totaling $75 in government fees. Supplies (journal and optional stamp or other compliant method of applying the required information) typically run $25 to $65 from commercial vendors. Your total baseline investment is roughly $100 to $140.

New York does not require a surety bond. Some commercial vendors bundle bonds into their supply packages, but this is optional spending — not a state mandate.

After You're Commissioned

Once your commission is active, you can notarize anywhere in New York State — your jurisdiction covers all 62 counties. The statutory maximum fee for a traditional in-person notarial act is $2 per signature.

If you want to register your signature in additional counties (useful for document authentication), you can file a Certificate of Official Character with any County Clerk for $10, after getting the certificate from your home county for $5.

Any changes to your name, address, or email must be reported to the DOS within five days. The name or address change fee is $10, except for marriage-related name changes, which are free.

Interested in expanding beyond traditional notarizations? New York permanently authorized Remote Online Notarization (RON) under Executive Law Section 135-c, with electronic notaries able to charge up to $25 per act — though RON requires a separate registration and technology investment.

For a walkthrough of every step with compliance checklists and recordkeeping templates, get the complete New York notary commission toolkit.

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