Rhode Island Notary Test

How the Knowledge Assessment Works

Rhode Island requires all notary applicants to pass a knowledge assessment before submitting their commission application. The assessment is designed to verify that you understand the laws, duties, and ethical standards of the notary office — but the format is more forgiving than many applicants expect.

Here are the key facts:

• Platform: Hosted on ClassMarker, an online testing tool
• Format: Multiple-choice and true/false questions
• Open-book: You can reference materials during the exam
• Passing score: 80% or higher
• Cost: Free — no fee to take the assessment
• Retakes: Unlimited — you can attempt it as many times as needed
• Proctoring: None — the exam is unproctored and taken on your own time
• Score reporting: Self-certified — the system does not transmit your score to the state automatically

That last point is important. When you submit your notary application, you attest on the form that you have studied the required materials and passed the assessment. The state trusts your self-certification. There is no score transcript to attach or verification code to enter.

What the Exam Covers

The questions are drawn directly from two official state documents:

1. Rhode Island Notary Public Manual — covers authorized notarial acts, identification standards, loose certificate wording, and sample scenarios
2. Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public — establishes ethical rules, standard fees, and compliant procedures

Both documents are available as free PDF downloads from the Department of State website. The exam tests whether you have read and understood them, not whether you have memorized every detail — which is why it is open-book.

Topics you should expect questions on:

• Eligibility requirements and grounds for commission denial
• Types of notarial acts (acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, affirmations, verifications of fact)
• Proper identification procedures for signers
• Prohibited acts — particularly the unauthorized practice of law
• Fee caps ($25 per notarial act)
• Stamp and seal requirements
• Family member and conflict-of-interest restrictions
• Journal keeping recommendations
• Electronic and remote online notarization rules

How to Prepare

The most efficient approach is to read both official documents cover to cover before attempting the exam, then keep them open during the test for reference. The manual is the primary source — the Standards of Conduct reinforce the ethical and procedural rules.

The state also offers free training resources:

• Live webinars — scheduled periodically through the Department of State
• Self-guided online training modules — available anytime on the state website

Both are optional but helpful, especially for first-time applicants who want a structured walkthrough of the material. Attorneys and CPAs who attend the live webinar can claim two hours of continuing education credit.

You do not need to pay for third-party training courses to pass this assessment. The official state materials cover everything the exam tests, and the open-book format means you can look up answers to questions you are unsure about.

Common Misconceptions

"I need to schedule the exam at a testing center." No — it is entirely online, taken on your own computer, on your own schedule.

"I only get one attempt." No — you can retake the assessment as many times as needed at no cost.

"My score gets sent to the state." No — you self-certify on your application that you passed. There is no automated score submission.

"I need to pass before studying." Since it is open-book, you can technically take it while studying the manual. But reading the material first gives you a better understanding of the role, which matters more than the test score once you start performing notarial acts.

When to Take It

Take the assessment after you have studied but before you complete the rest of your application. Since the application requires you to self-certify that you passed, you want this done before you bring the form to your local clerk for the voter endorsement or to a notary for the oath of office.

The application requires you to self-certify that you passed. Given that the application process has a natural sequence — study, test, endorsement, oath, submit — there is no reason to delay.

The Rhode Island Notary Commission Process Guide organizes the study materials and assessment into a structured preparation timeline so you can move through each step without backtracking.

See more Rhode Island guides →