How to become a NYS notary

How do you get a NYS notary license?

1. Check that you qualify. Our requirements page has New York's rules on age, residence and past convictions.
2. Take the written exam, unless you're exempt. Outside New York City the exams are walk-in; in the city you book by email.
3. Wait for your result in the mail, then apply while your pass is still valid.
4. Fill in the Oath of Office (form DOS-2201), sign it by hand in ink and have it notarized. Scan it as a single-page PDF; a photo isn't accepted.
5. Apply online through New York Business Express with a NY.gov account. Upload a copy, scan or photo of your passing exam slip and the oath, and pay by credit or debit card.
6. Track your application in your NY Business Express dashboard. Don't mail papers unless the Department asks for them.

What the New York application asks

• Your name as it appears on your ID. You can use a first initial only if you give your full middle name.
• Your Social Security or tax ID number, or a written explanation if you have neither.
• A New York residence address, or a New York business address if you live out of state. Your home address can be released under the Freedom of Information Law unless you give a business address.
• Whether you're 18 or older.
• Any convictions, pending charges or past license denials. Answering yes means sending more documents.

After you're commissioned

The Secretary of State sends your commission, oath and signature to the clerk of the county where you live, and the clerk keeps the record so the public can check your official signature. You get an ID card showing your name, address, county and commission term.

Since January 25, 2023, every New York notary must keep a journal of each notarial act, including the ID used, for 10 years. If you often notarize in another county, you can file a certificate of official character with that county's clerk. Name or address changes cost $10, with no fee for a name change due to marriage status.

Is a New York City notary license different?

No. There's one New York State commission, and you apply the same way wherever you live. You're commissioned in your county of residence. The difference in New York City is the exam: you book it by email for 123 William Street instead of walking in.