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Qualifications Applicants for the office of notary public must meet the following criteria: Be at least 18 years of age or older on the application date Be a citizen of the United States or resident alien with a green card Be a resident of the State of New York or have an office or place of business in New York State Be able to read, write and understand English Must pass the State exam for first time applicants No person is eligible for the office of notary public who has been convicted of a violation of the selective draft act of the U.S. enacted May 18, 1917, or the acts amendatory or supplemental thereto, or of the federal selective training and service act of 1940 or the acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto. No person shall be appointed as a notary public who has been convicted, in this state or any other state or territory, of a felony or certain other disqualifying offenses. Note: Only first time applicants and those who have allowed their commission to lapse by more than 180 days, excluding those with a military exemption, must take the exam. Term of Office 4 years Appointment Secretary of State Notary Education Recommended - not required Notary Exam Required by state law Study Course "Notary Public Education Course" FREE when you purchase a Notary Supply Package at The Notary's Store Bond Not required by state law Seal of Office Recommended - not required Notary Journal Recommended by the Notary Learning Center E & O insurance Not required - Errors and Omissions Insurance recommended for notary protection

Application Procedures Step 1: Submit your request for a New York Notary Public Application The application to become a New York notary public is not available online and must be requested from the Division of Licensing Services. You may fax a request to (518) 473-6648, or you may call any of the customer services numbers listed below: New York City: (212) 417-5747 Albany: (518) 474-4429 Binghamton: (607) 721-8757 Buffalo: (716) 847-7110 Syracuse: (315) 428-4258 Utica: (315) 793-2533 Hauppauge: (631) 952-6579 If you wish to request your application by mail you should send your request to: The Division of Licensing Services PO Box 22001 Albany, NY 12201-2001 Note: If you utilize express services or next day ground services such as UPS, Federal Express or DHL etc. you should use the physical address of the building. Alfred E. Smith Building 80 South Swan Street, 10th Floor Albany, NY 12210 Step 2: Complete the New York Notary Public Examination Study the New York notary public license law in preparation for the examination. You may find the information necessary to study for the official exam through the following link: Notary Public License Law When you believe you are ready to take the official State notary public examination you will need to go to: Division of Licensing Services and click on the appropriate link for exam information and scheduling. Be sure to read and understand all information on the exam information pages, and contact their office if you have any unanswered questions before attempting to take the exam. When you pass the exam you will receive a "pass slip" that will need to be included with your application materials. Step 3: Complete the application according to the instructions provided To acquire a New York notary public application you may go to the Division of Licensing Services customer service area, you may also mail, call or fax your request. Please visit: Division of Licensing Services for more information regarding policies at the Division of Licensing Services building as well as fax and phone numbers to request an application packet. You will need to make arrangements to have a notary public take your acknowledgment under oath or affirmation that the information provided in the application is true. The Notary Search feature from Notary-services.com can be helpful in contacting a notary public. Simply click the link below, enter your home ZIP code and click search for a list of notaries public in your area: Click here Notary Search. When you have completed the application and taken your Oath of Office you should send the application, oath of office forms and a $60.00 non-refundable application fee to the Division of Licensing Services at the following address: The Division of Licensing Services PO Box 22001 Albany, NY 12201-2001 Step 4: Receive your commission information and order your supplies from The Notary's Store Upon being satisfied of the competency and good character of applicants for appointment as notaries public, the Secretary of State shall issue a commission to such persons; and the official signature of the applicants and the oath of office filed with such applications shall take effect. A notary public identification card indicating the appointee's name, address, county and commission term shall be transmitted to the appointee. When you receive your notary public identification card, you will have all the information necessary to order your supplies from The Notary's Store. New and Renewing Notary Packages Renewing Notary Packages do not come with a notary journal Please visit The Notary's Store you will be entering the New York section for your official notary supplies. We offer both a New Notary Supply Package and a Renewing Notary Supply Package which include your officially recommended New York Notary Seal/Stamp and other needed notary supplies at a special reduced price. New York law does not require a notary to keep a record of his/her official acts, but it is recommended to do so. A record book will offer an excellent way of recalling past notarial acts. If a notary is called upon to testify in court, a record book may help establish what actually took place. The New York Notary Journal, also available in the online store, was specifically designed for this purpose and contains many elements not available in other registers.To order, enter the required information and scroll down through the page to locate the notary packages, or you can purchase your notary supplies separately. Follow the instructions through checkout. Once you receive your seal and supplies you will be ready to begin your duties as a notary public for the State of New York. Note: An Errors and Omissions Insurance Policy is not required by law, but may be purchased as it protects the notary public and pays for any charges the notary might owe for legal fees and costs should the notary be sued.