After You Pass
How does renewal work at four years?
Last Updated: October 4, 2026Renewal is reappointment, and for an on-time renewal there is no re-exam. The window opens 90 days before your commission expires: apply through NY Business Express (form DOS-0026), pay the $60 reappointment fee, and — if you’re a registered electronic notary — verify your registration. Miss the window and you must stop all notarial acts...
What mistakes do new notaries make?
Last Updated: October 4, 2026The course counts four. No journal — 19 NYCRR §182.9 has required contemporaneous records of every act (date and time, act type, name and address, services, credential used) since January 2023, retained 10 years. Overcharging — the §136 fees are maximums; $3 for a $2 acknowledgment is a violation. Notarizing without personal appearance — the...
When can I start charging for notarizations?
Last Updated: October 4, 2026Once your commission is issued and recorded — not before. The practical sequence: application approved, commission transmitted to the county clerk, oath on record, ID card in hand. From that moment you may notarize anywhere in New York State, charging up to the statutory maximum: $2 per notarial act — oath, affirmation, acknowledgment (per person),...
Do I need a stamp, and where do I get supplies?
Last Updated: October 4, 2026A stamp is optional in law but standard in practice. New York requires no seal; the Statement of Authority beneath your signature can be handwritten in black ink — but a stamp guarantees the four required elements are complete and consistent every time, which is why virtually every working notary uses one. Beyond the stamp:...
What happens at the county clerk’s office?
Last Updated: October 4, 2026Mostly nothing you do yourself. After the Secretary of State approves you, the commission, your oath, and your official signature are transmitted to the County Clerk of your county of residence (or your office’s county, for non-residents) by the 10th day of the following month. The clerk records and indexes them — that public record...
How do I apply for my commission after passing?
Last Updated: October 4, 2026Within two years of passing (your pass slip’s validity window), apply online through NY Business Express — the Notary Public Commission application, form DOS-0033 — and pay the $60 application fee, which is non-refundable whether you’re approved or denied. Before you submit, complete the Oath of Office form (DOS-2201) and have it notarized: you cannot...