NYS License Law 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under New York Executive Law, a notary public commission is valid for how long?
- Two years
- Four years (Correct answer)
- One year
- Three years
Correct answer: Four years
A New York notary public commission lasts four years from the date of appointment.
Under New York Executive Law Article 6, a notary public holds office for a term of four years. The term begins on the date of appointment and the notary must renew before expiration to continue practicing.
Question 2: Which official appoints notaries public in New York State?
- The Governor
- The Secretary of State (Correct answer)
- The Attorney General
- The County Clerk
Correct answer: The Secretary of State
The Secretary of State appoints notaries public in New York.
Under Executive Law §130, the Secretary of State has the authority to appoint and commission notaries public in New York State. The Secretary of State's office also maintains the official registry of all notaries.
Question 3: A notary public convicted of a felony in New York may:
- Continue notarizing with written permission of the court
- Retain the commission until it expires naturally
- Have the commission removed by the Secretary of State (Correct answer)
- Transfer the commission to another person
Correct answer: Have the commission removed by the Secretary of State
A felony conviction is grounds for removal of a notary commission by the Secretary of State.
Executive Law §130 provides that the Secretary of State may remove a notary public from office for misconduct, including conviction of a felony. A felony conviction is an automatic disqualifying event and the Secretary of State can revoke the commission.
Question 4: To be eligible for a New York notary public commission, an applicant must be at least:
- 16 years old
- 18 years old (Correct answer)
- 21 years old
- 25 years old
Correct answer: 18 years old
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to become a notary public in New York.
New York law requires notary public applicants to be at least 18 years of age. This aligns with the general age of majority in New York State.
Question 5: A New York notary public who moves out of state but maintains a New York office or place of business:
- Must immediately surrender the commission
- May retain the notary commission (Correct answer)
- Must reapply as a new applicant
- Is automatically converted to an out-of-state notary
Correct answer: May retain the notary commission
Non-residents who maintain a New York office or place of business are eligible to hold a New York notary commission.
Executive Law §130 allows non-residents to hold a New York notary commission if they have an office or place of business in New York State. This recognizes that many people work in New York but reside in neighboring states.
Question 6: In New York, after passing the notary exam, the applicant submits the application to:
- The local county court
- The New York Department of State (Correct answer)
- The Governor's office
- The State Board of Notaries
Correct answer: The New York Department of State
Applications for notary commissions are submitted to the New York Department of State.
The New York Department of State (through the Secretary of State) processes all notary public applications. After passing the required examination administered by the county clerk, the applicant submits the application and fee to the Department of State.
NYS License Law 2
Under New York Executive Law, a notary public commission is valid for how long?