NOTARY PUBLIC TRAINING FOR OTSEGO COUNTY, NY

Easy-to-Read Lessons

The online course material is essentially the same as what is given at our 3-hour live program. We have presented our live notary seminars at Columbia-Greene Community College, Schenectady County Community College, SUNY Adirondack and The Knowledge Network of Albany.

Practice Exams

Included with your course are three interactive practice exams with 40 questions each, for a total of 120 questions.

Hands-on Learning

We provide you with sample forms (an acknowledgment certificate, affidavit and more) to print out and follow along with the lessons in step-by-step fashion, as though you were actually sitting in our classroom.

Affordable

While typical seminars run from $75 to $175, our online version is only $49. "O.K.," you might say, "That sounds fine — I will save money by taking the class online, even though I might prefer live classroom instruction. But how much are the mandatory State fees that I must pay to become a notary?" Answer: Whether you choose the traditional classroom format or an online option, there is a separate $15 testing fee payable to N.Y. State. After passing the exam, you'll pay the State another $60 for registration, good for FOUR years ($15/year). We cover these details in our Lesson #2, Qualifications & Appointment.

No Commercials

We point you to sources of notary supplies, such as stamps, and services such as Notary Public Errors & Omissions Insurance, without "pushing" any products in particular. We give you straight talk about which product lines are preferred.

Personalized Approach

The instructor begins his presentation by giving you his business card with full contact information, just as he does in the live classroom. He is available to answer your questions via email, telephone, Skype or Zoom. This means you get not only the written self-paced course materials, but also DIRECT ACCESS to a QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR — all for only $49. Please feel free to reach out. We enjoy hearing from our students, and we are interested in being a part of your success! Enroll now.

Office Hours!

On most Mondays at 3:00 PM. All currently enrolled students are welcome to attend. Join the live discussion on exam prep as well as best practices for the real world. You'll receive invitations to these private online meetings (via Zoom) after you enroll.

Preview

Here are eight screenshots to illustrate our online learning format. All materials — the seven lessons, glossary and interactive practice exams — can be viewed on your computer screen or printed out for your own individual use.

The lessons by themselves amount to 50 pages if printed. Our goal is to make your learning experience as easy, convenient and thorough as possible. If you have any questions about the course format or contents, please email Steven.

Comments From Students

"Just a note to let you know that I passed the notary exam. You taught the class at Schenectady County Community College. This was my first time taking the exam, so I wanted to let you know that I passed and to thank you for your helpful study tips."

"I took the class that you taught for the Notary Public. Just letting you know that I finally was able to get down to Albany and take the test. Passed!!! Now I just have to take care of my oath of office and payment. For me, the class was very helpful in preparing for the test."

"Dear Mr. Williams, I took your class at Adirondack Community College. I am pleased to inform you that I passed the Notary Public test on my first attempt. Your class was very helpful. Thank you!"

"Thanks for being so clear and encouraging. I took a notary class about four years ago, from another fellow, and he really went on about how legalistic it is. I was discouraged from taking the test. While being a notary is a large responsibility, I understand the task now, and am looking forward to it! I took the test for the first time, thanks to you."

"I really took the class to boost my prospects on the job hunt. Thanks for helping."

"Thank you, Steven, for an excellent class. You know your business."

"It's always good to take this course as a refresher."

"Thanks for everything. You are great at making the pieces fit together."

"Thanks for your sincere concern about all of us. You made the class much more bearable than I thought it would be. I actually enjoyed it."

"Well, I passed! I wish you the best of luck. Keep on teaching. The class would have been boring without you."

"Thanks for yet another successful class. I'm very grateful for the privilege of being your student."

"I took the Notary class at SCCC and the Test on April 17, and I passed! Thank you so much, I feel the class gave me the advantage and much information. I wanted to be a notary to add a skill to my job as an Administrative Assistant. My boss is very happy."

"I took your notary class in September at CGCC and took my test on 10/16 and passed. They told us a week but I received my results in 3 days as well. Your class did prepare me for the test."

"...After intense studying, I then took the Notary Test and passed!! Your recommendations were 'just the ticket' leading to a successful conclusion. Again, my sincere thanks."

"I wanted to let you know that after taking your class back in October I took the test two days later and passed. I am currently waiting for my stamp which should be in my mailbox today or tomorrow.... Thanks for your assistance with the class. If you can, please let me know when you will be teaching your other classes on additional ways to earn money as a notary."

"Just wanted to say thank you and that I passed the exam! Your course was very to the point and helpful so thank you for that and for always being there to answer my questions!"

"Great news... I passed!! Thank you again for your awesome online course. It was very instrumental to me in successfully passing the test!"

"I signed up for you Notary course online and I have to tell you that is just great, it helped me to pass the test and get my license."

"I am a senior counselor at a non-profit senior center and I needed to get my notary license. Your class was inexpensive, and easy to use. I would like to thank you and your website. With it I was able to study and pass my Notary exam for less than a 1/3 of what local Notary Public classes were going to cost me. I just wanted to thank you."

"Hello Steven, I took my test on May 7th, and just got the notice that I PASSED. Thank you for a great course."

"I would like to share with you the great news... I passed the exam on my first attempt. I feel that your notes gave me the clarity and understanding of what a notary is all about and the ability to pass the exam without any problems. Thanks for the lessons and for all the support by phone."

"Good Morning Mr. Williams, just a little note to let you know that I took my exam and passed. I got my results within 4 days. I already sent my Notary Public application to the State Division of Licensing Services. Thank you so much for all your advice at the class and for reviewing the practice exam with all of us. Excellent!!"

Onward and Upward...

As you can see from the comments listed above, many good things have been said about this course, including the online version, which was launched on October 1, 2011 to reach a wider audience across the entire State of New York. I'm now celebrating the website's 13th full year, and my 15th anniversary of teaching the course to groups. You might be interested to know that the lessons are updated on an ongoing basis, in real time, to keep pace with changing laws, clarify application procedures and address frequently asked questions. Therefore, the material is more relevant and up-to-date than anything you are likely to encounter in traditional formats such as printed textbooks. Also, while there is plenty of reading to do, the online course is not merely an e-book. There are interactive features along with qualified instructor support.

The overall learning experience is as personalized as you would like it to be. Please remember you can feel free to contact me at any time. My telephone number is provided to you upon enrolling in the course. I also communicate via email and Zoom. FYI, we have now prepared a third set of sample test questions and, as a result, there are three practice exams with 40 questions each, for a total of 120 questions! The extra questions are included in the online seminar package as an added bonus. You also get a drag-and-drop vocabulary match game — an effective way to learn the essential vocabulary terms. The vocabulary match game was added to help you sharpen the focus for exam day. In addition, beginning in November 2019, we added Live Office Hours on Monday afternoons. Other improvements are in the works.

Once you have taken the live program or the online course, or both, and if you would like to share your comments, I want to hear from you. I enjoy hearing the success stories of candidates who, with a little help from me, have gone forth to earn passing grades on the state-administered exam, and become duly commissioned (i.e., licensed) notaries. Please email feedback@NotaryEd.Com. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Steven E. Williams
November 26, 2024

COVID-19 Update

Good news... the backlogs at testing centers have eased. This means the procedures for taking the official, state-administered notary exam are easier to navigate than during the difficult years of the pandemic. There were, of course, disruptions to the examination schedule. Let's hope that we have finally seen the worst of it. Early on, I was in touch with the Supervisor of Licensing Services, who oversees the licensing of notaries, security guards, cosmetologists and more. She suggested that I should refer you directly to the official NYS Examination Information and Schedule for up-to-the-minute details. One of the new procedures that has remained in place, since COVID-19, is the requirement that you must bring two #2 pencils. Pencils are no longer provided at the exam.
Here is the link connecting to the latest NYS exam information.

Remote and Electronic Notarization

A hot topic at our Monday afternoon Zoom sessions is Remote Online Notarization (RON). Until fairly recently, all official notarizations had to be performed in person, yet — amazingly — the traditional protocols can now be satisfied through an electronic audio-visual connection! A recording of the audio-visual meeting must be retained by the notary for at least 10 years. This development is nothing short of extraordinary.

When and how did RON come into being in New York State? Here is a timeline: Executive Order No. 202.7 allowed for remote, webcam-style notarizations beginning March 7, 2020 at the start of the pandemic. RON was authorized as an emergency measure during the lockdowns. The Executive Order was extended by the Governor repeatedly from month to month until it finally expired along with New York's state of emergency on June 24, 2021. However, the long-term implications for New York notaries were significant. RON had arrived in New York State in the most unexpected of ways, as a temporary measure while we lived through the most challenging phases of the pandemic.

The momentum kept on building. New York Assembly Bill A399B, sponsored by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, sought to make RON a permanent option alongside traditional notarization. I had the honor of testifying in support of remote methods at the public legislative hearing held on May 7, 2021.

Finally, RON became a permanent part of New York State Law with an effective date of February 25, 2022 per revised and amended Executive Law, Section 135-C. If anyone would like to discuss the future of RON, please feel free to get in touch with me. Changes are happening quickly. There are still some "grey" areas in terms of the implementation of the new rules and regulations. I'm following the situation very closely. For the time being, until we have greater clarity, the learning materials of my course are still focused on traditional in-person methods.

Recommended Resources

• American Society of Notaries

• National Notary Association

• Notary Rotary

• NYS Division of Licensing Services

• Notary Public License Law