A county clerk who is not licensed to practice law wants to notarize outside the scope of the clerk's duties. What does NMSA 14-14A-20(B)(6) allow?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(B)(6)
A renewing notary passed the examination before. When does 12.9.3.8 NMAC still require the training and examination again?12.9.3.8(A)(1) NMAC
During what period may a New Mexico notary public perform notarial acts under NMSA 14-14A-20(D)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(D)
For how long do third-party vendors keep examination records, including the applicant's score (12.9.3.10 NMAC)?12.9.3.10(D) NMAC
For how many years does the secretary of state issue a New Mexico notary commission (NMSA 14-14A-20(E))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(E)
How far ahead of a commission's expiration does the secretary of state mail the notice of expiration (NMSA 14-14A-20(G))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(G)
How is the applicant's signature on the surety bond treated under 12.9.3.8 NMAC?12.9.3.8(A)(2) NMAC
How long may the course for a person qualified to be an automatic notarial officer run (NMSA 14-14A-21(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-21(C)
How much notice does a surety give the secretary of state before canceling a notary's assurance (NMSA 14-14A-20(D))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(D)
Show all 143 questions (134 more)
Commission, course and exam, continued
How soon must a notary report a change of name, contact information, signature or stamp to the secretary of state (12.9.3.8 NMAC)?12.9.3.8(E) NMAC
The official stamp rules change during a notary public's term. How long may the notary keep using a registered stamp (NMSA 14-14A-27(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-27(C)
What does a New Mexico notary need after a name change, besides the amended certificate of commission (12.9.3.8 NMAC)?12.9.3.8(E) NMAC
What does an applicant execute and submit before a New Mexico commission is issued (NMSA 14-14A-20(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(C)
What does NMSA 14-14A-20(F) say a notary commission does not give its holder?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(F)
What follows when a new notary does not give the secretary of state a copy of the official stamp (12.9.3.8 NMAC)?12.9.3.8(C) NMAC
What is the amount of the surety bond, or its functional equivalent, that a New Mexico notary files (NMSA 14-14A-20(D))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(D)
What must the course of study for notary applicants cover under NMSA 14-14A-21(B)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-21(B)
What must the secretary of state's electronic database of notarial officers provide under NMSA 14-14A-23?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-23
What score does 12.9.3.10 NMAC require on the New Mexico notary examination?12.9.3.10(C) NMAC
Which applicants must pass the examination under NMSA 14-14A-21(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-21(A)
Which language skill is a qualification for a New Mexico commission under NMSA 14-14A-20(B)(3)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(B)(3)
Which name does an applicant use on the New Mexico notary application under 12.9.3.8 NMAC?12.9.3.8(A) NMAC
Which of these is an automatic notarial officer under NMSA 14-14A-2(B), once an official stamp is registered?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(B)
Which tie to New Mexico does NMSA 14-14A-20(B)(2) ask of an applicant for a notary commission?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-20(B)(2)
Who administers the New Mexico notary examination under NMSA 14-14A-21(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-21(A)
Who is a notarial officer, by the definition in NMSA 14-14A-2(J)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(J)
Within how many days of receiving the commission does a notary give the secretary of state a copy of the official stamp (12.9.3.8 NMAC)?12.9.3.8(C) NMAC
Fees 11
A signer and the notary meet in person and the record is electronic. Which fees apply under 12.9.3.11 NMAC?12.9.3.11(B) NMAC
How is the five dollar maximum for an oath or affirmation without a signature counted (NMSA 14-14A-28(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(C)
What application fee does 12.9.3.8 NMAC set for a notary public commission?12.9.3.8(A)(4) NMAC
What application fee does 12.9.4.8 NMAC set for authorization to perform remote online notarizations?12.9.4.8(A)(5) NMAC
What does 12.9.3.10 NMAC say about the fee for the training and examination?12.9.3.10(B) NMAC
What is the maximum fee for a copy certification in New Mexico (NMSA 14-14A-28(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(C)
What is the most a New Mexico notarial officer may charge for one acknowledgment (NMSA 14-14A-28(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(C)
What may an employer not do about fees for notarial services under NMSA 14-14A-28(B)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(B)
What technology fee may be added for a notarial act on an electronic record, unless a rule sets another amount (NMSA 14-14A-28(E))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(E)
When may a New Mexico notarial officer charge a travel fee (NMSA 14-14A-28(D))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(D)
Which choice does NMSA 14-14A-28(A) leave to the notarial officer?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-28(A)
Powers, limits and the stamp 22
A judicial officer acts within the scope of judicial duties on a record filed in that officer's court. How does NMSA 14-14A-2(I) treat the act?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(I)
A New Mexico notary is out sick for a week. May a co-worker stamp records with the notary's device meanwhile (NMSA 14-14A-17(A))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-17(A)
A New Mexico notary notarizes a record that names the notary's domestic partner as a party. What is the act's status under NMSA 14-14A-3(B)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-3(B)
A record carries the signature and title of a New Mexico county clerk who notarized it. What weight does NMSA 14-14A-9(B) give them?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-9(B)
A record names the notarial officer's spouse as a party. What does NMSA 14-14A-3(B) say?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-3(B)
A signer in Albuquerque seems to be signing under pressure from a relative. On which ground does NMSA 14-14A-7(A) let the officer refuse?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-7(A)
A stamping device is stolen. What does NMSA 14-14A-17(B) require?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-17(B)
How is an official stamp applied to a tangible record under 12.9.3.14 NMAC?12.9.3.14(C) NMAC
What does 12.9.3.13 NMAC say about a notarial officer's official stamp?12.9.3.13(D) NMAC
What does a notary public do with the stamping device when the commission expires (NMSA 14-14A-17(A))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-17(A)
What does NMSA 14-14A-7(C) forbid, in accordance with the Human Rights Act?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-7(C)
What is the "official notary seal", unless the secretary of state adopts one for notarial officers (NMSA 14-14A-2(L))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(L)
What may a notarial officer certify about an electronic record under NMSA 14-14A-3(C)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-3(C)
What must an official stamp be capable of under NMSA 14-14A-16(B)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-16(B)
What type size does 12.9.3.14 NMAC set for the official stamp?12.9.3.14(C) NMAC
When is an official stamp required on a notarial act performed in New Mexico (NMSA 14-14A-9(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-9(C)
When is the official stamp filed with the secretary of state under NMSA 14-14A-16(C)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-16(C)
Which act does the definition of "notarial act" in NMSA 14-14A-2(I) include?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(I)
Which date does a notarial officer enter on a record under 12.9.3.13 NMAC?12.9.3.13(C) NMAC
Which details of a notary public does the official stamp carry under NMSA 14-14A-16(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-16(A)
Which words does 12.9.3.14 NMAC add to the official stamp of a commissioned notary public?12.9.3.14(A) NMAC
Who may perform a notarial act in New Mexico under NMSA 14-14A-9(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-9(A)
Notarial acts and certificates 23
A New Mexico notary certifies a copy of a diploma. Which opening words does the short form in NMSA 14-14A-15(E) give?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-15(E)
A notary public performs a notarial act on a tangible record. What does NMSA 14-14A-14(B) say about the official stamp?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(B)
A signer in Roswell cannot physically hold a pen. Under NMSA 14-14A-8, who may sign the signer's name at the signer's direction?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-8
A tenant in Santa Fe asks a notary public to notarize the signature on a lease. What does NMSA 14-14A-5(A) require?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(A)
A title company asks a New Mexico notary to sign certificates the day before a closing. When does NMSA 14-14A-14(E) let the signature go on?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(E)
By the definition in NMSA 14-14A-2(A), what does the person making an acknowledgment before a New Mexico officer declare?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(A)
How does witnessing or attesting a signature differ from an acknowledgment under 12.9.3.12 NMAC?12.9.3.12(F) NMAC
How may a notarial officer check a copy when certifying it under 12.9.3.12 NMAC?12.9.3.12(E) NMAC
In what manner does the notarial officer sign and date a certificate under NMSA 14-14A-14(A)(2)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(A)
What does 12.9.3.12 NMAC ask the notarial officer to ensure when an individual signs a tangible record?12.9.3.12(A) NMAC
What does a notarial officer certify by executing a certificate of a notarial act (NMSA 14-14A-14(D))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(D)
What does an apostille in the Hague Convention form, issued by a foreign state party, establish under NMSA 14-14A-13(D)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-13(D)
What does an officer who certifies a copy determine under NMSA 14-14A-4(D)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-4(D)
What does an officer who makes or notes a protest of a negotiable instrument determine (NMSA 14-14A-4(E))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-4(E)
What does the certificate of a notary public indicate under NMSA 14-14A-14(A)(5)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(A)
What does the notarial officer insert when another person signs for an individual who cannot (NMSA 14-14A-8)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-8
What effect does a notarial act performed in another state have in New Mexico under NMSA 14-14A-10(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-10(A)
When is a certificate of a notarial act executed under NMSA 14-14A-14(A)(1)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(A)
Where does the certificate go when a notarial act is performed on a tangible record (NMSA 14-14A-14(F))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-14(F)
Which New Mexico notarial act is a declaration, on oath or affirmation, that a statement in a record is true (NMSA 14-14A-2(S))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-2(S)
Which person's notarial act under federal law is given effect by NMSA 14-14A-12(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-12(A)
Which wording is the short-form certificate for a verification on oath or affirmation (NMSA 14-14A-15(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-15(C)
Whose law must authorize the person who performs a notarial act in the jurisdiction of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or pueblo (NMSA 14-14A-11(A))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-11(A)
Identity and the journal 21
A New Mexico notary keeps the journal on paper. What form does NMSA 14-14A-18(B) require of it?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(B)
A New Mexico notary makes the final entry in a journal today. For how long is that journal then retained (NMSA 14-14A-18(A))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(A)
A notary public resigns the commission. What does NMSA 14-14A-18(F) say about the journal?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(F)
A retired New Mexico notary would rather not store an old journal for a decade. Where may it be sent under NMSA 14-14A-18(G)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(G)
A signer has no passport, driver's license or nondriver card and shows a different government identification. What must it contain (NMSA 14-14A-6(B)(1)(b))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-6(B)
After an office move, a New Mexico notary cannot find the journal anywhere. What does NMSA 14-14A-18(D) require?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(D)
For personal knowledge of identity under NMSA 14-14A-6(A), what must a New Mexico officer's dealings with the individual do?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-6(A)
How long before the notarial act may a driver's license have expired and still identify the signer (NMSA 14-14A-6(B))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-6(B)
How many journals at a time does NMSA 14-14A-18(B) allow, at the most?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(B)
Identity rested on a driver's license. What does the journal entry say about the credential (NMSA 14-14A-18(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(C)
In what format must entries from an electronic journal be available to the public or the state ethics commission (12.9.3.15 NMAC)?12.9.3.15(E) NMAC
What does a notarial officer review on a signer's identification document under 12.9.3.13 NMAC?12.9.3.13(B) NMAC
What does the journal entry state when identity rests on personal knowledge (NMSA 14-14A-18(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(C)
What may a former employer keep of a notary public's journal under 12.9.3.15 NMAC?12.9.3.15(D) NMAC
What may a notarial officer ask of an individual under NMSA 14-14A-6(C)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-6(C)
What must a journal kept in an electronic format be under NMSA 14-14A-18(B)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(B)
When is a journal entry made under NMSA 14-14A-18(C)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(C)
When must a notarial officer licensed to practice law keep a journal (NMSA 14-14A-18(E))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(E)
Where does a current or former notary public store the journal under 12.9.3.15 NMAC?12.9.3.15(B) NMAC
Which credible witness meets NMSA 14-14A-6(B)(2)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-6(B)
Which item belongs in every journal entry under NMSA 14-14A-18(C)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-18(C)
Remote and electronic acts 20
A lender tells a New Mexico notary to use the lender's e-signing platform, which the notary has not selected. What does NMSA 14-14A-19(A) say?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-19(A)
A New Mexico officer relies on identity proofing for a remotely located individual. How many types does NMSA 14-14A-5(C)(1)(c) call for?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(C)
A remotely located individual fails the knowledge-based authentication quiz twice. What does 12.9.4.11 NMAC say?12.9.4.11(B) NMAC
A remotely located individual is outside the United States. Which condition does NMSA 14-14A-5(C)(4) set?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(C)
For how long is the audiovisual recording of a remote notarial act kept, unless a rule sets a different period (NMSA 14-14A-5(F))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(F)
How many questions, at the least, make up a knowledge-based authentication quiz under 12.9.4.11 NMAC?12.9.4.11(B) NMAC
How must communication technology let the officer and the remotely located individual communicate (NMSA 14-14A-5(K))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(K)
The video feed is interrupted during a remote online notarization. What does 12.9.4.12 NMAC require?12.9.4.12(C) NMAC
What comes first for a notarial officer who wants to notarize remotely under 12.9.4.8 NMAC?12.9.4.8(A) NMAC
What does a notarial officer do before the first notarial act for a remotely located individual (NMSA 14-14A-5(G))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(G)
What does the notarial officer create during a notarial act for a remotely located individual (NMSA 14-14A-5(C))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(C)
What extra item goes in the journal for each remote online notarization under 12.9.4.15 NMAC?12.9.4.15(B) NMAC
What is "credential analysis" under 12.9.4.7 NMAC?12.9.4.7(B) NMAC
What is an "in-person electronic notarization" under 12.9.3.7 NMAC?12.9.3.7(D) NMAC
What kind of technology does a notarial officer select for acts on electronic records (NMSA 14-14A-19(A))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-19(A)
Where must a notarial officer be when performing a remote online notarization under 12.9.4.10 NMAC?12.9.4.10(A) NMAC
Which statement on a certificate shows that a notarial act was performed for a remotely located individual (NMSA 14-14A-5(E))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(E)
Whom does a provider of communication technology appoint as its agent for service of process in a related civil action (NMSA 14-14A-5(J))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-5(J)
Whose status does an officer verify before using a system for a remote online notarization (12.9.4.12 NMAC)?12.9.4.12(D) NMAC
Within what time must all the knowledge-based authentication questions be answered (12.9.4.11 NMAC)?12.9.4.11(B) NMAC
Prohibited acts and penalties 19
A conviction of a felony, or of a crime of fraud, dishonesty or deceit, counts under NMSA 14-14A-22(A)(3) when it falls within which period?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-22(A)
A non-attorney notarial officer promotes notarial services online. What must the statement required by NMSA 14-14A-24(D) say?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(D)
A notarial officer fails to meet a requirement of the act, apart from the conflict rule. What happens to the notarial act (NMSA 14-14A-25)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-25
A notary moves out of New Mexico and no longer works in the state. How does NMSA 14-14A-22(A)(10) treat that?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-22(A)
A person performs a purported notarial act knowing the commission has expired. What does NMSA 14-14A-24(I) make it?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(I)
In which languages must the non-attorney statement of NMSA 14-14A-24(D) appear?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(D)
On what may the secretary of state deny or refuse to renew an applicant under NMSA 14-14A-22(B)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-22(B)
On which record may a notarial officer not perform a notarial act under NMSA 14-14A-24(F)(1)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(F)
What does a commission as a notary public not by itself authorize under NMSA 14-14A-24(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(A)
What does NMSA 14-14A-24(E) say about an original record that a person hands over for a notarial act?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(E)
What does NMSA 14-14A-24(G)(1) forbid about a certificate of a notarial act?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(G)
What does NMSA 14-14A-25 say about a purported notarial act by a person with no authority to perform notarial acts?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-25
What is the largest fine for a violation of the prohibited acts in NMSA 14-14A-24, under subsection H?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(H)
What is the longest imprisonment for a violation of the prohibited acts in NMSA 14-14A-24, under subsection H?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(H)
What may the title of notary public or the official stamp not be used for under NMSA 14-14A-24(F)(4)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(F)
Which body may revoke, suspend or impose a condition on a notarial officer under NMSA 14-14A-22(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-22(A)
Which of these is a listed ground for action against a notary public under NMSA 14-14A-22(A)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-22(A)
Which of these may a New Mexico notarial officer not certify or authenticate (NMSA 14-14A-24(F)(2))?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(F)
Who may use the term "notario" or "notario publico" under NMSA 14-14A-24(C)?NMSA 1978, 14-14A-24(C)
How this list was compiled: Written from the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, NMSA 1978, Sections 14-14A-1 to 14-14A-32, in the current official code of the New Mexico Compilation Commission, Chapter 14 (https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/item/4383/index.do), and from the Secretary of State's rules 12.9.3 NMAC, Notarial Procedures (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0003.pdf), and 12.9.4 NMAC, Remote Online Notarization Standards (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title12/12.009.0004.pdf), all read 2026-10-13. Exam format facts are from 12.9.3.10 NMAC and the Secretary of State's notary training page, https://www.sos.nm.gov/notary-and-apostille/notary-commissions/training-resources/, read 2026-10-13. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices and explanations were written for this site from the statute and rule text; nothing is copied from another practice test, from the state's examination, from its required course or from the Secretary of State's Notarial Officer Handbook. Short quotations from the statute and rules are marked.
How it works
This unofficial New Mexico notary practice test holds 143 questions written from the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts, NMSA 1978, Chapter 14, Article 14A, and rules 12.9.3 and 12.9.4 NMAC. Each answer names its section. Checked October 13, 2026.
Read the full guide
The NM notary exam follows a required course
NMSA 14-14A-21 bases the examination on a course of study that covers the laws, rules, procedures and ethics relevant to notarial acts. The Secretary of State's training page, read October 13, 2026, asks the course and exam of all notarial officers, automatic notarial officers included.
What is New Mexico's own in these questions
Automatic notarial officers, a $10,000 bond, a stamp filed with the Secretary of State within 45 days, and the state ethics commission as the body that suspends or revokes a commission (NMSA 14-14A-2, 14-14A-20, 14-14A-22; 12.9.3.8 NMAC).
Identification may have expired no more than one year before the act (NMSA 14-14A-6).
The term is four years. The journal is kept ten years after its last entry (NMSA 14-14A-20, 14-14A-18).
A prohibited act is a misdemeanor: a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months, or both (NMSA 14-14A-24).
Questions and answers
What score passes the NM notary exam?
80% or higher, by 12.9.3.10 NMAC and the Secretary of State's training page, read October 13, 2026. Neither prints a question count, so an exam set here is 25 questions, a size this page chose. A pass here shows you know the statute and rules.
Are these the real New Mexico notary exam questions?
No. This site has never seen the state's examination or its course and is not affiliated with the New Mexico Secretary of State. Every question was written from NMSA 14-14A and the Secretary's rules. No commissioned New Mexico notary has reviewed the answers yet.
Who has to take the New Mexico notary exam?
NMSA 14-14A-21 requires it of an applicant who holds no New Mexico commission. Under 12.9.3.8 NMAC a renewing notary who passed before repeats it only if the commission expired more than a year ago or the law changed substantially.
Where do I take the NM notary exam?
Through the provider the Secretary of State approves; the office's training page, read October 13, 2026, links to it. The provider's fee is separate from the $30 application fee (12.9.3.10 NMAC).
How much can a New Mexico notary charge?
Up to $5 for an acknowledgment, a jurat, or an oath without a signature, and 50 cents a page for a copy certification with a $5 minimum. A technology fee of up to $25 may be added for an electronic record (NMSA 14-14A-28).