North Carolina Notary Practice Test: 40 Questions With Answers
Practice for the North Carolina notary exam with the 40 original questions from our practice-test video, each explained with the statute section behind it, then check how to get commissioned under General Statutes Chapter 10B.
A new North Carolina notary takes an approved course of at least 6 hours and passes a written exam, both within the 3 months before applying, answering at least 80% of the questions correctly. The application fee is $50 and nonrefundable. A commission lasts 5 years, and you must take the oath before your county register of deeds within 45 days.
North Carolina notary facts at a glance
| Course | 6+ hours: classroom course approved by the Secretary of State (G.S. 10B-8) |
|---|---|
| Passing score | 80%: on the written course exam (G.S. 10B-8) |
| Application fee | $50: nonrefundable, paid to the Secretary of State |
| Commission term | 5 years: statewide (G.S. 10B-9) |
| Timing | Within 3 months: the course and exam must fall within 3 months before you apply |
| Oath deadline | 45 days: before the register of deeds, after commissioning (G.S. 10B-10) |
| Manual | 2026 edition: North Carolina Notary Public Manual (UNC School of Government); keep the current edition |
Checked against the official North Carolina Secretary of State page and the sources listed at the end of this page on 2026-10-26.
Watch: North Carolina notary video
North Carolina Notary Practice Test 2026: 40 Questions & Answers (NC Notary Exam)
North Carolina notary practice test: 40 questions
Four sections of 10: commissioning; notarial acts and identification; seal, fees and records; and conflicts, penalties and electronic notarization. Each explanation cites the G.S. 10B section it comes from. Every question is original, not from a real exam.
32 or more correct is 80%, the same bar North Carolina sets for the course exam. The real exam may be worded differently, so treat this as practice, not a prediction.
Maximum notary fees in North Carolina
G.S. 10B-31 caps what a notary may charge per notarized principal signature. A notary may charge less, or nothing.
| Notarial act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Paper acknowledgment, jurat or verification | $10 |
| Electronic notarial act | $15 |
| Remote electronic notarization (Part 4A) | $25 |
Source: N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B (Notaries)
Who can become a North Carolina notary
Under G.S. 10B-5, an applicant must:
- Be at least 18 years old or legally emancipated.
- Live or regularly work or do business in North Carolina, and reside legally in the United States.
- Speak, read and write English, and hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Pass the course, buy and keep the most recent approved notary manual, and submit an application with no significant misstatement or omission.
Grounds for denial and the attorney exemption
The Secretary may deny an application for, among other things, a felony conviction or a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude, a revoked or suspended commission or professional license, or a material misstatement on the application. Licensed members of the North Carolina State Bar are exempt from the course and exam.
Steps to your commission
Take an approved course of at least 6 hours and pass the written exam. The Secretary of State lists North Carolina community colleges, N.C. State University, Gaston College, Greensboro College and Guilford College as course providers, and each sets its own tuition. Then submit your application with the $50 fee, all within 3 months of the course.
Once commissioned, take the oath of office before your county register of deeds within 45 days. No act is valid before the oath. Electronic notarization requires an additional course of at least 4 hours plus an exam, and a separate $50 registration.
Renewal (recommissioning)
You may apply to be recommissioned no earlier than 10 weeks before your commission expires, and in most cases you must pass the written exam again. G.S. 10B-11 waives the exam for State Bar members and for notaries continuously commissioned since July 10, 1991 who have never been disciplined.
A note on remote notarization
The statute sets a $25 fee cap for remote electronic notarization under Part 4A, and the practice test covers it. As of October 2026, the Secretary of State's site says emergency video notarization is extended to July 1, 2027, or until the first remote electronic notarization license is issued, so check the Secretary of State's notary pages before relying on remote notarization in practice.
How to use this practice test
Take the full set once, then review your misses first. Satisfactory evidence of identity, the conflict-of-interest rules and the penalties trip people up most. Retake only your missed questions a few days later, and rewrite each rule in your own words. Before your course and again before the exam, read the current manual and confirm any rule changes on the Secretary of State's notary pages.
Sample North Carolina notary questions with answers
One question from each content area of the practice set above, with the answer and explanation. Try it before you open the answer.
Qualifications, course, exam, fee, oath, term
How old must you be to be commissioned as an NC notary?
- 16, with a parent's consent
- 18, or legally emancipated
- 21 or older
- 19 or older
Show answer
B. 18, or legally emancipated
A North Carolina applicant must be at least 18 years old or legally emancipated. That is G.S. 10B-five. There is no parental consent route at 16, and the minimum is not 21.
Acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, satisfactory evidence, appearance
Which is a notarial act a NC notary may perform?
- Certifying a photograph
- Taking a verification or proof
- Drafting a will for a signer
- Giving legal advice on a deed
Show answer
B. Taking a verification or proof
G.S. 10B-20 lists acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, and verifications or proofs. A notary may not certify or authenticate a photograph, under 10B-23, and a non-attorney notary may not give legal help.
Seal, signature, fees, journal, address changes
Which must appear in the notary seal?
- The county of commissioning
- The commission expiration date
- The notary's signature
- A commission number
Show answer
A. The county of commissioning
G.S. 10B-37 requires the commissioned name, the words Notary Public, the county, and North Carolina or an abbreviation. The expiration date must appear on the certificate, but it can be in the seal or elsewhere, so it is not a required seal element.
Disqualifications, prohibited acts, penalties, e-notary, renewal
A notary is a beneficiary of the record. May the notary notarize it?
- No; a beneficiary is disqualified
- Yes, if the signer agrees
- Yes, if the fee is waived
- Yes, if a witness is present
Show answer
A. No; a beneficiary is disqualified
G.S. 10B-20 bars a notary who is a signer of, party to, or beneficiary of the record. Consent, waived fees, or extra witnesses do not cure the conflict.
North Carolina notary FAQ
What score do you need to pass the North Carolina notary exam?
At least 80% of the questions correct, under G.S. 10B-8.
How long is the North Carolina notary course?
At least 6 hours, taught by a provider approved by the Secretary of State, such as a North Carolina community college. The course and exam must be within the 3 months before you apply.
How much does it cost to become a notary in North Carolina?
The state application fee is $50 and nonrefundable. Course tuition is set by each provider, and you must also buy and keep the current notary manual.
How long is a North Carolina notary commission?
Five years, valid statewide. You take the oath before your register of deeds within 45 days of being commissioned.
Do I have to retake the exam to renew my NC notary commission?
Usually yes. Recommissioning requires passing the written exam again, except for State Bar members and notaries continuously commissioned since July 10, 1991 who have never been disciplined.
What is the most a North Carolina notary can charge?
$10 per notarized principal signature for a paper acknowledgment, jurat or verification; $15 for an electronic act; and $25 for a remote electronic notarization.
Related practice and guides
Sources
Exam facts on this page were checked against these official pages on 2026-10-26.
- North Carolina Secretary of State: Become a Notary
- N.C.G.S. Chapter 10B (Notaries)
- UNC School of Government: North Carolina Notary Public Manual, 2026
OpenExamHub is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with the North Carolina Secretary of State or the UNC School of Government. All practice questions are original, not from a real exam. Notary law, fees and course requirements can change; confirm them with the Secretary of State and the current manual.