Arizona Notary Exam FAQ: 45 Questions, Open Book, 80% to Pass

Yes, but not the way most people assume. The Reference Manual is provided inside the exam interface as a searchable PDF, and azsos.gov states that “a physical copy is NOT allowed at testing sites or during remote testing.” No printed manual, no notes, no phone, no second screen. Everything you may use is on the exam screen.

Two practical consequences. During the exam, use the interface’s built-in search bar: test-takers report it works well, and at least one has reported that the browser’s Ctrl+F shortcut did not. While studying, learn the manual’s structure (which chapter and statute number hold which rule) rather than memorizing sentences, because the exam measures whether you can find and apply a rule in about 80 seconds. That approach, in depth: How to Study for the Arizona Notary Exam.

80%, at least 36 of 45 correct. You can miss at most 9 questions (Manual, p. 14). Your score appears on screen when you submit, and an email follows with your score, your Candidate ID number, and, if you passed, the link that generates your official notary application.

60 minutes, timed from the start of the session (Manual, p. 14). Individual test-takers commonly report finishing in 20-30 minutes when they have read the manual; treat those as anecdotes, not a plan.

$35, paid to the testing vendor (Pearson VUE), not to the Secretary of State. The exam moved from Prometric to Pearson VUE, and the October 2026 manual and azsos.gov agree on the current terms: $35, registration through Pearson for a Candidate ID Number, and the 3-attempts-then-30-days retake rule. Older prep pages may still quote the legacy Prometric notice at $46.75.

The safe procedure: open azsos.gov, follow its current “Notary Exam Registration” links, and pay the fee the current vendor posts. Registration is direct with the vendor; no third party needs to be paid to register you. The full breakdown of what changed, what conflicts, and what to do: Prometric or Pearson VUE? The Transition, Explained.

It depends on which vendor’s rules apply to your registration. The two currently posted versions:

Either way, every attempt costs the exam fee again. Screenshot the retake terms when you register so you know which rule governs you. That is the practical answer until the transition finishes.

No one is exempt. The manual’s page 14 language is unqualified: *”Effective July 1, 2025 all Arizona notaries must pass a notary exam to receive or renew a notary commission”* (A.R.S. § 41-270). We found no exemption in the statute or on azsos.gov: not for attorneys, not for prior-commission holders, not for consecutive renewals. If you hold an Arizona notary commission, the exam is part of every renewal.

One exception category exists, and it is the opposite of an exemption: notaries under suspension or discipline receive a different exam, administered directly by the Secretary of State rather than through the testing vendor (Manual, p. 14). Suspended notaries are contacted by the SOS with instructions.

Submit your request with supporting documentation at least 3-5 business days before your exam. The Secretary of State has published BusinessServices@azsos.gov for exam-requirement questions; its current filing tips state that testing-site accommodations are submitted directly through Pearson (888-405-5776). Because the vendor transition is live, verify the current accommodations route on azsos.gov when you book. The contact path is the one thing in this process that has moved more than once.

No. Arizona requires an exam, not a course. The manual itself (p. 14) adds a warning that bears repeating: *”The State of Arizona does not designate an official trainer or endorse companies who train notaries. Be wary of any company claiming to be an ‘official’ trainer.”* That includes us: we publish AzNotaryClass.com, a paid prep course, and nothing we sell is state-approved because no such designation exists.

What a course actually buys is efficiency (structure, question volume, and a timed simulation) rather than eligibility. The free manual at azsos.gov plus disciplined self-testing is a legitimate path, and the honest comparison of every option (ours included, weaknesses listed): Best Arizona Notary Exam Prep, Compared.

90 days from your test date (Manual, p. 14). You must submit your commission application, with your bond and filing fees, inside that window, or you retake the exam. The steps between the score screen and your first notarization: Arizona Notary Exam Day, Explained.