A Notary Is Not A Lawyer
Exec. Law § 135-b — the notice in the other language, and no foreign term that means attorney
In much of Latin America a notario publico is a trained lawyer holding a public office with real legal authority. In New York a notary public holds a commission, not a law license. The words look the same across the two systems and mean very different things, and New York has written that difference into the statute rather than leaving it to be discovered.
No foreign term that means attorney. A notary public may not use terms in a foreign language in an advertisement for notary services that mean or imply that the notary is an attorney licensed in New York or in any jurisdiction of the United States. The Secretary of State designates by rule the foreign terms deemed to carry that meaning, and their use is prohibited.
The notice. A notary public who advertises notary services in a language other than English posts with the advertisement a notice in that language: I am not an attorney licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any other legal matter or accept fees for legal advice.
What counts as an advertisement. Material designed to give notice of, promote or describe the services a notary offers for profit, including business cards, brochures and notices, in print or electronic form. The section does not apply to attorneys admitted to practice in New York.
What it carries. A violation may bring a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars, recoverable in an action by the Attorney General. The Secretary of State may suspend a notary on a second violation and remove one on a third, after serving the charges and giving an opportunity to be heard.
The practical shape of it is narrow. A notary confirms who signed and that they signed. A notary does not decide whether the document is the right document, whether it says what it needs to say, or whether signing it is sound. A notarized signature on a bad form is a witnessed signature on a bad form.
How a notary is commissioned in New York, what a notarial act requires, remote notarization, and the fees a notary may charge are set elsewhere and are not on this page. Nor does this page cover who may lawfully assist with an immigration matter, which is a federal question with its own accreditation system. Whether a particular person's help crossed the line is a question for a licensed New York attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Exec. Law § 135-b — Advertising by notaries public
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.