N.Y. Executive Law § 135-b: Advertising by notaries public

§ 135-b. Advertising by notaries public. 1. The provisions of this

section shall not apply to attorneys-at-law, admitted to practice in the

state of New York.

2. A notary public who advertises his or her services as a notary

public in a language other than English shall post with such

advertisement a notice in such other language the following statement:

"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."

3. A notary public shall not use terms in a foreign language in any

advertisement for his or her services as a notary public that mean or

imply that the notary public is an attorney licensed to practice in the

state of New York or in any jurisdiction of the United States. The

secretary shall designate by rule or regulation the terms in a foreign

language that shall be deemed to mean or imply that a notary public is

licensed to practice law in the state of New York and the use of which

shall be prohibited by notary publics who are subject to this section.

4. For purposes of this section, "advertisement" shall mean and

include material designed to give notice of or to promote or describe

the services offered by a notary public for profit and shall include

business cards, brochures, and notices, whether in print or electronic

form.

5. Any person who violates any provision of this section or any rule

or regulation promulgated by the secretary may be liable for civil

penalty of up to one thousand dollars. The secretary of state may

suspend a notary public upon a second violation of any of the provisions

of this section and may remove from office a notary public upon a third

violation of any of the provisions of this section, provided that the

notary public shall have been served with a copy of the charges against

him or her and been given an opportunity to be heard. The civil penalty

provided for by this subdivision shall be recoverable in an action

instituted by the attorney general on his or her own initiative or at

the request of the secretary.

6. The secretary may promulgate rules and regulations governing the

provisions of this section, including the size and type of statements

that a notary public is required by this section to post.