AK Notary Notarial Acts and Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information must appear in the 'venue' portion at the top of an Alaska notarial certificate?
- The notary's name and commission number
- The state and judicial district where the notarial act was performed (Correct answer)
- The signer's address and date of birth
- The type of document being notarized
Correct answer: The state and judicial district where the notarial act was performed
The venue identifies the state and judicial district (Alaska has no counties) where the notarial act physically took place.
Question 2: When performing an acknowledgment in Alaska, what must the notary confirm from the signer?
- That the signer swears the document's contents are true
- That the signer executed the document voluntarily and for the stated purpose (Correct answer)
- That the signer is a U.S. citizen
- That the document was prepared by a licensed attorney
Correct answer: That the signer executed the document voluntarily and for the stated purpose
An acknowledgment requires the signer to confirm they executed the document as their free and voluntary act for the purposes stated.
Question 3: An Alaska notary receives a document with a blank notarial certificate. What is the correct course of action?
- Complete the certificate using the most common form
- Refuse to notarize until the appropriate certificate wording is added (Correct answer)
- Sign and seal the document and note the blank in the journal
- Contact the county recorder for instructions
Correct answer: Refuse to notarize until the appropriate certificate wording is added
A notary should not notarize a document with a blank certificate because the type of notarial act cannot be determined; the appropriate wording must be added first.
Question 4: Under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) adopted by Alaska, which of the following is a valid form of satisfactory evidence of identity?
- A photocopy of a passport
- A library card with the signer's photo
- A current government-issued ID with photo and signature (Correct answer)
- A student ID from a private university
Correct answer: A current government-issued ID with photo and signature
RULONA requires a current government-issued document such as a passport or driver's license bearing the signer's photo and signature.
Question 5: A signer appears before an Alaska notary but claims not to have a government-issued ID. Under RULONA, which alternative is permissible?
- Accept a sworn written statement from the signer about their identity
- Use the oath of a credible witness personally known to the notary (Correct answer)
- Have the signer provide two utility bills as identification
- Proceed if the signer's appearance matches the document
Correct answer: Use the oath of a credible witness personally known to the notary
RULONA allows a credible witness who is personally known to the notary to vouch for the signer's identity under oath.
Question 6: After completing a notarial act, the notary discovers a typographical error in the certificate date. What is the proper procedure?
- Use correction fluid (white-out) to fix the date
- Draw a single line through the error, make the correction, and initial it (Correct answer)
- Discard the document and require the signer to return for re-signing
- Ignore minor errors because they do not affect validity
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, make the correction, and initial it
Corrections on a notarial certificate should be made by lining through the error, inserting the correction, and initialing the change — never using white-out.
Question 7: Under Alaska law, may a notary who is also a party to a transaction notarize documents for that same transaction?
- Yes, if the notary discloses their interest in the journal
- Yes, if another signatory consents in writing
- No, a notary must not notarize if they have a direct financial or beneficial interest (Correct answer)
- No, unless the notary is a licensed attorney
Correct answer: No, a notary must not notarize if they have a direct financial or beneficial interest
Alaska law prohibits a notary from performing a notarial act in which they have a direct financial or beneficial interest in the transaction.
AK Notary Notarial Acts and Procedures 2
What information must appear in the 'venue' portion at the top of an Alaska notarial certificate?