AK Notary Notarial Acts and Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the key procedural difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment?
- A jurat requires a seal; an acknowledgment does not
- In a jurat, the signer must sign in the notary's presence and take an oath; an acknowledgment only requires the signer to appear (Correct answer)
- An acknowledgment is used only for real estate; a jurat is used for affidavits only
- A jurat requires two witnesses; an acknowledgment requires none
Correct answer: In a jurat, the signer must sign in the notary's presence and take an oath; an acknowledgment only requires the signer to appear
A jurat requires the signer to sign the document before the notary and swear or affirm to the truth of its contents, while an acknowledgment only requires appearance and confirmation of voluntary signing.
Question 2: An Alaska notary is asked to administer an oath to a witness who objects to swearing on religious grounds. What should the notary do?
- Decline to proceed because an oath is legally required
- Administer an affirmation instead, which carries the same legal weight (Correct answer)
- Have the witness sign a statement explaining the religious objection
- Contact the court for special instructions
Correct answer: Administer an affirmation instead, which carries the same legal weight
An affirmation is a solemn, legally equivalent substitute for an oath that omits religious language, and a notary must offer it when requested.
Question 3: Which of the following documents may an Alaska notary certify as a true copy?
- An original birth certificate issued by the state
- A federal passport
- A private contract or personal letter that the signer owns (Correct answer)
- A certified copy of a court judgment
Correct answer: A private contract or personal letter that the signer owns
Alaska notaries may certify copies of privately held documents like contracts or letters but cannot certify copies of documents that are publicly recorded or issued by government agencies.
Question 4: When certifying a copy of a document, what must the Alaska notary physically do?
- Compare the copy to the original in the notary's presence and certify they match (Correct answer)
- Accept the signer's verbal assurance that the copy is accurate
- Notarize the copy with a jurat certificate
- File the original with the state notary division
Correct answer: Compare the copy to the original in the notary's presence and certify they match
The notary must personally compare the copy against the original document and certify that the copy is a complete, accurate reproduction.
Question 5: What specific verbal words are required when administering an oath for a jurat in Alaska?
- No specific words are required as long as the meaning is clear (Correct answer)
- The words 'I promise' followed by the signer's statement
- Statutory language commanding the person to tell the truth under penalty of perjury must be read verbatim
- Alaska requires no verbal ceremony — a signature alone suffices
Correct answer: No specific words are required as long as the meaning is clear
RULONA does not mandate specific verbatim words; the oath or affirmation only needs to communicate solemnity and truthfulness under penalty of law.
Question 6: An Alaska notary is asked to perform a 'signature witnessing.' What does this act require?
- The notary witnesses and certifies that the signer signed the document in the notary's presence (Correct answer)
- The notary compares the signature on the document to a prior known signature
- The notary swears that the document's contents are accurate
- The notary registers the signature with the state
Correct answer: The notary witnesses and certifies that the signer signed the document in the notary's presence
A signature witnessing requires the notary to observe the signer place their signature on the document and certify that the signing occurred in the notary's presence.
Question 7: An Alaska notary is asked to notarize a document for a person who is physically unable to sign their name. What option is available under RULONA?
- The notary may sign on behalf of the individual
- The individual may direct another person to sign their name in the notary's presence (Correct answer)
- The document cannot be notarized and must be handled by an attorney
- The individual must use a stamp or pre-printed name
Correct answer: The individual may direct another person to sign their name in the notary's presence
Under RULONA, a physically unable individual may direct another person (not the notary) to sign their name in the notary's presence, which the notary then witnesses and certifies.
AK Notary Notarial Acts and Procedures 3
What is the key procedural difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment?