AL Notary Practice Test

AL Notary Exam at a Glance

What changed for AL Notary in 2026

• Oct 1, 2026: Act 2026-536 took effect on October 1, 2026 and adds new remote-notarization rules: the notary must be physically in Alabama, the audio-video recording must be kept for seven years, and remote notarization cannot be used for anything related to voting.^[2]

What the AL Notary is and how it works

According to Alabama county Judges of Probate (commissioning authority) under Ala. Code §§ 36-20-70 to 36-20-75, with the pre-commiss, “As of September 1, 2023; all citizens desiring to become a Notary Public, must now participate in an online training course and complete the new Statewide Notary Public Application; all of which can be accessed at the Alabama Probate Judge Association website.”^[3]

Alabama does not give a state-proctored notary exam. Instead, anyone who wants to become a notary public must complete a mandatory online pre-commission training course on the Alabama Probate Judges Association website and submit the Statewide Notary Public Application. Attorneys are exempt. Commissions are issued by the Judge of Probate in the applicant's home county under Ala. Code §§ 36-20-70 to 36-20-75.

Eligibility. You must be an Alabama resident applying in your home county. A judge must deny an application if the applicant has a felony or moral-turpitude conviction, is a current bankruptcy debtor, or has been adjudicated incapacitated.

Cost and timing. The application fee is $10 and is non-refundable. The training course itself is free. You must complete the training within 30 days after applying, although the judge can extend that period.

Renewal. Renewal applicants must also complete the pre-commission training. A commission runs for a 4-year term.

What we cannot tell you. Our sources do not list how the training is scored or what happens if you need to repeat a section. Those details can change, so check the course itself and your county probate office. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions. Use them to test your understanding, not to predict what the course asks.

Worked examples: how to reason through AL Notary questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which of the following actions could lead to the suspension or revocation of a notary’s commission in Alabama?

1. Charging a fee for notarial services
2. Notarizing a document for a relative
3. Notarizing a document with a personal financial interest
4. Refusing to notarize a document on religious grounds

Answer: C. Notarizing a document with a personal financial interest

Explanation:

The correct answer is notarizing a document in which the notary has a personal financial interest. A notary is supposed to be an impartial witness, and a financial stake in the document undermines that role. That conflict can lead to suspension or revocation of the commission.

Charging a fee is not the problem by itself, because notaries may charge fees the law allows. Notarizing for a relative is not the same as having a financial interest, although it is wise to check the official rules and your county probate office for any restriction. Refusing to notarize on religious grounds is not listed as a ground for discipline in this question.

The rule to remember: the risk comes from lost impartiality, so ask whether you gain anything from the document before you act.

Example 2

Question: Which document type most commonly uses a jurat in Alabama?

1. Affidavits
2. Real estate deeds
3. Vehicle titles
4. Wills

Answer: A. Affidavits

Explanation:

Affidavits are the correct answer. An affidavit is a sworn statement, so the notary performs a jurat: the signer swears or affirms that the contents are true, signs in front of the notary, and the notary completes the jurat wording.

Real estate deeds, vehicle titles and wills are the wrong choices here because they are not typically sworn statements. Deeds are usually signed and then acknowledged, which means the signer confirms the signature is theirs rather than swearing to the contents. Titles and wills follow their own handling rules, and a will in particular has separate witnessing requirements.

The rule to remember: a jurat is about an oath and a signature made in the notary's presence, while an acknowledgment is about the signer confirming a signature. See the acknowledgments and jurats set for more practice.

Example 3

Question: If an Alabama notary refuses to perform a notarial act, should the refusal be recorded in the journal?

1. Yes, recording refusals protects the notary from claims of improper conduct
2. No, only completed acts need to be recorded
3. Only if the requester complains to the Secretary of State
4. Only if the refusal was due to a legal conflict

Answer: A. Yes, recording refusals protects the notary from claims of improper conduct

Explanation:

Yes, a refusal should be recorded in the journal. Writing down the refusal and the reason documents what happened and protects the notary if someone later claims the denial was improper or discriminatory.

The option saying only completed acts need recording is wrong because it leaves refusals undocumented, which is when a record helps most. The option that depends on a complaint to the Secretary of State is wrong because you cannot know in advance whether a complaint will come, so the record has to be made at the time. The option limited to refusals caused by a legal conflict is wrong because it narrows the habit without good reason; any refusal can be questioned later.

The rule to remember: a journal is your own protection, so record refusals as well as completed acts.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Take the free online pre-commission training course on the Alabama Probate Judges Association website, and read the statute and your county probate office's guidance so you know the actual rules. Our sets are a self-check on top of that, not a replacement.

1. Work through Application Process and Duties and Powers to settle the basics.
2. Practise the core acts with Acknowledgments and Jurats and Oaths, Affirmations and Witnessing.
3. Cover the paperwork with Record-Keeping and Journal, Seal and Stamp Requirements and Fees and Compensation.
4. Finish with Liability and Bonding, Revocation of Commission and Electronic and Remote Online Notarization.

After each set, write down every question you missed and look up the rule in the official material. Retake the set a few days later and see whether the same topics still cause errors.

Sources & last verified

1. legislature.state.al.us — exam fee, eligibility, testing window (official source). “Each applicant for notary public commission shall pay a ten dollar ($10) application fee.” Verified Oct 21, 2026.
2. Alabama county Judges of Probate (commissioning authority) under Ala. Code §§ 36-20-70 to 36-20-75, with the pre-commiss — validity, renewal, other (official source). “Notaries apply with and are appointed and commissioned by the probate judges of the various counties for terms of four years.” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 27, 2026.
3. houstoncountyal.gov — delivery (official source). “As of September 1, 2023; all citizens desiring to become a Notary Public, must now participate in an online training course and complete the new…” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.