AR Notary AR-Notary Notary Commission Qualifications and Application Process 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Maria, a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Little Rock, wants to become a notary. Is her immigration status a barrier?
- Yes, only U.S. citizens may be Arkansas notaries
- No, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may both qualify (Correct answer)
- No, any visa holder may qualify
- Yes, unless she has held a green card for at least 10 years
Correct answer: No, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may both qualify
Arkansas allows both United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to be commissioned as notaries.
Question 2: What is the state filing fee for an Arkansas notary commission application?
- $10
- $20 (Correct answer)
- $50
- $100
Correct answer: $20
The application fee payable to the Arkansas Secretary of State is twenty dollars.
Question 3: Who is primarily protected by the notary's $7,500 surety bond?
- The notary, against lawsuits
- Members of the public harmed by the notary's misconduct or negligence (Correct answer)
- The Secretary of State's office, against administrative costs
- The notary's employer
Correct answer: Members of the public harmed by the notary's misconduct or negligence
The surety bond protects the public from financial harm caused by the notary's errors or misconduct, not the notary personally.
Question 4: If a claim is paid out from a notary's surety bond because of the notary's negligence, what is the notary's obligation?
- Nothing; the bond fully absorbs the loss
- Reimburse the surety company for the amount paid (Correct answer)
- Pay a fine to the Secretary of State equal to the claim
- Surrender the commission permanently with no recourse
Correct answer: Reimburse the surety company for the amount paid
A surety bond is not insurance for the notary, so the notary must repay the surety for any claims paid on their behalf.
Question 5: An Arkansas notary applicant had a previous notary commission revoked in another state. How may this affect a new Arkansas application?
- It has no relevance because it happened in another state
- It can disqualify the applicant, since prior revocations must be disclosed and are grounds for denial (Correct answer)
- It automatically doubles the required bond amount
- It only matters if the revocation was within the last 90 days
Correct answer: It can disqualify the applicant, since prior revocations must be disclosed and are grounds for denial
Prior commission revocations must be disclosed and can be grounds for denying a new Arkansas commission.
Question 6: Before performing any notarial act, what must a newly commissioned Arkansas notary do with their oath and bond paperwork?
- File it as required with the appropriate recording official before acting as a notary (Correct answer)
- Keep it at home in case of an audit
- Mail it to the county sheriff
- Publish it in a local newspaper
Correct answer: File it as required with the appropriate recording official before acting as a notary
The oath and bond must be properly filed and the commission recorded before the notary may lawfully perform notarial acts.
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT a qualification requirement for an Arkansas notary applicant?
- Being at least 18 years old
- Being able to read and write English
- Holding a high school diploma or GED (Correct answer)
- Being a legal resident of Arkansas or an adjoining state employed in Arkansas
Correct answer: Holding a high school diploma or GED
Arkansas imposes no educational-degree requirement on notary applicants.
AR Notary AR-Notary Notary Commission Qualifications and Application Process 3
Maria, a lawful permanent resident of the United States living in Little Rock, wants to become a notary.
Is her immigration status a barrier?