AZ Notary Notary Journal Record Keeping 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Arizona law, what is the consequence of a notary failing to maintain a journal when required?
- A warning is issued for the first offense only
- It is grounds for suspension or revocation of the notary's commission (Correct answer)
- The notarized document becomes automatically void
- The notary must retake the exam before continuing
Correct answer: It is grounds for suspension or revocation of the notary's commission
Failure to maintain the required journal is grounds for disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of the notary's commission by the Arizona Secretary of State.
Question 2: If a signer refuses to allow the notary to record their thumbprint in the journal for a deed of trust, what should the Arizona notary do?
- Proceed with the notarization and note the refusal in the journal
- Complete the notarization without any journal entry
- Refuse to perform the notarization (Correct answer)
- Contact the Secretary of State before proceeding
Correct answer: Refuse to perform the notarization
For deeds of trust and other real property documents, the thumbprint is required in Arizona; if the signer refuses, the notary must decline to perform the notarization.
Question 3: How long must an Arizona notary retain their journal after their commission expires or is terminated?
- 1 year
- 3 years (Correct answer)
- 5 years
- 10 years
Correct answer: 3 years
Arizona law requires a notary to retain the journal for at least three years after the notary's commission expires or is otherwise terminated.
Question 4: A notary in Arizona completes a journal entry but then realizes they recorded the wrong document type. What is the proper correction method?
- Use correction fluid to cover the error and write the correct information
- Tear out the page and start a new entry on the next page
- Draw a single line through the error, write the correct information, and initial the correction (Correct answer)
- Leave the error and add a separate note at the end of the journal
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, write the correct information, and initial the correction
Corrections to journal entries should be made by drawing a single line through the error, writing the correct information, and initialing the change to maintain a clear audit trail.
Question 5: In Arizona, which of the following details is NOT required to be recorded in the notary journal for each act?
- The date and time of the notarial act
- The type of notarial act performed
- The signer's Social Security Number (Correct answer)
- The fee charged for the notarial act
Correct answer: The signer's Social Security Number
Arizona notary journals do not require the signer's Social Security Number; required entries include date, time, type of act, document description, signer identity, fee, and signature.
Question 6: An Arizona notary's journal is subpoenaed as evidence in a lawsuit. What should the notary do?
- Provide a certified copy and retain the original journal
- Surrender the original journal to the court as required by the subpoena (Correct answer)
- Refuse to produce the journal because it contains confidential information
- Notify the Secretary of State and wait for permission before complying
Correct answer: Surrender the original journal to the court as required by the subpoena
When a notary journal is subpoenaed, the notary must comply with the court order and surrender the original journal to the requesting court or authority.
Question 7: What information about the identifying document presented by a signer should an Arizona notary record in the journal?
- The full document number, issuing authority, and expiration date (Correct answer)
- Only the type of ID presented
- A photocopy of the ID attached to the journal page
- The ID type and the last four digits of the document number only
Correct answer: The full document number, issuing authority, and expiration date
Arizona notaries should record the type of identification document, the issuing authority, and the expiration date to fully document how the signer's identity was verified.
AZ Notary Notary Journal Record Keeping 5
Under Arizona law, what is the consequence of a notary failing to maintain a journal when required?