CA Notary Notary Journal and Record Keeping 2

Question 1

What must a California notary do with their journal when their commission expires?

Accepted Answer

Retain it personally for 10 years from the last entry

Answer

Destroy it immediately

Answer

Submit it to the county clerk within 30 days

Answer

Send it to the Secretary of State

Question 2

Under California law, which entity may demand a copy of a notary's journal entry?

Accepted Answer

Law enforcement with proper process or any person with a valid court order

Answer

Any member of the public

Answer

Only the signer of the document

Answer

Only the Secretary of State

Question 3

What must a California notary do if their journal is lost or stolen?

Accepted Answer

Notify the Secretary of State by certified mail within 10 days

Answer

Wait 30 days before reporting

Answer

File a police report only

Answer

Purchase a replacement and continue without reporting

Question 4

Can a California notary use a single journal entry to record a notarial act for multiple signers on the same document?

Accepted Answer

No, each signer must have a separate journal entry

Answer

Yes, one entry per document regardless of signers

Answer

Only if all signers have the same type of ID

Answer

Only for real estate closings

Question 5

A notary notarizes a document but the signer requests the notary not record the act in the journal for privacy reasons. What should the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to omit the entry; journal recording is mandatory

Answer

Honor the request to protect the signer's privacy

Answer

Record a partial entry omitting the signer's name

Answer

Consult the county clerk before deciding

Question 6

Which of the following is a required element in a California notary journal entry?

Accepted Answer

The right thumbprint for deeds affecting real property

Answer

The signer's Social Security number

Answer

The document's full legal description

Answer

The names of all witnesses to the signing