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

Upon expiration of the commission, the notary must retain the journal personally for 10 years from the last entry recorded in it.

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

California law allows law enforcement with proper legal process, or any person who obtains a court order, to receive certified copies of journal entries.

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

California Government Code Section 8206 requires a notary to notify the Secretary of State by certified mail within 10 days of discovering a lost or stolen journal.

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

Each signer requires their own separate journal entry, even if multiple people sign the same document at the same notarization appointment.

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

California law requires every notarial act to be recorded in the journal; a notary cannot omit entries at a signer's request, regardless of privacy concerns.

CA Notary - California Notary Exam Practice Test

CA Notary - California Notary Exam Practice Test

CA Notary Notary Journal and Record Keeping 2