CO Notary Notary Journal & Records 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Is a Colorado notary required to keep an official journal of notarial acts?
- No, it is optional
- Yes, it is required by Colorado law (Correct answer)
- Only for real estate transactions
- Only for electronic notarizations
Correct answer: Yes, it is required by Colorado law
Colorado law requires notaries to maintain an official journal recording every notarial act performed.
Question 2: What type of journal must a Colorado notary keep?
- A loose-leaf binder
- A permanently bound book with numbered pages or an approved electronic journal (Correct answer)
- A spiral notebook
- A digital spreadsheet
Correct answer: A permanently bound book with numbered pages or an approved electronic journal
Colorado requires a permanently bound journal with numbered pages or an approved tamper-evident electronic journal.
Question 3: What information must a Colorado notary record in their journal for each act?
- Only the signer's name and date
- Date, type of act, document type, signer's name and address, ID used, and fee charged (Correct answer)
- Only the document type and fee
- Only the signer's signature
Correct answer: Date, type of act, document type, signer's name and address, ID used, and fee charged
Each journal entry must include the date and time, type of notarial act, type of document, signer's name and address, identification used, and fee charged.
Question 4: How long must a Colorado notary retain their journal after it is filled or the commission expires?
- 1 year
- 5 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- Permanently
Correct answer: 10 years
Colorado notaries must retain their journals for 10 years after the last entry in the journal.
Question 5: Can a Colorado notary allow a third party to inspect their journal?
- Yes, anyone may inspect it at any time
- Only with a court order or when the subject of the entry consents (Correct answer)
- No, the journal is always private
- Yes, employers have unrestricted access
Correct answer: Only with a court order or when the subject of the entry consents
Journal entries are generally confidential and may only be disclosed pursuant to court order or with the consent of the person whose entry is sought.
Question 6: What should a Colorado notary do if their journal is lost or stolen?
- Nothing, it is optional anyway
- Notify the Secretary of State promptly (Correct answer)
- File a report only with local police
- Replace it immediately without reporting
Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State promptly
A notary must promptly notify the Secretary of State if the official journal is lost, stolen, or destroyed.
CO Notary Notary Journal & Records 1
Is a Colorado notary required to keep an official journal of notarial acts?