CT Notary Notary Seal and Certificate Requirements 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a Connecticut jurat certificate, which phrase is typically used?
- 'Subscribed and sworn to before me' (Correct answer)
- 'Acknowledged before me as a free act and deed'
- 'Witnessed and delivered by me'
- 'Certified as a true copy by me'
Correct answer: 'Subscribed and sworn to before me'
A jurat states that the document was subscribed (signed) and sworn to before the notary, reflecting the oath administered.
Question 2: Which certificate wording indicates an acknowledgment rather than a jurat?
- The signer 'acknowledged that they executed the document' as their free act and deed (Correct answer)
- The signer 'swore the contents are true'
- The notary 'certifies the photocopy is accurate'
- The signer 'took an oath of office'
Correct answer: The signer 'acknowledged that they executed the document' as their free act and deed
An acknowledgment certifies that the signer personally appeared and admitted signing the document willingly, without any oath about its contents.
Question 3: When must a Connecticut notary complete the notarial certificate?
- At the time the notarial act is performed (Correct answer)
- Within five business days of the signing
- Whenever the signer returns to pick up the document
- Before the signer appears, to save time
Correct answer: At the time the notarial act is performed
The certificate must be completed contemporaneously with the notarial act, never before the signer appears or after the fact.
Question 4: A document signed in Massachusetts is brought to a Connecticut notary for a jurat. The signer is willing to re-sign. What venue should appear on the certificate?
- The Connecticut location where the signer re-signs and swears before the notary (Correct answer)
- Massachusetts, where the document was first signed
- Both states listed together
- No venue is needed for out-of-state documents
Correct answer: The Connecticut location where the signer re-signs and swears before the notary
Because a jurat requires signing and swearing in the notary's presence, the venue reflects where that act occurs, which is the Connecticut location.
Question 5: The certificate on a document is written in a language the Connecticut notary cannot read. What should the notary do?
- Decline to complete it and attach a certificate in a language the notary understands, if appropriate (Correct answer)
- Sign it anyway since certificates are standard
- Ask the signer to translate it orally and rely on that
- White-out the foreign wording and sign below
Correct answer: Decline to complete it and attach a certificate in a language the notary understands, if appropriate
A notary should never sign certificate wording they cannot read and may instead attach a proper certificate they understand.
Question 6: How long is a Connecticut notary public commission term, which determines the expiration date shown on certificates?
- Five years (Correct answer)
- Two years
- Ten years
- Life, with no expiration
Correct answer: Five years
Connecticut notary commissions last five years, and that expiration date must appear with the notary's signature on certificates.
Question 7: Which official appoints Connecticut notaries and maintains the records used to verify a notary's signature and commission?
- The Secretary of the State (Correct answer)
- The Governor's legal counsel
- The chief judge of each county
- The town tax collector
Correct answer: The Secretary of the State
The Connecticut Secretary of the State appoints notaries and maintains commission records used for verification and authentication.
CT Notary Notary Seal and Certificate Requirements 3
In a Connecticut jurat certificate, which phrase is typically used?