Hawaii Notary Public Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Before being commissioned as a Hawaii notary, what must an applicant file with the state?

An oath of office (Correct answer)
A certified copy of their birth certificate
A criminal background check from the FBI
A $25,000 surety bond

Correct answer: An oath of office

Hawaii notary applicants must take and file an oath of office as part of the commissioning process.

Question 2: A client presents a document for an acknowledgment. When completing the notarial certificate, which of the following pieces of information must the Hawaii notary include?

The signer's home address
A fee breakdown for the service provided (Correct answer)
The name of the county where the notary resides
The date of the notarization and the notary's signature

Correct answer: A fee breakdown for the service provided

Hawaii Administrative Rules §5-11-8 requires that every notarial certificate include several key elements, such as the notary's printed name and official seal, the jurisdiction, and crucially, the signature of the notary and the date the notarial act was performed.

Question 3: When a Hawaii notary resigns their commission or it expires, what must they do with their notary journal?

Retain the journal for at least 3 years before it may be destroyed (Correct answer)
Surrender the journal immediately to the DCCA
Give the journal to their former employer
Destroy the journal immediately to protect signer privacy

Correct answer: Retain the journal for at least 3 years before it may be destroyed

Upon expiration or resignation, the notary retains and stores the journal for the required retention period (3 years) before disposal.

Question 4: When performing a notarial act for a signer who communicates through a sign language interpreter, what should the Hawaii notary ensure?

The interpreter must be certified and the notary must be satisfied that communication is accurate (Correct answer)
The interpreter must sign the document as well
Sign language users cannot have documents notarized
The interpreter must also be a notary

Correct answer: The interpreter must be certified and the notary must be satisfied that communication is accurate

The notary should use a qualified interpreter and be reasonably satisfied that communication is accurate enough to verify identity and willingness.

Question 5: A Hawaii notary is notarizing a real estate deed. The signer appears nervous, sweating, and keeps looking at another person in the room. What ethical obligation does the notary have?

Refuse to notarize the document
Proceed quickly to reduce the signer's anxiety
None, nervousness during real estate transactions is normal
Ask the accompanying person to leave the room and speak privately with the signer (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Ask the accompanying person to leave the room and speak privately with the signer

Signs of potential duress or undue influence require the notary to take steps to ensure the signer is acting willingly, such as speaking with them privately.

Question 6: A notary is offered a $100 tip for expediting a notarization. May the notary accept this in Hawaii?

No — accepting fees beyond the statutory maximum is a violation (Correct answer)
Only if it is not recorded in the journal
Yes — tips are personal gifts and not subject to notary fee rules
Yes, if the signer voluntarily offers it

Correct answer: No — accepting fees beyond the statutory maximum is a violation

Hawaii sets maximum fees for notarial acts. Accepting payment above that maximum, whether called a 'tip' or not, violates the fee statutes.

Question 7: Which of the following is a primary duty of a Hawaii notary public?

Determining if a transaction is fair to all parties
Screening documents for legal accuracy
Positively identifying the signer before notarizing (Correct answer)
Providing legal advice about documents being signed

Correct answer: Positively identifying the signer before notarizing

A notary's primary duty is to positively identify the signer through acceptable identification methods, not to provide legal advice or evaluate documents.

Question 8: Which of the following accurately describes the legal effect of a notarized document in Hawaii?

Notarization makes the document immune from legal challenge
Notarization validates the truthfulness of the document's content
Notarization guarantees the document is legally valid
Notarization creates a presumption that the signature is genuine and the signing was voluntary (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Notarization creates a presumption that the signature is genuine and the signing was voluntary

Notarization creates a legal presumption about the authenticity of the signature and voluntariness of signing, but does not guarantee the document's validity or truthfulness.

Question 9: What is the proper procedure for a Hawaii notary when a signer cannot physically sign their name?

Another family member should sign for the signer
The notary should sign on the signer's behalf
The signer may use an alternative signature method such as a mark (X) with witnesses (Correct answer)
The notary cannot perform the notarization

Correct answer: The signer may use an alternative signature method such as a mark (X) with witnesses

A person who cannot sign may use a mark (such as an X) as their signature, typically with witnesses present to attest to the mark.

Question 10: How does the electronic notarial certificate differ in a Hawaii RON compared to a traditional in-person notarization?

It only requires the notary's digital signature, not a certificate
It must include a statement that the notarization was performed using remote online notarization technology (Correct answer)
It does not require the notary's seal
It is identical to a traditional certificate

Correct answer: It must include a statement that the notarization was performed using remote online notarization technology

The RON notarial certificate must include all standard elements plus a notation indicating the act was performed remotely using audio-video technology.

Question 11: A signer experiences a technical failure during a Hawaii RON session, and the video feed drops while the signer is mid-signature. What should the notary do?

Complete the notarization since the signer already started signing
Complete the notarization using audio only
Stop the session, wait for reconnection, and restart the notarial act if connection is restored (Correct answer)
Ask the signer to call back and verify by phone

Correct answer: Stop the session, wait for reconnection, and restart the notarial act if connection is restored

Continuous audio-video communication is required throughout the entire RON session. If the connection drops, the session must stop and the notarial act must be restarted.

Question 12: A Hawaii notary journal was lost or stolen. What must the notary do?

Stop performing notarial acts until the journal is found
Immediately notify the state notary authority (DCCA/Attorney General) and potentially file a police report (Correct answer)
Replace the journal and continue without notification
Nothing — there is no reporting requirement for a lost journal

Correct answer: Immediately notify the state notary authority (DCCA/Attorney General) and potentially file a police report

A lost or stolen notary journal must be reported to the notary authority because it contains sensitive information about signers.

Question 13: A Hawaii notary completes a notarial certificate but realizes they used incorrect wording. What should they do?

White out the error and rewrite
Start over with a new notarial certificate (Correct answer)
Cross out the error and initial the correction
Ignore the error if it is minor

Correct answer: Start over with a new notarial certificate

The proper procedure is to start over with a new notarial certificate rather than altering the existing one, which could raise questions about document integrity.

Question 14: When administering an oath in Hawaii, what must the notary ensure from the person taking the oath?

They submit the oath in writing to the county recorder
They sign a written statement in the notary journal
They provide two forms of government ID
They verbally swear or affirm the truthfulness of their statement (Correct answer)

Correct answer: They verbally swear or affirm the truthfulness of their statement

An oath or affirmation requires a verbal commitment from the person to the truthfulness of their statement.

Question 15: In Hawaii, which of the following is NOT a notarial act a notary public is authorized to perform?

Administering an oath
Witnessing or attesting a signature
Taking an acknowledgment
Certifying a true copy of a vital record issued by the state (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Certifying a true copy of a vital record issued by the state

Notaries cannot certify copies of vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates) — only the issuing government agency can do that.

Question 16: A Hawaii notary public maintains their journal in a standard, bound, tangible format. According to Hawaii law, for how long must the notary retain this journal after the date of the last notarial act recorded within it?

7 years
10 years (Correct answer)
5 years
Indefinitely

Correct answer: 10 years

Hawaii Revised Statutes §456-15 and Hawaii Administrative Rules §5-11-9(f) both mandate that a notary public must retain their journal for a period of ten years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in the journal.

Question 17: Failure to include the date of notarization, the notary's signature, and the official stamp or seal in a notarial certificate is a violation that can lead to what penalty in Hawaii?

A temporary suspension of the commission for 30 days.
A misdemeanor charge and automatic revocation of the notary's commission upon conviction. (Correct answer)
A mandatory retraining course.
A civil penalty of $50.

Correct answer: A misdemeanor charge and automatic revocation of the notary's commission upon conviction.

Under Hawaii Revised Statutes §456-21, a notary who fails to include required elements in the notarial certificate, such as the date, signature, and seal, is guilty of a misdemeanor. A conviction results in the automatic revocation of the notary's commission.

Question 18: A Hawaii notary's surety bond primarily protects whom?

The notary's employer
The notary from lawsuits
Members of the public who are harmed by the notary's misconduct (Correct answer)
The State of Hawaii's revenue

Correct answer: Members of the public who are harmed by the notary's misconduct

The surety bond exists to protect members of the public who suffer financial harm due to the notary's negligence or misconduct in performing notarial acts.

Question 19: Can a Hawaii notary charge travel fees in addition to the per-act notarial fee?

Yes, but only for distances over 50 miles
No, only the statutory fee is permitted
Yes, but the travel fee must be agreed upon in advance (Correct answer)
No, travel is always included in the notarial fee

Correct answer: Yes, but the travel fee must be agreed upon in advance

While the notarial fee is capped by statute, a notary may charge reasonable travel fees if agreed upon with the client in advance and separate from the notarial act fee.

Question 20: A Hawaii notary public's commission expires. According to Hawaii law, what is the required action concerning their notarial record book?

The notary is required to deposit the record book with the Attorney General within 90 days. (Correct answer)
The notary must destroy the record book to protect the privacy of the signers.
The notary must keep the record book indefinitely for future reference.
The notary must transfer the record book to another commissioned notary public.

Correct answer: The notary is required to deposit the record book with the Attorney General within 90 days.

Hawaii Administrative Rules require that upon the expiration of a commission, the notary public must deposit their record book with the attorney general within 90 days. Failure to do so can result in fines and suspension of a future commission.

Question 21: A Hawaii notary notarizes a document knowing the signer is using a false identity. What liability does the notary face?

Civil liability only
Criminal prosecution and civil liability (Correct answer)
A warning letter from the Attorney General
No liability since they are not law enforcement

Correct answer: Criminal prosecution and civil liability

Knowingly notarizing a document with a false identity constitutes fraud and exposes the notary to both criminal prosecution and civil liability for damages.

Question 22: If a signer cannot produce any government-issued ID, which alternative identification method may a Hawaii notary use?

Accept the signer's verbal assurance of their identity
Accept any credit card with the signer's name
Require the signer to recite personal information from memory
Use a single credible witness who personally knows both the signer and the notary (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Use a single credible witness who personally knows both the signer and the notary

A credible witness who personally knows both the notary and the signer may vouch for the signer's identity as an alternative to document-based ID.

Question 23: A Hawaii notary's negligent act is found to be the direct cause of a $10,000 financial loss for a client. The notary has the required $1,000 surety bond. What is the maximum financial responsibility of the notary personally?

$1,000, which is the limit of the surety bond.
$9,000, representing the loss amount minus the bond coverage.
Nothing, as the surety bond covers all damages from official misconduct.
$10,000, as the notary is personally liable for the full amount of damages. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $10,000, as the notary is personally liable for the full amount of damages.

According to Hawaii Revised Statutes §456-6, a notary and their surety are liable for all damages sustained due to the notary's official misconduct or neglect. The surety's liability is limited to the bond amount ($1,000), but the notary remains personally liable for the entire amount of the damages caused by their actions.

Question 24: A Hawaii notary signs a notarial certificate but forgets to affix their seal. What is the effect?

The notary can add the seal the next day without issue
The document recipient must decide whether to accept it
The notarization is still valid — the signature alone is sufficient
The notarization may be defective or invalid — the seal is a required element (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The notarization may be defective or invalid — the seal is a required element

The notary seal is a required element of a Hawaii notarial certificate. A missing seal makes the notarization potentially defective.

Question 25: A woman presents a current state ID from Nevada, not Hawaii. Is this acceptable for a Hawaii notarial act?

No — only Hawaii-issued IDs are acceptable
Only with a second form of ID
Yes — a current state-issued ID from any U.S. state is acceptable satisfactory evidence (Correct answer)
Only if the transaction involves Nevada

Correct answer: Yes — a current state-issued ID from any U.S. state is acceptable satisfactory evidence

Any current, government-issued photo ID with signature from any U.S. state meets Hawaii's satisfactory evidence standard.

Question 26: What must a Hawaii notary include on every notarial certificate in addition to their signature?

Their notary license number and annual renewal date
Their personal phone number
Their employer's name and address
Their commission expiration date and official notary seal (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Their commission expiration date and official notary seal

Every notarial certificate must bear the notary's official seal and show their commission expiration date to verify the commission was active.

Question 27: Under Hawaii law, what type of impression must a Hawaii notary's seal make?

A gold foil embossed seal only
Either embossed or ink stamp — both are always acceptable
An embossed (raised) impression only
A photographically reproducible impression — typically an inked rubber stamp (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A photographically reproducible impression — typically an inked rubber stamp

Hawaii requires the notary seal to produce a photographically reproducible impression, which typically means an inked rubber stamp rather than an embossed seal alone.

Question 28: A Hawaii notary notarizes a power of attorney without properly verifying the signer's identity. The signer was actually an impostor. What is the notary's exposure?

Civil liability for damages caused by the failure to properly identify the signer (Correct answer)
Only criminal liability if the fraud was intentional
No liability since the principal's bank should have caught the fraud
None — the notary is not responsible for fraud committed by others

Correct answer: Civil liability for damages caused by the failure to properly identify the signer

Failing to properly verify identity is negligence, and if that failure facilitates fraud that causes harm, the notary can be civilly liable for the resulting damages.

Question 29: When a Hawaii notary uses a credible witness to identify a signer, what must the notary do with regard to the witness?

File the witness's ID with the state notary office
Simply note the witness's name in the margin of the document
Record the witness's information in the notary journal and have the witness swear to the signer's identity (Correct answer)
Have the witness sign the document as a co-signer

Correct answer: Record the witness's information in the notary journal and have the witness swear to the signer's identity

The notary must record the credible witness's information in the journal and administer an oath to the witness that the signer is who they claim to be.

Question 30: What should a Hawaii notary do within 30 days of changing their name?

File a name change affidavit with the county court only
Purchase a new seal with the new name and notify the DCCA (Correct answer)
Cease all notarial acts until a new commission is issued
Wait until commission renewal to update records

Correct answer: Purchase a new seal with the new name and notify the DCCA

Notaries must update their official name with the DCCA and obtain a new seal reflecting the new name promptly after a legal name change.

Question 31: What is the key difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat in Hawaii?

A jurat is only for real estate documents; an acknowledgment is for all others
There is no difference — they are interchangeable
An acknowledgment requires the signer to be present; a jurat does not
An acknowledgment certifies the signer's identity and voluntary act of signing; a jurat requires the signer to sign in the notary's presence and swear to the truth of the document (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An acknowledgment certifies the signer's identity and voluntary act of signing; a jurat requires the signer to sign in the notary's presence and swear to the truth of the document

An acknowledgment certifies identity and willingness; a jurat requires signing in the notary's presence and swearing to the truthfulness of the content.

Hawaii Notary Public Exam

The Hawaii Notary Public Exam is a closed-book written examination administered by the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, covering statutory notary laws, notarial acts, duties and liabilities, identification of signers, recordkeeping requirements, and ethical responsibilities required to obtain a Hawaii notary public commission.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

80%

To Pass

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These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

ag.hawaii.gov — Fees, passing score, score release, score validity, test delivery, eligibility, registration · verified Oct 2026