FL Notary Types of Notarial Acts 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A document signed outside the notary's presence is brought to the notary for notarization. Which act is appropriate if the signer only needs to acknowledge their signature?
- Jurat
- Attested copy
- Acknowledgment (Correct answer)
- Oath of office
Correct answer: Acknowledgment
An acknowledgment is appropriate when the signer personally appears before the notary and acknowledges a signature already placed on the document, without needing to re-sign.
Question 2: Which notarial act is most commonly required for affidavits and sworn statements?
- Acknowledgment
- Attested copy certification
- Solemnization
- Jurat (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Jurat
Affidavits and sworn statements require a jurat because the signer must sign in the notary's presence and swear or affirm to the truthfulness of the document's contents.
Question 3: When a Florida notary solemnizes a marriage, which document must the couple present?
- A prenuptial agreement
- A valid Florida marriage license (Correct answer)
- Two forms of government-issued ID each
- A notarized consent form from both families
Correct answer: A valid Florida marriage license
Before solemnizing a marriage, the notary must require the couple to present a valid Florida marriage license, as required by Florida law.
Question 4: If a notary certifies a copy of a document, the notary is certifying that:
- The document's contents are true and accurate
- The copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original (Correct answer)
- The signer of the original document is who they claim to be
- The document was created by a licensed attorney
Correct answer: The copy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original
When certifying a copy, the notary is only attesting that the copy is an accurate reproduction of the original, not verifying the truth of the document's contents.
Question 5: Which of the following correctly describes the role of a Florida notary in performing a jurat?
- Witness the document being drafted
- Administer an oath and watch the signer sign (Correct answer)
- Verify the document with the county recorder
- Authenticate the signer's identity by fingerprint only
Correct answer: Administer an oath and watch the signer sign
For a jurat, the notary must administer an oath or affirmation to the signer and witness the signer physically sign the document in the notary's presence.
Question 6: A Florida notary may perform which of the following outside the state of Florida?
- All Florida notarial acts as long as the notary's commission is active
- No notarial acts, as the notary's authority is limited to Florida (Correct answer)
- Only acknowledgments if both parties consent
- Jurats and oaths only, with prior court approval
Correct answer: No notarial acts, as the notary's authority is limited to Florida
A Florida notary's authority is limited to the geographic boundaries of the state of Florida; performing notarial acts outside Florida exceeds the notary's jurisdiction.
Question 7: What language is typically included in a jurat certificate to indicate an oath was administered?
- "This instrument was acknowledged before me"
- "Sworn to and subscribed before me" (Correct answer)
- "Certified to be a true copy"
- "Witnessed and approved by"
Correct answer: "Sworn to and subscribed before me"
The phrase 'Sworn to and subscribed before me' is the standard jurat certificate language in Florida, confirming both the oath and the in-presence signing.
FL Notary Types of Notarial Acts 2
A document signed outside the notary's presence is brought to the notary for notarization.
Which act is appropriate if the signer only needs to acknowledge their signature?