Just signed up for FL notary exam — what should I actually study?

by David K. 93 views3 replies
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David K.OP
May 27, 2026

So I finally decided to take the plunge and get my Florida notary commission. I've been working as a paralegal for three years and honestly just kept putting it off, but my firm really needs someone who can notarize documents in-house. I signed up for the state-required education course but I'm not sure how much the actual exam is going to overlap with the course material versus the Florida statutes themselves.

I've been using an FL NOTARY practice test I found online and I'm hovering around 78% on the simulated exams. From what I've read, you need an 80% to pass, so I'm close but not quite there. The questions about proper notarial certificates and journal requirements keep tripping me up — there are so many little details about what's required vs. optional.

Anyone been through this recently? How many hours did you actually put into studying, and was there a particular FL NOTARY study guide you'd recommend? Trying to figure out if I need another week of prep or if I'm overthinking this.

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Marcus T.
May 28, 2026
The journal requirement questions got me too at first. Just remember that Florida doesn't actually require notaries to keep a journal — it's recommended but not mandatory. That one fact changed how I was answering like three or four questions. Also make sure you know the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat inside and out, because that distinction shows up constantly on the actual exam from what I remember.
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Brian Y.
May 28, 2026
78% is actually a solid starting point this close to your exam. Give yourself two or three more days focusing specifically on remote online notarization rules — that section has gotten heavier since 2020. Good luck, you've got this!
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Alex G.
May 28, 2026
I passed mine in February after about 12 hours total of studying. Honestly the biggest thing that helped was drilling on the specific Florida statutes — Chapter 117 especially. The exam loves to ask about what a notary CAN'T do, like notarizing your own signature or documents where you have a financial interest. Once I memorized those prohibitions cold, my practice scores jumped from like 75% to 88%. You're closer than you think.

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