If a notary’s journal is lost or stolen, the notary must report the incident to the Secretary of State and take appropriate measures to prevent any potential misuse of the journal’s information.
In Georgia, notaries are required to retain their journal of notarial acts for a minimum of 5 years from the date of the last entry.
The primary purpose of maintaining a notary journal in Georgia is to record detailed information about each notarial act performed, including the date, type of document, names of the signers, and the method of identification used. This record ensures that there is a permanent and accurate account of the notarial acts, which can be used to provide evidence that the notary followed the proper procedures and maintained compliance with legal requirements. This helps protect both the notary and the public by documenting the legitimacy and integrity of the notarial process.
In Georgia, the notary journal must include details such as the type of document, the date of the notarial act, the name and address of the signer, and the type of identification used to verify the signer's identity.
A notary should only provide a copy of a notarized document or journal entry if authorized by a court order or with the consent of the signer, as the contents of the journal are considered confidential.
