GA Notary - Georgia Notary Journaling and Record Keeping Questions and Answers

Question 1

According to Georgia law effective January 1, 2025, under which specific circumstance is a notary public MANDATED to make an entry in a written or electronic journal?

Accepted Answer

When performing a notarial act for a 'self-filer'.

Answer

For every notarial act performed during their commission.

Answer

Only when notarizing documents for real estate transactions.

Answer

Whenever the notary charges a fee for the service.

Question 2

A Georgia notary maintains a journal as a best practice. Which of the following pieces of information is a recommended, but not legally required for every entry, element to include for their own protection?

Accepted Answer

The type of notarial act performed (e.g., acknowledgment, jurat).

Answer

The signer's signature.

Answer

The date and time of the notarization.

Answer

The county where the notarization took place.

Question 3

A Georgia notary is performing a notarization for a 'self-filer' and is completing the required journal entry. If the notary identifies the signer based on personal knowledge, what information regarding identification should be noted in the journal?

Accepted Answer

The entry should explicitly state that identity was confirmed based on 'personal knowledge'.

Answer

The entry should state 'Verified by government-issued ID'.

Answer

The entry must include the signer's driver's license number anyway.

Answer

The notary must still ask for an ID and record its details for the journal.

Question 4

Which of the following is the PRIMARY reason that notary experts and the state of Georgia strongly recommend maintaining a journal for all notarial acts, even when not legally mandated?

Accepted Answer

To serve as a credible record and protective evidence in case of a dispute.

Answer

To provide a detailed receipt for fees charged.

Answer

To create a mailing list for future business marketing.

Answer

To fulfill a requirement for notary commission renewal.

Question 5

A notary is asked to notarize a document for a self-filer and must make a journal entry. Which of the following details is a required component of that journal entry under Georgia law?

Accepted Answer

The signer's telephone number.

Answer

The fee charged for the notarial act.

Answer

The name of the document's recipient.

Answer

The signer's occupation.

Question 6

If a Georgia notary chooses to maintain their legally required journal in an electronic format, what essential element must it still capture from the signer for each entry related to a self-filer?

Accepted Answer

The signer's signature.

Answer

A scanned copy of the notarized document.

Answer

The signer's email address.

Answer

A video recording of the signing.