IN Notary - Indiana Notary Notary Tools and Recordkeeping Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An Indiana notary performing a traditional (pen and paper) notarization is considering what information to record. Which of the following is true regarding recordkeeping for such an act?
- Keeping a journal is strongly recommended by the Secretary of State but is not required by law. (Correct answer)
- A journal is mandatory and must be submitted to the county clerk upon commission expiration.
- The notary must keep copies of the notarized documents for at least five years.
- A journal entry is required but only needs to include the signer's name and the date.
Correct answer: Keeping a journal is strongly recommended by the Secretary of State but is not required by law.
Indiana law does not mandate that notaries keep a journal for traditional notarial acts. However, the Secretary of State's office strongly recommends it as a best practice to protect the notary from liability.
Question 2: A notary public in Indiana has recently updated their official seal. Which of the following elements is required to be on the seal?
- The notary's county of residence.
- A picture of the Indiana state flag.
- The notary's commission number. (Correct answer)
- The address of the notary's place of business.
Correct answer: The notary's commission number.
According to Indiana Code 33-42-10-2, the official seal of a notary public must include: the words 'Notary Public,' 'State of Indiana,' the notary's name as it appears on the commission, the commission number, and the commission expiration date.
Question 3: An Indiana notary is authorized to perform remote online notarizations (RON). What is the minimum period the notary must retain the electronic journal and the audiovisual recording of a remote notarial act?
- 5 years
- 7 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely
Correct answer: 10 years
Indiana law requires that for remote notarizations, both the electronic journal and the audiovisual recording of the act must be maintained for at least 10 years after the date of the notarization.
Question 4: A signer presents a document to an Indiana notary but is unsure what type of notarial act is needed. The document does not contain a notarial certificate. What is the appropriate action for the notary to take?
- Choose the notarial certificate they believe is most appropriate for the document.
- Refuse to notarize the document since it is incomplete.
- Show the signer the different types of notarial certificates and allow them to choose. (Correct answer)
- Advise the signer to seek legal advice and return with the completed certificate.
Correct answer: Show the signer the different types of notarial certificates and allow them to choose.
While a notary cannot choose the notarial act or provide legal advice, they can present the different types of notarial certificates to the signer and let the signer choose the one they feel is correct for their document.
Question 5: Which of the following tools is an absolute requirement for every Indiana notary public to possess and use for all notarial acts?
- A bound paper journal.
- An embosser.
- A thumbprint pad.
- An official seal. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: An official seal.
Every Indiana notary public is required by law to have and use an official seal for all notarial acts. The seal can be an inked stamp or an embosser, but a seal is mandatory.
Question 6: When an Indiana notary performs a remote online notarization, which piece of information are they specifically prohibited from recording in their electronic journal?
- The fee charged for the notarial act.
- The identification number from the signer's driver's license. (Correct answer)
- The date and time of the remote notarization.
- The title or a description of the electronic record.
Correct answer: The identification number from the signer's driver's license.
Indiana law prohibits a remote notary from recording certain personal numbers in the electronic journal, including an identification number assigned by a governmental agency, such as a driver's license number, or any other number that could be used to identify the principal.
IN Notary - Indiana Notary Notary Tools and Recordkeeping Questions and Answers
An Indiana notary performing a traditional (pen and paper) notarization is considering what information to record.
Which of the following is true regarding recordkeeping for such an act?