KY Notary Journal and Record Keeping 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a notary maintaining a voluntary journal of notarial acts in Kentucky?
- To allow the notary to charge higher fees for complex transactions
- To provide a copy of documents for signers to reference later
- To protect the notary and public by creating a reliable record against fraudulent claims (Correct answer)
- To fulfill a mandatory state reporting requirement to the Secretary of State
Correct answer: To protect the notary and public by creating a reliable record against fraudulent claims
The primary purpose of a notary journal is to create a reliable contemporaneous record that protects both the notary and the public from fraudulent or disputed claims.
Question 2: When should a notary make a journal entry for a notarial act?
- Within 30 days of performing the notarial act
- At the time the notarial act is performed (Correct answer)
- Only after the notary has received full payment for services
- When the notary's commission is submitted for renewal
Correct answer: At the time the notarial act is performed
Journal entries should be made at the time the notarial act is performed to ensure the greatest accuracy and completeness of the record.
Question 3: If a notary makes an error in a handwritten journal entry, what is the proper method of correction?
- Erase or use correction fluid to completely remove the error
- Destroy the page and rewrite the entry without the error
- Draw a single line through the error, make the correction, and note the correction date (Correct answer)
- Leave the error unchanged to avoid any appearance of tampering with records
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, make the correction, and note the correction date
Errors should be corrected by drawing a single line through the mistake so the original is still readable, making the correction, and noting when the correction was made.
Question 4: A notary retires and their commission expires. What should happen to their notarial journal?
- It must be immediately submitted to the county clerk's office
- It should be shredded to protect signer privacy from future access
- The notary should retain it securely for the required retention period (Correct answer)
- It automatically transfers to the Kentucky Secretary of State's archive
Correct answer: The notary should retain it securely for the required retention period
When a notary's commission expires, they must still retain their journal securely for the required retention period, as it may be needed for future legal reference.
Question 5: Which electronic journal format would be most appropriate for a Kentucky notary performing remote online notarizations?
- A paper journal converted to PDF after completing each day's notarizations
- An electronic journal maintained through a state-approved RON platform (Correct answer)
- Social media posts documenting details of each notarization session
- Email threads exchanged between the notary and signer as documentation
Correct answer: An electronic journal maintained through a state-approved RON platform
Electronic journals maintained through approved Remote Online Notarization platforms are designed to meet the technical and legal requirements for documenting RON acts.
Question 6: What should a notary do if their notarial journal is lost or stolen?
- Continue notarizing without reporting the loss, as journals are voluntary
- Report the loss promptly to appropriate authorities and the commissioning authority (Correct answer)
- Immediately purchase a new journal and continue working without further action
- Cease all notarial work permanently following the loss
Correct answer: Report the loss promptly to appropriate authorities and the commissioning authority
A notary must promptly report the loss or theft of their journal because it contains sensitive personal information about signers and could be misused.
Question 7: What information about a notarized document should typically be recorded in a journal entry?
- The complete verbatim text of the entire document
- The type or title of the document being notarized (Correct answer)
- The appraised financial value of assets referenced in the document
- A photocopy of every page of the document
Correct answer: The type or title of the document being notarized
The journal should record the type or title of the document (e.g., 'deed,' 'power of attorney') to identify what was notarized without reproducing confidential content.
KY Notary Journal and Record Keeping 2
What is the primary purpose of a notary maintaining a voluntary journal of notarial acts in Kentucky?