Maryland Notary Public Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A Maryland notary who moves to a different county within the state must do which of the following?

Obtain a new seal reflecting the new county
Notify the Secretary of State of the address change (Correct answer)
No action is required; the commission remains fully valid
Resign and reapply for a new commission in the new county

Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State of the address change

Maryland notaries are commissioned statewide and must notify the Secretary of State of any address changes, but the commission remains valid statewide.

Question 2: What must a Maryland notary verify before completing an acknowledgment certificate?

The identity of the signer using satisfactory evidence of identity (Correct answer)
That the document is free of blank spaces
That the document has been witnessed by two people
That the document was prepared by an attorney

Correct answer: The identity of the signer using satisfactory evidence of identity

Before completing any notarial certificate, the notary must confirm the signer's identity through acceptable identification.

Question 3: After a Maryland notary changes their name, what must they do regarding their seal before performing further notarial acts?

Continue using the old seal with a written name correction on each document
Notify the Secretary of State by letter and continue using the existing seal
Obtain a new commission and seal reflecting the updated name before notarizing (Correct answer)
Purchase a new seal immediately without waiting for commission update

Correct answer: Obtain a new commission and seal reflecting the updated name before notarizing

A notary must obtain an updated commission in their new name and a new seal before performing further notarial acts.

Question 4: Which of the following best describes Maryland's 'satisfactory evidence of identity' standard for a notarial act?

The notary's personal acquaintance with the signer alone is never sufficient
Any two forms of identification presented by the signer
A Social Security card combined with a birth certificate
A current government-issued ID with photo and signature, or an oath of a credible witness (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A current government-issued ID with photo and signature, or an oath of a credible witness

Maryland accepts a current government-issued photo ID with signature, or testimony of a credible witness personally known to the notary, as satisfactory evidence of identity.

Question 5: What is the legal status of a document notarized through Remote Online Notarization in Maryland?

It is a draft until printed and wet-signed by the notary within 24 hours
It requires review and approval by the Secretary of State before taking effect
It must be submitted to a state repository before becoming legally valid
It is a valid electronic document bearing the notary's electronic signature and seal (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It is a valid electronic document bearing the notary's electronic signature and seal

A document notarized via RON is valid as an electronic document bearing the notary's electronic signature and seal, with no requirement to convert it to paper form.

Question 6: A Maryland notary's commission expires. What happens to the notary's journal records?

The journal must be submitted to the Secretary of State immediately
The journal may be destroyed after 1 year
The journal becomes the property of the notary's employer
The notary must continue to safeguard the journal per retention requirements (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The notary must continue to safeguard the journal per retention requirements

Even after commission expiration, the notary remains responsible for maintaining and safeguarding journal records for the required retention period.

Question 7: What is required to be included in the notary bond for Maryland?

The notary’s business address
The notary’s social security number
The notary’s legal description of the property
The notary’s name and commission term (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The notary’s name and commission term

The notary bond required in Maryland must specifically include the notary's full legal name and the duration of their commission term. This information is essential for clearly identifying the bonded notary and the exact period during which the bond provides coverage. It links the financial protection directly to the individual notary and their authorized period of service.

Question 8: A notary discovers their stamp has been stolen. What is the immediate required action in Maryland?

Post a public notice in a local newspaper
Order a replacement stamp and continue working without reporting
Notify only their employer
Notify the Secretary of State and, if appropriate, file a police report (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State and, if appropriate, file a police report

Maryland notaries must notify the Secretary of State promptly when their seal or stamp is lost or stolen.

Question 9: A Maryland notary's seal impression is smudged and illegible on a document. What should the notary do?

Apply the seal on a separate attached page
Re-affix a clear, legible seal impression on the same document (Correct answer)
Return the document to the requester and refuse to complete it
Sign the document without a seal as a substitute

Correct answer: Re-affix a clear, legible seal impression on the same document

The notary should apply a clean, legible seal impression because the seal must be clearly reproducible.

Question 10: Can a Maryland notary use their seal on documents that have not been personally signed in their presence?

No, unless authorized by the Secretary of State
Yes, if the notary is familiar with the document
Yes, if the client requests it
No, the notary must witness the signature (Correct answer)

Correct answer: No, the notary must witness the signature

A Maryland notary cannot use their seal on documents that have not been personally signed in their presence. A fundamental duty of a notary is to witness the signer affixing their signature to the document. This personal presence requirement ensures the identity of the signer and the integrity of the notarial act, preventing fraudulent use of the notary's seal.

Question 11: What is the requirement for recording a notarized real estate document in Maryland?

The document must be notarized with a date stamp
The document must be notarized with a black ink seal (Correct answer)
The document must be accompanied by the notary’s journal entry
The document must be notarized with a raised seal

Correct answer: The document must be notarized with a black ink seal

In Maryland, for a notarized real estate document to be accepted for recording, the notary's official seal must be affixed using black ink. This specific requirement ensures that the seal is clearly visible and legible on all copies and scanned images of the document. A raised (embossed) seal alone is often insufficient as it may not reproduce clearly.

Question 12: What distinguishes Remote Online Notarization (RON) from In-Person Electronic Notarization (IPEN)?

IPEN requires audio-visual technology while RON uses encrypted email
In RON the signer is not physically present with the notary; in IPEN they are (Correct answer)
RON uses digital signatures while IPEN uses wet ink signatures
RON is only for real estate documents while IPEN covers all document types

Correct answer: In RON the signer is not physically present with the notary; in IPEN they are

The key distinction is physical presence — in RON the signer appears remotely via audio-visual technology, while in IPEN the signer is physically present with the notary but uses electronic documents.

Question 13: What is the first step in applying to become a notary public in Maryland?

Complete a notary training course
Purchase a notary bond
Obtain a letter of recommendation
Submit an application to the Maryland Secretary of State (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Submit an application to the Maryland Secretary of State

The initial step for anyone wishing to become a notary public in Maryland is to formally submit an application to the Maryland Secretary of State's office. This application initiates the review process for their eligibility and qualifications. Other requirements, such as purchasing a notary bond or completing training, typically accompany or follow this foundational first action.

Question 14: Which of the following is NOT a valid form of satisfactory evidence of identity for a Maryland acknowledgment?

A state-issued driver's license
A personal knowledge of the signer by the notary
A library card (Correct answer)
A current U.S. passport

Correct answer: A library card

A library card is not listed among Maryland's acceptable forms of identification for a notarial act.

Question 15: A notary performs 5 separate notarial acts on 5 different documents for the same signer in one sitting. What is the maximum fee the Maryland notary may charge for the paper notarizations?

$10 ($2 × 5)
$20 ($4 × 5) (Correct answer)
$4 total for the entire sitting
$25 ($5 × 5)

Correct answer: $20 ($4 × 5)

The $4 fee applies per notarial act, so five separate acts on five documents allows a maximum of $20.

Question 16: For how long must records of a Remote Online Notarization, including audio-visual recordings, be retained under Maryland law?

5 years
10 years (Correct answer)
25 years
1 year

Correct answer: 10 years

Maryland law requires that electronic records and audio-visual recordings of RON sessions be retained for 10 years to preserve a complete record of the notarial act.

Question 17: Which of the following best describes the record a Maryland electronic notary must make for each RON session?

An oral attestation only
A paper log signed by the signer
An electronic journal entry including an audio-visual recording reference (Correct answer)
No record is required for RON sessions

Correct answer: An electronic journal entry including an audio-visual recording reference

Maryland e-notaries must create an electronic journal entry and retain a reference to the audio-visual recording for each RON session.

Question 18: When performing an acknowledgment in Maryland, must the signer sign the document in the notary's presence?

Only if the document is a will or trust
Yes, the signer must always sign in front of the notary
Only for real estate documents
No, the signer may sign beforehand and then appear before the notary to acknowledge the signature (Correct answer)

Correct answer: No, the signer may sign beforehand and then appear before the notary to acknowledge the signature

For acknowledgments, the signer can sign the document before appearing before the notary and then acknowledge the signature is theirs.

Question 19: How long is a Maryland notary commission term?

5 years
4 years (Correct answer)
10 years
2 years

Correct answer: 4 years

Maryland notary commissions are issued for a term of 4 years.

Question 20: If a notary refuses to perform a notarial act, which of the following is an acceptable reason under Maryland law?

The notary has personal knowledge that the signer is acting under duress (Correct answer)
The notary prefers not to work on weekends
The notary dislikes the content of the document
The signer is not an English speaker

Correct answer: The notary has personal knowledge that the signer is acting under duress

A notary may and should refuse when they have reasonable grounds to believe the signer is acting involuntarily or under duress.

Maryland Notary Public Exam

The Maryland Notary Public exam tests an applicant's knowledge of Maryland notary laws, notarial acts, ethical responsibilities, and proper procedures required to become a commissioned notary public in Maryland.

Questions

30 min

Time Limit

80%

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