Mixed Deck — All MO NOTARY Topics Flashcards

How many witnesses are required for a standard acknowledgment in Missouri?

Answer: No witnesses are required — only the signer and notary

A standard acknowledgment in Missouri requires only the signer to personally appear before the notary. No additional witnesses are required for the acknowledgment itself.

What is the maximum fee a Missouri notary may charge for performing a notarial act?

Answer: $2.00 per notarial act

Missouri law sets the maximum notary fee at $2.00 per notarial act, though notaries performing remote online notarizations may charge additional fees as authorized.

What is the geographic jurisdiction of a Missouri notary public?

Answer: Anywhere within the state of Missouri

A Missouri notary public has statewide jurisdiction and can perform notarial acts anywhere within the state of Missouri.

What security standard must electronic signatures meet for Missouri electronic notarization?

Answer: They must be attributable to the signer and tamper-evident

Electronic signatures used in Missouri electronic notarization must be attributable to the specific signer and must be tamper-evident to detect any alterations.

A Missouri notary's official seal must contain all of the following information EXCEPT:

Answer: The county of commission

Missouri law requires the notary's seal to include their name as commissioned, commission number, "Notary Seal," "Notary Public," "State of Missouri," and the commission expiration date. The county of commission is not a required element for the seal itself.

How should a Missouri notary store their journal when not in use?

Answer: In a secure, locked location accessible only to the notary

A Missouri notary must store their journal in a secure, locked location accessible only to the notary to protect the confidential information it contains.

What type of electronic signature is typically required for documents notarized via RON in Missouri?

Answer: A tamper-evident digital signature

RON documents in Missouri typically require tamper-evident digital signatures that can detect any changes made to the document after signing.

Which of the following is a requirement for the RON technology platform used by Missouri notaries?

Answer: It must maintain an audit trail of the notarization process

RON technology platforms used in Missouri must maintain a comprehensive audit trail of the entire notarization process for security and compliance purposes.

In a Missouri acknowledgment certificate, what does the phrase 'personally appeared before me' establish?

Answer: That the signer was physically or virtually present before the notary

The phrase 'personally appeared before me' establishes that the signer was present (physically or via approved audio-video technology for RON) before the notary at the time of the acknowledgment.

What must a Missouri notary do upon expiration or revocation of their commission?

Answer: Deliver their journal and notarial records as required by law

Upon commission expiration or revocation, a Missouri notary must deliver their journal and notarial records as required by Missouri law.

A Missouri notary who is an employee is asked to charge fees for notarizations done at work. What should they consider?

Answer: They should check their employer's policy, as many employers do not allow employees to charge personal notary fees

Many employers have policies about notary fees. Some employers pay for the notary commission and expect the employee to provide free notarization services as part of their job duties.

During a Missouri RON session, can the notary and signer be in different states?

Answer: Yes — the notary must be authorized in Missouri, but the signer can be anywhere

In a Missouri RON session, the notary performs the act under Missouri law. The signer may be located anywhere — in another state or even another country.

Can a Missouri notary charge extra for notarizing multiple signatures on the same document?

Answer: Yes — the fee is per notarial act, not per document

Each separate notarial act (such as each individual's acknowledgment) is a separate act for which the notary may charge the fee.

Can a Missouri notary perform a notarial act for a person who does not speak English?

Answer: Yes — as long as the notary can communicate with the signer through direct communication or an interpreter

A Missouri notary can perform notarial acts for non-English speakers as long as meaningful communication can occur between the notary and signer.

A signer fails the knowledge-based authentication (KBA) questions during a Missouri RON session. What should the notary do?

Answer: Terminate the RON session — the signer cannot be verified

If a signer fails the KBA questions, the notary must terminate the RON session because the signer's identity cannot be satisfactorily verified.

In Missouri, what does the notarial certificate phrase 'subscribed and sworn before me' indicate?

Answer: A jurat was performed — the signer signed and took an oath in the notary's presence

The phrase 'subscribed and sworn before me' is used in jurat certificates, indicating that the signer signed (subscribed) and took an oath (sworn) in the notary's presence.

A Missouri notary is preparing to perform their first remote online notarization for a signer who is not personally known to them. According to Missouri law, which of the following is a required step in the identity verification process?

Answer: The process must include credential analysis of a government-issued ID and a method like knowledge-based authentication (KBA).

Missouri law for remote online notarization requires a multi-step identity verification process for signers not personally known to the notary. This includes an automated analysis of the signer's government-issued ID (credential analysis) to ensure it is authentic, followed by a secondary verification method such as knowledge-based authentication (KBA), which consists of questions based on the signer's personal credit and public records history.

What is the purpose of the surety bond required for Missouri notaries?

Answer: To protect the public from financial loss caused by the notary's misconduct

The surety bond protects the public by providing a source of compensation if someone suffers financial loss due to the notary's misconduct or negligence.

A signer who is unknown to the notary and lacks proper identification brings two individuals to serve as credible witnesses. To properly identify the signer using this method, the notary must:

Answer: Administer an oath or affirmation to the two witnesses, who must each personally know the signer and present satisfactory documentary identification to the notary.

RSMo 486.600(21)(b) specifies that if two credible witnesses are used, they must be disinterested parties who each personally know the individual. The notary does not need to personally know them, but the witnesses must show the notary their own documentary identification that qualifies as 'satisfactory evidence.' The notary must also administer an oath or affirmation to them.

A principal appears before a Missouri notary and presents several documents for identification. Which of the following is an example of 'satisfactory evidence' of identity?

Answer: A current, state-issued driver's license bearing a photographic image, signature, and physical description.

According to RSMo 486.600(21)(a), 'satisfactory evidence' includes at least one current document issued by a federal, state, or tribal government bearing the photographic image of the individual's face, their signature, and a physical description. A state-issued driver's license meets these criteria. Foreign-issued IDs (other than a properly stamped passport) and non-government IDs are not acceptable.