MO Notary - Missouri Notary Journal and Seal Requirements Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Missouri notary's official seal must contain all of the following information EXCEPT:
- The county of commission (Correct answer)
- The notary's name exactly as it appears on the commission
- The notary's commission number
- The words 'State of Missouri'
Correct 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.
Question 2: According to Missouri law, what are the requirements for a notary's journal?
- A loose-leaf binder with numbered pages for easy removal.
- An electronic file that can be edited.
- A permanently bound book with numbered pages. (Correct answer)
- Any type of notebook, as long as entries are chronological.
Correct answer: A permanently bound book with numbered pages.
Missouri law mandates that a notary must keep a chronological journal of notarial acts in a permanently bound book with numbered pages. A notary is only allowed to maintain one active permanently bound journal at a time.
Question 3: A Missouri notary performs a notarization on January 15, 2026. The notary's commission expires on March 1, 2029, and they decide to resign their commission on December 31, 2032. At a minimum, until what date must the notary keep the journal containing the record of the January 15th notarization?
- March 1, 2029
- December 31, 2032
- January 15, 2036
- December 31, 2042 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: December 31, 2042
A Missouri notary is required to keep their journal for a period of no less than ten years from the date of the last entry made in the journal. In this scenario, the last entry was on December 31, 2032, so the journal must be kept until at least December 31, 2042.
Question 4: Which of the following pieces of information is a Missouri notary explicitly prohibited from recording in their journal?
- The fee charged for the notarial act
- The signer's Social Security number (Correct answer)
- The address where the notarization was performed
- A description of the identification document presented
Correct answer: The signer's Social Security number
Missouri notary law specifically prohibits a notary from recording a person's Social Security number or credit card number in their journal. All other listed items are either required or permitted entries.
Question 5: A customer presents a document for notarization but is not personally known to the notary. The customer provides a valid, state-issued driver's license as identification. Which of the following details from the ID must the notary record in their journal?
- The customer's height and weight.
- The date the customer's photograph was taken.
- The type of document, its issuing agency, serial number, and its date of issuance or expiration. (Correct answer)
- The customer's full residential address as listed on the license.
Correct answer: The type of document, its issuing agency, serial number, and its date of issuance or expiration.
When relying on an identification document, a Missouri notary must record a notation of the type of ID, the issuing agency, its serial or identification number, and its date of issuance or expiration. While the journal requires the signer's address, the notary records the address provided by the signer, not necessarily copying it from the ID.
Question 6: If a Missouri notary's official seal is lost or stolen, what is the first required action?
- Order a new seal immediately.
- Publish a notice in a local newspaper.
- Notify the Secretary of State. (Correct answer)
- File a report with the local police department.
Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State.
A Missouri notary is required to notify the Secretary of State if their notary seal is lost or stolen. The Missouri Secretary of State's office provides specific procedures for this notification.
MO Notary - Missouri Notary Journal and Seal Requirements Questions and Answers
A Missouri notary's official seal must contain all of the following information EXCEPT: