MO Notary Notary Liability and Ethics 3

Question 1

How does a Missouri notary's surety bond differ from Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance?

Accepted Answer

The bond protects the public while E&O insurance protects the notary personally

Answer

The surety bond is for the public's benefit — harmed parties can file claims against it — while E&O insurance covers the notary's personal liability and legal defense costs.

Question 2

A signer asks a Missouri notary to charge a reduced fee as a personal favor. May the notary charge less than the statutory maximum fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, notaries may charge less than or entirely waive the maximum allowable fee

Answer

Missouri law sets the maximum fee a notary may charge per notarial act, but a notary is free to charge a lesser amount or provide services at no charge.

Question 3

A Missouri notary cannot satisfactorily verify the identity of a prospective signer. What must the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to perform the notarization until proper identification is provided

Answer

Verifying the signer's identity is a mandatory prerequisite; if identity cannot be established through satisfactory identification, the notary must refuse to proceed.

Question 4

Which of the following actions constitutes notary misconduct in Missouri that could result in commission revocation?

Accepted Answer

Notarizing a document without the signer being personally present during an in-person notarization

Answer

For in-person notarizations, the signer must appear before the notary; completing a notarization without required physical presence constitutes serious misconduct.

Question 5

May a Missouri notary notarize their own signature on a document?

Accepted Answer

No, a notary cannot notarize their own signature under any circumstances

Answer

A notary cannot notarize their own signature because doing so eliminates the independent third-party witness relationship that is the essence of notarization.

MO Notary - Missouri Notary Exam Practice Test

MO Notary - Missouri Notary Exam Practice Test

MO Notary Notary Liability and Ethics 3