Prohibited Acts and Misconduct Flashcards
7 cards from real NC NOTARY practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Prohibited Acts and Misconduct flashcards as text
A notary's commission has expired, but they continue to perform notarizations. What is this considered under North Carolina law?
Answer: Unauthorized practice that can result in criminal liability
Performing notarizations after a commission has expired is unauthorized and can expose the individual to criminal charges under North Carolina law.
A North Carolina notary is pressured by their employer to notarize documents without reviewing them. What should the notary do?
Answer: Refuse, as a notary remains personally responsible for each notarial act
A notary is personally and independently responsible for each notarial act regardless of employer pressure, and cannot delegate that responsibility.
Which of the following is a prohibited act when a North Carolina notary is also a party to the transaction being notarized?
Answer: Notarizing any document in the transaction
A notary who is a named party to the transaction has a disqualifying financial or beneficial interest and must not notarize any document in that transaction.
A notary stamps a blank notarial certificate and gives it to a client to attach to a future document. This is:
Answer: A serious violation that constitutes misconduct
Pre-signing or pre-stamping blank certificates is a serious form of notarial misconduct because it enables fraudulent use of the notary's seal.
Under NC General Statutes, a notary who accepts anything of value for referring notarial customers to another service is:
Answer: Engaging in prohibited fee-splitting or referral conduct
Accepting referral fees or kickbacks in connection with notarial services violates the ethical standards imposed on North Carolina notaries.
A notary is asked to certify that a photocopy of a vital record (birth certificate) is a true copy. In North Carolina, what is correct?
Answer: Notaries cannot certify copies of vital records issued by government agencies
North Carolina notaries cannot certify copies of vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates) because those are government-issued documents with their own official copy process.
A notary knowingly notarizes a document bearing a false date — earlier than when the signing actually occurred. This act is best described as:
Answer: Backdating, which is a prohibited fraudulent act
Backdating a notarial act to misrepresent when a document was signed is fraud and constitutes serious notarial misconduct under North Carolina law.