NC Notary Notary Public Responsibilities and Eligibility 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum fee a NC notary may charge for a single paper notarial act?
- $5.00
- $10.00 (Correct answer)
- $15.00
- $25.00
Correct answer: $10.00
GS §10B-31 caps the fee for each paper notarial act at ten dollars ($10.00).
Question 2: A NC notary who has a direct financial interest in a transaction is:
- Permitted to notarize after disclosing the interest to the signer
- Disqualified from performing any notarial act related to that transaction (Correct answer)
- Required to charge double the normal fee as a conflict disclosure
- Allowed to notarize only if a second notary co-signs the certificate
Correct answer: Disqualified from performing any notarial act related to that transaction
NC law disqualifies a notary who has a direct financial interest in the underlying transaction from notarizing related documents.
Question 3: When performing a jurat in NC, what must the signer do?
- Sign the document before arriving and present it to the notary
- Sign the document in the notary's presence and take an oath or affirmation (Correct answer)
- Only take an oath — the signature may be affixed later
- Provide two forms of government-issued photo ID
Correct answer: Sign the document in the notary's presence and take an oath or affirmation
A jurat requires the signer to sign in the notary's presence and swear or affirm to the truthfulness of the document's contents.
Question 4: Which element is REQUIRED to appear on a NC notary's official seal?
- The notary's date of birth
- The notary's Social Security number
- The words 'North Carolina' and the notary's county of commission (Correct answer)
- The notary's home street address
Correct answer: The words 'North Carolina' and the notary's county of commission
GS §10B-37 requires the seal to include the notary's name, 'Notary Public,' 'North Carolina' or 'State of North Carolina,' and the county of commission.
Question 5: Does North Carolina law require a notary to maintain an official journal of notarial acts?
- Yes, it is mandatory for every notarial act performed
- Yes, but only for real estate and financial transactions
- No, but maintaining one is strongly recommended (Correct answer)
- No, and keeping one creates additional legal liability
Correct answer: No, but maintaining one is strongly recommended
NC does not statutorily require a notarial journal, but maintaining one is strongly recommended as protection in case of disputes.
Question 6: Which type of identification is generally acceptable to establish a signer's identity for a NC notarial act?
- A library card bearing the signer's photograph
- A current government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license (Correct answer)
- A recent utility bill showing the signer's current address
- A major credit card bearing the signer's name
Correct answer: A current government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license
A current, government-issued photo ID is the standard acceptable form of identification for verifying a signer's identity.
Question 7: A NC notary discovers a signer is attempting to notarize a fraudulent document. The notary should:
- Complete the notarization and report it to police afterward
- Refuse to perform the notarial act (Correct answer)
- Complete the act to avoid confrontation with the signer
- Charge an elevated fee and proceed with the act
Correct answer: Refuse to perform the notarial act
A notary must refuse any notarial act they have reasonable cause to believe would facilitate fraud or is otherwise unlawful.
NC Notary Notary Public Responsibilities and Eligibility 4
What is the maximum fee a NC notary may charge for a single paper notarial act?