Journal and Seal Requirements Flashcards
6 cards from real NJ NOTARY practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Journal and Seal Requirements flashcards as text
Which of the following pieces of information is NOT required to be included on a New Jersey notary's official stamp?
Answer: The notary's commission ID number
New Jersey law requires the notary's official stamp to include their name, the title 'Notary Public, State of New Jersey,' and the commission expiration date. The notary's commission ID number is not a required element.
A New Jersey notary performs a notarial act. According to state law, which of the following is a mandatory action the notary must take?
Answer: Record the transaction in a permanently bound journal.
New Jersey law mandates that every notary public must keep a journal of all notarial acts performed. The journal can be a physical, permanently bound book or a permanent, tamper-evident electronic format. While ink color, fees, and thumbprints are aspects of notarization in some states, only the journal is a universal requirement in New Jersey (with a limited exception for attorneys using regular business records).
A notary's official stamp is lost or stolen. What is the required procedure according to New Jersey regulations?
Answer: Notify the State Treasurer via the DORES website within 10 days.
If a notary's stamping device is lost or stolen, New Jersey law requires the notary to notify the State Treasurer's office through the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) website within 10 days of discovering the loss or theft.
When maintaining a physical (tangible) journal, New Jersey law specifies that it must be:
Answer: A permanent, bound register with consecutively numbered pages.
For notaries who choose to maintain a physical journal, New Jersey law is specific: it must be a permanent, bound register with consecutively numbered lines and pages to ensure its integrity and prevent tampering.
A New Jersey notary is asked to notarize a document for a close friend they have known for over 20 years. When recording the act in the journal, how should the notary identify the signer?
Answer: By including a statement that identity was based on personal knowledge.
When a notary identifies a signer through personal knowledge, the journal entry must include a statement to that effect. While recording an ID is a valid method of identification, it's not required if the notary has personal knowledge of the signer's identity.
For how long must a New Jersey notary retain their journal after the date of the last notarial act recorded in it?
Answer: For at least 10 years.
New Jersey law requires a notary to retain their journal for a minimum of 10 years after the date of the last entry. After this period, or upon ceasing to be a notary, they may also have the option to transmit it to a repository approved by the State Treasurer.