NJ Notary - New Jersey Notary Journal and Seal Requirements Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following pieces of information is NOT required to be included on a New Jersey notary's official stamp?
- The notary's commission ID number (Correct answer)
- The notary's name as it appears on the commission
- The title 'Notary Public, State of New Jersey'
- The commission expiration date
Correct 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.
Question 2: A New Jersey notary performs a notarial act. According to state law, which of the following is a mandatory action the notary must take?
- Use a blue ink pad for the official stamp.
- Record the transaction in a permanently bound journal. (Correct answer)
- Charge a fee for the notarial service.
- Obtain a thumbprint from the signer.
Correct 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).
Question 3: A notary's official stamp is lost or stolen. What is the required procedure according to New Jersey regulations?
- Report the loss to the local police department within 24 hours.
- Publish a notice in a local newspaper for three consecutive days.
- Notify the State Treasurer via the DORES website within 10 days. (Correct answer)
- Immediately cease all notarial acts until a new commission is issued.
Correct 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.
Question 4: When maintaining a physical (tangible) journal, New Jersey law specifies that it must be:
- A loose-leaf binder with lined paper.
- A spiral-bound notebook.
- Any type of ledger as long as entries are chronological.
- A permanent, bound register with consecutively numbered pages. (Correct answer)
Correct 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.
Question 5: 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?
- By writing 'Friend' in the identification field.
- By recording the details of the friend's driver's license.
- By including a statement that identity was based on personal knowledge. (Correct answer)
- By having another friend act as a credible witness.
Correct 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.
Question 6: For how long must a New Jersey notary retain their journal after the date of the last notarial act recorded in it?
- For the duration of their 5-year commission.
- For 7 years.
- For at least 10 years. (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely.
Correct 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.
NJ Notary - New Jersey Notary Journal and Seal Requirements Questions and Answers 1
Which of the following pieces of information is NOT required to be included on a New Jersey notary's official stamp?