NM Notary Recordkeeping and Documentation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under New Mexico's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), how long must a notary retain their journal after the last entry is made?
- 5 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- 7 years
- Permanently
Correct answer: 10 years
New Mexico law requires the journal to be retained for 10 years after the last notarial act recorded in it.
Question 2: How many tangible (paper) journals may a New Mexico notary maintain at one time?
- One (Correct answer)
- Two
- As many as needed
- One per employer
Correct answer: One
A notary may keep only one tangible journal at a time, though multiple electronic journal formats are permitted.
Question 3: A New Mexico notary discovers their journal has been stolen. What must they do?
- Buy a new journal and continue without reporting
- Promptly notify the Secretary of State upon discovering the loss (Correct answer)
- File a report only with local police
- Wait until commission renewal to report it
Correct answer: Promptly notify the Secretary of State upon discovering the loss
New Mexico law requires the notary to promptly notify the Secretary of State if the journal is lost or stolen.
Question 4: Which of the following is a required element of every New Mexico journal entry?
- The signer's thumbprint
- The signer's date of birth
- The date and time of the notarial act (Correct answer)
- A photocopy of the notarized document
Correct answer: The date and time of the notarial act
Each entry must include the date and time the notarial act was performed, along with other identifying details.
Question 5: In what order must entries be made in a New Mexico notary journal?
- Alphabetically by signer name
- Chronologically (Correct answer)
- Grouped by document type
- By fee amount
Correct answer: Chronologically
RULONA requires journal entries to be made contemporaneously and recorded in chronological order.
Question 6: When should a New Mexico notary record an entry in the journal?
- At the end of each business day
- Contemporaneously with performing the notarial act (Correct answer)
- Within one week of the act
- Only when the signer requests it
Correct answer: Contemporaneously with performing the notarial act
The journal entry must be made at the same time the notarial act is performed, not afterward.
Question 7: Which detail about identification must be documented in a New Mexico journal entry?
- The method used to identify the signer (Correct answer)
- The signer's Social Security number
- The signer's mother's maiden name
- The expiration date of the notary's own ID
Correct answer: The method used to identify the signer
The entry must state how the signer was identified, such as personal knowledge or the type of identification credential presented.
NM Notary Recordkeeping and Documentation 2
Under New Mexico's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), how long must a notary retain their journal after the last entry is made?