NNA Notary Journal Requirements 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In California, what must a notary do if the journal is lost or stolen?
- Nothing, unless asked by a court
- Immediately notify the Secretary of State by certified or registered mail (Correct answer)
- Notify the bonding company within 90 days
- Post a notice in a local newspaper
Correct answer: Immediately notify the Secretary of State by certified or registered mail
California law requires the notary to promptly notify the Secretary of State by certified or registered mail when the journal is lost, stolen, or misplaced.
Question 2: In California, who owns a notary's journal when an employer paid for it?
- The employer
- The county clerk
- The notary (Correct answer)
- The Secretary of State
Correct answer: The notary
In California, the journal belongs to the notary even if the employer paid for it, and the notary keeps it when leaving that job.
Question 3: In California, what must be done with the journal when a notary's commission ends without renewal?
- Destroy it within 30 days
- Give it to the employer
- Deliver it to the county clerk of the county where the oath is filed within 30 days (Correct answer)
- Keep it at home indefinitely
Correct answer: Deliver it to the county clerk of the county where the oath is filed within 30 days
California requires delivering journals to the county clerk where the current oath of office is on file within 30 days of resignation, revocation, or expiration without reappointment.
Question 4: California requires a journal thumbprint for which type of document?
- Any affidavit
- Deeds and other documents affecting real property, and powers of attorney (Correct answer)
- Only wills
- Only copy certifications
Correct answer: Deeds and other documents affecting real property, and powers of attorney
California requires the signer's right thumbprint in the journal for documents affecting real property and for powers of attorney.
Question 5: How must California notaries store their journals?
- In any office drawer
- In a locked and secure area under the notary's exclusive control (Correct answer)
- With the employer's records manager
- In a bank safe deposit box only
Correct answer: In a locked and secure area under the notary's exclusive control
California requires the journal be kept in a locked, secure area under the notary's direct and exclusive control.
Question 6: A member of the public asks to see a journal entry. Under California rules, what must the request generally include?
- Only a verbal request
- A written request stating the parties' names, the document type, and the month and year of the notarization (Correct answer)
- A court subpoena in every case
- Payment of $100
Correct answer: A written request stating the parties' names, the document type, and the month and year of the notarization
California requires a written request identifying the parties, type of document, and month and year so the notary can provide a copy of that specific line item.
Question 7: When providing a copy of a journal entry to a member of the public, what should the notary protect?
- Nothing; the whole journal is public
- Other entries on the page that are unrelated to the request (Correct answer)
- Only the fee column
- Only the notary's own signature
Correct answer: Other entries on the page that are unrelated to the request
Notaries should cover or redact unrelated entries so the privacy of other signers is protected.
NNA Notary Journal Requirements 3
In California, what must a notary do if the journal is lost or stolen?