Notary Public Exam Duties & Responsibilities of a Notary 1

Question 1

A notary is asked to notarize a document for a person who appears to be intoxicated. What is the notary's proper course of action?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to complete the notarization until the signer is sober and capable of understanding the act

Answer

Proceed with the notarization since the document is legal

Answer

Ask a witness to sign on behalf of the signer

Answer

Complete the notarization but note the signer's condition in the journal

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the notary's duty of impartiality?

Accepted Answer

A notary must serve all eligible parties without favoritism or personal interest in the transaction

Answer

A notary may give preference to clients who are repeat customers

Answer

A notary can decline to serve anyone for any reason without explanation

Answer

A notary should recommend legal strategies to parties they know well

Question 3

When a notary completes a notarial act, what is their primary responsibility regarding the notarial certificate?

Accepted Answer

Ensure the certificate accurately reflects the type of act performed, the date, and the notary's official information

Answer

Leave the certificate blank for the attorney to complete later

Answer

Attach any certificate provided by the requesting party without review

Answer

Use a generic certificate for all types of notarial acts

Question 4

A notary is also a party named in the document they are being asked to notarize. What should the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Recuse themselves and refer the signer to a disinterested notary

Answer

Notarize the document since they are familiar with its contents

Answer

Complete the notarization but disclose the conflict in writing

Answer

Notarize only the other signers' signatures, not their own

Question 5

What is a notary's responsibility when maintaining their official journal or record book?

Accepted Answer

Keep a chronological record of every notarial act performed, including the type of act, date, and signer information

Answer

Record only transactions that involve real estate or large sums of money

Answer

Store journal entries digitally and discard paper records immediately

Answer

Share journal contents freely with any member of the public who requests it

Question 6

A signer presents an expired government-issued ID as proof of identity. How should the notary respond?

Accepted Answer

Reject the expired ID and ask for a current, valid form of identification before proceeding

Answer

Accept the ID since the photo still matches the signer's appearance

Answer

Proceed but note in the journal that the ID was expired

Answer

Contact the issuing agency to verify the ID's original validity