Notary Public Documentation & Record Keeping 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum number of years most states require a notary to retain their journal after the last entry?
- 1 year
- 5 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely
Correct answer: 10 years
Most states require notary journals to be retained for at least 10 years after the last notarial act recorded.
Question 2: When a notary journal is lost or stolen, what is the required first action?
- Purchase a replacement journal immediately
- Notify the state commissioning authority (Correct answer)
- Recreate entries from memory
- Destroy any remaining notarial records
Correct answer: Notify the state commissioning authority
A lost or stolen notary journal must be reported to the state commissioning authority as soon as the notary becomes aware of the loss.
Question 3: In a notary journal entry, what does 'document date' refer to?
- The date the notarial act was performed
- The date the document itself was signed or executed (Correct answer)
- The date the journal entry was made
- The expiration date of the notary's commission
Correct answer: The date the document itself was signed or executed
The document date is the date appearing on the document itself, which may differ from the date the notarial act was performed.
Question 4: Which of the following should NOT be recorded in a notary's journal entry for a loan signing?
- Type of identification presented by the signer
- The signer's Social Security Number (Correct answer)
- Fee charged for the notarial act
- Thumbprint of the signer (if required by state)
Correct answer: The signer's Social Security Number
Social Security Numbers are sensitive personal identifiers that should never be recorded in a notary journal to protect signers from identity theft.
Question 5: A notary journal entry shows a document type as 'Deed of Trust.' What additional information best identifies the specific document?
- The county where the property is located
- The document's title or a brief description of its purpose (Correct answer)
- The lender's name only
- The notary's seal impression
Correct answer: The document's title or a brief description of its purpose
Recording the document's title or a brief description helps identify the specific document among multiple transactions of the same type.
Question 6: What is the purpose of recording the method of identity verification in a notary journal?
- It satisfies IRS reporting requirements
- It demonstrates the notary exercised due diligence in verifying the signer's identity (Correct answer)
- It allows the notary to charge higher fees
- It replaces the need for a notary seal
Correct answer: It demonstrates the notary exercised due diligence in verifying the signer's identity
Recording the identity verification method shows the notary followed proper procedures and provides a defense if the notarization is later challenged.
Question 7: If a signer refuses to provide a thumbprint when the state requires it for certain documents, what should the notary do?
- Proceed with the notarization without the thumbprint
- Refuse to perform the notarization (Correct answer)
- Record the refusal in the journal and proceed
- Contact law enforcement immediately
Correct answer: Refuse to perform the notarization
When state law mandates a thumbprint for specific documents, refusal by the signer is grounds for the notary to decline the notarization.
Notary Public Documentation & Record Keeping 2
What is the minimum number of years most states require a notary to retain their journal after the last entry?