Notary Public Documentation & Record Keeping 2

Question 1

What is the minimum number of years most states require a notary to retain their journal after the last entry?

Accepted Answer

10 years

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Notify the state commissioning authority

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

The date the document itself was signed or executed

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

The signer's Social Security Number

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

The document's title or a brief description of its purpose

Answer

Recording the document's title or a brief description helps identify the specific document among multiple transactions of the same type.

Notary Public Practice Test