Notary Journal Recordkeeping Flashcards

Is an Oregon notary required to maintain a journal of notarial acts?

Answer: Yes — Oregon law requires notaries to keep a chronological journal of all notarial acts

Oregon law requires all commissioned notaries to maintain a chronological journal of every notarial act they perform.

Which of the following must be recorded in an Oregon notary's journal for each act?

Answer: The date, type of notarial act, name of the signer, and type of identification used

Required journal entries in Oregon include the date, type of act, the name of the person whose signature was notarized, and the method used to identify the signer.

How long must an Oregon notary retain their journal after their commission expires or is terminated?

Answer: 10 years

Oregon requires notaries to retain their journals for 10 years from the date of the last entry, even after the commission has ended.

What should an Oregon notary do if they are asked to show their journal to a person claiming to be a law enforcement officer?

Answer: Request to see proper credentials and, if appropriate, comply with a valid legal process or subpoena

A notary should verify credentials and comply with valid legal process — but is not required to surrender the journal without proper legal authority.

May an Oregon notary keep their journal in an electronic format?

Answer: Yes — Oregon allows electronic journal formats if they meet security and accessibility requirements

Oregon allows notaries to maintain electronic journals as long as they meet the required security and accessibility standards.

What is the correct action for an Oregon notary when they make an error in a journal entry?

Answer: Draw a single line through the error, write the correction, and initial the correction

Errors in a journal entry should be corrected by drawing a single line through the error, writing the correction, and initialing it — never using correction fluid or removing pages.