Preparing for the Pennsylvania notary public commission? A printable Pennsylvania notary practice test PDF gives you an offline format to review Pennsylvania notary law, notarial acts, electronic notarization, record-keeping requirements, and the statutory obligations that Pennsylvania notaries must understand. Studying PA notary laws on paper reinforces the knowledge tested in the state's required notary education course. This page provides a free PDF download and a comprehensive guide to Pennsylvania notary requirements.
Pennsylvania notaries public are commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of State for a term of 4 years. The Pennsylvania Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), enacted in 2017, governs all notarial acts in Pennsylvania. PA law requires all new notary applicants to complete a 3-hour notary education course approved by the Department of State and pass a notary examination. Pennsylvania also authorizes electronic notarization and Remote Online Notarization (RON).
Your Pennsylvania notary practice test PDF covers all major topics tested in the required PA notary education course and examination.
Pennsylvania notaries may perform these notarial acts under RULONA: acknowledgments (the principal personally appears and acknowledges that they signed the document voluntarily), verification on oath or affirmation (the principal personally appears, signs in the notary's presence, and swears or affirms under oath to the truthfulness of the document), witnessing or attesting a signature (the notary witnesses the signer personally sign the document), copy certifications (certifying that a photocopy is a true copy of an original document — Pennsylvania notaries cannot certify copies of vital records such as birth/death certificates or court records), and noting a protest (for negotiable instruments). All notarial acts require personal appearance — a principal who is not physically present cannot have a document notarized except through authorized RON.
Pennsylvania notaries must verify the identity of all signers before performing a notarial act. RULONA acceptable identification methods: a passport, driver's license, government-issued nondriver ID, or any government document with a photo and the individual's name and address; personal knowledge of the individual (prior acquaintance); or a credible witness — a person who personally knows the individual and takes an oath before the notary that the person's identity is as claimed. Identity documents must appear genuine and be current or expired within 3 years. The notary must record the verification method in the journal (required in Pennsylvania).
Pennsylvania requires notaries to maintain a sequential journal of all notarial acts. Journal requirements under RULONA: each entry must include the date and time of the notarial act, a description of the record or type of notarial act, the principal's name and address, the method used to identify the principal, and the fee charged (if any). The journal must be kept for 10 years after the last notarial act recorded. A notary seal and journal are the notary's personal property — they cannot be surrendered to an employer. If a notary dies, resigns, or is disqualified, the journal must be retained by the notary's estate or submitted to the Department of State. Lost or stolen journals must be reported to the Department of State immediately.
Pennsylvania authorized Remote Online Notarization (RON) effective October 29, 2020 (Act 76 of 2020). For RON, Pennsylvania notaries must: register with the Department of State as a RON notary; use a Pennsylvania Department of State-approved technology provider; verify identity using knowledge-based authentication (KBA) plus credential analysis; maintain an audio-visual recording of each RON session for a minimum of 10 years; and affix a digital notary seal and electronic signature. RON is particularly important for real estate transactions, estate documents, and remote business dealings. The Pennsylvania notary must be physically located in Pennsylvania at the time of the RON session, even if the principal is located elsewhere.
Focus on Pennsylvania's unique journal requirement — it's more comprehensive than most states require. After this PDF, take online Pennsylvania notary practice tests at pa notary practice test for instant scored feedback.
After completing this PDF, take full online Pennsylvania notary practice tests at pa notary practice test — instant scoring across notarial acts, identification requirements, journal requirements, bond/seal, RON, and Pennsylvania RULONA with explanations for every answer. Use both: PDF for offline law review, online for interactive timed practice that simulates the Pennsylvania notary examination format.