AZ Notary - Arizona Notary Journal and Seal Requirements Questions and Answers

Question 1

An Arizona notary performs a single acknowledgment for a signer on a real estate document. According to Arizona law, which of the following details is the notary required to record in their journal?

Accepted Answer

The fee charged for the notarial act.

Answer

Arizona Revised Statutes § 41-319(A) mandates that for each notarial act, the journal entry must include specific details. Among these required elements are the date of the act, a description of the document, the signer's printed name, address, and signature, the type of identification used, and the fee, if any, charged for the service.

Question 2

Which of the following is a mandatory requirement for an official notary seal in Arizona?

Accepted Answer

It must contain the Great Seal of Arizona.

Answer

Per the Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual, a valid notary seal must be a rubber stamp that uses dark ink (like black, dark blue, or dark purple), includes the words 'Notary Public,' the notary's name as commissioned, the county of commission, the commission expiration date, the commission number, and the Great Seal of Arizona.

Question 3

A notary in Phoenix is asked to notarize a document for a close friend. The notary has known the friend for over 20 years and can positively identify them. What is the correct procedure regarding the journal entry?

Accepted Answer

The notary must record all required information but can write 'personal knowledge' in the space for identification.

Answer

Arizona law allows a notary to use 'personal knowledge' as satisfactory evidence of identity. When this method is used, the notary must make a journal entry and note that personal knowledge was the method of identification used, instead of describing an ID card. All other journal elements, such as the date, document type, and signer's signature, are still required.

Question 4

Under what circumstances is an Arizona notary permitted to keep more than one paper journal at a time?

Accepted Answer

When one journal is for public records and another is for non-public records.

Answer

According to A.R.S. § 41-319(E), a notary public shall generally keep only one paper journal at a time. The exception is if the notary handles notarial acts that are not public records (e.g., due to attorney-client privilege). In this case, the notary must keep one journal for public records and a separate journal for non-public records.

Question 5

An Arizona notary resigns their commission after moving to another state. What is the notary required to do with their journal and seal?

Accepted Answer

Deliver the journal, seal, and all other records to the Secretary of State within three months.

Answer

A.R.S. § 41-317(A) requires a notary who resigns their commission to deliver their journal, seal, and all other notarial records to the Secretary of State's office within three months of the resignation. Failure to do so can result in significant fines.

AZ Notary - Arizona Notary Exam Practice Test

AZ Notary - Arizona Notary Exam Practice Test

AZ Notary - Arizona Notary Journal and Seal Requirements Questions and Answers