TN Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Is a Tennessee notary required by state law to maintain a notary journal?
- Yes, always required
- No, it is not required but recommended (Correct answer)
- Only for electronic notarizations
- Only for real estate documents
Correct answer: No, it is not required but recommended
Tennessee law does not mandate a notary journal, though keeping one is strongly recommended as a best practice.
Question 2: What information should a notary record in a voluntary journal entry?
- Date, type of notarization, and signer's name (Correct answer)
- Only the signer's address
- Only the document title
- The notary's personal notes about the signer
Correct answer: Date, type of notarization, and signer's name
A best-practice journal entry includes the date, type of notarial act performed, and the name of the signer.
Question 3: How long should a Tennessee notary retain journal records as a best practice?
- 1 year
- 3 years
- 5 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years
Correct answer: 5 years
Notaries are advised to retain journal records for at least five years after the date of the notarial act.
Question 4: Which of the following is a benefit of maintaining a notary journal?
- It allows the notary to charge higher fees
- It provides a defense record if a notarization is later challenged (Correct answer)
- It replaces the need for a notary seal
- It eliminates the need for signer identification
Correct answer: It provides a defense record if a notarization is later challenged
A journal creates a contemporaneous record that can protect the notary if a notarization is ever disputed or questioned.
Question 5: What should a notary do if a journal entry contains an error?
- Tear out the page and start over
- Strike through the error with a single line and initial it (Correct answer)
- Use correction fluid to cover the mistake
- Delete the entire entry
Correct answer: Strike through the error with a single line and initial it
Errors in a paper journal should be corrected by drawing a single line through the mistake and initialing the correction, preserving legibility.
Question 6: If a Tennessee notary's journal is lost or stolen, what is the recommended action?
- Do nothing unless asked by a court
- Notify the Secretary of State and file a police report (Correct answer)
- Immediately surrender the notary commission
- Purchase a new journal and continue without reporting
Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State and file a police report
Notaries should notify the Tennessee Secretary of State and file a police report to protect against fraudulent use of the lost records.
TN Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1
Is a Tennessee notary required by state law to maintain a notary journal?