Virginia Notary Public Knowledge Assessment — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the term of office for a Virginia Notary Public?

2 years
10 years
4 years (Correct answer)
6 years

Correct answer: 4 years

In Virginia, a Notary Public is appointed for a specific term of office. This term is set at four years. After this period, notaries must reapply and be reappointed to continue performing their duties, ensuring they remain current with regulations and eligible for the role.

Question 2: After a commission expires, a Virginia notary who wishes to continue notarizing must:

Submit a completely new application (Correct answer)
Reapply through their employer
File for an automatic extension
Pay a late renewal fee within 60 days

Correct answer: Submit a completely new application

After expiration, the notary must submit a new application as if applying for the first time.

Question 3: What bond amount is required for a Virginia notary public?

$2,500
No bond is required (Correct answer)
$1,000
$500

Correct answer: No bond is required

Virginia does not require notaries to post a surety bond.

Question 4: A Virginia notary commission becomes effective on what date?

The date the application is submitted
The date the notary takes the oath of office (Correct answer)
The date the bond is filed
The date the Governor signs the commission

Correct answer: The date the notary takes the oath of office

The commission becomes effective on the date the notary takes the required oath of office.

Question 5: Which of the following is a requirement to become a Notary Public in Virginia?

Be a U.S. citizen and resident of Virginia (Correct answer)
Pass a criminal background check
Have a degree in law
Be a licensed attorney

Correct answer: Be a U.S. citizen and resident of Virginia

To become a Notary Public in Virginia, an applicant must meet specific eligibility criteria established by state law. A fundamental requirement is that the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident and a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This ensures the notary is subject to Virginia's jurisdiction and laws.

Question 6: What is the Virginia application fee for a notary commission as set by statute?

$100
$10 (Correct answer)
$25
$40

Correct answer: $10

The application fee for a Virginia notary commission is $10.

Question 7: Can a Virginia Notary Public notarize a document for a family member?

Yes, without restrictions
Yes, if the document is not related to financial transactions
No, if the notary has a direct beneficial interest (Correct answer)
No, under any circumstances

Correct answer: No, if the notary has a direct beneficial interest

Virginia law prohibits a Notary Public from notarizing a document if they have a direct beneficial interest in the transaction. This rule is in place to uphold the notary's impartiality and prevent conflicts of interest, even if the individual is a family member. Notarizing for a family member is permissible only if the notary receives no direct benefit from the transaction.

Question 8: Who has the authority to appoint notaries public in Virginia?

The Governor (Correct answer)
The Circuit Court Clerk
The Attorney General
The Secretary of State

Correct answer: The Governor

The Governor of Virginia appoints notaries public upon application.

Question 9: A Virginia notary may add a notarial certificate to a document that lacks one ONLY if:

The signer is present and requests it (Correct answer)
The document is more than one page
The document is already recorded
Another notary previously notarized the document

Correct answer: The signer is present and requests it

A loose certificate may be attached to a document when the signer is present and the appropriate act is performed at that time.

Question 10: What is the primary function of a Virginia Notary Public?

To draft legal documents
To authenticate the identity of individuals signing documents (Correct answer)
To offer legal advice
To issue marriage licenses

Correct answer: To authenticate the identity of individuals signing documents

The primary function of a Virginia Notary Public is to act as an impartial witness. This involves authenticating the identity of individuals who sign documents, ensuring they are who they claim to be. This crucial role helps prevent fraud and ensures the integrity of important legal and financial transactions.

Question 11: A Virginia notary who changes their county or city of residence must notify which entity?

The Governor's office
The circuit court clerk only
The Secretary of the Commonwealth (Correct answer)
The local sheriff

Correct answer: The Secretary of the Commonwealth

A notary must notify the Secretary of the Commonwealth when changing their county or city of residence.

Question 12: How must a Virginia notary notify the Secretary of the Commonwealth of a name change?

By filing a new application and paying the full fee
No notification is required
By email within 90 days
In writing within 30 days (Correct answer)

Correct answer: In writing within 30 days

A notary must notify the Secretary of the Commonwealth in writing within 30 days of a name change.

Question 13: A notary acting in bad faith causes a lender to fund a fraudulent mortgage, resulting in a $50,000 loss. Under Virginia law, who may the lender sue?

The notary, since they facilitated the wrongful act (Correct answer)
Only the fraudulent borrower, not the notary
Only the title company that handled closing
No one, because mortgage fraud is a federal matter

Correct answer: The notary, since they facilitated the wrongful act

A notary who acts in bad faith and causes financial harm is civilly liable to any person damaged by that wrongful act, including lenders.

Question 14: If a Virginia notary's application contains false information, the commission may be:

Reduced in term
Revoked (Correct answer)
Left unchanged pending investigation
Suspended for 60 days

Correct answer: Revoked

Providing false information on a notary application is grounds for revocation of the commission.

Question 15: What shape is commonly used for a Virginia notary's rubber stamp seal?

Rectangle or circle — both are acceptable under Virginia law (Correct answer)
Oval only
Circle only
Triangle only

Correct answer: Rectangle or circle — both are acceptable under Virginia law

Virginia law permits notary stamps in rectangular or circular shapes; the key requirement is that the information is legible.

Question 16: What should a Virginia notary do if a signer's identification document has expired?

Decline to notarize unless another form of current satisfactory evidence is available (Correct answer)
Accept it if the photo still looks like the signer
Accept it with a note in the journal
Call the DMV to verify the ID

Correct answer: Decline to notarize unless another form of current satisfactory evidence is available

An expired ID generally does not qualify as satisfactory evidence; the notary should seek current, valid identification.

Question 17: Which of the following should a Virginia notary NEVER do with their journal?

Allow their employer to take possession of it as company property (Correct answer)
Note the date of each act
Use black or blue ink
Record the type of ID presented

Correct answer: Allow their employer to take possession of it as company property

The notary journal belongs to the notary, not the employer; the notary must retain custody of their personal journal.

Question 18: Which technology is essential for performing remote online notarizations (RON) in Virginia?

An approved RON platform with identity verification (Correct answer)
A basic webcam
An electronic mailing system
A digital signature pad

Correct answer: An approved RON platform with identity verification

For performing remote online notarizations (RON) in Virginia, an approved RON platform with robust identity verification is essential. This platform utilizes secure audio-visual technology to connect the notary and signer, along with advanced identity proofing and credential analysis tools. These technologies ensure the signer's identity is verified remotely and the notarial act is securely recorded.

Question 19: A Virginia notary's official seal impression must be:

At least 2 inches in diameter
Red ink only
Legible and reproducible (photographically reproducible) (Correct answer)
Embossed only

Correct answer: Legible and reproducible (photographically reproducible)

The seal must be photographically reproducible — meaning it must produce a clear, legible imprint on copies.

Question 20: A Virginia state employee who is also a commissioned notary performs a notarial act in their official capacity during working hours. Which fee rule applies?

They may charge up to $5 per act
They may charge whatever the employer authorizes
They may charge up to $2 per act
They may not charge any fee for official notarial acts (Correct answer)

Correct answer: They may not charge any fee for official notarial acts

Government employees acting as notaries in their official governmental capacity are generally prohibited from collecting a fee for those notarial acts.

Question 21: May a Virginia notary identify a signer through the oath of a credible identifying witness?

No, only government IDs are accepted
Yes, a credible witness known to the notary can vouch for an unidentified signer (Correct answer)
Only for acknowledgments, not jurats
Only if two witnesses are present

Correct answer: Yes, a credible witness known to the notary can vouch for an unidentified signer

Virginia law allows a credible identifying witness personally known to the notary to vouch for the identity of a signer the notary does not personally know.

Question 22: Which of the following is required for a Virginia Notary Public to perform eNotarizations?

A separate eNotary commission
A certification in cybersecurity
Registration with the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth (Correct answer)
A background check specific to eNotarization

Correct answer: Registration with the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth

To perform eNotarizations in Virginia, a Notary Public must first be commissioned as a traditional notary and then register specifically as an electronic notary with the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth. This registration ensures the notary has met additional requirements for electronic notarization, including understanding the technology and security protocols involved. This separate registration is crucial for legal compliance.

Question 23: Can a Virginia Notary Public perform eNotarizations for clients in other states?

No, the signer must be physically present in Virginia
Yes, but only if the client is a U.S. citizen
Yes, if both the notary and signer are within the United States
Yes, provided that the notarization complies with Virginia law and the signer is present via an approved electronic method (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Yes, provided that the notarization complies with Virginia law and the signer is present via an approved electronic method

Yes, a Virginia Notary Public can perform eNotarizations for clients in other states, provided the notarization complies with Virginia law and the signer is present via an approved electronic method. Virginia's remote online notarization (RON) laws allow the notary to be physically located in Virginia while the signer is located anywhere within the United States or even internationally, as long as the RON platform and process meet Virginia's stringent requirements for identity verification and security.

Question 24: If a Virginia notary's ink stamp produces a smeared or illegible impression, they should:

Use white-out to correct it
Initial the smear and continue
Have the signer re-sign on a new document
Re-stamp the document in a clear area as close to the signature as possible (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Re-stamp the document in a clear area as close to the signature as possible

A clean, legible impression should be applied near the signature; a smeared impression does not meet Virginia's reproducibility requirement.

Question 25: Which of the following situations requires special consideration before a Virginia Notary Public performs a notarization?

The document is written in a foreign language (Correct answer)
The document is being notarized outside of normal business hours
The document is a routine affidavit
The signer is a minor

Correct answer: The document is written in a foreign language

A document written in a foreign language requires special consideration before a Virginia Notary Public performs a notarization. While a notary does not need to understand the document's content, they must ensure the signer understands what they are signing. If the notary cannot communicate with the signer or verify their understanding due to a language barrier, they should proceed with caution or require an interpreter.

Question 26: For an acknowledgment, must the signer sign the document in the notary's presence in Virginia?

No — the signer may have signed previously and simply acknowledges the signature to the notary (Correct answer)
Only for real estate documents
Yes, always
Only if the document is recorded

Correct answer: No — the signer may have signed previously and simply acknowledges the signature to the notary

For an acknowledgment, the signer may have signed the document previously and only needs to appear and acknowledge the signature to the notary.

Question 27: Which document must a Virginia Notary Public use to perform their duties?

A personal diary
A law book
A notarial seal and journal (Correct answer)
A state-issued identification card

Correct answer: A notarial seal and journal

A Virginia Notary Public is required to use specific tools to perform their duties legally and effectively. These include an official notarial seal, which authenticates the notarization, and a journal to record all notarial acts. The journal serves as a vital record-keeping tool, documenting each transaction and protecting both the public and the notary.

Question 28: For Virginia RON purposes, knowledge-based authentication (KBA) requires the signer to answer questions about:

Their medical records
Their personal history drawn from public and private records to confirm their identity (Correct answer)
Their employment history only
Their preferred bank

Correct answer: Their personal history drawn from public and private records to confirm their identity

KBA uses questions derived from the signer's personal history — credit, public records, and other data — to verify identity remotely.

Question 29: If a Virginia Notary Public is presented with a document for notarization that has blank spaces, what should they do?

Proceed with notarization and advise the signer to fill in the blanks later
Fill in the blanks with their best guess
Ignore the blanks if the rest of the document is complete
Refuse to notarize until all blanks are filled in or crossed out (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Refuse to notarize until all blanks are filled in or crossed out

If a Virginia Notary Public is presented with a document containing blank spaces, they must refuse to notarize it until all blanks are filled in or crossed out. Notarizing an incomplete document creates a risk of fraud, as information could be added later without the signer's knowledge or consent. This rule protects both the signer and the integrity of the document.

Question 30: How far in advance may a Virginia notary apply to renew their commission?

90 days (Correct answer)
6 months
60 days
30 days

Correct answer: 90 days

A notary may submit a renewal application up to 90 days before their commission expires.

Question 31: What is eNotarization?

Notarizing documents using electronic signatures and seals (Correct answer)
Notarizing paper documents and scanning them for records
Notarizing documents without any physical signatures
Notarizing documents by email

Correct answer: Notarizing documents using electronic signatures and seals

eNotarization refers to the process of notarizing electronic documents using electronic signatures and seals. This method allows for a completely paperless notarization, where the notary applies their digital signature and seal to an electronic document. It streamlines the notarization process while maintaining legal validity and security.

Virginia Notary Public Knowledge Assessment

Tests knowledge of Virginia notary law, notarial acts, electronic notarization (eNotarization), appointment and qualification requirements, and ethical regulations as outlined in the Virginia Notary Handbook and Title 47.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

70%

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These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

law.lis.virginia.gov — Eligibility · verified Oct 2026
commonwealth.virginia.gov — Fees, renewal, score validity, eligibility, exam information · verified Oct 2026