Notarial Acts and Certificates Flashcards

A Virginia notary performing a copy certification must compare:

Answer: The copy to the original document to confirm it is a true and accurate reproduction

The notary must compare the copy directly to the original to certify it is a true and accurate reproduction.

Which of the following documents CANNOT be copy-certified by a Virginia notary?

Answer: A Virginia birth certificate

Virginia birth certificates are vital records that can only be certified by the issuing government agency, not a notary.

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

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.

What is the maximum fee a Virginia notary may charge per notarial act?

Answer: $5.00

Virginia law sets the maximum fee for each notarial act at $5.00.

When a Virginia notary administers an oath or affirmation for a deposition, the act is called a:

Answer: Verification upon oath

Administering an oath or affirmation for a deposition or written testimony is a verification upon oath or affirmation.

If a signer refuses to take an oath, a Virginia notary may instead administer a(n):

Answer: Affirmation

An affirmation is the non-religious equivalent of an oath and carries the same legal weight in Virginia.