VT Notary Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Is a Vermont notary required to maintain a notary journal?
- It is strongly recommended but not mandatory for traditional notarizations (Correct answer)
- Yes, it is strictly required by Vermont law
- No, journals are prohibited in Vermont
- Only required for notaries who work for law firms
Correct answer: It is strongly recommended but not mandatory for traditional notarizations
Vermont strongly recommends that notaries keep a journal but does not mandate it for traditional in-person notarizations; however, RON requires electronic records.
Question 2: For Vermont remote online notarizations, which record must the notary retain?
- An audio-video recording of the entire RON session (Correct answer)
- Only the signed document
- A handwritten journal entry
- The signer's credit report
Correct answer: An audio-video recording of the entire RON session
Vermont RON law specifically requires the notary to retain an audio-video recording of each remote notarization session.
Question 3: What information should a Vermont notary ideally record in a journal entry?
- Date, type of act, description of document, signer's name and address, and ID used (Correct answer)
- Only the notary's commission number
- The document's full text
- The signer's date of birth only
Correct answer: Date, type of act, description of document, signer's name and address, and ID used
A best-practice journal entry in Vermont includes the date, type of notarial act, document description, signer's name and address, and the identification presented.
Question 4: How long should a Vermont notary retain their journal records according to best practices?
- At least 10 years (Correct answer)
- 1 year
- Until the commission expires
- 30 days
Correct answer: At least 10 years
Vermont best practices recommend retaining notary journal records for at least 10 years to provide a reliable reference for legal proceedings.
Question 5: If a Vermont notary loses their journal, what should they do?
- Notify the Secretary of State (Correct answer)
- Ignore it since journals are not required
- File a police report only
- Replace it and continue without reporting
Correct answer: Notify the Secretary of State
Although journals are not mandatory in Vermont, if a notary keeps one and it is lost or stolen, notifying the Secretary of State is the recommended course of action.
Question 6: Can a Vermont notary allow a member of the public to inspect their notary journal?
- No, the journal is the notary's private record and not a public document (Correct answer)
- Yes, anyone may review it upon request
- Only attorneys may inspect it
- Only if a court order is presented
Correct answer: No, the journal is the notary's private record and not a public document
A notary's journal is the notary's private record and is not required to be open for public inspection in Vermont.
VT Notary Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1
Is a Vermont notary required to maintain a notary journal?