WI Notary Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Is Wisconsin notaries required to maintain an official notary journal?
- It is not mandatory by statute but is strongly recommended as best practice (Correct answer)
- Yes, it is strictly required by state law
- No, record keeping is completely unnecessary
- Only for real estate notarizations
Correct answer: It is not mandatory by statute but is strongly recommended as best practice
Wisconsin statute does not strictly mandate a notary journal, but maintaining one is strongly recommended to protect the notary and document their acts.
Question 2: What information should a Wisconsin notary's journal entry typically include?
- Date, type of act, signer's name, identification used, and document type (Correct answer)
- Only the notary's signature and date
- The signer's Social Security number and bank account
- Only the document title
Correct answer: Date, type of act, signer's name, identification used, and document type
Best practice journal entries include the date, type of notarial act, description of the document, signer's name, and the form of identification presented.
Question 3: How long should a Wisconsin notary retain their journal records?
- At least 10 years after the last entry is recommended (Correct answer)
- Only 1 year
- Until the commission expires
- Indefinitely with no option to destroy
Correct answer: At least 10 years after the last entry is recommended
Wisconsin notaries are advised to keep their journal for at least 10 years after the last entry to protect against future claims.
Question 4: What type of journal is best for a Wisconsin notary to use?
- A bound journal with pre-numbered pages (Correct answer)
- Loose-leaf sheets
- A spiral-bound notebook
- Any notebook from a convenience store
Correct answer: A bound journal with pre-numbered pages
A bound journal with pre-numbered pages is best because it prevents removal or substitution of pages, preserving the integrity of the record.
Question 5: Should a Wisconsin notary record the signer's thumbprint in their journal?
- It is optional but recommended as an extra layer of identity verification (Correct answer)
- It is required by law for all notarizations
- It is prohibited as a privacy violation
- Only for documents over $10,000 in value
Correct answer: It is optional but recommended as an extra layer of identity verification
Recording a thumbprint is not required in Wisconsin but is recommended as an added deterrent against fraud and identity theft.
Question 6: Can a Wisconsin notary's employer access or demand the notary's personal journal?
- No, the journal is the notary's personal property (Correct answer)
- Yes, the employer owns all work-related records
- Yes, if the employer paid for the journal
- Only with a court order requested by the employer
Correct answer: No, the journal is the notary's personal property
Like the seal, the notary's journal is their personal property and cannot be demanded by an employer.
WI Notary Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1
Is Wisconsin notaries required to maintain an official notary journal?