Notary Journal and Record Keeping Flashcards
7 cards from real WV NOTARY practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Notary Journal and Record Keeping flashcards as text
For remote or electronic notarizations in West Virginia, what record keeping expectation applies?
Answer: The notary must retain records of the act, including the required audio-visual recording for remote notarizations, for the statutory retention period
Remote notarization rules require the notary to ensure records, including the audio-visual recording, are retained for the required period.
A court subpoenas information about a notarization performed four years ago. Which outcome shows the value of a journal?
Answer: The notary can produce a contemporaneous entry showing the date, signer, identification method, and act performed
A journal entry made at the time of the act gives the notary reliable, credible evidence years later.
Where should a notary store the journal when it is not in use?
Answer: In a secure location under the notary's exclusive control, such as a locked drawer
The journal contains records of official acts and personal information, so it should be secured under the notary's sole control.
A notary makes an error while writing a journal entry. What is the correct way to fix it?
Answer: Draw a single line through the error, write the correction, and initial it
Lining through, correcting, and initialing preserves the original writing and shows the change was legitimate.
What should a notary do with the signer's signature in connection with the journal, as a best practice?
Answer: Have the signer sign the journal entry for that act
Obtaining the signer's signature in the journal entry creates strong evidence of the signer's personal appearance.
A notary is asked to backdate a journal entry to match a document signed last week. What must the notary do?
Answer: Refuse, because journal entries must reflect the actual date of the notarial act
Backdating a journal entry is falsification of an official record and must be refused.
Which situation most clearly calls for a detailed journal entry with extra notes?
Answer: A high-value real estate signing where the signer seemed hesitant and asked many questions
Unusual circumstances, such as signer hesitancy in a high-stakes transaction, warrant additional notes in case the act is later disputed.