MA Notary Notary Journal and Record-Keeping 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Can a Massachusetts notary use a digital or electronic journal instead of a paper journal?
- No, only paper journals are acceptable
- Yes, electronic journals are acceptable especially for electronic notarizations (Correct answer)
- Only with special approval from the Secretary of State
- Only for commercial transactions
Correct answer: Yes, electronic journals are acceptable especially for electronic notarizations
Electronic journals are acceptable and particularly practical when performing electronic or remote online notarizations.
Question 2: What should a notary do if they discover an error in a completed journal entry?
- Erase the error completely
- Cross out the error with a single line and initial the correction (Correct answer)
- Destroy the entire page and start over
- Leave the error unchanged
Correct answer: Cross out the error with a single line and initial the correction
Errors in journal entries should be corrected by drawing a single line through the mistake, making the correction, and initialing it to maintain an accurate record.
Question 3: Should a Massachusetts notary record refused notarizations in their journal?
- No, only completed notarizations should be recorded
- Yes, recording refusals documents the notary's proper exercise of judgment (Correct answer)
- Only if the refusal involved suspected fraud
- Only if the signer requests documentation
Correct answer: Yes, recording refusals documents the notary's proper exercise of judgment
Recording refusals protects the notary by showing they exercised proper judgment and declined improper requests.
Question 4: What is the purpose of having each signer sign the journal entry?
- It substitutes for signing the document
- It provides additional evidence that the person appeared before the notary (Correct answer)
- It is required by Massachusetts statute
- It authorizes the notary to charge a fee
Correct answer: It provides additional evidence that the person appeared before the notary
A signer's signature in the journal corroborates that they personally appeared before the notary for that specific notarial act.
Question 5: If multiple documents are notarized for the same signer in one sitting, how should they be recorded?
- One journal entry covers all documents
- A separate entry should be made for each document notarized (Correct answer)
- Only the most important document needs recording
- The signer decides how many entries are made
Correct answer: A separate entry should be made for each document notarized
Each notarial act should have its own journal entry to maintain a complete and accurate record of every individual act performed.
Question 6: What should a notary note if a credible witness is used to establish a signer's identity?
- Nothing extra is needed
- The witness's name, relationship to the signer, and ID used (Correct answer)
- Only the witness's name
- Only the witness's address
Correct answer: The witness's name, relationship to the signer, and ID used
Recording the credible witness's identifying information and their relationship to the signer documents why and how an alternative identity method was used.
MA Notary Notary Journal and Record-Keeping 2
Can a Massachusetts notary use a digital or electronic journal instead of a paper journal?