NC Notary Responsibilities and Eligibility 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A person convicted of a felony in North Carolina wishes to become a notary. What is the general rule?
- They may apply immediately after completing their sentence
- They are permanently disqualified from becoming a notary (Correct answer)
- They must wait 5 years after completing their sentence
- The Governor may grant an exception upon petition
Correct answer: They are permanently disqualified from becoming a notary
Under NC law, a person convicted of a felony is disqualified from being commissioned as a notary public.
Question 2: Which of the following acts is a notary PROHIBITED from performing?
- Acknowledging a deed for a stranger
- Administering an oath to a witness
- Notarizing their own signature on a document (Correct answer)
- Certifying a copy of a public record
Correct answer: Notarizing their own signature on a document
A notary may not notarize a document in which they have a direct interest or are a party, including notarizing their own signature.
Question 3: Under North Carolina law, who is responsible for maintaining the notary's journal of notarial acts?
- The county register of deeds
- The notary public themselves (Correct answer)
- The employer of the notary
- The Secretary of State's office
Correct answer: The notary public themselves
Each notary is personally responsible for maintaining their own sequential journal of notarial acts.
Question 4: A notary's commission expires. How long does the notary have to apply for recommissioning without losing their sequential journal entry sequence?
- The commission cannot be renewed; a new application is always required (Correct answer)
- 30 days
- 60 days
- There is no grace period; the journal must be restarted
Correct answer: The commission cannot be renewed; a new application is always required
When a commission expires, the notary must submit a new application; there is no automatic renewal or grace period.
Question 5: Which statement about a North Carolina notary's liability is CORRECT?
- Notaries have absolute immunity from lawsuits
- A notary may be held personally liable for damages caused by improper notarizations (Correct answer)
- Only the notary's employer can be sued for notarial errors
- The state indemnifies notaries for all good-faith errors
Correct answer: A notary may be held personally liable for damages caused by improper notarizations
A NC notary can be held personally liable for financial damages that result from negligent or improper notarial acts.
Question 6: What is the minimum age requirement to become a commissioned notary public in North Carolina?
- 16 years old
- 21 years old
- 18 years old (Correct answer)
- There is no age requirement
Correct answer: 18 years old
An applicant must be at least 18 years of age to be commissioned as a notary in North Carolina.
Question 7: A notary is asked to notarize a document but the signer cannot appear in person. Under current NC law, what should the notary do?
- Accept a video call as a substitute for personal appearance
- Refuse to perform the notarization because personal appearance is required (Correct answer)
- Accept a signed affidavit from a witness who observed the signing
- Proceed if the notary personally knows the signer
Correct answer: Refuse to perform the notarization because personal appearance is required
Traditional notarial acts in NC require the signer's personal appearance before the notary (unless using authorized Remote Online Notarization).
NC Notary Responsibilities and Eligibility 2
A person convicted of a felony in North Carolina wishes to become a notary.
What is the general rule?