NE Notary Notary Journal Recordkeeping 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Nebraska law, how long must a notary retain their journal after the last entry is made?
- 1 year
- 3 years
- 5 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years
Correct answer: 5 years
Nebraska notaries must retain their journal for at least 5 years after the last entry.
Question 2: When a notary performs multiple notarial acts for the same signer in one sitting, how should journal entries be recorded?
- One combined entry covering all acts
- A separate entry for each individual notarial act (Correct answer)
- Only the first and last act need entries
- Entries are optional when multiple acts occur together
Correct answer: A separate entry for each individual notarial act
Each notarial act must have its own separate journal entry, even when performed for the same signer at the same time.
Question 3: Which piece of identification information must be recorded in the journal when a signer presents a driver's license?
- Only the state of issuance
- The expiration date only
- The type of ID, issuing authority, serial number, and expiration date (Correct answer)
- The full ID number and signer's date of birth
Correct answer: The type of ID, issuing authority, serial number, and expiration date
The journal entry must include the type of ID document, its issuing authority, serial or ID number, and expiration date.
Question 4: A notary loses their journal. What is the required action in Nebraska?
- Purchase a new journal and continue without reporting
- Notify the Nebraska Secretary of State within 10 days (Correct answer)
- File a police report only
- Suspend all notarial acts for 30 days
Correct answer: Notify the Nebraska Secretary of State within 10 days
Nebraska law requires the notary to notify the Secretary of State within 10 days of discovering a lost or stolen journal.
Question 5: What type of notarial act does NOT need to be recorded in the Nebraska notary journal?
- Acknowledgments
- Jurats
- Copy certifications of publicly recorded documents (Correct answer)
- Oaths administered to individuals
Correct answer: Copy certifications of publicly recorded documents
Certified copies of publicly recorded documents are generally exempt from journal entry requirements because the public record itself is available.
Question 6: If a signer refuses to allow their thumbprint to be taken for a journal entry involving a deed of trust, what should the Nebraska notary do?
- Refuse to perform the notarization
- Proceed without the thumbprint and note the refusal in the journal (Correct answer)
- Complete the entry leaving the thumbprint space blank with no notation
- Contact the Secretary of State before proceeding
Correct answer: Proceed without the thumbprint and note the refusal in the journal
When a thumbprint is requested but refused, the notary should still complete the notarization and note the refusal in the journal entry.
Question 7: Which statement about electronic notary journals in Nebraska is correct?
- Electronic journals are prohibited under Nebraska law
- Electronic journals must be approved by the Secretary of State and stored securely (Correct answer)
- Paper journals are optional if an electronic system is used
- Electronic journals have no required retention period
Correct answer: Electronic journals must be approved by the Secretary of State and stored securely
Nebraska permits electronic notary journals but requires they be approved by the Secretary of State and maintained with appropriate security measures.
NE Notary Notary Journal Recordkeeping 2
Under Nebraska law, how long must a notary retain their journal after the last entry is made?