Notary Exam Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a notary journal?
- A personal diary of the notary's daily activities
- An official chronological record of all notarial acts performed (Correct answer)
- A list of the notary's clients and their contact information
- A schedule of the notary's fee rates
Correct answer: An official chronological record of all notarial acts performed
A notary journal is an official sequential log documenting each notarial act performed, serving as evidence of proper procedure.
Question 2: What information is typically recorded in a single notary journal entry?
- The notary's personal notes and impressions
- Date, type of act, document type, signer's name, ID used, fee charged, and signer's signature (Correct answer)
- Only the signer's name and signature
- The full content of the document notarized
Correct answer: Date, type of act, document type, signer's name, ID used, fee charged, and signer's signature
A complete journal entry includes all key facts about the notarial act to create an accurate and defensible record.
Question 3: How should a notary correct an error made in their journal?
- Use correction fluid to cover the mistake
- Tear out the page and start over
- Draw a single line through the error, write the correction, and initial it (Correct answer)
- Completely rewrite the entire journal entry
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, write the correction, and initial it
Errors should be corrected with a single strikethrough so the original entry remains readable, with the correction initialed to show it was the notary's intentional change.
Question 4: When should a notary make a journal entry for a notarial act?
- Weekly in a batch
- At the end of the month
- At the time each notarial act is performed (Correct answer)
- After the document has been filed with the county
Correct answer: At the time each notarial act is performed
Journal entries must be made contemporaneously—at the time of the act—to ensure accuracy and prevent after-the-fact alterations.
Question 5: For how long should a notary retain their journal after their commission expires?
- They may destroy it immediately upon commission expiration
- For one year after expiration
- For the period specified by state law, often several years (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely forever
Correct answer: For the period specified by state law, often several years
State laws vary, but most require notaries to keep their journal for a set number of years after expiration, typically ranging from five to ten years.
Question 6: Is a notary employer entitled to take possession of a notary employee's official journal?
- Yes, the journal belongs to whoever employs the notary
- No, the journal is the personal property of the notary, not the employer (Correct answer)
- Only upon termination of employment
- Only if the employer paid for the journal
Correct answer: No, the journal is the personal property of the notary, not the employer
The notary journal is the personal property of the commissioned notary and cannot be taken by an employer, even if the employer purchased the journal book.
Notary Exam Notary Journal and Record Keeping 1
What is a notary journal?