MT Notary - Montana Notary Notary Journal and Recordkeeping Questions and Answers

Question 1

According to Montana law, which of the following details is a notary public explicitly prohibited from recording in their journal?

Accepted Answer

The signer's driver's license number

Answer

The fee charged for the notarial act

Answer

A description of the document

Answer

The date and time of the notarization

Question 2

A Montana notary public resigns their commission. What is the legally mandated retention period for their notary journal(s) after the last entry?

Accepted Answer

10 years

Answer

5 years

Answer

7 years

Answer

Indefinitely

Question 3

When is a principal's signature NOT required in a Montana notary's journal entry?

Accepted Answer

When certifying a copy of a document

Answer

For an acknowledgment on a real estate deed

Answer

When administering an oath for an affidavit

Answer

For a verification on oath or affirmation (jurat)

Question 4

A notary in Helena is asked to perform a notarization. Which of the following formats is unacceptable for a notary journal in Montana?

Accepted Answer

A three-ring binder with loose-leaf pages

Answer

A permanent, tamper-evident electronic journal

Answer

A securely bound paper journal with pre-printed page numbers

Answer

A chronological, permanently bound paper logbook

Question 5

Which of the following is a required component of every journal entry for a notarial act performed in Montana?

Accepted Answer

The type of notarial act performed

Answer

The county where the notarization took place

Answer

The name of any credible witness used

Answer

The signer's occupation

Question 6

A signer presents a Montana notary with a document to be notarized, but asks the notary to leave the journal entry blank for privacy reasons, promising to let them fill it in later. How should the notary proceed?

Accepted Answer

Refuse the notarization until the signer agrees to have the journal entry completed at the time of the act.

Answer

Agree to the request as long as the signer provides all necessary information later.

Answer

Complete the notarization but make a note in the journal that the signer requested privacy.

Answer

Ask the signer to sign the journal but leave the other details blank to be filled in later.