RI Notary Completing Notarial Certificates 2

Question 1

Under Rhode Island law, when must a notary complete the notarial certificate for a notarization?

Accepted Answer

Contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act

Answer

Within 30 days of the act

Answer

Any time before the document is recorded

Answer

Only when the signer requests it

Question 2

A Rhode Island notary is presented with a document whose certificate wording says the signer appeared in "Bristol County, Massachusetts," but the signing occurs in Providence, Rhode Island. What should the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Correct the venue to show Providence County, Rhode Island before completing the certificate

Answer

Leave the venue as printed since the document was drafted that way

Answer

Refuse to notarize because venue can never be changed

Answer

Sign the certificate but note the discrepancy in a cover letter

Question 3

Which element is a Rhode Island notary required to include on every notarial certificate?

Accepted Answer

The date the notary's commission expires

Answer

The signer's home address

Answer

The notary's personal phone number

Answer

The document's total page count

Question 4

A signer hands a Rhode Island notary a document with no certificate wording at all and says "just stamp it." What is the proper response?

Accepted Answer

Ask the signer or document drafter which notarial act is required and attach the appropriate certificate

Answer

Stamp and sign the document without wording

Answer

Choose an acknowledgment automatically since it is most common

Answer

Refuse to notarize any document lacking preprinted wording

Question 5

How should a Rhode Island notary sign a notarial certificate?

Accepted Answer

Exactly as the name appears on the notary's commission

Answer

With any legible variation of the notary's name

Answer

With initials only, to save space

Answer

With a rubber signature stamp used by an assistant

Question 6

A certificate for a verification on oath (jurat) states the signer "acknowledged" the document. Before completing it for a sworn statement, the notary should recognize that a jurat differs because it requires the signer to:

Accepted Answer

Sign in the notary's presence and take an oath or affirmation

Answer

Simply confirm the signature is theirs, made at any earlier time

Answer

Provide two witnesses to the signing

Answer

Record the document with the city clerk first

Question 7

While completing a certificate, a Rhode Island notary realizes the document's certificate names "John A. Smith" but the signer's ID and signature read "John B. Smith." What is the best course of action?

Accepted Answer

Do not complete the certificate until the name discrepancy is resolved by the signer or drafter

Answer

Complete the certificate using whichever name looks closer to the ID

Answer

Cross out the name and write in the correct one without telling anyone

Answer

Notarize anyway because middle initials are irrelevant