Notary Public Underwriters Blog
Test Your Notary Knowledge: Take Our Notary Quiz!
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- Published: May 12, 2025
Notaries must be sharp, attentive, and ready to handle tricky situations according to law and best practices. How well do you know the rules? Take our notary quiz and find out!
Scenario 1: The Customer Wants You to Choose the Notarial Certificate
You've been asked to notarize a customer's signature. They bring two versions of the document—each with a different notarial certificate—and ask you to pick which one to notarize. What should you do?
A. Choose the document with the notarial certificate that best matches why you think the customer is signing the document.
B. Describe the effect of the document after it is notarized, and tell the customer which notarial act seems closest to that outcome.
C. Tell the customer that as a notary, you can only describe the differences between the two notarial acts… the signer, another person connected to the document transaction, or an attorney are the appropriate parties to give the requested advice.
Scenario 2: Only Half the Signers Show Up
You're presented with a document listing four signers, but only two are present. Can you notarize their signatures even though the other two signatures are missing?
A. Yes. If there are no other barriers to notarizing, then the fact that only some of the multiple document signers are present to have their signatures notarized does not prevent you from notarizing for them.
B. No, a document must be "complete" to be notarized, so the notary must require all signatures to be signed on the document before notarizing any of the signatures.
C. No, most states prohibit a notary from notarizing unless all the signers of the document appear together.
Scenario 3: Save Time by Prefilling Notary Record Book (Journal)
To save time when you have multiple notarization appointments in a day, you prefill your record book (journal) entries with all the information you expect to add anyway... you will just make sure the customer signs the entry during the appointment. Is this okay?
A. Yes, a notary can be busy and should use any techniques they want to save time on completing record book (journal) entries.
B. No, prefilling record book (journal) entries conflicts with recordkeeping best practices. The notary can forget to cancel out a prefilled entry if the related appointment is cancelled, which creates doubt about the accuracy of all entries in that record book (journal).
Scenario 4: Signer Appears Confused
At the time of notarization, the person whose signature you have been asked to notarize is acting confused and somewhat disoriented. A family member is present and insists that the person wants and needs this notarization performed--it's urgent. How do you respond?
A. You say no IF, in your judgment, the named signer does not seem aware enough to understand their own actions when having their signature notarized. You can return another time or day when the customer is sufficiently alert and aware.
B. You agree to perform the notarization, but only if the family member signs a statement that they are fully responsible for instructing you to do so.
C. You agree to perform the notarization because it was clearly desired by the family member, and you want to be helpful in a tough situation.
Scenario 5: I Tried to Help My Employer
My employer needed a signature notarized for an extremely important business deal. I was very familiar with the deal and knew all the principals involved. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be there in person to handle the notarization, but my employer asked if there was a workaround. Wanting to help, I gave them a completed, signed, and sealed notarial certificate to attach to the document. I also spoke directly with each principal signer by phone, conducted the verbal notarial ceremonies, and made a detailed note in my record book (journal) about what I did. Was this a reasonable course of action for me to take?
A. Yes, you made the best of a difficult situation and seemed to address all actions they would have performed in a full face-to-face notarization.
B. Yes, because clearly your employer pressured you, so your employer will be responsible for any sanctions against you.
C. Yes, as long as you carefully documented all actions in my record book (journal).
D. No, you may never bend the rules of notarization to accommodate any person or any situation.
Scenario 1: Answer: C
As a notary, you cannot choose or suggest which certificate to use—that could be seen as giving legal advice. You can only describe the acts, not recommend one.
Scenario 2: Answer: A
You can notarize the signatures of those who are physically present, as long as the document is otherwise complete and meets all other requirements.
Scenario 3: Answer: B
Prefilling can lead to errors if appointments are canceled and can create doubt about the journal’s accuracy. Always fill in entries at the time of notarization.
Scenario 4: Answer: A
You must ensure a signer understands what they are signing. If they seem disoriented or confused, you must refuse to notarize.
Scenario 5: Answer: D
There is no acceptable excuse or explanation for taking shortcuts and violating notary law and/or administrative rules. Even when pressured by an employer, a notary is ultimately responsible for their improper procedures and actions.
Want a few quicker questions? Let’s go!
1. The wording that describes the notarial act is called a:
A. Official notary record
B. Notary block
C. Notarial certificate
2. Since I've personally known my coworker for many years, it's acceptable to notarize their signature because I recognize it, even if my coworker isn't presently in the office.
A. Yes
B. No
C. It's okay if I have their permission, in writing, to "always notarize" their signature
3. As long as my notary stamp reflects my name as commissioned, I can sign my official signature in whatever format fits best in the space allowed on the notarial certificate.
A. Yes
B. No
C. Signature format doesn’t matter
4. It's just one day after my commission expired, but I have submitted my application for renewal, and I don't expect to be denied. I can notarize using the stamp for my expired commission; I will just write-in what should be my new commission date.
A. No
B. Yes
C. Yes, that's acceptable but only if I'm sure to use black or dark blue ink that will clearly reproduce if the document is later photocopies
5. I'm a bilingual notary. I recently notarized a document written in a non-English language that I could read. At the customer's request, I signed and stamped a statement certifying that I am a bilingual notary to help avoid questions about the notarization. Was this okay?
A. If the statement was only for the customer's records, it was okay to sign and stamp it
B. No
1. Answer: C
It’s properly called a notarial certificate, even though some casually refer to it as a "notarial block" or "notary block."
2. Answer: B
Under no circumstances may a notary notarize for an individual who is not personally present. The individual must be physically present with the notary or, if applicable, they must appear by remote online notarization (where allowed).
3. Answer: B
A notary must sign every notarial certificate they complete in the same way that their signature appears in their official notary records.
4. Answer: A
A person may never act as a notary public unless they are SURE they are under a current, in-force commission term, whether it's a new or renewal commission. In this example, the notary should decline to notarize until they have official notification of their commission renewal and have obtained a new notary stamp or seal that correctly reflects their renewed commission information.
5. Answer: B
A notary may never notarize a document when the notary is the named document signer... the notary would be notarizing their own signature. In this example, the notary could have signed the statement and asked another notary to notarize their signature on the statement.
How Did You Do?
Whether you aced it or learned something new, sharpening your knowledge is essential to protecting yourself and your clients. Stay tuned for more notary tips, quizzes, and resources!
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