Notary Public Essentials — Proficiency Exam

15 questions · pass with 50%

1. A coworker asks you to explain whether they should sign a power of attorney and which boxes to tick. What should you do?
Refuse to give legal advice and point them to an attorney; you may only perform notarial acts you are commissioned forTick the boxes for them so the notarization goes fasterTell them what you would do if it were your parentNotarize first, then explain the legal effect so they feel informed
2. You are named as a beneficiary in a will someone wants notarized. What is the safe professional stance taught in this course?
Notarize if they are a relative you trustNotarize but skip the journal so there is no recordDo not notarize your own interest; prohibited-act rules vary, but self-dealing is a classic disqualifierNotarize and add a note that you 'disclosed' the conflict
3. Why is a video from another US state a poor source for 'how we do it here'?
Notaries never use journals anywhereSeals are identical in every countryCommissioning, bond, insurance, allowed acts, and remote rules vary by state and countryNotarial certificates are optional everywhere
4. Your commission expired last week. A regular customer needs a quick acknowledgement. What do you do?
Stamp it and renew tomorrowUse a colleague's seal with their permissionBackdate the certificate to last week when you were still commissionedRefuse — you have no authority until you are recommissioned under local rules
5. What is the core difference between an acknowledgement and a jurat?
There is no difference; both are just stampsAn acknowledgement is about a willing signature; a jurat requires an oath or affirmation that the document is true and a signature in your presenceA jurat is only for real estate; an acknowledgement is only for passportsAcknowledgements are for remote sessions only; jurats are in-person only
6. A signer hands you an affidavit with a jurat certificate but asks you not to make them swear because they are in a hurry. What do you do?
Refuse the jurat unless they take the oath or affirmation; you cannot skip the spoken stepStamp it as an acknowledgement instead so they can leaveLet them swear later by text messageCover the jurat wording with your seal so it looks generic
7. Someone asks you to certify a photocopy of a birth certificate for a foreign visa. What is the educational rule?
Always certify it; banks abroad require notaries to do thisCertify it only if they pay a higher feeUse an acknowledgement on the photocopy insteadCheck whether your jurisdiction even allows copy certification of that record — many places reserve vital records for the issuing office
8. The document will be recorded in another county next week. Where do you write the venue on today's in-person acknowledgement?
The county of recording, so the clerk is not confusedLeave venue blank for the clerk to stampThe state and county where you actually performed the notarial actThe signer's home county, even if you met elsewhere
9. A signer presents a clearly expired driver's licence. Your state's handbook does not allow expired ID. What do you do?
Accept it if they look like the photoAccept a phone photo of the licence insteadRefuse the act until they present acceptable ID under local rulesUse your personal knowledge because they are a neighbour
10. Why might you record the type of ID in the journal but not the full ID number?
Journals are public blogs, so numbers would trend onlineSome jurisdictions restrict recording ID numbers to reduce identity-theft risk — follow that local ruleType of ID is never relevantNotaries are forbidden from looking at the ID number even during the act
11. Your office manager wants the notary stamp left at the front desk so 'whoever is free' can notarize. What is the professional rule?
Refuse — the seal stays under the commissioned notary's controlAllow it if they initial the journal laterAllow it for acknowledgements but not juratsMake a second illegal copy of the stamp for the desk
12. A signer has no ID. A friend offers to 'vouch' for them. What should you do?
Always proceed; one friend is enough everywhereAlways refuse; witnesses are never allowedNotarize if the friend is over 18, regardless of statuteUse a credible-witness procedure only if your jurisdiction allows it and every statutory element is met; otherwise refuse
13. A signer is in another state and asks you to watch them sign on a consumer video app, then stamp the PDF they email. You are commissioned for in-person acts only. What should you do?
Agree if you keep the chat logAgree if they show two IDs to the cameraAgree if your boss approves the workaroundRefuse — that is not an authorised notarial appearance under typical in-person commissions
14. Before you perform a remote online notarization, what must be true?
Your jurisdiction authorises RON for you, the platform is approved, and this signer and document are allowedYou have a webcam and a PDF editorThe signer promises the document is importantYou once watched a webinar from a neighbouring state
15. During a RON session the signer fails knowledge-based identity questions. What is the correct response taught here?
Read the questions slowly so they can search the webSwitch to 'personal knowledge' because you can see their faceEnd or refuse the act per platform and statute; do not coach them through the questionsSkip ID proofing and only record the video

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