PA Notary Study Guide | Questions with 100% Verified
Answers | Latest Update 2026/2027
Question: A notary commission which began on January 1, 2017 (12:00
a.m.) will end on:
Answer: January 1, 2021 (11:59 p.m.)
Question: A notary public is not licensed to practice law and may not,
under any circumstances, give legal advice unless he/she is a
licensed attorney.
Answer: True
Question: You must be employed in or a legal resident of Pennsylvania
to be eligible to become a notary public in this state.
Answer: True
Question: The notary public term of office is ______ years.
Answer: Four
Question: Applications for reappointment should be filed at least ________
prior to the expiration of the commission
Answer: Two to three months
Question: Notaries public are required to execute a _______ bond
following appointment.
Answer: $10,000
Question: Pennsylvania requires notaries to file a security bond no later
than ______ days after the beginning of the prescribed
commission term.
Answer: 45 Days
Question: The state application filing fee is ______.
Answer: $42
Question: A notary journal/ register is required by law.
Answer: True
Question: Administrative suspension or revocation of one's commission
may result for failure to comply with notarial procedures and
laws.
Answer: True
, Question: If a notary public secured his/her notary appointment while
employed and the employer paid for the costs incurred, and
the notary's employment is subsequently terminated, the
notary must:
Answer: Not surrender the notary's stamp, seal or journal to the employer.
Question: The use of a notary public seal by a person who is not the
notary public named on the seal is considered an
impersonation of a notary public and subject to the penalties
set forth by law.
Answer: True
Question: Notary seals must be photographically reproducible.
Answer: True
Question: An embosser can be used in place of a rubber stamp seal.
Answer: False
Question: Upon a notary public's, disqualification, revocation or
expiration of a commission, the notary public seal must be
surrendered to the Department of State or destroyed within:
Answer: 30 Days
Question: Upon a notary public's resignation, disqualification, revocation
or expiration of a commission, the notary public seal must be
surrendered to the Department of State. Any person who fails
to comply with this requirement shall be guilty of a summary
offense and upon conviction shall be sentenced to pay a fine
not exceeding ______ or to imprisonment not exceeding ______ ,
or both.
Answer: $1,000, 0 Days
Question: The notary seal, the notary commission certificate, and any
other papers belonging to the notary public, i.e., a record
book or journal of notarial acts, are the property of:
Answer: The notary public
Question: It is acceptable if the stamp of the notary seal is placed over
the notary's signature, but not over the document signer's
signature.
Answer: False
Question: Journal/register entries must record:
Answer: The date of the notarial act,
The character of the notarial act - acknowledgment, affidavit, etc. ,
The name of the parties to the instrument, and The fee charged for the notary service.
Answers | Latest Update 2026/2027
Question: A notary commission which began on January 1, 2017 (12:00
a.m.) will end on:
Answer: January 1, 2021 (11:59 p.m.)
Question: A notary public is not licensed to practice law and may not,
under any circumstances, give legal advice unless he/she is a
licensed attorney.
Answer: True
Question: You must be employed in or a legal resident of Pennsylvania
to be eligible to become a notary public in this state.
Answer: True
Question: The notary public term of office is ______ years.
Answer: Four
Question: Applications for reappointment should be filed at least ________
prior to the expiration of the commission
Answer: Two to three months
Question: Notaries public are required to execute a _______ bond
following appointment.
Answer: $10,000
Question: Pennsylvania requires notaries to file a security bond no later
than ______ days after the beginning of the prescribed
commission term.
Answer: 45 Days
Question: The state application filing fee is ______.
Answer: $42
Question: A notary journal/ register is required by law.
Answer: True
Question: Administrative suspension or revocation of one's commission
may result for failure to comply with notarial procedures and
laws.
Answer: True
, Question: If a notary public secured his/her notary appointment while
employed and the employer paid for the costs incurred, and
the notary's employment is subsequently terminated, the
notary must:
Answer: Not surrender the notary's stamp, seal or journal to the employer.
Question: The use of a notary public seal by a person who is not the
notary public named on the seal is considered an
impersonation of a notary public and subject to the penalties
set forth by law.
Answer: True
Question: Notary seals must be photographically reproducible.
Answer: True
Question: An embosser can be used in place of a rubber stamp seal.
Answer: False
Question: Upon a notary public's, disqualification, revocation or
expiration of a commission, the notary public seal must be
surrendered to the Department of State or destroyed within:
Answer: 30 Days
Question: Upon a notary public's resignation, disqualification, revocation
or expiration of a commission, the notary public seal must be
surrendered to the Department of State. Any person who fails
to comply with this requirement shall be guilty of a summary
offense and upon conviction shall be sentenced to pay a fine
not exceeding ______ or to imprisonment not exceeding ______ ,
or both.
Answer: $1,000, 0 Days
Question: The notary seal, the notary commission certificate, and any
other papers belonging to the notary public, i.e., a record
book or journal of notarial acts, are the property of:
Answer: The notary public
Question: It is acceptable if the stamp of the notary seal is placed over
the notary's signature, but not over the document signer's
signature.
Answer: False
Question: Journal/register entries must record:
Answer: The date of the notarial act,
The character of the notarial act - acknowledgment, affidavit, etc. ,
The name of the parties to the instrument, and The fee charged for the notary service.
