Notary Test Questions and Correct Answers
Question 1
Bob and Mary work with George who is a California Notary Public. Bob executes ten
duplicate copies of a deed of trust by mark and asks Mary bring the documents to
George for notarization. George was involved in the original preparation of the deed
of trust so Mary presents only the signature pages to George for notarization. Can the
notary perform this notarization and (if yes) who must sign the notary's journal in this
situation:
Correct Answer
No - The notary may not notarize these documents in this instance so no one is
required to sign the journal.
A notary may not notarize a document which he knows from his experience to be
incomplete (as George would in this situation because he was involved in the
original preparation of the documents) and a subscribing witness may not be used
in conjunction with a deed of trust, mortgage, quitclaim deed, security instrument
or deed of trust affecting real property.
Question 2
Which of the following items must be filed with the county clerk's office:
A.) An application for name change.
B.) An application for change of business or residence address.
C.) An application for appointment.
D.) A request for approval to notarize confidential marriages.
Correct Answer
D.) A request for approval to notarize confidential marriages.
A, B and C are filed with the Secretary of State's office.
Page 1 of 27
,Question 3
Barbara is the owner of XYZ company. Jane is a California Notary Public. Jane works
for Barbara and is Barbara's daughter. During their lunch hour Barbara asks Jane to
notarize several company documents. In which instance would it be unacceptable for
Jane to notarize?
A.) Barbara does not present each complete document to Jane for notarization.
B.) Jane is named as an attorney in the documents.
C.) Barbara is named as a trustee to the transaction.
D.) Jane prepared the documents for Barbara's signature.
Correct Answer
A.) Barbara does not present each complete document to Jane for notarization.
A notary may not notarize a document which he knows from experience to be
incomplete or is without a doubt on its face incomplete. A notary may notarize a
document if the notary is acting in the capacity of agent, employee, attorney,
insurer, escrow or lender for a person who does have a direct financial or beneficial
interest. The signer may have a direct financial or beneficial interest in the
transaction (ie: being trustee), but the notary may not.
Question 4
Personal appearance is required for which of the following notarial acts:
A.) When the notary is completing an acknowledgment for a document that is written
in a foreign language.
B.) When the notary files his oath and bond with the county recorder's office.
C.) When the notary is notarizing his own signature.
D.) When a member of the public requests a copy of a line item from the notary's
journal.
Correct Answer
A.) When the notary is completing an acknowledgment for a document that is
written in a foreign language.
"Completing an acknowledgment" is the only notarial act listed. Filing the bond and
making copies of journal records are NOT NOTARIAL ACTS, and a notary may not
notarize his own signature.
Page 2 of 27
, Question 5
If a notary is notarizing loan documents and the lender has pre-printed the
Borrowers' names on the notarial certificates contained within the loan documents,
which of the following statements is true:
A.) The notary may be prosecuted for fraud if he strikes, from a notarial certificate, the
name of a signer who did not personally appear before him.
B.) The Secretary of State may suspend the notary's commission if the notary affixes
his seal to an acknowledgment certificate that is not completely filled out in the
notary's own handwriting.
C.) The notary will not be subject to civil penalties if he signs each acknowledgment
certificate in his own handwriting.
D.) The notary may back-date the acknowledgment certificates if the borrowers
actually signed the loan documents the previous day.
Correct Answer
C.) The notary will not be subject to civil penalties if he signs each acknowledgment
certificate in his own handwriting.
A notary must sign each notarial certificate in his own handwriting. If another
person signs a notary's name to a notarial certificate, that person may be guilty of
forgery.
Question 6
Sue is a notary public who works for a private employer during the day and provides
mobile notary services in the evening. If Sue notarizes one signature and provides the
signer with a certificate of acknowledgment, which of the following is true:
A.) Under all circumstances the notary must charge $10 per signature.
B.) The signer must pay the required fee for the notarization even if the fee charged is
less than the maximum fee allowed by law.
C.) The signer may be liable for damages if he is not charged the maximum fee for
notarial services allowed by law.
D.) The notary may be liable for damages if she does not charge the maximum fee
allowed by law.
Correct Answer
B.) The signer must pay the required fee for the notarization even if the fee charged
is less than the maximum fee allowed by law.
A notary working for a private employer is not required to always charge the
maximum fees allowed for notarial services: She may charge zero if she chooses.
The signer must always pay the required fee for notarization, even if the fee is zero,
and as long as it does not exceed the maximum notary fees allowed by law.
Page 3 of 27
Question 1
Bob and Mary work with George who is a California Notary Public. Bob executes ten
duplicate copies of a deed of trust by mark and asks Mary bring the documents to
George for notarization. George was involved in the original preparation of the deed
of trust so Mary presents only the signature pages to George for notarization. Can the
notary perform this notarization and (if yes) who must sign the notary's journal in this
situation:
Correct Answer
No - The notary may not notarize these documents in this instance so no one is
required to sign the journal.
A notary may not notarize a document which he knows from his experience to be
incomplete (as George would in this situation because he was involved in the
original preparation of the documents) and a subscribing witness may not be used
in conjunction with a deed of trust, mortgage, quitclaim deed, security instrument
or deed of trust affecting real property.
Question 2
Which of the following items must be filed with the county clerk's office:
A.) An application for name change.
B.) An application for change of business or residence address.
C.) An application for appointment.
D.) A request for approval to notarize confidential marriages.
Correct Answer
D.) A request for approval to notarize confidential marriages.
A, B and C are filed with the Secretary of State's office.
Page 1 of 27
,Question 3
Barbara is the owner of XYZ company. Jane is a California Notary Public. Jane works
for Barbara and is Barbara's daughter. During their lunch hour Barbara asks Jane to
notarize several company documents. In which instance would it be unacceptable for
Jane to notarize?
A.) Barbara does not present each complete document to Jane for notarization.
B.) Jane is named as an attorney in the documents.
C.) Barbara is named as a trustee to the transaction.
D.) Jane prepared the documents for Barbara's signature.
Correct Answer
A.) Barbara does not present each complete document to Jane for notarization.
A notary may not notarize a document which he knows from experience to be
incomplete or is without a doubt on its face incomplete. A notary may notarize a
document if the notary is acting in the capacity of agent, employee, attorney,
insurer, escrow or lender for a person who does have a direct financial or beneficial
interest. The signer may have a direct financial or beneficial interest in the
transaction (ie: being trustee), but the notary may not.
Question 4
Personal appearance is required for which of the following notarial acts:
A.) When the notary is completing an acknowledgment for a document that is written
in a foreign language.
B.) When the notary files his oath and bond with the county recorder's office.
C.) When the notary is notarizing his own signature.
D.) When a member of the public requests a copy of a line item from the notary's
journal.
Correct Answer
A.) When the notary is completing an acknowledgment for a document that is
written in a foreign language.
"Completing an acknowledgment" is the only notarial act listed. Filing the bond and
making copies of journal records are NOT NOTARIAL ACTS, and a notary may not
notarize his own signature.
Page 2 of 27
, Question 5
If a notary is notarizing loan documents and the lender has pre-printed the
Borrowers' names on the notarial certificates contained within the loan documents,
which of the following statements is true:
A.) The notary may be prosecuted for fraud if he strikes, from a notarial certificate, the
name of a signer who did not personally appear before him.
B.) The Secretary of State may suspend the notary's commission if the notary affixes
his seal to an acknowledgment certificate that is not completely filled out in the
notary's own handwriting.
C.) The notary will not be subject to civil penalties if he signs each acknowledgment
certificate in his own handwriting.
D.) The notary may back-date the acknowledgment certificates if the borrowers
actually signed the loan documents the previous day.
Correct Answer
C.) The notary will not be subject to civil penalties if he signs each acknowledgment
certificate in his own handwriting.
A notary must sign each notarial certificate in his own handwriting. If another
person signs a notary's name to a notarial certificate, that person may be guilty of
forgery.
Question 6
Sue is a notary public who works for a private employer during the day and provides
mobile notary services in the evening. If Sue notarizes one signature and provides the
signer with a certificate of acknowledgment, which of the following is true:
A.) Under all circumstances the notary must charge $10 per signature.
B.) The signer must pay the required fee for the notarization even if the fee charged is
less than the maximum fee allowed by law.
C.) The signer may be liable for damages if he is not charged the maximum fee for
notarial services allowed by law.
D.) The notary may be liable for damages if she does not charge the maximum fee
allowed by law.
Correct Answer
B.) The signer must pay the required fee for the notarization even if the fee charged
is less than the maximum fee allowed by law.
A notary working for a private employer is not required to always charge the
maximum fees allowed for notarial services: She may charge zero if she chooses.
The signer must always pay the required fee for notarization, even if the fee is zero,
and as long as it does not exceed the maximum notary fees allowed by law.
Page 3 of 27
