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Colorado Notary Public Study Guide, RULONA
Exam Prep Test Bank, Notarial Acts, Electronic &
Remote Notarization, Official Journal & Stamp,
Identity Verification, Ethics, Colorado Notary
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Question 1: Under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), to
whom is a notary public primarily responsible when performing notarial acts?
A. The notary's employer or contracting company
B. The customer requesting the notarization
C. The people of the State of Colorado
D. The financial institution involved in the transaction
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The people of the State of Colorado
Rationale: Under RULONA, notaries act as public officers and are responsible to the
people of the State of Colorado, not to any employer, customer, or third party. A notary's
duties are separate and apart from their employment obligations .
Question 2: A notary is presented with a document that a signer has already
signed. The signer wishes to acknowledge their signature before the notary.
What type of notarial act is being requested?
A. Jurat
B. Oath
C. Acknowledgment
D. Copy certification
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Acknowledgment
Rationale: An acknowledgment is an unsworn statement where the principal
acknowledges, in the notary's presence, that they signed the document. Unlike a jurat,
the document may be pre-signed before appearing before the notary .
Question 3: Which scenario constitutes a disqualifying interest that would
prohibit a Colorado notary from performing a notarization?
A. The signer is a neighbor of the notary
B. The notary is named as a beneficiary in the document being notarized
C. The document is written in a language the notary does not read
D. The signer is a relative by marriage to the notary's spouse
,CORRECT ANSWER: B. The notary is named as a beneficiary in the document
being notarized
Rationale: A notary has a disqualifying interest when they are named as a beneficiary in
the document. Notaries must act as disinterested, unbiased third-party witnesses.
Having a direct beneficial interest in the transaction compromises this impartiality .
Question 4: What is the minimum age requirement to apply for a Colorado
notary public commission?
A. 18 years old
B. 21 years old
C. 25 years old
D. There is no minimum age requirement
CORRECT ANSWER: A. 18 years old
Rationale: The claim that an applicant must be at least 21 years old is false. Colorado
law only requires that a notary applicant be at least 18 years of age .
Question 5: When performing a jurat, what is the notary certifying regarding
the signer's action?
A. That the signer acknowledged they previously signed the document
B. That the signer appeared and swore to or affirmed the contents in the notary's
presence
C. That the notary verified the document's legal accuracy
D. That the signer presented satisfactory evidence of identity only
CORRECT ANSWER: B. That the signer appeared and swore to or affirmed the
contents in the notary's presence
Rationale: In a jurat, the notary certifies that the signer personally appeared, signed in
the notary's presence, and that an oath or affirmation was administered. The notary is
certifying the signer swore to the truthfulness of the contents .
Question 6: A Colorado notary lives in Denver but works in Omaha, Nebraska.
May they perform notarizations in Nebraska based on their Colorado
commission?
A. Yes, if the document relates to Colorado property
B. Yes, if the notarization is for a family member
C. No, notaries may only perform notarizations in Colorado
D. Yes, if they complete additional training for Nebraska law
,CORRECT ANSWER: C. No, notaries may only perform notarizations in
Colorado
Rationale: A Colorado notary is commissioned by the state of Colorado and may only
perform notarial acts within the geographical boundaries of Colorado. They cannot
perform notarizations in other states based on their Colorado commission .
Question 7: According to RULONA, which of the following is NOT one of the
powers granted to a notary public?
A. Administering oaths and affirmations
B. Taking acknowledgments
C. Certifying copies of documents
D. Providing legal advice regarding document contents
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Providing legal advice regarding document contents
Rationale: Notaries have the power to administer oaths and affirmations, take
acknowledgments, and make copy certifications. However, notaries are expressly
prohibited from providing legal advice or determining the legal accuracy of documents.
Doing so constitutes the unauthorized practice of law .
Question 8: A signer presents an out-of-state driver's license that expired 11
months ago. Under RULONA, may the notary accept this identification?
A. Yes, if it is otherwise valid
B. No, expired identification cannot be accepted under any circumstances
C. Yes, identification expired by less than one year is acceptable
D. No, only Colorado-issued identification can be accepted
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Yes, identification expired by less than one year is
acceptable
Rationale: Under RULONA, a notary may accept identification that is not expired by
more than one year. An out-of-state driver's license that expired 11 months ago is
acceptable as satisfactory evidence of identity .
Question 9: The Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank (2013) case established
which important principle for notaries?
A. Notaries may notarize documents for out-of-state signers by mail
B. A notary may use a credible witness to verify identity
C. The signer must be present at the time of the notarial act
D. Notaries may choose which notarial certificate to use
, CORRECT ANSWER: C. The signer must be present at the time of the notarial
act
Rationale: The 2013 Washington case Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank established
that the signer must be physically present at the time of the notarial act. This physical
presence requirement is fundamental to proper notarization and cannot be waived .
Question 10: What is the correct title for a non-religious sworn statement
made by a signer before a notary?
A. Oath
B. Affidavit
C. Affirmation
D. Acknowledgment
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Affirmation
Rationale: An oath is a sworn statement made before a deity (e.g., "So help me God"),
while an affirmation is a non-religious sworn statement made under penalty of perjury.
Both are sworn statements, but the term "affirmation" specifically denotes the non-
religious version .
Question 11: A notary completes a notarization and realizes they made an
error in the journal entry. What is the proper procedure?
A. Erase or white-out the incorrect entry and write the correct information
B. Draw a single line through the error, make the correction, and initial it
C. Remove the page from the journal and start over
D. Leave the error and make a note in the margin
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Draw a single line through the error, make the
correction, and initial it
Rationale: When correcting a journal entry, the notary should draw a single line
through the error (keeping it readable), write the correct information, and initial the
correction. Erasing, white-out, or removing pages is improper and could suggest
fraudulent activity .
Question 12: What is the minimum period a Colorado notary must retain their
notary journal?
A. 5 years
B. 7 years
C. 10 years
D. Permanently