Colorado Notary Training Course (RULONA) State
Exam Updated 2026 | 200+ Practice Questions &
Verified Answers | Ultimate Colorado Notary Public
Certification Prep, Revised Uniform Law on Notarial
Acts (RULONA) Study Guide, Notarial Certificates,
Electronic & Remote Online Notarization (RON),
Identity Screening, Journal Requirements, Ethics,
Fraud Prevention, Detailed Rationales
Question 1: A Colorado notary public is commissioned by which government
authority?
A. The Colorado Attorney General
B. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
C. The Colorado Secretary of State
D. The Governor of Colorado
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The Colorado Secretary of State
Rationale: Under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), the Secretary
of State is the official authority responsible for appointing and commissioning notaries
public in Colorado .
Question 2: What is the maximum statutory fee a Colorado notary may charge
for performing a traditional paper notarial act?
A. $5.00
B. $10.00
C. $15.00
D. $25.00
CORRECT ANSWER: C. $15.00
Rationale: Under RULONA (C.R.S. 24-21-529) as updated by SB 23-153, the maximum
fee for a standard notarial act on a paper document is $15.00. The $25.00 fee applies
specifically to electronic or remote notarizations .
Question 3: Which of the following is the proper definition of an
"Acknowledgment"?
A. A sworn statement where the signer affirms the truth of the document's contents
under penalty of perjury.
B. A declaration by the signer that they willingly signed the document for its intended
purpose.
C. The act of a notary witnessing a signature being placed on a document in real-time.
D. The act of guaranteeing the legal validity and accuracy of the document's terms.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A declaration by the signer that they willingly signed
the document for its intended purpose.
,Rationale: An acknowledgment is an unsworn declaration where the signer confirms to
the notary that they signed the document voluntarily and for the purposes stated within
it . It is distinct from a jurat, which involves an oath or affirmation.
Question 4: How long must a Colorado notary public retain their notary
journal after the date of the last entry?
A. 4 years
B. 5 years
C. 7 years
D. 10 years
CORRECT ANSWER: D. 10 years
Rationale: Colorado law (C.R.S. 24-21-519) mandates that a notary must retain their
official journal for a period of ten years from the date of the last entry recorded in the
journal .
Question 5: According to Colorado RULONA, for which of the following acts is
a notary NOT responsible?
A. Verifying the signer's identity using satisfactory evidence.
B. Determining if the signer is acting under duress.
C. Determining if the document is legal or accurate.
D. Ensuring the signer has a basic awareness of what they are signing.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Determining if the document is legal or accurate.
Rationale: A notary's duties do not include assessing the legality, truthfulness, or
accuracy of the document's content. The notary's role is to verify the identity,
willingness, and awareness of the signer, not the document's substance .
Question 6: Which case established the legal precedent that a signer must be
physically present at the time of the notarial act?
A. Colorado v. Notary Board
B. RULONA v. State of Colorado
C. Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank
D. Smith v. Secretary of State
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank
Rationale: The 2013 Washington case Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank is a critical
precedent that underscores the fundamental requirement that the signer must be
physically present before the notary at the time of the notarial act .
Question 7: A notary is asked to notarize a document that contains unfilled
blank spaces in the body of the text. How must the notary proceed?
A. Fill in the blanks with "N/A" to protect the client.
B. Notarize the document as-is; the content is not the notary's concern.
,C. Refuse to perform the notarial act until the blanks are filled in or crossed out.
D. Have the principal sign a waiver acknowledging the blanks, then notarize.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Refuse to perform the notarial act until the blanks are
filled in or crossed out.
Rationale: C.R.S. 24-21-525(7) strictly prohibits a notary from notarizing a document
that contains unfilled blanks. This is to prevent fraud. The blanks must be completed or
marked by the signer (e.g., with "N/A" or a line) before the notarization can proceed .
Question 8: What is the minimum age requirement to become a notary public
in Colorado?
A. 16
B. 18
C. 19
D. 21
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 18
Rationale: Under C.R.S. 24-21-502, an applicant for a Colorado notary public
commission must be at least 18 years of age .
Question 9: What is the duration of a notary public commission in Colorado?
A. 2 years
B. 3 years
C. 4 years
D. 5 years
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 4 years
Rationale: A Colorado notary public commission is valid for a term of four years from
the date of issuance. To continue acting as a notary, the individual must reapply and
pass the examination again .
Question 10: If a notary changes their name or address, within how many days
must they update this information with the Secretary of State's office?
A. 10 days
B. 20 days
C. 30 days
D. 60 days
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 30 days
Rationale: Commissioned notaries are required to notify and update the Secretary of
State's office regarding any change to their name, home address, or work address within
30 days of the change occurring .
, Question 11: A principal presents a mobile digital driver's license on their
smartphone for notarization in February 2026. What is the notary's best
course of action?
A. Reject the ID, as only physical plastic IDs are acceptable.
B. Accept the ID, as state-issued digital IDs are now legally valid.
C. Require a credible witness to verify the signer's identity.
D. Confiscate the smartphone for a forensic background check.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Accept the ID, as state-issued digital IDs are now
legally valid.
Rationale: Effective January 1, 2026, Colorado law (HB 25-1076) explicitly authorizes
state-issued digital driver's licenses and other digital IDs as valid forms of satisfactory
evidence for notarization .
Question 12: Which of the following is NOT a power granted to a Colorado
notary public?
A. Administering oaths and affirmations
B. Taking acknowledgments
C. Certifying copies of documents
D. Providing legal advice on contracts
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Providing legal advice on contracts
Rationale: A notary is not authorized to practice law. Providing legal advice, drafting
legal documents, or recommending which notarial act to perform constitutes the
unauthorized practice of law unless the notary is also a licensed Colorado attorney .
Question 13: What is a "Jurat"?
A. A statement where the signer acknowledges signing a document.
B. A sworn statement where the signer affirms the truth of the document's contents.
C. The act of witnessing a signature that was already signed.
D. A certification that a copy is a true and accurate reproduction.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A sworn statement where the signer affirms the truth
of the document's contents.
Rationale: A jurat is a notarial certificate that indicates the signer appeared before the
notary, signed the document in the notary's presence, and made an oath or affirmation
swearing to the truthfulness of the document's contents .
Question 14: What is the passing score required for the Colorado notary public
examination?
A. 70%
B. 75%
C. 80%
D. 100%
Exam Updated 2026 | 200+ Practice Questions &
Verified Answers | Ultimate Colorado Notary Public
Certification Prep, Revised Uniform Law on Notarial
Acts (RULONA) Study Guide, Notarial Certificates,
Electronic & Remote Online Notarization (RON),
Identity Screening, Journal Requirements, Ethics,
Fraud Prevention, Detailed Rationales
Question 1: A Colorado notary public is commissioned by which government
authority?
A. The Colorado Attorney General
B. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
C. The Colorado Secretary of State
D. The Governor of Colorado
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The Colorado Secretary of State
Rationale: Under the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA), the Secretary
of State is the official authority responsible for appointing and commissioning notaries
public in Colorado .
Question 2: What is the maximum statutory fee a Colorado notary may charge
for performing a traditional paper notarial act?
A. $5.00
B. $10.00
C. $15.00
D. $25.00
CORRECT ANSWER: C. $15.00
Rationale: Under RULONA (C.R.S. 24-21-529) as updated by SB 23-153, the maximum
fee for a standard notarial act on a paper document is $15.00. The $25.00 fee applies
specifically to electronic or remote notarizations .
Question 3: Which of the following is the proper definition of an
"Acknowledgment"?
A. A sworn statement where the signer affirms the truth of the document's contents
under penalty of perjury.
B. A declaration by the signer that they willingly signed the document for its intended
purpose.
C. The act of a notary witnessing a signature being placed on a document in real-time.
D. The act of guaranteeing the legal validity and accuracy of the document's terms.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A declaration by the signer that they willingly signed
the document for its intended purpose.
,Rationale: An acknowledgment is an unsworn declaration where the signer confirms to
the notary that they signed the document voluntarily and for the purposes stated within
it . It is distinct from a jurat, which involves an oath or affirmation.
Question 4: How long must a Colorado notary public retain their notary
journal after the date of the last entry?
A. 4 years
B. 5 years
C. 7 years
D. 10 years
CORRECT ANSWER: D. 10 years
Rationale: Colorado law (C.R.S. 24-21-519) mandates that a notary must retain their
official journal for a period of ten years from the date of the last entry recorded in the
journal .
Question 5: According to Colorado RULONA, for which of the following acts is
a notary NOT responsible?
A. Verifying the signer's identity using satisfactory evidence.
B. Determining if the signer is acting under duress.
C. Determining if the document is legal or accurate.
D. Ensuring the signer has a basic awareness of what they are signing.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Determining if the document is legal or accurate.
Rationale: A notary's duties do not include assessing the legality, truthfulness, or
accuracy of the document's content. The notary's role is to verify the identity,
willingness, and awareness of the signer, not the document's substance .
Question 6: Which case established the legal precedent that a signer must be
physically present at the time of the notarial act?
A. Colorado v. Notary Board
B. RULONA v. State of Colorado
C. Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank
D. Smith v. Secretary of State
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank
Rationale: The 2013 Washington case Klem v. Washington Mutual Bank is a critical
precedent that underscores the fundamental requirement that the signer must be
physically present before the notary at the time of the notarial act .
Question 7: A notary is asked to notarize a document that contains unfilled
blank spaces in the body of the text. How must the notary proceed?
A. Fill in the blanks with "N/A" to protect the client.
B. Notarize the document as-is; the content is not the notary's concern.
,C. Refuse to perform the notarial act until the blanks are filled in or crossed out.
D. Have the principal sign a waiver acknowledging the blanks, then notarize.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Refuse to perform the notarial act until the blanks are
filled in or crossed out.
Rationale: C.R.S. 24-21-525(7) strictly prohibits a notary from notarizing a document
that contains unfilled blanks. This is to prevent fraud. The blanks must be completed or
marked by the signer (e.g., with "N/A" or a line) before the notarization can proceed .
Question 8: What is the minimum age requirement to become a notary public
in Colorado?
A. 16
B. 18
C. 19
D. 21
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 18
Rationale: Under C.R.S. 24-21-502, an applicant for a Colorado notary public
commission must be at least 18 years of age .
Question 9: What is the duration of a notary public commission in Colorado?
A. 2 years
B. 3 years
C. 4 years
D. 5 years
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 4 years
Rationale: A Colorado notary public commission is valid for a term of four years from
the date of issuance. To continue acting as a notary, the individual must reapply and
pass the examination again .
Question 10: If a notary changes their name or address, within how many days
must they update this information with the Secretary of State's office?
A. 10 days
B. 20 days
C. 30 days
D. 60 days
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 30 days
Rationale: Commissioned notaries are required to notify and update the Secretary of
State's office regarding any change to their name, home address, or work address within
30 days of the change occurring .
, Question 11: A principal presents a mobile digital driver's license on their
smartphone for notarization in February 2026. What is the notary's best
course of action?
A. Reject the ID, as only physical plastic IDs are acceptable.
B. Accept the ID, as state-issued digital IDs are now legally valid.
C. Require a credible witness to verify the signer's identity.
D. Confiscate the smartphone for a forensic background check.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Accept the ID, as state-issued digital IDs are now
legally valid.
Rationale: Effective January 1, 2026, Colorado law (HB 25-1076) explicitly authorizes
state-issued digital driver's licenses and other digital IDs as valid forms of satisfactory
evidence for notarization .
Question 12: Which of the following is NOT a power granted to a Colorado
notary public?
A. Administering oaths and affirmations
B. Taking acknowledgments
C. Certifying copies of documents
D. Providing legal advice on contracts
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Providing legal advice on contracts
Rationale: A notary is not authorized to practice law. Providing legal advice, drafting
legal documents, or recommending which notarial act to perform constitutes the
unauthorized practice of law unless the notary is also a licensed Colorado attorney .
Question 13: What is a "Jurat"?
A. A statement where the signer acknowledges signing a document.
B. A sworn statement where the signer affirms the truth of the document's contents.
C. The act of witnessing a signature that was already signed.
D. A certification that a copy is a true and accurate reproduction.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A sworn statement where the signer affirms the truth
of the document's contents.
Rationale: A jurat is a notarial certificate that indicates the signer appeared before the
notary, signed the document in the notary's presence, and made an oath or affirmation
swearing to the truthfulness of the document's contents .
Question 14: What is the passing score required for the Colorado notary public
examination?
A. 70%
B. 75%
C. 80%
D. 100%
