PENNSYLVANIA NOTARY PUBLIC EXAM
DEFINITIONS
, Acknowledgement - ANSWERAct in which a Notary certifies having positively identified
a document signer who personally appeared before the Notary and admitted having
signed the document.
Administer - ANSWERTo give formally as in "giving" an oath or affirmation.
Administrative Penalty - ANSWERPunishment imposed by authorities who regulate
Notaries, in the form of revocation, suspension or denial of a commission and, in some
states, fines or mandatory education.
Affiant - ANSWERSigner of an affidavit.
Affidavit - ANSWERWritten statement signed before a Notary by a person who swears
or affirms to the Notary that the statement is true.
Affirmation - ANSWERSpoken, solemn promise on one's personal honor, with no
reference to a supreme Being, that is made before a Notary in relation to a jurat or other
Notary act, or as a Notary act in its own right.
Apostille - ANSWERAuthenticating certificate required by Hague Convention that
replaces a traditional chain of certificates.
Attorney in Fact - ANSWERPerson who has authority to sign for another.
Authentication - ANSWERProcess of providing the genuineness of the signature and
seal of a Notary or other official, usually through attachment of a certificate of authority.
Awareness - ANSWERBeing able to understand what is happening and to act
responsibly
Bond - ANSWERA Notary bond is a written guarantee that money up to a limit will be
paid by a surety to a person financially damaged by a Notary's misconduct in the event
the Notary fails to do so.
Capacity - ANSWERSpecific role of a representative signer - attorney in fact, trustee,
corporate officer, partner or other - when signing for another person, organization or
legal entity.
Certificate - ANSWERWording completed, signed and sealed by a Notary that states
the particulars of a notarization and appears at the end of a signed document or on a
paper attached to it. Sometimes referred to as the "Statement of Particulars" or the
"Notary block."
DEFINITIONS
, Acknowledgement - ANSWERAct in which a Notary certifies having positively identified
a document signer who personally appeared before the Notary and admitted having
signed the document.
Administer - ANSWERTo give formally as in "giving" an oath or affirmation.
Administrative Penalty - ANSWERPunishment imposed by authorities who regulate
Notaries, in the form of revocation, suspension or denial of a commission and, in some
states, fines or mandatory education.
Affiant - ANSWERSigner of an affidavit.
Affidavit - ANSWERWritten statement signed before a Notary by a person who swears
or affirms to the Notary that the statement is true.
Affirmation - ANSWERSpoken, solemn promise on one's personal honor, with no
reference to a supreme Being, that is made before a Notary in relation to a jurat or other
Notary act, or as a Notary act in its own right.
Apostille - ANSWERAuthenticating certificate required by Hague Convention that
replaces a traditional chain of certificates.
Attorney in Fact - ANSWERPerson who has authority to sign for another.
Authentication - ANSWERProcess of providing the genuineness of the signature and
seal of a Notary or other official, usually through attachment of a certificate of authority.
Awareness - ANSWERBeing able to understand what is happening and to act
responsibly
Bond - ANSWERA Notary bond is a written guarantee that money up to a limit will be
paid by a surety to a person financially damaged by a Notary's misconduct in the event
the Notary fails to do so.
Capacity - ANSWERSpecific role of a representative signer - attorney in fact, trustee,
corporate officer, partner or other - when signing for another person, organization or
legal entity.
Certificate - ANSWERWording completed, signed and sealed by a Notary that states
the particulars of a notarization and appears at the end of a signed document or on a
paper attached to it. Sometimes referred to as the "Statement of Particulars" or the
"Notary block."
