Texas Notary Public Practice Exam Questions and Correct Answers
100% Correct
QUESTION 1:
Which Texas agency commissions and oversees Notaries Public?
A. Office of the Attorney General
B. Texas Secretary of State
C. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
D. County Clerk’s Office
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Texas Secretary of State
RATIONALE: The Texas Secretary of State is the governing body responsible for commissioning
notaries, maintaining records, and enforcing laws relating to notarial acts.
QUESTION 2:
The term of a Texas notary commission is:
A. 2 years
B. 3 years
C. 4 years
D. 5 years
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 4 years
RATIONALE: A Texas notary public serves a four-year term from the date of commission, unless
suspended or revoked earlier.
QUESTION 3:
Before being commissioned as a notary public in Texas, the applicant must file a(n):
A. Surety bond of $10,000
B. Deposit of $5,000
C. Background clearance from the FBI
D. Oath of office with the Attorney General
,CORRECT ANSWER: A. Surety bond of $10,000
RATIONALE: Texas requires a $10,000 surety bond to protect the public from notarial misconduct
or negligence.
QUESTION 4:
True or False: A Texas notary public must be a United States citizen.
CORRECT ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: A legal permanent resident of the United States who resides in Texas is also eligible;
citizenship is not required.
QUESTION 5:
Which of the following is not a requirement to become a Texas notary?
A. Must be at least 18 years old
B. Must be a legal resident of Texas
C. Must have a clean criminal record regarding moral turpitude
D. Must pass a state-administered written exam
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Must pass a state-administered written exam
RATIONALE: Texas does not currently require a written examination; applicants qualify through
eligibility and bonding.
QUESTION 6:
A Texas notary seal must contain which of the following elements?
A. Notary’s photograph
B. Notary’s signature
C. Notary’s name, “Notary Public, State of Texas,” and Notary ID number
D. Notary’s employer’s business name
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Notary’s name, “Notary Public, State of Texas,” and Notary ID
number
RATIONALE: Texas law specifies the exact wording and identification requirements for notary
seals.
,QUESTION 7:
The use of a rubber-ink stamp seal rather than an embosser is:
A. Prohibited
B. Optional but preferred
C. Required by law in Texas
D. Allowed only for online notaries
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Required by law in Texas
RATIONALE: A legible, photographically reproducible seal is required; embossers alone do not
meet this standard.
QUESTION 8:
When notarizing, what must a Texas notary always personally witness for an acknowledgment?
A. The signing of the document
B. The signer’s acknowledgment that they voluntarily signed the document
C. The completion of payment
D. The document being sealed in an envelope
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The signer’s acknowledgment that they voluntarily signed the
document
RATIONALE: Acknowledgments require the signer to personally appear and declare to the notary
that they executed the document freely.
QUESTION 9:
The fee for notarizing a single signature on an acknowledgment in Texas is:
A. $2
B. $4
C. $6
D. $10
CORRECT ANSWER: C. $6
RATIONALE: State law sets fees per notarized signature; additional signers on the same
document can each be charged.
QUESTION 10:
A Texas notary who knowingly notarizes a blank document may be:
, A. Given a written warning only
B. Fined but retain commission
C. Held civilly and criminally liable
D. Suspended for one month
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Held civilly and criminally liable
RATIONALE: Knowingly notarizing incomplete or blank documents violates state law and may
void a notary’s commission.
QUESTION 11:
True or False: Texas notaries are permitted to certify copies of birth or death certificates.
CORRECT ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Only the issuing government entity can certify vital records; notaries may not.
QUESTION 12:
A notarial journal is:
A. Optional for all notaries in Texas
B. Required for online notarizations
C. Mandatory for all notarial acts
D. Forbidden due to privacy concerns
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Required for online notarizations
RATIONALE: Traditional notaries are not statutorily required to maintain journals, but it is
mandatory for online notarial acts.
QUESTION 13:
When notarizing a document written in a language the notary cannot read, the notary should:
A. Notarize only if the signer can explain the contents
B. Decline the notarization
C. Proceed as normal if an interpreter is present
D. Translate it first
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Decline the notarization
RATIONALE: If the notary cannot read the document, they may be unable to ensure proper
notarial wording or content validity.
100% Correct
QUESTION 1:
Which Texas agency commissions and oversees Notaries Public?
A. Office of the Attorney General
B. Texas Secretary of State
C. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
D. County Clerk’s Office
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Texas Secretary of State
RATIONALE: The Texas Secretary of State is the governing body responsible for commissioning
notaries, maintaining records, and enforcing laws relating to notarial acts.
QUESTION 2:
The term of a Texas notary commission is:
A. 2 years
B. 3 years
C. 4 years
D. 5 years
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 4 years
RATIONALE: A Texas notary public serves a four-year term from the date of commission, unless
suspended or revoked earlier.
QUESTION 3:
Before being commissioned as a notary public in Texas, the applicant must file a(n):
A. Surety bond of $10,000
B. Deposit of $5,000
C. Background clearance from the FBI
D. Oath of office with the Attorney General
,CORRECT ANSWER: A. Surety bond of $10,000
RATIONALE: Texas requires a $10,000 surety bond to protect the public from notarial misconduct
or negligence.
QUESTION 4:
True or False: A Texas notary public must be a United States citizen.
CORRECT ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: A legal permanent resident of the United States who resides in Texas is also eligible;
citizenship is not required.
QUESTION 5:
Which of the following is not a requirement to become a Texas notary?
A. Must be at least 18 years old
B. Must be a legal resident of Texas
C. Must have a clean criminal record regarding moral turpitude
D. Must pass a state-administered written exam
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Must pass a state-administered written exam
RATIONALE: Texas does not currently require a written examination; applicants qualify through
eligibility and bonding.
QUESTION 6:
A Texas notary seal must contain which of the following elements?
A. Notary’s photograph
B. Notary’s signature
C. Notary’s name, “Notary Public, State of Texas,” and Notary ID number
D. Notary’s employer’s business name
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Notary’s name, “Notary Public, State of Texas,” and Notary ID
number
RATIONALE: Texas law specifies the exact wording and identification requirements for notary
seals.
,QUESTION 7:
The use of a rubber-ink stamp seal rather than an embosser is:
A. Prohibited
B. Optional but preferred
C. Required by law in Texas
D. Allowed only for online notaries
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Required by law in Texas
RATIONALE: A legible, photographically reproducible seal is required; embossers alone do not
meet this standard.
QUESTION 8:
When notarizing, what must a Texas notary always personally witness for an acknowledgment?
A. The signing of the document
B. The signer’s acknowledgment that they voluntarily signed the document
C. The completion of payment
D. The document being sealed in an envelope
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The signer’s acknowledgment that they voluntarily signed the
document
RATIONALE: Acknowledgments require the signer to personally appear and declare to the notary
that they executed the document freely.
QUESTION 9:
The fee for notarizing a single signature on an acknowledgment in Texas is:
A. $2
B. $4
C. $6
D. $10
CORRECT ANSWER: C. $6
RATIONALE: State law sets fees per notarized signature; additional signers on the same
document can each be charged.
QUESTION 10:
A Texas notary who knowingly notarizes a blank document may be:
, A. Given a written warning only
B. Fined but retain commission
C. Held civilly and criminally liable
D. Suspended for one month
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Held civilly and criminally liable
RATIONALE: Knowingly notarizing incomplete or blank documents violates state law and may
void a notary’s commission.
QUESTION 11:
True or False: Texas notaries are permitted to certify copies of birth or death certificates.
CORRECT ANSWER: False
RATIONALE: Only the issuing government entity can certify vital records; notaries may not.
QUESTION 12:
A notarial journal is:
A. Optional for all notaries in Texas
B. Required for online notarizations
C. Mandatory for all notarial acts
D. Forbidden due to privacy concerns
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Required for online notarizations
RATIONALE: Traditional notaries are not statutorily required to maintain journals, but it is
mandatory for online notarial acts.
QUESTION 13:
When notarizing a document written in a language the notary cannot read, the notary should:
A. Notarize only if the signer can explain the contents
B. Decline the notarization
C. Proceed as normal if an interpreter is present
D. Translate it first
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Decline the notarization
RATIONALE: If the notary cannot read the document, they may be unable to ensure proper
notarial wording or content validity.
