PA NOTARY 2025 EXAM REVIEW MANUAL
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE OUTLINE
|| UPDATED VERSION
Section 1: Notary Public Fundamentals & Appointment (Q1-15)
1. What is the primary purpose of a Notary Public?
A) To give legal advice.
B) To serve as an impartial witness in performing fraud-deterrent acts.
C) To draft legal documents.
D) To certify the truthfulness of statements in a document.
2. Who appoints and commissions Notaries Public in Pennsylvania?
A) The Governor of Pennsylvania.
B) The County Recorder of Deeds.
C) The Secretary of the Commonwealth.
D) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
3. What is the term length for a Pennsylvania Notary Public commission?
A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 5 years
D) Lifetime upon appointment.
4. To qualify for a Notary commission in PA, an applicant must be at least:
A) 18 years old.
B) 21 years old.
C) 25 years old.
D) There is no minimum age.
5. A primary requirement for a PA Notary is to be a legal resident of:
A) The United States.
B) Pennsylvania, or regularly employed in the state.
C) The county where the application is filed.
D) Any state bordering Pennsylvania.
6. Where must a PA Notary's official signature be filed and kept on record?
A) The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
, B) The office of the Prothonotary in their county of commission.
C) The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
D) The Notary keeps it privately; it is not filed.
7. True or False: A Notary Public is a public official with statewide jurisdiction.
A) True
B) False
8. What is the consequence if a Notary's $10,000 bond lapses?
A) The Notary must pay a fine.
B) The Notary's commission is suspended until a new bond is filed.
C) The Notary must retake the exam.
D) It has no consequence; the bond is only for initial application.
9. Which of the following is a disqualifying factor for a Notary applicant?
A) Being over 65 years old.
B) Having a felony conviction involving dishonesty or fraud, unless pardoned.
C) Not having a college degree.
D) Being a non-U.S. citizen with a valid work visa.
10. A Notary's seal and journal must be kept in a:
A) Secure location under the Notary's exclusive control.
B) Fireproof safe at their place of employment.
C) Safe deposit box at a bank.
D) Their office desk; no special requirement exists.
11. If a Notary changes their business or residence address during their term, they must
notify the Department of State within:
A) 30 days.
B) 60 days.
C) 90 days.
D) They must wait until renewal.
12. Can a Notary perform a notarization for their spouse?
A) Yes, always.
B) No, never.
C) Only if it is not a direct financial benefit.
D) Only for certain documents like wills.
13. What must a Notary do upon resignation or expiration of their commission?
A) Destroy their journal and seal.
, B) Return the commission certificate to the Department of State.
C) Deliver their notarial records to the office of the Recorder of Deeds.
D) Notify all clients from the past four years.
14. True or False: A Notary may use the title "Notario Publico" in Pennsylvania.
A) True
B) False (This is prohibited as it may mislead the public in Spanish-speaking
communities.)
15. Who is responsible for the cost of a Notary's supplies (seal, journal, bond)?
A) The Pennsylvania Department of State.
B) The Notary's employer.
C) The Notary applicant/commissioner.
D) The county government.
Section 2: Notarial Acts & Procedures (Q16-50)
16. What are the two most common notarial acts in Pennsylvania?
A) Attestations and Protests.
B) Acknowledgments and Oaths/Affirmations.
C) Copy Certifications and Jurats.
D) Depositions and Affidavits.
17. What is the core purpose of an acknowledgment?
A) To verify the document's content is true.
B) To witness the signing of the document.
C) To verify the signer's identity and confirm they signed voluntarily.
D) To administer an oath.
18. What is the core purpose of a jurat?
A) To verify the document's content is true.
B) To witness the signing and administer an oath/affirmation that the contents are true.
C) To verify the signer's identity only.
D) To certify the document is an original.
19. Which notarial certificate wording is required by PA law to be in both English and
Spanish?
A) All notarial certificates.
B) Acknowledgments for real estate documents.
C) The Notice clause that appears above the Notary's signature on every notarial
, certificate.
D) Only jurats for court documents.
20. What is the mandatory text of the Notice clause?
A) "I certify under penalty of law..."
B) "A notary public may not notarize a signature..."
C) "This notarial act is performed in the County of..."
D) "A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of
the signer..."
21. When completing a notarial certificate, the Notary must always indicate the:
A) Signer's Social Security Number.
B) Document's title (e.g., "Mortgage Deed").
C) County and State where the notarization is performed.
D) Expiration date of their commission.
22. What is the single most important step a Notary must take before performing a
notarial act?
A) Collect the fee.
B) Make a journal entry.
C) Verify the identity of the signer(s).
D) Read the entire document.
23. Which is an acceptable method of identifying a signer in Pennsylvania?
A) Personal knowledge of the signer.
B) A verbal assurance from a mutual friend.
C) A birth certificate.
D) A credit card with the signer's name.
24. Which is an acceptable form of government-issued photo ID?
A) A gym membership card.
B) A valid, unexpired U.S. passport.
C) A Social Security card.
D) An employee badge.
25. True or False: A Notary may rely on the oath of a single credible identifying witness to
identify a signer.
A) True
B) False
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE OUTLINE
|| UPDATED VERSION
Section 1: Notary Public Fundamentals & Appointment (Q1-15)
1. What is the primary purpose of a Notary Public?
A) To give legal advice.
B) To serve as an impartial witness in performing fraud-deterrent acts.
C) To draft legal documents.
D) To certify the truthfulness of statements in a document.
2. Who appoints and commissions Notaries Public in Pennsylvania?
A) The Governor of Pennsylvania.
B) The County Recorder of Deeds.
C) The Secretary of the Commonwealth.
D) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
3. What is the term length for a Pennsylvania Notary Public commission?
A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 5 years
D) Lifetime upon appointment.
4. To qualify for a Notary commission in PA, an applicant must be at least:
A) 18 years old.
B) 21 years old.
C) 25 years old.
D) There is no minimum age.
5. A primary requirement for a PA Notary is to be a legal resident of:
A) The United States.
B) Pennsylvania, or regularly employed in the state.
C) The county where the application is filed.
D) Any state bordering Pennsylvania.
6. Where must a PA Notary's official signature be filed and kept on record?
A) The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
, B) The office of the Prothonotary in their county of commission.
C) The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
D) The Notary keeps it privately; it is not filed.
7. True or False: A Notary Public is a public official with statewide jurisdiction.
A) True
B) False
8. What is the consequence if a Notary's $10,000 bond lapses?
A) The Notary must pay a fine.
B) The Notary's commission is suspended until a new bond is filed.
C) The Notary must retake the exam.
D) It has no consequence; the bond is only for initial application.
9. Which of the following is a disqualifying factor for a Notary applicant?
A) Being over 65 years old.
B) Having a felony conviction involving dishonesty or fraud, unless pardoned.
C) Not having a college degree.
D) Being a non-U.S. citizen with a valid work visa.
10. A Notary's seal and journal must be kept in a:
A) Secure location under the Notary's exclusive control.
B) Fireproof safe at their place of employment.
C) Safe deposit box at a bank.
D) Their office desk; no special requirement exists.
11. If a Notary changes their business or residence address during their term, they must
notify the Department of State within:
A) 30 days.
B) 60 days.
C) 90 days.
D) They must wait until renewal.
12. Can a Notary perform a notarization for their spouse?
A) Yes, always.
B) No, never.
C) Only if it is not a direct financial benefit.
D) Only for certain documents like wills.
13. What must a Notary do upon resignation or expiration of their commission?
A) Destroy their journal and seal.
, B) Return the commission certificate to the Department of State.
C) Deliver their notarial records to the office of the Recorder of Deeds.
D) Notify all clients from the past four years.
14. True or False: A Notary may use the title "Notario Publico" in Pennsylvania.
A) True
B) False (This is prohibited as it may mislead the public in Spanish-speaking
communities.)
15. Who is responsible for the cost of a Notary's supplies (seal, journal, bond)?
A) The Pennsylvania Department of State.
B) The Notary's employer.
C) The Notary applicant/commissioner.
D) The county government.
Section 2: Notarial Acts & Procedures (Q16-50)
16. What are the two most common notarial acts in Pennsylvania?
A) Attestations and Protests.
B) Acknowledgments and Oaths/Affirmations.
C) Copy Certifications and Jurats.
D) Depositions and Affidavits.
17. What is the core purpose of an acknowledgment?
A) To verify the document's content is true.
B) To witness the signing of the document.
C) To verify the signer's identity and confirm they signed voluntarily.
D) To administer an oath.
18. What is the core purpose of a jurat?
A) To verify the document's content is true.
B) To witness the signing and administer an oath/affirmation that the contents are true.
C) To verify the signer's identity only.
D) To certify the document is an original.
19. Which notarial certificate wording is required by PA law to be in both English and
Spanish?
A) All notarial certificates.
B) Acknowledgments for real estate documents.
C) The Notice clause that appears above the Notary's signature on every notarial
, certificate.
D) Only jurats for court documents.
20. What is the mandatory text of the Notice clause?
A) "I certify under penalty of law..."
B) "A notary public may not notarize a signature..."
C) "This notarial act is performed in the County of..."
D) "A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of
the signer..."
21. When completing a notarial certificate, the Notary must always indicate the:
A) Signer's Social Security Number.
B) Document's title (e.g., "Mortgage Deed").
C) County and State where the notarization is performed.
D) Expiration date of their commission.
22. What is the single most important step a Notary must take before performing a
notarial act?
A) Collect the fee.
B) Make a journal entry.
C) Verify the identity of the signer(s).
D) Read the entire document.
23. Which is an acceptable method of identifying a signer in Pennsylvania?
A) Personal knowledge of the signer.
B) A verbal assurance from a mutual friend.
C) A birth certificate.
D) A credit card with the signer's name.
24. Which is an acceptable form of government-issued photo ID?
A) A gym membership card.
B) A valid, unexpired U.S. passport.
C) A Social Security card.
D) An employee badge.
25. True or False: A Notary may rely on the oath of a single credible identifying witness to
identify a signer.
A) True
B) False
