Notarial Recordkeeping and Journal Requirements
Why Records Matter
A journal is the notary's defense: it corroborates the certificate, supports investigations, and demonstrates compliance. Connecticut requires notaries performing notarial acts to keep a record of each act, including notarial acts involving real property or other high-risk transactions.
What a Journal Entry Should Capture
- Date and time of the act and the type of act performed
- The document title or description
- The signer's printed name and address
- How identity was verified (credential type, issuing authority, number, expiration, or credible witness)
- The fee charged, if any
- The signer's signature, where required
Handling and Retention
Journals are confidential records; they are not public. They must be safeguarded and retained for the statutory period, and produced on lawful request (for example, by the Secretary of the State or a court). On leaving office, the notary must follow statutory rules for custody or surrender of records and the seal.
Traps to Expect
- Questions implying a journal is optional for all acts - the statute may require records for specified acts, and best practice is to log every act.
- Assuming the journal can be shared with anyone who asks. Confidentiality applies.
- Failing to record how identity was verified, not just that it was.
- Destroying records after the commission ends instead of following retention rules.
- Recording fees that exceed the statutory cap - the journal exposes the overcharge.
Rule of Thumb
If it isn't in the journal, it didn't happen. Log who, what, when, how identified, and what was charged - every time, in ink, without gaps.
Worked Example
A signer presents a driver's license. The journal entry should read: date/time, acknowledgment, deed title, signer's printed name and address, "CT driver's license, No. XXXXX, exp. 05/2027," and the fee. A later dispute about identity is answered by that line.