Journal of Notary Acts
What this domain tests
This domain tests the journal as the notary’s contemporaneous business record. Questions usually ask what must be recorded, when to record it, how to correct errors, how long to keep the journal, and what to do when the Secretary of State or a court requests it. The journal protects the public and the notary by creating an independent record of the act.
Core rules
- North Carolina notaries must keep a journal of notarial acts. Record the act at or near the time it is performed, not weeks later from memory.
- A complete entry typically includes the date and time, type of notarial act, signer’s name and address, identification method and identifying number or other details, the fee charged, and the signer’s signature. If a credible witness is used, record the witness information as well.
- Use a bound or secure electronic journal with sequential entries. Do not keep loose sheets, removable pages, or an unsecured file that can be altered without a trace.
- Never leave blank entries or blank signature lines. Do not let a signer sign the journal before the notarial act is performed.
- Correct an error with a dated, initialed line-through or a supplemental note. Do not erase, obliterate, backdate, or rewrite an entry to make the record look perfect.
- Retain the journal for the statutory period, generally ten years after the last entry under the North Carolina Notary Public Act. Produce it on lawful request and protect it from unauthorized access.
Worked example
A notary performs a jurat for an affidavit. The signer presents a current U.S. passport. The journal entry should identify the act as a jurat, give the date and time, record the signer’s name and address, note the passport as the ID with its number, record the fee, and obtain the signer’s signature. If the notary later notices the address was omitted, the notary should add a dated correction note-not backdate the original entry.
Traps that cost marks
Do not journal only acknowledgments. Do not omit the identification method, fee, or credible witness details. Do not discard the journal when a commission expires. Do not allow anyone to alter the journal after the fact.
Key points
- Record each notarial act contemporaneously in a secure, sequential journal.
- Capture date, act type, signer identity, ID method, fee, and signature.
- Never leave blank entries or pre-sign journal lines.
- Correct errors with dated, initialed notes-never erase or backdate.
- Retain the journal for the statutory period and produce it on lawful request.