New Hampshire Notary flashcards
New Hampshire Notary · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Minimum age for notary
- An applicant for a New Hampshire notary commission must be at least 18 years old.
- Residency requirement
- Applicant must be a New Hampshire resident or have a principal place of business in the state.
- Application fee amount
- The non-refundable application fee is $50, payable to the Secretary of State.
- Bond for non-residents
- Non-resident applicants must file a $5,000 surety bond with the Secretary of State.
- Criminal record check
- Applicant must submit a criminal record check from the NH State Police dated within 60 days of application.
- Out-of-state record check
- Applicants residing outside New Hampshire must also submit a criminal record check from their home state.
- Endorsement not automatic
- A notary commission from another state does not automatically qualify an applicant for a NH commission.
- Appeal of denial
- An applicant denied a commission may request a hearing within 30 days of the denial notice.
- Oath filing deadline
- The oath of office must be filed with the Secretary of State within 60 days of commission issuance.
- Commission term length
- A New Hampshire notary commission is valid for 5 years from the date of issuance.
- Consequence of late oath
- Failure to file the oath within 60 days renders the commission void and the notary may not act.
- Oath administration
- The oath must be taken before a person authorized to administer oaths, such as a notary or judge.
- Notarial powers
- A notary may administer oaths, take acknowledgments, witness signatures, and certify copies of documents.
- Personal appearance
- The signer must appear personally before the notary, or via approved remote technology for online notarization.
- Identity verification
- Notary must verify identity through personal knowledge or a government-issued photo ID.
- Journal requirement
- Notary must record each notarial act in a journal, including date, type, signer name, and ID details.
- Prohibited self-notarization
- A notary may not notarize their own signature or a document in which they have a beneficial interest.
- Seal contents
- The seal must include the notary's name, 'Notary Public', 'State of New Hampshire', and commission expiration date.
- Seal security
- The notary seal must be kept secure and used only for official notarial acts.
- Lost seal notification
- Notary must notify the Secretary of State within 10 days if the seal is lost or stolen.
- Seal destruction
- Upon resignation or revocation, the notary must destroy the seal to prevent unauthorized use.
- Maximum notary fee
- The maximum fee a notary may charge for a notarial act is $10 per act.
- No fee for elections
- Notaries may not charge a fee for notarizing election-related documents or absentee ballots.
- Travel expense disclosure
- Notary may charge for travel expenses but must disclose the amount in advance to the signer.
- Certified copy fee
- The fee for certifying a copy of a document is $10.
- Renewal application timing
- Renewal application should be submitted before the commission expires to avoid a lapsed commission.
- Renewal fee
- The renewal fee is $50 and may require an updated criminal record check if not submitted within five years.
- Change of address
- Notary must report a change of address to the Secretary of State within 30 days.
- Change of name
- Notary must report a name change within 30 days and submit legal proof of the change.
- Journal retention
- Notary must retain the notarial journal for at least 5 years after the last notarial act.
- Surrender of commission
- Upon resignation or revocation, the notary must surrender the commission certificate and seal to the Secretary of State.
- Response to inquiries
- Notary must respond to requests for information from the Secretary of State within 30 days.