semplr.

Exams · Certifications · Licensing

Notary Public Exam — Core Principles

Notarial acts: practice questions

Our Notary Public bank has 13 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

Start the free mock exam

Question 1

What is a copy certification?

  1. Certifying a copy of any document, including birth and death certificates, in every state as a standard act
  2. Certifying that a document's contents are true
  3. A notarial act certifying that a copy is a true copy of an original, where state law allows it
  4. Making a photocopy of the notary's commission
Show the answer

C. A notarial act certifying that a copy is a true copy of an original, where state law allows it — Many states don't allow notaries to certify copies of public records such as vital records.

Question 2

What is a notarial certificate?

  1. The notary's commission certificate, a copy of which must be attached to each notarized document
  2. The wording, completed and signed by the notary, that states the facts of the notarial act
  3. The receipt given to the signer for the fee
  4. The notary's commission paper
Show the answer

B. The wording, completed and signed by the notary, that states the facts of the notarial act — It is also called the notarial wording.

Question 3

Who chooses the type of notarial act for a document?

  1. The notary's employer
  2. The signer, or the document's requirements; the notary must not choose for them unless qualified to give legal advice
  3. The notary always
  4. The county recorder
Show the answer

B. The signer, or the document's requirements; the notary must not choose for them unless qualified to give legal advice — Choosing for the signer can be unauthorized practice of law.

Question 4

What should a notary do if a signer asks them to notarize a document that is already notarized by someone else?

  1. Correct or update the original notary's certificate and add your own seal and signature to make it current
  2. Change the original notary's certificate
  3. Perform a new notarial act only if the signer appears and a new certificate is completed
  4. Sign over the original notary's seal
Show the answer

C. Perform a new notarial act only if the signer appears and a new certificate is completed — Never alter another notary's certificate.

Question 5

What is the main purpose of a notary public?

  1. To verify that the signer is a U.S. citizen
  2. To draft legal documents for clients
  3. To guarantee that documents are legally valid and that the information in them is accurate and complete
  4. To serve as an impartial witness who verifies signers' identities and deters fraud
Show the answer

D. To serve as an impartial witness who verifies signers' identities and deters fraud — Notaries do not certify the truth of a document's contents.

More Notary Public topics