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Notary Public Exam — Core Principles

Prohibited Acts (MA): practice questions

Our Notary Public bank has 7 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1 · Massachusetts

Except for certain attorney situations, a Massachusetts notary may not notarize for which person?

  1. The notary's stepbrother
  2. The notary's neighbor
  3. The notary's coworker
  4. The notary's landlord or tenant
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A. The notary's stepbrother — M.G.L. c. 222, § 16(a)(vii): spouse, domestic partner, parent, guardian, child, or sibling, including in-law, step, or half relatives.

Question 2 · Massachusetts

A notary is named in a document only to receive notices about it. May the notary notarize it?

  1. No, being named in it always disqualifies
  2. Yes, this is an allowed exception
  3. Only if the notary is an attorney
  4. Only with a court's approval
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B. Yes, this is an allowed exception — M.G.L. c. 222, § 16(a)(v)(1).

Question 3 · Massachusetts

A non-attorney notary advertises notarial services in Portuguese. What must the ad include?

  1. The notary's commission number
  2. A translation of c. 222
  3. The full notary fee schedule printed in English
  4. A Portuguese statement that the notary is not an attorney
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D. A Portuguese statement that the notary is not an attorney — M.G.L. c. 222, § 21.

Question 4 · Massachusetts

May a Massachusetts notary who is not an attorney conduct a real estate closing?

  1. No, a non-attorney notary may not
  2. Yes, if employed by a lender
  3. Yes, after a training course
  4. Yes, for residential property only
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A. No, a non-attorney notary may not — M.G.L. c. 222, § 17(e); lender-employed notaries may only notarize documents at their lender's closings.

Question 5 · Massachusetts

In a commercial, nonconsumer transaction, to whom may a notary deliver a signed and sealed certificate to be attached later outside the notary's presence?

  1. The lender's loan officer
  2. Any party to the transaction who signs the record
  3. An attorney who holds it in escrow
  4. The recording clerk
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C. An attorney who holds it in escrow — M.G.L. c. 222, § 16(f).

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