Cheat sheet
Notary Public Cheat Sheet
General Knowledge
- 25% of exam
- Commission Qualifications Bond Seal Jurisdiction
Notarial Acts
- 25% of exam
- Acknowledgment Jurat Oath Copy Cert Witnessing
Law + Ethics
- 20% of exam
- UPL Impartiality Conflicts Refusal Liability
Documents + Records
- 15% of exam
- Journal Certificate Venue Notary Seal Fees
Special Situations
- 15% of exam
- RON Foreign Language Elder Signers Disability POA
Quick Facts
- Role Impartial witness
- Authority State commission
- Exam State-variable
- Pass 70-80%
- Acts State-defined
- RON State-specific
- UPL Never advise
- Journal State rules
Bond vs E&O GE
Bond
- Protects public
- Surety reimbursed
- Often required
E&O
- Protects notary
- Insurance policy
- Often optional
- Public vs notary
Commission Basics GE
- Commission State authority
- Jurisdiction Where act occurs
- Term State-set duration
- Oath Office promise
- Bond Public protection
- E&O Notary protection
- Renewal Before expiration
Notary Core AC
- ID, willing, aware, then seal.
- Identity Willingness Awareness Certificate
Acknowledgment vs Jurat AC
Acknowledgment
- Voluntary act
- Identity
- No oath
Jurat
- Sworn truth
- Sign before notary
- Oath/affirmation
- Voluntary vs sworn
Act Picker AC
- Voluntary prior signature → Acknowledgment ( No oath )
- Sworn statement → Jurat ( Oath required )
- Spoken promise → Oath ( Truth pledge )
- Secular pledge → Affirmation ( No deity )
- Copy accuracy → Copy cert ( State allowed )
- Needs witnessed signing → Signature witness ( State allowed )
Notarial Acts AC
- Acknowledgment Voluntary signature
- Jurat Sworn signature
- Oath Spoken pledge
- Affirmation Nonreligious oath
- Copy cert Copy accuracy
- Signature witness Observed signing
- Protest Negotiable instrument
Ack/Jurat AC
- Ack admits; jurat swears.
- Ack: voluntary Jurat: oath Sign rules
Willing vs Aware AC
Willing
- No coercion
- Free choice
- Voluntary
Aware
- Understands act
- Capacity
- Coherent
- Free vs capable
ID Picker AC
- You personally know → Personal knowledge ( State allowed )
- Valid photo ID → ID credential ( Record details )
- No ID → Credible witness ( State rules )
- Name mismatch → More evidence ( Reasonable match )
- Expired ID → Check law ( State varies )
- RON signer → KBA/analysis ( Platform flow )
Identity Screening AC
- Personal knowledge Notary knows signer
- Photo ID Government credential
- Credible witness Vouches identity
- Name match Reasonable consistency
- Awareness Understands act
- Willingness No coercion
- Capacity Can comprehend
Refusal ET
- No ID, no will, no act.
- No ID No capacity No willingness Conflict
UPL vs Explanation ET
UPL
- Choose act
- Draft language
- Legal advice
Explain
- Describe options
- No recommendation
- Refer attorney
- Advise vs inform
Refuse Picker ET
- No satisfactory ID → Refuse ( Identity missing )
- Signer coerced → Refuse ( No willingness )
- Signer unaware → Refuse ( Capacity issue )
- Blank spaces → Refuse ( Document incomplete )
- Financial interest → Refuse ( Conflict )
- Legal advice asked → Decline advice ( UPL )
Ethics + Refusal ET
- Impartiality No side-taking
- Conflict Financial interest
- UPL Legal advice ban
- Blank document Refuse act
- Coercion Refuse act
- Incomplete certificate Fix before seal
- Illegal request Refuse act
Fees + Liability ET
- Statutory fee Maximum charge
- Travel fee Separate disclosure
- Misconduct Improper act
- Negligence Careless mistake
- Civil penalty Financial sanction
- Revocation Commission loss
- Bond claim Public recovery
Records RE
- Journal proves what happened.
- Date Signer ID Act Fee
Journal vs Certificate RE
Journal
- Notary record
- Evidence log
- Retention rules
Certificate
- Document wording
- Act statement
- Travels with document
- Record vs document
Certificate Parts RE
- Venue State/county location
- Date Act date
- Signer name Identified person
- Act wording Legal statement
- Signature Notary signs
- Seal Official mark
- Commission data State-required info
Journal Records RE
- Chronological Date order
- Contemporaneous At the act
- Signer Name/address
- ID method Evidence used
- Document type General description
- Fee Amount charged
- Thumbprint State-specific
Seal Care RE
- Seal Official stamp
- Embosser Raised impression
- Legibility Readable reproduction
- Secure storage Prevent misuse
- Lost seal Report promptly
- Expired seal Destroy/return
- Commission name Must match
RON vs E-Notary SP
RON
- Remote signer
- AV session
- Identity proofing
E-Notary
- Electronic document
- May be in-person
- Digital seal
- Remote vs electronic
RON Basics SP
- RON Remote online notarization
- Electronic journal Digital record
- AV recording Session evidence
- Credential analysis ID validation
- KBA Knowledge quiz
- Tamper seal E-document protection
- Platform Approved vendor
Special Signers SP
- Foreign language Communicate directly
- Interpreter State-dependent
- Disability Reasonable accommodation
- Elder signer Capacity check
- POA Representative capacity
- Blind signer Confirm awareness
- Signature mark Witness rules
Common Traps
Document destination
- Act occurs in commission state ≠ Document may travel
Bond misconception
- Bond protects public ≠ E&O protects notary
Act selection
- Signer chooses act ≠ Notary cannot advise
Acknowledgment timing
- Signature may preexist ≠ Presence still required
Jurat timing
- Sign before notary ≠ Oath required
RON assumption
- RON needs authority ≠ Video alone insufficient
Last Minute
- 1. State law controls details
- 2. Notary stays impartial
- 3. ID before certificate
- 4. Willingness and awareness matter
- 5. Ack = voluntary signature
- 6. Jurat = oath plus signature
- 7. Do not choose the act
- 8. Blank documents are refused
- 9. Journal entries prove the act
- 10. Bond is not E&O
Notary Public
- Practice Questions 100 questions Study Guide 39 topics Cheat Sheet 70 facts Flashcards 50 cards Shorts 4 short s Videos 38 videos Blogs 42 blogs Free CE Podcast