1. To be eligible for appointment as a Virginia notary public, an applicant
must be at least:
A) 16 years old
B) 18 years old
C) 21 years old
D) 25 years old
✓ Answer: B) 18 years old
2. A Virginia notary applicant must be a:
A) U.S. citizen only
B) Virginia-born resident
C) Resident of Virginia OR a nonresident who is regularly employed in Virginia
D) Resident of Virginia for at least 5 years
✓ Answer: C) Resident of Virginia OR a nonresident who is regularly
employed in Virginia
3. A Virginia notary commission is valid for how long?
A) 2 years
B) 3 years
C) 4 years
D) 5 years
✓ Answer: C) 4 years
4. Who issues notary commissions in Virginia?
A) The Virginia State Bar
B) The Secretary of the Commonwealth
C) The Circuit Court Clerk
D) The Governor
✓ Answer: B) The Secretary of the Commonwealth
5. A Virginia notary commission expires on:
A) The notary's birthday each year
, B) December 31 of the fourth year
C) The date shown on the commission
D) January 1 of the renewal year
✓ Answer: C) The date shown on the commission
6. Which of the following would DISQUALIFY a person from being a Virginia
notary?
A) Being self-employed
B) Having a felony conviction
C) Working part-time
D) Being over age 65
✓ Answer: B) Having a felony conviction
7. A notary applicant in Virginia must be able to read and write:
A) Latin
B) Spanish
C) English
D) Any language
✓ Answer: C) English
8. After receiving a new commission, a Virginia notary must record their
commission with:
A) The Secretary of the Commonwealth
B) The local circuit court clerk
C) The Virginia State Bar
D) Their employer
✓ Answer: B) The local circuit court clerk
9. The recording fee for a Virginia notary commission at the circuit court is:
A) Free
B) $10
C) $25
D) $50
✓ Answer: B) $10
10. A Virginia notary who moves to another state:
A) Retains their commission automatically
B) Must notify the Secretary within 30 days
C) Loses their commission immediately
D) Must reapply within 60 days
, ✓ Answer: C) Loses their commission immediately
Section 2: Notarial Acts (Q. 11–20)
11. Which of the following is a notarial act in Virginia?
A) Witnessing a birth
B) Taking an acknowledgment
C) Issuing a subpoena
D) Filing a tax return
✓ Answer: B) Taking an acknowledgment
12. An acknowledgment is a declaration by a signer that they:
A) Read the document
B) Signed the document freely and voluntarily
C) Understand all legal terms
D) Were paid to sign
✓ Answer: B) Signed the document freely and voluntarily
13. When administering an oath, the notary must:
A) Record the event on video
B) Have the person raise their right hand and swear or affirm
C) Charge a minimum of $5
D) Require two witnesses
✓ Answer: B) Have the person raise their right hand and swear or affirm
14. A jurat is the notarial certificate used for:
A) Acknowledgments
B) Copy certifications
C) Oaths and affirmations
D) Protests
✓ Answer: C) Oaths and affirmations
15. In Virginia, a notary may certify a copy of:
A) Any public record
B) Any birth certificate
C) A document that is not a publicly recordable document
D) Passports
✓ Answer: C) A document that is not a publicly recordable document
16. A notary may NOT certify a copy of:
A) A personal letter
, B) A college transcript
C) A birth certificate issued by the state
D) A private contract
✓ Answer: C) A birth certificate issued by the state
17. When performing a copy certification, the notary must:
A) Compare the copy to the original
B) Notarize the original document
C) Require two witnesses
D) File a copy with the county
✓ Answer: A) Compare the copy to the original
18. A protest is a notarial act used in connection with:
A) Real estate transactions
B) Negotiable instruments such as checks and drafts
C) Wills and testaments
D) Marriage licenses
✓ Answer: B) Negotiable instruments such as checks and drafts
19. An affirmation differs from an oath in that it:
A) Requires a Bible
B) Must be witnessed by two people
C) Does not invoke a deity
D) Is only valid in federal court
✓ Answer: C) Does not invoke a deity
20. Which notarial act requires the signer to be personally present before
the notary at the time of signing?
A) Copy certification
B) Protest
C) Acknowledgment
D) Apostille
✓ Answer: C) Acknowledgment
Section 3: Personal Appearance & Identity Verification (Q. 21–30)
21. For most notarial acts in Virginia, the signer must appear:
A) Within 30 days of signing
B) Personally before the notary
C) Via video conference only
must be at least:
A) 16 years old
B) 18 years old
C) 21 years old
D) 25 years old
✓ Answer: B) 18 years old
2. A Virginia notary applicant must be a:
A) U.S. citizen only
B) Virginia-born resident
C) Resident of Virginia OR a nonresident who is regularly employed in Virginia
D) Resident of Virginia for at least 5 years
✓ Answer: C) Resident of Virginia OR a nonresident who is regularly
employed in Virginia
3. A Virginia notary commission is valid for how long?
A) 2 years
B) 3 years
C) 4 years
D) 5 years
✓ Answer: C) 4 years
4. Who issues notary commissions in Virginia?
A) The Virginia State Bar
B) The Secretary of the Commonwealth
C) The Circuit Court Clerk
D) The Governor
✓ Answer: B) The Secretary of the Commonwealth
5. A Virginia notary commission expires on:
A) The notary's birthday each year
, B) December 31 of the fourth year
C) The date shown on the commission
D) January 1 of the renewal year
✓ Answer: C) The date shown on the commission
6. Which of the following would DISQUALIFY a person from being a Virginia
notary?
A) Being self-employed
B) Having a felony conviction
C) Working part-time
D) Being over age 65
✓ Answer: B) Having a felony conviction
7. A notary applicant in Virginia must be able to read and write:
A) Latin
B) Spanish
C) English
D) Any language
✓ Answer: C) English
8. After receiving a new commission, a Virginia notary must record their
commission with:
A) The Secretary of the Commonwealth
B) The local circuit court clerk
C) The Virginia State Bar
D) Their employer
✓ Answer: B) The local circuit court clerk
9. The recording fee for a Virginia notary commission at the circuit court is:
A) Free
B) $10
C) $25
D) $50
✓ Answer: B) $10
10. A Virginia notary who moves to another state:
A) Retains their commission automatically
B) Must notify the Secretary within 30 days
C) Loses their commission immediately
D) Must reapply within 60 days
, ✓ Answer: C) Loses their commission immediately
Section 2: Notarial Acts (Q. 11–20)
11. Which of the following is a notarial act in Virginia?
A) Witnessing a birth
B) Taking an acknowledgment
C) Issuing a subpoena
D) Filing a tax return
✓ Answer: B) Taking an acknowledgment
12. An acknowledgment is a declaration by a signer that they:
A) Read the document
B) Signed the document freely and voluntarily
C) Understand all legal terms
D) Were paid to sign
✓ Answer: B) Signed the document freely and voluntarily
13. When administering an oath, the notary must:
A) Record the event on video
B) Have the person raise their right hand and swear or affirm
C) Charge a minimum of $5
D) Require two witnesses
✓ Answer: B) Have the person raise their right hand and swear or affirm
14. A jurat is the notarial certificate used for:
A) Acknowledgments
B) Copy certifications
C) Oaths and affirmations
D) Protests
✓ Answer: C) Oaths and affirmations
15. In Virginia, a notary may certify a copy of:
A) Any public record
B) Any birth certificate
C) A document that is not a publicly recordable document
D) Passports
✓ Answer: C) A document that is not a publicly recordable document
16. A notary may NOT certify a copy of:
A) A personal letter
, B) A college transcript
C) A birth certificate issued by the state
D) A private contract
✓ Answer: C) A birth certificate issued by the state
17. When performing a copy certification, the notary must:
A) Compare the copy to the original
B) Notarize the original document
C) Require two witnesses
D) File a copy with the county
✓ Answer: A) Compare the copy to the original
18. A protest is a notarial act used in connection with:
A) Real estate transactions
B) Negotiable instruments such as checks and drafts
C) Wills and testaments
D) Marriage licenses
✓ Answer: B) Negotiable instruments such as checks and drafts
19. An affirmation differs from an oath in that it:
A) Requires a Bible
B) Must be witnessed by two people
C) Does not invoke a deity
D) Is only valid in federal court
✓ Answer: C) Does not invoke a deity
20. Which notarial act requires the signer to be personally present before
the notary at the time of signing?
A) Copy certification
B) Protest
C) Acknowledgment
D) Apostille
✓ Answer: C) Acknowledgment
Section 3: Personal Appearance & Identity Verification (Q. 21–30)
21. For most notarial acts in Virginia, the signer must appear:
A) Within 30 days of signing
B) Personally before the notary
C) Via video conference only
