COLORADO STATE NOTARY EXAM
STUDY GUIDE – PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (LATEST
PREP EDITION)
1. When is a current notary public eligible to apply to renew his or her
commission?
A) 30 days before expiration
B) 60 days before expiration
C) 90 days before expiration
D) Anytime, even after expiration
✓Correct Answer>C) 90 days before expiration
Rationale-: Colorado notaries may apply for renewal up to 90 days before their
commission expires. This allows sufficient processing time to ensure continuous
commissioning .
2. It is ______ okay to notarize documents if the client is on the phone from
another state.
A) sometimes
B) never
C) always
D) only for certain documents
✓Correct Answer>B) never
Rationale-: The signer must be in the physical presence of the notary at the time
of notarization. Phone notarizations are not permitted under Colorado law unless
conducted through approved remote online notarization platforms .
,3. It is okay for you to notarize:
A) Quit Claim Deeds, if you are the beneficiary
B) Wills, if you are the beneficiary
C) Documents for yourself
D) None of these
✓Correct Answer>D) None of these
Rationale-: A notary has a disqualifying interest when named as a beneficiary in
a document. Notaries cannot notarize documents in which they have a direct
financial or beneficial interest, nor can they notarize their own signature .
4. Authentications are used for notarized documents being sent overseas.
A) True
B) False
✓Correct Answer>A) True
Rationale-: Authentications are certificates issued by the Secretary of State
verifying that a notary's commission was valid at the time of notarization. They
are required for documents destined for use in foreign countries .
5. Lost journals or seals must be reported to the Secretary of State.
A) True
B) False
✓Correct Answer>A) True
Rationale-: Loss or theft of a notary journal or official stamp must be reported
to the Secretary of State within a reasonable time, typically within 30 days, to
protect against fraudulent use .
,6. In an Acknowledgment, the client has to sign in front of you. In an
Affirmation, the client can sign the document before bringing it to you.
A) True
B) False
✓Correct Answer>B) False
Rationale-: This statement reverses the actual requirements. For an
acknowledgment, the signer may sign before appearing or in the notary's
presence. For a jurat (which involves an oath or affirmation), the signer must sign
in the notary's presence .
7. You must not notarize a document that has blank spaces.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>B) True
Rationale-: Notarizing a document with blank spaces creates risk of fraud, as
information could be added later without the signer's knowledge. Documents
should be complete before notarization .
8. A Notary Public with a felony may be appointed if the felony is over five years
old.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>A) False
Rationale-: Colorado law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from
being appointed as notaries, regardless of how much time has passed since the
conviction. Certain misdemeanors may also disqualify applicants .
, 9. The three types of satisfactory evidence are SVID, Credible Witness, and
Personally Known.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>A) False
Rationale-: The three methods are actually: Personal Knowledge, Credible
Witness, and Satisfactory Evidence (which includes SVID - Secured and Verifiable
Identification Documents). SVID is a type of satisfactory evidence, not a separate
category .
10. The Spanish translation of 'Notary Public' is 'Notario Publico', and you are
required to use this phrase in all of your advertising.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>A) False
Rationale-: Colorado notaries are PROHIBITED from using the term "Notario
Publico" because it implies legal authority that U.S. notaries do not possess. In
many Latin American countries, a "Notario Publico" has significantly greater legal
powers similar to attorneys .
11. A Colorado Notary Public is commissioned by:
A) The Governor
B) The Secretary of State
C) The Attorney General
D) The County Clerk
✓Correct Answer>B) The Secretary of State
Rationale-: Colorado notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State's
office, which oversees notary regulation and maintains the notary database .
STUDY GUIDE – PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (LATEST
PREP EDITION)
1. When is a current notary public eligible to apply to renew his or her
commission?
A) 30 days before expiration
B) 60 days before expiration
C) 90 days before expiration
D) Anytime, even after expiration
✓Correct Answer>C) 90 days before expiration
Rationale-: Colorado notaries may apply for renewal up to 90 days before their
commission expires. This allows sufficient processing time to ensure continuous
commissioning .
2. It is ______ okay to notarize documents if the client is on the phone from
another state.
A) sometimes
B) never
C) always
D) only for certain documents
✓Correct Answer>B) never
Rationale-: The signer must be in the physical presence of the notary at the time
of notarization. Phone notarizations are not permitted under Colorado law unless
conducted through approved remote online notarization platforms .
,3. It is okay for you to notarize:
A) Quit Claim Deeds, if you are the beneficiary
B) Wills, if you are the beneficiary
C) Documents for yourself
D) None of these
✓Correct Answer>D) None of these
Rationale-: A notary has a disqualifying interest when named as a beneficiary in
a document. Notaries cannot notarize documents in which they have a direct
financial or beneficial interest, nor can they notarize their own signature .
4. Authentications are used for notarized documents being sent overseas.
A) True
B) False
✓Correct Answer>A) True
Rationale-: Authentications are certificates issued by the Secretary of State
verifying that a notary's commission was valid at the time of notarization. They
are required for documents destined for use in foreign countries .
5. Lost journals or seals must be reported to the Secretary of State.
A) True
B) False
✓Correct Answer>A) True
Rationale-: Loss or theft of a notary journal or official stamp must be reported
to the Secretary of State within a reasonable time, typically within 30 days, to
protect against fraudulent use .
,6. In an Acknowledgment, the client has to sign in front of you. In an
Affirmation, the client can sign the document before bringing it to you.
A) True
B) False
✓Correct Answer>B) False
Rationale-: This statement reverses the actual requirements. For an
acknowledgment, the signer may sign before appearing or in the notary's
presence. For a jurat (which involves an oath or affirmation), the signer must sign
in the notary's presence .
7. You must not notarize a document that has blank spaces.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>B) True
Rationale-: Notarizing a document with blank spaces creates risk of fraud, as
information could be added later without the signer's knowledge. Documents
should be complete before notarization .
8. A Notary Public with a felony may be appointed if the felony is over five years
old.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>A) False
Rationale-: Colorado law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from
being appointed as notaries, regardless of how much time has passed since the
conviction. Certain misdemeanors may also disqualify applicants .
, 9. The three types of satisfactory evidence are SVID, Credible Witness, and
Personally Known.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>A) False
Rationale-: The three methods are actually: Personal Knowledge, Credible
Witness, and Satisfactory Evidence (which includes SVID - Secured and Verifiable
Identification Documents). SVID is a type of satisfactory evidence, not a separate
category .
10. The Spanish translation of 'Notary Public' is 'Notario Publico', and you are
required to use this phrase in all of your advertising.
A) False
B) True
✓Correct Answer>A) False
Rationale-: Colorado notaries are PROHIBITED from using the term "Notario
Publico" because it implies legal authority that U.S. notaries do not possess. In
many Latin American countries, a "Notario Publico" has significantly greater legal
powers similar to attorneys .
11. A Colorado Notary Public is commissioned by:
A) The Governor
B) The Secretary of State
C) The Attorney General
D) The County Clerk
✓Correct Answer>B) The Secretary of State
Rationale-: Colorado notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State's
office, which oversees notary regulation and maintains the notary database .
