NC NOTARY PUBLIC ACTUAL EXAM PAPER
2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◍ Department.
Answer: NC Department of Secretary of State
◍ What is the penalty for performing notary acts before taking the oath of
office?.
Answer: Class 1 misdemeanor
◍ valid passport, drivers license, retired/dependent military ID, legal
presence/no lawful status, out of state drivers license.
Answer: 5 Valid ID's
◍ How soon can you begin the renewal process prior to the date your
commission expires?.
Answer: 10 weeks
◍ Revocation.
Answer: Cancellation of notary's commission
◍ Are there ever any situations that a notary certificate is not necessary?.
Answer: No, it is always required no exceptions
◍ What are the exceptions to the notary disqualification rules?.
Answer: If the notary is: 1) serving as the trustee in a deed of trust; 2) drafter
of the record; 3) person whom the document will be sent after recording; 4)
the attorney of record as long as the attorney does not benefit and is not
party to the record individually
◍ Appointee.
Answer: An individual who has been appointed or reappointed to the office
, of notary public but has not yet taken the oath of office to be commissioned.
◍ Seal/Stamp.
Answer: Device for affixing on a paper record with image containing
notary's name, the words "notary public" and other info as required
◍ Commissioning date.
Answer: The date of commissioning or recommissioning as entered on a
commission certificate.
◍ Suspension/Restriction.
Answer: Termination of a notary's commission for a period of time
◍ What are the 6 purposes of a notary public defined in the manual?.
Answer: 1) To promote, serve, and protect the public interests; 2) To
simplify, clarify, and modernize the law governing notaries; *3) To prevent
fraud and forgery*; 4) To foster ethical conduct among notaries; 5) To
enhance interstate recognition of notarial acts; 6) To integrate procedures for
traditional paper and electronic notarial acts
◍ What is an attestation?.
Answer: The completion of a certificate by the notary
◍ Commission.
Answer: The empowerment to perform notarial acts and the written
evidence of authority to perform those acts.
◍ Crime.
Answer: Attempt to commit, accessory to commission, aiding & abetting,
conspiracy, solicitation
◍ Oath - vow of truthfulness to be agreed to:.
Answer: "Do you swear the information you are providing is true to the best
of your knowledge, so help you God?"
◍ What are the criminal restrictions to become a notary in NC?.
Answer: Those convicted of a felony under NC or federal law, or those
convicted of a felony in another state that is also a felony in NC
, ◍ Can a notary notarized something outside of NC?.
Answer: No
◍ Are licenses that say "Not for Federal Identification" and older licenses
acceptable forms of ID for notaries?.
Answer: Yes, as long as it is not expired
◍ What is an oath?.
Answer: A notarial act that is legally equivalent to an affirmation and
involves an individual appearing in person, the individual being personally
known or provided satisfactory evidence of their ID, and took a vow of
truthfulness on penalty of perjury while invoking a deity or using any form
of the word "swear"
◍ Oath - wording on Certificate.
Answer: "Signed and sworn before me this day by (name of principal"
◍ What is a commission?.
Answer: The empowerment to perform notarial acts and the written
evidence of authority to perform those acts
◍ What is the minimum score required to pass the NC notary public exam?.
Answer: 80%
◍ Notarial/Notary Act.
Answer: The act of taking an acknowledgement, taking verification/proof, or
administering an oath or affirmation that a notary is empowered to perform
under GS 10B
◍ no.
Answer: In NC can you be a witness & notary at same time?
◍ What other violations can a notary commit that are not felonies or
misdemeanors?.
Answer: Incomplete attestation, improper acknowledgement language,
incorrect signature, incorrect expiration date, failure to administer an oath or
affirmation when required, failure to verify ID, failure to require personal
2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◍ Department.
Answer: NC Department of Secretary of State
◍ What is the penalty for performing notary acts before taking the oath of
office?.
Answer: Class 1 misdemeanor
◍ valid passport, drivers license, retired/dependent military ID, legal
presence/no lawful status, out of state drivers license.
Answer: 5 Valid ID's
◍ How soon can you begin the renewal process prior to the date your
commission expires?.
Answer: 10 weeks
◍ Revocation.
Answer: Cancellation of notary's commission
◍ Are there ever any situations that a notary certificate is not necessary?.
Answer: No, it is always required no exceptions
◍ What are the exceptions to the notary disqualification rules?.
Answer: If the notary is: 1) serving as the trustee in a deed of trust; 2) drafter
of the record; 3) person whom the document will be sent after recording; 4)
the attorney of record as long as the attorney does not benefit and is not
party to the record individually
◍ Appointee.
Answer: An individual who has been appointed or reappointed to the office
, of notary public but has not yet taken the oath of office to be commissioned.
◍ Seal/Stamp.
Answer: Device for affixing on a paper record with image containing
notary's name, the words "notary public" and other info as required
◍ Commissioning date.
Answer: The date of commissioning or recommissioning as entered on a
commission certificate.
◍ Suspension/Restriction.
Answer: Termination of a notary's commission for a period of time
◍ What are the 6 purposes of a notary public defined in the manual?.
Answer: 1) To promote, serve, and protect the public interests; 2) To
simplify, clarify, and modernize the law governing notaries; *3) To prevent
fraud and forgery*; 4) To foster ethical conduct among notaries; 5) To
enhance interstate recognition of notarial acts; 6) To integrate procedures for
traditional paper and electronic notarial acts
◍ What is an attestation?.
Answer: The completion of a certificate by the notary
◍ Commission.
Answer: The empowerment to perform notarial acts and the written
evidence of authority to perform those acts.
◍ Crime.
Answer: Attempt to commit, accessory to commission, aiding & abetting,
conspiracy, solicitation
◍ Oath - vow of truthfulness to be agreed to:.
Answer: "Do you swear the information you are providing is true to the best
of your knowledge, so help you God?"
◍ What are the criminal restrictions to become a notary in NC?.
Answer: Those convicted of a felony under NC or federal law, or those
convicted of a felony in another state that is also a felony in NC
, ◍ Can a notary notarized something outside of NC?.
Answer: No
◍ Are licenses that say "Not for Federal Identification" and older licenses
acceptable forms of ID for notaries?.
Answer: Yes, as long as it is not expired
◍ What is an oath?.
Answer: A notarial act that is legally equivalent to an affirmation and
involves an individual appearing in person, the individual being personally
known or provided satisfactory evidence of their ID, and took a vow of
truthfulness on penalty of perjury while invoking a deity or using any form
of the word "swear"
◍ Oath - wording on Certificate.
Answer: "Signed and sworn before me this day by (name of principal"
◍ What is a commission?.
Answer: The empowerment to perform notarial acts and the written
evidence of authority to perform those acts
◍ What is the minimum score required to pass the NC notary public exam?.
Answer: 80%
◍ Notarial/Notary Act.
Answer: The act of taking an acknowledgement, taking verification/proof, or
administering an oath or affirmation that a notary is empowered to perform
under GS 10B
◍ no.
Answer: In NC can you be a witness & notary at same time?
◍ What other violations can a notary commit that are not felonies or
misdemeanors?.
Answer: Incomplete attestation, improper acknowledgement language,
incorrect signature, incorrect expiration date, failure to administer an oath or
affirmation when required, failure to verify ID, failure to require personal
