NC NOTARY PUBLIC STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027.
Comprehensive Practice Exam — 40 Questions
DOMAIN 1: NOTARY COMMISSION, SEAL & JOURNAL REQUIREMENTS (10 Questions)
Question 1 (Multiple Choice)
Under North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 10B, what is the specific legal requirement
regarding a notary public's journal of notarial acts?
A) A journal is mandatory for all notarial acts performed in North Carolina, both traditional and
electronic. B) A journal is mandatory only for remote online notarizations; it is recommended
but not required for traditional in-person notarial acts. C) A journal is optional for all notarial
acts and carries no legal significance. D) A journal is required only when notarizing real estate
documents.
Answer: B) A journal is mandatory only for remote online notarizations; it is recommended
but not required for traditional in-person notarial acts. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Under NCGS § 10B-20 and 18 NCAC 07I, all electronic notaries public are required to
keep journals. For traditional (in-person, paper) notarizations, a journal is not legally required
but is highly recommended by the NC Secretary of State for the notary's protection. Traditional
notaries public who voluntarily follow the journal rules are deemed in compliance with the
Notary Act. The 2024 rules governing minimum contents of journals and retention periods apply
specifically to electronic notaries.
Question 2 (Multiple Choice)
A notary public resigns their commission in North Carolina. According to NCGS Chapter 10B,
what is the specific requirement regarding the disposition of their notary journal?
A) The notary must immediately destroy the journal upon resignation. B) The notary must
surrender the journal to the NC Secretary of State within 30 days. C) The notary must retain
their journal for the period specified by rule and may retain it indefinitely for their own
protection. D) The notary must deliver the journal to the county Register of Deeds.
,Answer: C) The notary must retain their journal for the period specified by rule and may
retain it indefinitely for their own protection. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Under 18 NCAC 07I (Journal Rules effective July 1, 2024) and NCGS § 10B-20, notaries
who maintain journals must retain them for the period specified in the administrative rules. The
NC Secretary of State strongly recommends that notaries retain their journals indefinitely even
after resignation or commission expiration, as the journal serves as the notary's primary
protection against claims of misconduct or negligence. There is no statutory requirement to
surrender or destroy the journal upon resignation.
Question 3 (True/False)
A North Carolina notary public is required by NCGS Chapter 10B to maintain a chronological
journal of every traditional in-person notarial act they perform, and failure to do so is grounds
for commission revocation.
Answer: FALSE [CORRECT]
Rationale: Under NCGS § 10B-20 and 18 NCAC 07I, a chronological journal is mandatory only for
remote online notarizations (RON) performed by electronic notaries. For traditional in-person,
paper-based notarial acts, maintaining a journal is recommended by the NC Secretary of State
as a best practice for the notary's protection, but it is not a legal requirement. Commission
revocation for failure to maintain a journal applies only to electronic notaries performing RON
acts. Traditional notaries who voluntarily maintain journals and follow the rules are deemed in
compliance with the Act.
Question 4 (Multiple Choice)
Which of the following elements MUST be included on the official seal of a North Carolina
notary public, as required by NCGS §§ 10B-36 and 10B-37?
A) The notary's commissioned name, the words "Notary Public," the county of commission,
"North Carolina," and the commission expiration date. B) The notary's commissioned name, the
words "Notary Public," and the state seal of North Carolina. C) The notary's commissioned
name, the words "Notary Public," the county of residence, and a unique notary ID number. D)
The notary's full legal name, the words "Notary Public," the county of commission, and the date
the oath was taken.
Answer: A) The notary's commissioned name, the words "Notary Public," the county of
commission, "North Carolina," and the commission expiration date. [CORRECT]
, Rationale: NCGS §§ 10B-36 and 10B-37 specify that the notary public seal must contain: (1) the
notary's exact commissioned name as it appears on the commission certificate; (2) the words
"Notary Public"; (3) the name of the county in which the notary took the oath of office (the
county of commission); (4) the words "North Carolina" or "NC"; and (5) the notary's commission
expiration date. The seal may be an inked rubber stamp or an inked embossing seal, but it must
be reproducible. The county on the seal is the county where the oath was filed with the Register
of Deeds, not necessarily the notary's current county of residence.
Question 5 (Multiple Choice)
A notary public in North Carolina has their commission seal manufactured by a seal vendor.
Under NCGS § 10B-36(e), what specific requirement must the seal manufacturer comply with
before providing a physical notary seal?
A) The manufacturer must verify the notary's commission status with the NC Secretary of State
and confirm the notary presents a valid North Carolina notarial commission certificate. B) The
manufacturer must require the notary to provide two forms of government-issued photo
identification. C) The manufacturer must witness the notary sign an affidavit attesting to their
commission status. D) The manufacturer must file a copy of the seal design with the county
Register of Deeds.
Answer: A) The manufacturer must verify the notary's commission status with the NC
Secretary of State and confirm the notary presents a valid North Carolina notarial commission
certificate. [CORRECT]
Rationale: NCGS § 10B-36(e), as amended in recent legislation, bars manufacturers of notary
seals from providing a physical notary public seal to any individual in North Carolina unless that
individual presents a valid North Carolina notarial commission certificate. The manufacturer
must identify the individual using "personal knowledge" or "satisfactory evidence" (both
defined terms in the Act). This provision was added as a fraud-prevention measure. There is a
mandatory fine for violations of this provision by seal manufacturers.
Question 6 (True/False)
A North Carolina notary public may use either an inked rubber stamp or an inked embossing
seal as their official notary seal, provided the seal contains all required elements and is
reproducible on the document.
Answer: TRUE [CORRECT]
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027.
Comprehensive Practice Exam — 40 Questions
DOMAIN 1: NOTARY COMMISSION, SEAL & JOURNAL REQUIREMENTS (10 Questions)
Question 1 (Multiple Choice)
Under North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 10B, what is the specific legal requirement
regarding a notary public's journal of notarial acts?
A) A journal is mandatory for all notarial acts performed in North Carolina, both traditional and
electronic. B) A journal is mandatory only for remote online notarizations; it is recommended
but not required for traditional in-person notarial acts. C) A journal is optional for all notarial
acts and carries no legal significance. D) A journal is required only when notarizing real estate
documents.
Answer: B) A journal is mandatory only for remote online notarizations; it is recommended
but not required for traditional in-person notarial acts. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Under NCGS § 10B-20 and 18 NCAC 07I, all electronic notaries public are required to
keep journals. For traditional (in-person, paper) notarizations, a journal is not legally required
but is highly recommended by the NC Secretary of State for the notary's protection. Traditional
notaries public who voluntarily follow the journal rules are deemed in compliance with the
Notary Act. The 2024 rules governing minimum contents of journals and retention periods apply
specifically to electronic notaries.
Question 2 (Multiple Choice)
A notary public resigns their commission in North Carolina. According to NCGS Chapter 10B,
what is the specific requirement regarding the disposition of their notary journal?
A) The notary must immediately destroy the journal upon resignation. B) The notary must
surrender the journal to the NC Secretary of State within 30 days. C) The notary must retain
their journal for the period specified by rule and may retain it indefinitely for their own
protection. D) The notary must deliver the journal to the county Register of Deeds.
,Answer: C) The notary must retain their journal for the period specified by rule and may
retain it indefinitely for their own protection. [CORRECT]
Rationale: Under 18 NCAC 07I (Journal Rules effective July 1, 2024) and NCGS § 10B-20, notaries
who maintain journals must retain them for the period specified in the administrative rules. The
NC Secretary of State strongly recommends that notaries retain their journals indefinitely even
after resignation or commission expiration, as the journal serves as the notary's primary
protection against claims of misconduct or negligence. There is no statutory requirement to
surrender or destroy the journal upon resignation.
Question 3 (True/False)
A North Carolina notary public is required by NCGS Chapter 10B to maintain a chronological
journal of every traditional in-person notarial act they perform, and failure to do so is grounds
for commission revocation.
Answer: FALSE [CORRECT]
Rationale: Under NCGS § 10B-20 and 18 NCAC 07I, a chronological journal is mandatory only for
remote online notarizations (RON) performed by electronic notaries. For traditional in-person,
paper-based notarial acts, maintaining a journal is recommended by the NC Secretary of State
as a best practice for the notary's protection, but it is not a legal requirement. Commission
revocation for failure to maintain a journal applies only to electronic notaries performing RON
acts. Traditional notaries who voluntarily maintain journals and follow the rules are deemed in
compliance with the Act.
Question 4 (Multiple Choice)
Which of the following elements MUST be included on the official seal of a North Carolina
notary public, as required by NCGS §§ 10B-36 and 10B-37?
A) The notary's commissioned name, the words "Notary Public," the county of commission,
"North Carolina," and the commission expiration date. B) The notary's commissioned name, the
words "Notary Public," and the state seal of North Carolina. C) The notary's commissioned
name, the words "Notary Public," the county of residence, and a unique notary ID number. D)
The notary's full legal name, the words "Notary Public," the county of commission, and the date
the oath was taken.
Answer: A) The notary's commissioned name, the words "Notary Public," the county of
commission, "North Carolina," and the commission expiration date. [CORRECT]
, Rationale: NCGS §§ 10B-36 and 10B-37 specify that the notary public seal must contain: (1) the
notary's exact commissioned name as it appears on the commission certificate; (2) the words
"Notary Public"; (3) the name of the county in which the notary took the oath of office (the
county of commission); (4) the words "North Carolina" or "NC"; and (5) the notary's commission
expiration date. The seal may be an inked rubber stamp or an inked embossing seal, but it must
be reproducible. The county on the seal is the county where the oath was filed with the Register
of Deeds, not necessarily the notary's current county of residence.
Question 5 (Multiple Choice)
A notary public in North Carolina has their commission seal manufactured by a seal vendor.
Under NCGS § 10B-36(e), what specific requirement must the seal manufacturer comply with
before providing a physical notary seal?
A) The manufacturer must verify the notary's commission status with the NC Secretary of State
and confirm the notary presents a valid North Carolina notarial commission certificate. B) The
manufacturer must require the notary to provide two forms of government-issued photo
identification. C) The manufacturer must witness the notary sign an affidavit attesting to their
commission status. D) The manufacturer must file a copy of the seal design with the county
Register of Deeds.
Answer: A) The manufacturer must verify the notary's commission status with the NC
Secretary of State and confirm the notary presents a valid North Carolina notarial commission
certificate. [CORRECT]
Rationale: NCGS § 10B-36(e), as amended in recent legislation, bars manufacturers of notary
seals from providing a physical notary public seal to any individual in North Carolina unless that
individual presents a valid North Carolina notarial commission certificate. The manufacturer
must identify the individual using "personal knowledge" or "satisfactory evidence" (both
defined terms in the Act). This provision was added as a fraud-prevention measure. There is a
mandatory fine for violations of this provision by seal manufacturers.
Question 6 (True/False)
A North Carolina notary public may use either an inked rubber stamp or an inked embossing
seal as their official notary seal, provided the seal contains all required elements and is
reproducible on the document.
Answer: TRUE [CORRECT]
