Indiana Notary Public — All Questions

What does an Indiana notary certify when taking an acknowledgment?

• a.That the document's contents are accurate
• b.That the identified individual appeared and acknowledged signing the document voluntarily✓
• c.That the notary approves the transaction
• d.That the document has been filed with a court

An acknowledgment certifies that the signer personally appeared, was identified, and acknowledged executing the document for its stated purpose. It does not vouch for the truth of the contents or the merits of the transaction.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

What does an Indiana jurat require that an acknowledgment does not?

• a.The document must concern real estate
• b.The notary must translate the document
• c.The signer must sign in the notary's presence and take an oath or affirmation as to the truth of the statement✓
• d.The signer must provide two forms of ID

A jurat requires the signer to sign in front of the notary and to swear or affirm that the statement is true. An acknowledgment requires neither an oath nor signing in the notary's presence.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

A signer asks an Indiana notary which certificate their document needs. What should the notary do?

• a.Ask the signer or the receiving agency which act is required, because choosing it is the unauthorized practice of law✓
• b.Select a jurat to be safe
• c.Decline to serve the signer
• d.Notarize without any certificate

A non-attorney notary may not choose the notarial act for a signer; that is giving legal advice. The notary asks the signer, or the agency requiring the document, which act is needed and then completes that certificate.Indiana Notary Public Guide (Indiana Secretary of State)

For a standard Indiana notarization, when may the notary act without the signer physically present?

• a.When the signer faxes the document
• b.When a coworker vouches for the signer by phone
• c.When the signer has used the notary before
• d.Never; personal appearance is required, and remote acts require an approved audio-video platform under Indiana's remote notarization program✓

Personal appearance is required for every notarization. Indiana authorizes remote notarization, but only by a notary specifically authorized for remote acts, using an approved audio-video platform with identity proofing. A fax, phone vouch, or prior acquaintance does not satisfy appearance.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

Which act may an Indiana notary perform?

• a.Certifying a copy of a birth certificate
• b.Administering an oath or affirmation✓
• c.Issuing a court subpoena
• d.Recording a deed in the county records

Indiana notaries take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, perform jurats, and witness signatures. They may not certify vital records like birth certificates, issue subpoenas, or record documents, which are functions of other offices.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

What must a complete Indiana notarial certificate include?

• a.The venue, the date, the notary's signature, and the official stamp or seal✓
• b.The signer's fingerprint
• c.A legal opinion on the document
• d.The notary's date of birth

An Indiana certificate shows the venue (state and county), the date of the act, the notary's signature as commissioned, and the official stamp or seal. It does not include a thumbprint, a legal opinion, or the notary's personal data beyond the commission details.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

How may an Indiana notary establish a signer's identity?

• a.Only by an Indiana driver's license
• b.Only by a co-signer's statement
• c.By personal knowledge of the signer, or by satisfactory evidence such as a current government photo ID or a credible witness✓
• d.By the signer's verbal claim of identity

Indiana's modernized law allows identification by the notary's personal knowledge of the signer, or by satisfactory evidence: a current government-issued photo ID bearing a signature, or the oath of a credible witness who knows the signer.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

Which is acceptable identification for an Indiana notarization?

• a.A warehouse-club card
• b.A current U.S. passport✓
• c.A Social Security card
• d.A voter registration postcard

Acceptable ID is a current government-issued document with the signer's photo, signature, and an identifying number, such as a passport, driver's license, state ID, or military ID. Club cards, Social Security cards, and voter postcards do not qualify.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

An Indiana signer lacks ID but brings a credible witness. What is required before relying on the witness?

• a.The witness signs the document
• b.Nothing; the witness is automatically enough
• c.The witness's ID is copied onto the certificate
• d.The witness must personally know the signer, be identified to the notary, and take an oath vouching for the signer's identity✓

A credible witness must personally know the signer, be personally known to or identified by the notary, and take an oath or affirmation as to the signer's identity. Only a sworn, qualifying witness may substitute for missing identification.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

If an Indiana notary cannot confirm a signer's identity by any allowed method, what must the notary do?

• a.Refuse to perform the notarization✓
• b.Perform it and note the doubt
• c.Accept a very old expired ID
• d.Rely on the signer's spoken name

When identity cannot be established through personal knowledge, an acceptable ID, or a credible witness, the notary must refuse. Notarizing despite genuine doubt about identity defeats the fraud-prevention purpose of the office.Indiana Notary Public Guide (Indiana Secretary of State)

What is Indiana's recordkeeping rule for remote (online) notarizations?

• a.No record is needed
• b.The record must be destroyed after 30 days
• c.The remote notary must keep an electronic recordbook (journal) of each remote act and retain it for at least 10 years✓
• d.The signer keeps the only record

A remote online notary in Indiana must record each remote notarial act in an electronic recordbook and retain it for at least 10 years, along with the audio-video recording. Keeping a journal for standard in-person acts is also strongly recommended as good practice.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42, ch. 17 (remote notarial acts); Indiana Notary Public Guide

Which elements must appear on an Indiana notary's stamp or seal?

• a.The signer's name and address
• b.The notary's name, the words 'Notary Public' and 'State of Indiana,' the county of residence, the commission number, and the commission expiration date✓
• c.The notary's Social Security number
• d.A photograph of the notary

An Indiana stamp or seal shows the notary's name, the words 'Notary Public' and 'State of Indiana,' the county of residence, the commission number, and the commission expiration date. It authenticates the act and never contains the signer's information.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

What should an Indiana notary's journal entry ideally record for each act?

• a.The date and time, type of act, description of the document, the signer's name and signature, the identification method, and any fee✓
• b.The signer's credit score
• c.The notary's grocery list
• d.The full text of the document

A useful journal entry records the date and time, the type of act, a brief description of the document, the signer's name and signature, how the signer was identified, and the fee. It documents the act without storing unnecessary sensitive data.Indiana Notary Public Guide (Indiana Secretary of State)

An Indiana notary's stamp is lost or stolen. What should the notary do?

• a.Do nothing unless it is misused
• b.Keep using a scanned copy
• c.Wait until the eight-year term ends
• d.Take prompt steps to prevent misuse, notify the Secretary of State as required, and obtain a replacement✓

Because a stolen stamp can be used to commit fraud, the notary should promptly act to prevent misuse, notify the Secretary of State as required, and obtain a new stamp. Relying on a scanned copy of the old stamp is not acceptable.Indiana Notary Public Guide (Indiana Secretary of State)

How long is an Indiana notary public commission valid?

• a.2 years
• b.4 years
• c.8 years✓
• d.Lifetime

An Indiana notary commission runs for eight years, longer than most states. During the commission the notary must complete continuing education every two years to stay in good standing.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

What surety bond amount must an Indiana notary maintain?

• a.$5,000
• b.$25,000✓
• c.$50,000
• d.No bond is required

Indiana requires a $25,000 surety bond for the eight-year commission. The bond protects members of the public harmed by the notary's misconduct; it does not protect the notary, who must repay the surety for any claim paid.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

Which is a qualification to become an Indiana notary public?

• a.Be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, able to read and write English, and an Indiana resident or have a primary place of business or employment in Indiana✓
• b.Own real property in Indiana
• c.Hold a law license
• d.Be at least 25 years old

An Indiana applicant must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident, able to read and write English, and either an Indiana resident or maintain a primary place of business or employment in Indiana. Property ownership and a law license are not required.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

Which statement about the Indiana notary exam is correct?

• a.There is no exam in Indiana
• b.It is a closed-book, in-person, proctored test
• c.A perfect score is required
• d.It follows online education and has 30 questions (multiple choice and true/false), requiring 80% (24 of 30) to pass✓

Indiana requires online education followed by an exam of 30 questions, a mix of multiple choice and true/false, with 80% (24 of 30) needed to pass. It is delivered online, not as a closed-book in-person test.Indiana Secretary of State — Notary Education and Exam

What is the maximum fee an Indiana notary may charge for a standard, in-person notarial act?

• a.$2
• b.$10✓
• c.$25
• d.There is no limit

Indiana caps a standard in-person notarial act at $10. A notary may charge less or nothing, but not more. Remote notarizations are governed by separate fee rules under the remote-notary statute.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

How often must an Indiana notary complete continuing education during the commission?

• a.Never
• b.Only once at the start
• c.Every two years✓
• d.Every month

Indiana notaries must complete continuing education every two years during the eight-year commission, keeping them current on notarial law. Missing the required education can jeopardize the commission's good standing.Indiana Notary Public Guide (Indiana Secretary of State)

When must an Indiana notary refuse to perform a notarial act?

• a.When the notary has a disqualifying interest, or the signer is absent, unidentified, unwilling, or appears coerced✓
• b.Whenever the document is typed rather than handwritten
• c.Whenever the signer is under 25
• d.Whenever the fee is waived

A notary must refuse when they have a disqualifying interest in the transaction, when the signer does not personally appear, when identity cannot be confirmed, or when the signer appears unwilling, confused, or coerced. Impartiality and a competent, willing signer are required.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide

A non-attorney Indiana notary is asked to explain the legal effect of a contract. What should the notary do?

• a.Give a short legal opinion
• b.Advertise as a 'notario publico'
• c.Refuse to notarize anything
• d.Decline to give legal advice and refer the signer to an attorney, while still able to perform the notarization✓

A non-attorney notary may not give legal advice or interpret a document's effect; that is the unauthorized practice of law. The notary declines to advise, refers the signer to a lawyer, and must not use the misleading title 'notario publico,' but may still perform the notarization itself.Indiana Code Title 33, Art. 42; Indiana Notary Public Guide