Montana Notary Public — All Questions

What is Montana's rule on keeping a journal of notarial acts?

• a.The notary must chronicle every notarial act in a journal, kept either as a permanent bound paper book or a tamper-evident electronic journal✓
• b.The journal must be surrendered to the signer after each act
• c.A journal is optional and rarely used
• d.Only remote notarizations must be recorded

Montana requires a notary to record all notarial acts in a journal, which may be a permanent, bound paper book designed to deter fraud or a tamper-evident electronic journal. The journal is the notary's record and helps reconstruct an act if it is later questioned.Montana Notary Public Handbook; MCA Title 1, ch. 5

Which of the following must appear on a Montana notary's official stamp?

• a.The Montana State Seal in gold foil
• b.The notary's home street address
• c.The words 'Notary Public for the State of Montana,' the notary's name, 'Residing at' with the city or town, and the commission expiration date✓
• d.The notary's date of birth

Montana's rectangular ink stamp must show the notary's printed name, the title 'Notary Public for the State of Montana,' 'Residing at' followed by the city or town, and the commission expiration date. It uses blue or black ink. A home street address and date of birth are not part of the stamp.MCA 1-5-616 (official stamp); Montana Notary Public Handbook

What information should a Montana journal entry typically record for each notarial act?

• a.Only the signer's phone number
• b.A photocopy of the entire signed document
• c.The notary's bank account details
• d.The date and time, type of act, description of the document, the signer's name and signature, the method of identification, and any fee✓

A complete journal entry captures the date and time, the type of notarial act, a brief description of the document, the signer's name and signature, how the signer was identified, and the fee charged. It is a record of the act, not a copy of the document, and it should never store sensitive data like account numbers.Montana Notary Public Handbook (MT Secretary of State)

A Montana notary's official stamp is lost or stolen. What should the notary do?

• a.Notify the Secretary of State promptly and take steps to prevent misuse✓
• b.Wait until the commission expires to report it
• c.Order a new stamp with a different name to avoid confusion
• d.Nothing, unless it is used fraudulently

Because a stolen stamp or journal can be used to commit fraud, the notary should promptly notify the Montana Secretary of State and secure a replacement. Prompt reporting limits the notary's exposure if the stamp is misused.Montana Notary Public Handbook (MT Secretary of State)