North Carolina Notary Public Exam — All Questions

North Carolina's notary law is found primarily in:

• a.The Uniform Commercial Code
• b.G.S. Chapter 10B and the North Carolina Notary Public Manual✓
• c.The state constitution only
• d.Federal notary regulations

North Carolina notarial authority and duties are set by G.S. Chapter 10B, and applicants study the North Carolina Notary Public Manual (2026 edition). The 6-hour course and exam are built on this material. Knowing the governing law is foundational.

In a North Carolina verification or proof (jurat), the signer must:

• a.Sign at home beforehand
• b.Only present ID
• c.Sign in the notary's presence and swear the statement is true✓
• d.Provide a thumbprint

A verification or proof (North Carolina's term for a jurat) requires the signer to sign in the notary's presence and swear or affirm the statement is true. An acknowledgment only confirms voluntary signing and may be pre-signed. The notary administers the oath for the verification.

A North Carolina principal asks the notary to decide which certificate the document needs. The non-attorney notary should:

• a.Not decide for the principal; let the document/principal specify or refer to an attorney✓
• b.Choose the acknowledgment
• c.Choose the verification
• d.Perform both

Choosing the notarial certificate is a legal determination. A non-attorney North Carolina notary who selects it for the principal engages in unauthorized practice of law. The document or principal must specify the act; otherwise refer the principal to an attorney.

In a North Carolina acknowledgment, the principal:

• a.Swears the contents are true
• b.Declares they signed the record voluntarily✓
• c.Must provide two witnesses
• d.Must sign only in the notary's presence

In an acknowledgment the principal declares they signed the record voluntarily; the document may already be signed. A verification/proof is what requires signing before the notary plus an oath to the truth of the contents. Both require personal appearance and identification.

How does a North Carolina notary establish a principal's identity?

• a.By the principal's spoken name
• b.By personal knowledge or a current government photo ID with signature (or a credible witness)✓
• c.By a utility bill
• d.By a mailed ID copy

Identity is established by personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence—a current government-issued ID bearing a photograph and signature, or the oath of a credible witness. The principal must personally appear before the North Carolina notary at the time of the act.

Under North Carolina law, a notary must refuse to notarize when:

• a.The principal is elderly
• b.The document is long
• c.The notary is not satisfied as to identity, competence, or willingness, or the principal did not appear✓
• d.The fee is only $5

North Carolina lists grounds for refusal: doubt about the principal's identity, competence, or willingness; the principal did not personally appear; or the notary suspects fraud. The notary must refuse in these situations, but may not refuse solely on discriminatory grounds.

A North Carolina principal did not appear, but a relative brought the signed document. The notary should:

• a.Refuse—personal appearance is required✓
• b.Notarize because a relative vouches
• c.Notarize for a reduced fee
• d.Notarize only an acknowledgment

Personal appearance by the principal at the time of the act is mandatory. A North Carolina notary may not notarize a signature for someone who did not appear, regardless of a relative's assurance. Notarizing without appearance is prohibited and can be a crime.

For which North Carolina notarizations is an electronic journal (and, for RON, an A/V recording) mandatory?

• a.Traditional paper acknowledgments
• b.Oaths of office✓
• c.Electronic notarizations and remote (RON) notarizations
• d.None

North Carolina requires notaries performing electronic notarizations and remote (RON) notarizations to keep an electronic journal and, for RON, retain the audio-video recording. For traditional paper acts, journaling is strongly recommended as a best practice but not mandated the same way.

A North Carolina journal entry should record:

• a.The principal's income
• b.The notary's home value
• c.The date/time, type of act, document type, principal's name and how identified, and the fee✓
• d.Nothing

Useful (and, for electronic/RON acts, required) entries record the date and time, the type of act, the document type, the principal's name and how identity was verified, and the fee. Records help the notary respond if an act is later questioned.

Why does the North Carolina Secretary of State recommend journaling even for paper acts?

• a.It creates a record that protects the notary if an act is later challenged✓
• b.It is required for all acts
• c.It raises the fee cap
• d.It allows copy certification

A voluntary journal documents each notarization—who appeared, what was signed, and how they were identified—protecting the notary against later claims of fraud or improper notarization. North Carolina recommends it for paper acts and requires it for electronic/RON acts.

May a North Carolina notary notarize a record in which the notary is named as a party?

• a.Yes, for the $5 fee
• b.No—the notary is disqualified by a direct interest✓
• c.Yes, with a witness
• d.Only electronically

A North Carolina notary may not notarize their own signature or a record in which the notary is a signer, is named, or has a direct financial or beneficial interest. Being named as a party disqualifies the notary; proceeding is misconduct that can void the act.

A non-attorney North Carolina notary advertises as a 'notario publico.' This is:

• a.Encouraged
• b.Required
• c.Restricted, because it implies the ability to provide legal services✓
• d.Only allowed for RON

North Carolina restricts a non-attorney notary from using 'notario publico,' which implies attorney-level authority in some countries. Giving legal advice, preparing legal documents, or choosing the certificate for the signer is likewise prohibited unauthorized practice of law.

How long is a North Carolina notary commission valid?

• a.Five years✓
• b.Four years
• c.Two years
• d.Ten years

A North Carolina notary commission is valid for five years. New applicants complete a 6-hour community-college course using the North Carolina Notary Public Manual, pass the exam at 80%, and take the oath before the register of deeds.

Before performing acts, a North Carolina notary must take the oath of office before:

• a.The Governor
• b.The register of deeds in the county of application✓
• c.A federal judge
• d.The community college instructor

After the commission issues, the North Carolina notary must appear before the register of deeds in the county of application to take the oath of office before performing notarial acts. A statewide surety bond is not required for a traditional NC commission.

What education does a new North Carolina applicant need before the exam?

• a.A law degree
• b.A one-year apprenticeship
• c.A required 6-hour in-person course using the NC Notary Public Manual✓
• d.No education

New North Carolina applicants must complete a 6-hour in-person course (offered at community colleges) using the North Carolina Notary Public Manual, then pass the exam at 80%. Applicants must also read and write English and hold at least a high school diploma.

Under G.S. 10B-31, the maximum fee for a traditional North Carolina notarial act is:

• a.$2 per signature
• b.$5 per principal signature✓
• c.$15 per signature
• d.No limit

North Carolina caps the fee for a traditional notarial act at $5 per principal signature. Electronic and remote (RON) acts have a higher statutory maximum (for example, up to $10 per act). A notary may charge less but never more than the cap; verify current figures.

Why does North Carolina allow a higher fee cap for electronic and remote notarizations?

• a.To reflect the added technology and identity-verification steps✓
• b.Because RON notaries are attorneys
• c.Because there is no cap online
• d.To discourage electronic acts

Electronic and remote notarizations involve approved platforms, credential analysis, identity proofing, and recording retention. North Carolina therefore sets a higher maximum (e.g., up to $10 per act) than the $5 traditional cap. Confirm the current G.S. 10B-31 amounts.

Which element must a North Carolina notary seal include?

• a.The principal's photo
• b.The notary's home address
• c.The notary's name as commissioned, 'Notary Public,' county of commissioning, and 'North Carolina'✓
• d.The register of deeds' signature

A North Carolina seal must show the notary's name as commissioned, 'Notary Public,' the county of commissioning, and 'North Carolina' (or 'NC'), and be photographically reproducible. It appears near the signature; the certificate also states the commission expiration date.

If a North Carolina notary's seal is lost or stolen, the notary must:

• a.Notify the Secretary of State✓
• b.Do nothing
• c.Continue with a backup stamp
• d.Notify only the last signer

A lost or stolen seal must be reported to the North Carolina Secretary of State to prevent fraudulent use. The seal is the notary's exclusive property, must be kept secure, and should be disposed of so it cannot be misused when the commission ends.

To perform remote (RON) notarizations in North Carolina, a notary must:

• a.Do nothing extra
• b.Hold a traditional commission, register separately for RON, complete additional education, and use an approved platform✓
• c.Give up paper notarization
• d.Move out of state

A North Carolina notary must first hold a traditional commission, then register separately to perform electronic and/or remote (RON) notarizations, complete the required additional education, and use an approved platform with audio-video technology and identity verification.

A North Carolina notary performing RON must keep:

• a.No records
• b.Only a paper note
• c.An electronic journal and the audio-video recording of each act✓
• d.The signer's ID card

North Carolina requires a RON notary to keep an electronic journal and retain the audio-video recording of each act for the period required by rule. These recording and journal duties are mandatory for electronic/remote acts; confirm current retention rules.

A North Carolina notary signs a certificate stating a principal appeared when the principal did not. This is:

• a.A false certificate and serious misconduct that can be a crime✓
• b.Acceptable for acknowledgments
• c.Fine if ID was emailed
• d.Allowed if the fee is waived

Certifying that a principal personally appeared when they did not is a false certificate—serious misconduct in North Carolina that can lead to commission action, civil liability, and criminal charges. Personal appearance is a non-negotiable requirement.