Nebraska Notary Public — All Questions

What does a Nebraska notary certify when taking an acknowledgment?

• a.That the notary reviewed the document for legal accuracy
• b.That the identified individual appeared and acknowledged signing the document voluntarily✓
• c.That the document's contents are true
• d.That the document is now recorded

An acknowledgment certifies that the signer personally appeared, was identified, and acknowledged executing the document for its stated purpose. It does not certify that the contents are true (that is a jurat) or that the notary reviewed the document's legality.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

What does a Nebraska jurat require that an acknowledgment does not?

• a.The document must be about property
• b.The notary must sign the document as a party
• c.The signer must provide a passport specifically
• d.The signer must sign in the notary's presence and swear or affirm the statement is true✓

A jurat requires the signer to sign in front of the notary and to take an oath or affirmation that the statement is true. An acknowledgment requires neither an oath nor signing in the notary's presence.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

A signer asks a Nebraska notary which certificate the document needs. What should the notary do?

• a.Use both an acknowledgment and a jurat to be safe
• b.Refuse to help the signer
• c.Ask the signer or the receiving agency which act is required, because choosing it is the unauthorized practice of law✓
• d.Pick an acknowledgment automatically

A non-attorney notary may not decide which notarial act a document needs; that is legal advice. The notary asks the signer, or the agency requiring the document, which act is needed and completes only that certificate.Nebraska Notary Public Handbook (Nebraska Secretary of State)

Which act may a Nebraska notary perform?

• a.Certify a copy of a birth certificate
• b.Record a deed with the register of deeds
• c.Administer an oath or affirmation✓
• d.Grant a divorce

Nebraska notaries take acknowledgments, administer oaths and affirmations, and perform jurats. They may not certify vital records, grant divorces, or record documents, which are functions of other offices.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

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

• a.When the signer emails a scan of the signed page
• b.When a friend confirms the signer over the phone
• c.When the notary trusts the signer
• d.Never; personal appearance is required, and any remote act must use an approved audio-video platform under Nebraska's online notarization rules✓

Personal appearance is required for every notarization. Nebraska authorizes online notarization only through an approved audio-video platform with identity verification. An email scan, phone vouch, or personal trust does not satisfy the appearance requirement.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

What must a complete Nebraska notarial certificate include?

• a.The venue, the date of the act, the notary's signature, and the official seal or stamp✓
• b.An opinion on the document's validity
• c.The notary's home address
• d.The signer's thumbprint

A Nebraska certificate shows the venue (state and county), the date of the act, the notary's signature as commissioned, and the official seal or stamp. Nebraska does not require a thumbprint, and the notary never opines on the document's validity.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

How may a Nebraska notary establish a signer's identity?

• a.Only by a co-signer's word
• b.By the signer's spoken statement of their name
• c.By personal knowledge of the signer, or by satisfactory evidence such as a current government photo ID or a credible witness✓
• d.Only by a Nebraska driver's license

Nebraska 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. A spoken name is never enough.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

Which is acceptable identification for a Nebraska notarization?

• a.A bank statement
• b.A current state-issued driver's license with photo and signature✓
• c.A Social Security card
• d.A punch-card from a coffee shop

Acceptable ID is a current government-issued document with the signer's photo, signature, and an identifying number, such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. Punch-cards, Social Security cards, and bank statements do not qualify.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

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

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

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.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

If a Nebraska notary cannot confirm identity by any allowed method, what must the notary do?

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

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.Nebraska Notary Public Handbook (Nebraska Secretary of State)

What is the best description of Nebraska's journal practice for standard notarial acts?

• a.Nebraska does not mandate a journal for standard notarial acts, but keeping a record book is strongly recommended, and online notaries must keep records✓
• b.A journal must be filed with the county after every act
• c.A journal is prohibited
• d.Only attorneys may keep a journal

Nebraska does not require a paper journal for standard notarial acts, but a record book is strongly recommended as the notary's best defense if an act is later questioned. Online (remote) notaries must maintain records of their electronic acts.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

Which elements must appear on a Nebraska notary's seal or stamp?

• a.The notary's date of birth
• b.The notary's name, the words 'General Notary' and 'State of Nebraska,' and the commission expiration date✓
• c.The Nebraska State Seal in gold foil
• d.The signer's name and county

A Nebraska seal or stamp shows the notary's name, the words 'General Notary' and 'State of Nebraska,' and the commission expiration date. It authenticates the notary's acts and never contains the signer's information.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

If a Nebraska notary keeps a record book, what should each entry ideally capture?

• a.The date, type of act, description of the document, the signer's name and signature, the identification method, and any fee✓
• b.The signer's employer's revenue
• c.The notary's personal diary notes
• d.A photocopy of the whole document

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

A Nebraska notary's seal is lost or stolen. What should the notary do?

• a.Take prompt steps to prevent misuse, notify the Secretary of State as required, and obtain a replacement✓
• b.Do nothing unless it is misused
• c.Keep using a scanned image of the seal
• d.Wait until the commission expires

Because a stolen seal can facilitate fraud, the notary should promptly act to prevent misuse, notify the Secretary of State as required, and obtain a new seal. Relying on a scanned image of the old seal is not acceptable.Nebraska Notary Public Handbook (Nebraska Secretary of State)

How long is a Nebraska notary public commission valid?

• a.8 years
• b.6 years
• c.2 years
• d.4 years✓

A Nebraska notary commission is valid for four years. To keep serving, the notary must reapply, meet the qualifications, and pass the exam again before the term ends.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

What surety bond amount must a Nebraska notary file?

• a.$15,000✓
• b.$10,000
• c.$5,000
• d.$25,000

Nebraska requires a $15,000 surety bond, executed by an incorporated surety company and filed with the Secretary of State before the commission is issued. The bond protects the public harmed by the notary's misconduct; it does not protect the notary.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

Which is a qualification to become a Nebraska notary public?

• a.Be a U.S. citizen who owns land in Nebraska
• b.Be at least 18 and a Nebraska resident, or be employed within Nebraska while residing in a neighboring state✓
• c.Hold a law degree
• d.Be at least 21 years old

A Nebraska applicant must be at least 18 and either reside in Nebraska or be regularly employed within Nebraska while residing in an adjoining state. Property ownership and a law degree are not required.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

Which statement about the Nebraska notary exam is correct?

• a.It is a proctored, in-person, closed-book test
• b.There is no exam in Nebraska
• c.A perfect score is required
• d.It is a written exam of 20 questions, sent by mail or email after the application, and 85% is required to pass✓

Nebraska sends a written exam of 20 questions by mail or email after the application is filed; 85% is required to pass. An applicant gets a limited number of attempts, with a waiting period after repeated failures. It is not a proctored in-person test.Nebraska Secretary of State — Notary Exam

What is the maximum fee a Nebraska notary may charge for a standard notarial act such as an acknowledgment?

• a.$5✓
• b.$2
• c.$15
• d.There is no limit

Nebraska caps a standard notarial act, such as an acknowledgment, at $5. A notary may charge less or nothing, but never more than the statutory maximum. Separate rules govern online notarization fees.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

When must a Nebraska notary refuse to perform a notarial act?

• a.Whenever the signer speaks another language, even with an interpreter
• b.When the notary has a disqualifying interest, or the signer is absent, unidentified, unwilling, or appears coerced✓
• c.Whenever the fee is waived
• d.Whenever the document has more than one page

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.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

May a Nebraska notary notarize a document in which the notary is personally and financially interested?

• a.Yes, for family members only
• b.Yes, if the fee is doubled
• c.Yes, if the notary discloses the interest
• d.No; a notary may not act when a party to, or financially interested in, the transaction beyond the notarial fee✓

A notary must be impartial and may not notarize a transaction in which they are a party or have a financial or beneficial interest beyond the notarial fee. Disclosure does not cure the conflict; the notary must decline and refer the signer to another notary.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook

A non-attorney Nebraska notary is asked whether a form is 'the right legal document.' What should the notary do?

• a.Advertise as a legal expert
• b.Refuse to notarize anything
• c.Give an opinion to be helpful
• 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 judge whether a form is the correct legal document; that is the unauthorized practice of law. The notary declines to advise, refers the signer to a lawyer, and may still perform the notarization itself if the requirements are met.Nebraska Revised Statutes Ch. 64; Nebraska Notary Public Handbook