PA Notary Questions and Answers
Graded A+
Qualification for Appointment: To become a Notary Public in PA the applicant must meet these
requirements. (7) ✔✔18, Citizen, Reside or work in state, Read and Write English,
...
PA Notary Questions and Answers
Graded A+
Qualification for Appointment: To become a Notary Public in PA the applicant must meet these
requirements. (7) ✔✔18, Citizen, Reside or work in state, Read and Write English, No
crime/Background check, Complete 3 Hour course, Pass Examination.
Notary Bond Requirement ✔✔Required to obtain Surety Bond for $10,000 and record with
county Recorder of Deeds with in 45 days after appointment
Purpose of Notary Bond ✔✔The Notary Bond Protects the public from notary's misconduct
intentional or not. The surety company will seek compensation for damages from the Notary.
Filing the Bond ✔✔once recorded with the county Recorder of Deeds, a copy of the bond and
oath of office must be filed with Dept of State within 90 days
Errors and Omissions Insurance ✔✔Protects the Notary. Notaries may choose to purchase, and
will provide notary with legal counsel.
Definition of Reasonable Care ✔✔Is the degree of concern and attentiveness that a person of
normal intelligence and responsibility would exhibit.
Requirement Filing Oath of Office ✔✔within 45 days of appointment and before issuance of
commission, an applicant must execute an oath with the county Recorder of deeds in the county
where the Notary will maintain office
Requirement Registering Signature ✔✔The Notary must register their signature with the
prothonotary in the county the notary maintains office within 45 days of appointment
Appointment of Commission ✔✔Once all requirements have been met the Dept of State will
appoint or reappoint the applicant to the office of Notary Public
Jurisdiction of a Notary ✔✔Notaries may perform official acts throughout Pennsylvania but not
beyond it's borders. All parts of the official act need to take place at the same time and place
within the common wealth.
PA Notaries Term of Office ✔✔Four Years
Changing Address within PA ✔✔Notary must notify the Dept of State within 30 days of any
change of home or office
Change Address out of State ✔✔If the Notary does not maintain residence or office within the
state they have effectively resigned the office of Notary.
Procedure To Resign ✔✔A Notary must submit written of electronic notification to the Dept of
States Notary Division within 30 days. Notary must also destroy the official Notary stamp and
deliver journal to the office of the Recorder or Deeds.
Name Change Procedure ✔✔A notary who changes their name may continue to notarize in
original name until the commission expires. Notary still needs to report change to Dept of State
within 30 days. Notary can use new name in same commission only after reporting change,
registering new sig, and purchase of new seal.
Death of Notary Procedure ✔✔The person Knowingly in possession of the journal must deliver
it to the office or the Recorder of Deeds in the county the Notary last maintained office. That
same person must then destroy the notary seal.
Employer Notary Agreesments ✔✔An employer who has paid for an employees commission,
bond and supplies may limit the notary's services during business hours solely to transactions
related to the business. Notary's in such agreement may be required to remit fees and agreement
may include increased compensation for notary.
Employer Notary Agreement termination ✔✔Should employment be terminated the employer
may require the employee to reimburse cost of becoming a notary and supplies. Notaries are
appointed by Dept of State as public servant's regardless of who paid, commission and supplies
belong to the notary and can not be surrendered upon termination of employment
Eligibility of applicants holding an elected office ✔✔elected officials are not eligible to become
notary publics.
Personal Appearance Requirement ✔✔The person requesting notarization must personally
appear before the notary at the time of the notarization.
Direct Communication Requirement ✔✔The Notary must be able to communicate directly with
the individual for whom a notarial act is being performed in a language they both understand, or
indirectly through an interpreter.
Willingness confirmation ✔✔The Notary should make every effort to confirm that the signer is
acting willingly. notary may ask the signers if they are signing of their own free will. If the
Signer says nothing or makes the Notary think the signer is being pressured, Notary should
refuse to notarize.
Awareness confirmation ✔✔The Notary should make every effort to confirm the signer is
generally aware of what is taking place. To confirm awareness Notary Simply can make a
judgment through simple conversation if the signer can respond intelligently. If notarization is
taking place in medical environment a doctors judgment can be considered.
Identifying Document Signers ✔✔Under PA law every individual whose signature is notarized
or who is administering an oath must be positively identified by personal knowledge, reliable id
documents, or the oath/ affirmation of a personally know credible identifying witness.
[Show More]