Too Much Help?

While Notaries should always strive to be professional and helpful, the strict rules of the office make it imperative not to cross the line and offer aid to signers that violate state law. Sometimes knowing when it’s okay to lend a hand and when it’s not can be very tricky. Take this quiz and see how much you know about when a Notary is being too helpful.

1. If the signer asks the Notary what type of notarial act is needed for the document, the Notary should:
A) Choose the type of act for the signer
B) Call a lawyer on the signer’s behalf and ask
C) Write the state Notary-regulating office
D) Ask the signer to check with the agency that issued or will receive the document.

2. If a document brought to a Notary is incomplete,
A) the Notary can help the signer fill in any missing parts.
B) the Notary cannot notarize until the document has been completed.
C) the Notary can write in the information, but may not charge extra for doing so.
D) the signer can instruct the Notary what to fill in

3. A signer asks the Notary if a notarized will is valid in court. The correct response is:
A) “I can only answer that if you give me permission to read it.”
B) “I can answer that only in the presence of a lawyer.”
C) “I can’t answer that. You need to check with a lawyer.”
D) “I can’t answer that unless you give me written permission to do so.”

True/False
4. If a person doesn’t know what type of notarization is needed, a Notary can describe the different types of notarial acts and let the signer choose one.

5. A Notary can help prepare and notarize immigration forms in any state.

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions.

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