I recently moved from California to South Carolina. Should I ask for a signer’s thumbprint in my journal when performing a Notary service? — M.R., South Carolina
South Carolina does not require you to keep a Notary journal but strongly recommends the practice. The U.S. Notary Public Reference Manual offers sample journal entries, which contain the following information: Date and time of notarization, type of notarial act, type of document, date of document, fee charged, address of signer, signature of signer, manner in which signer was identified, and any special comments. Obtaining a thumbprint is not required or prohibited. However, if your signer refuses to provide a thumbprint, you may not use that as cause to decline the notarization.
Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors
Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.