Your Cookies are Disabled! NationalNotary.org sets cookies on your computer to help improve performance and provide a more engaging user experience. By using this site, you accept the terms of our cookie policy. Learn more.

What do I do if my employer wants to look through my Notary journal?

Photo of woman with long dark hair on phone. She is looking at papers in her hand. Text on image reads NNA Hotline Tip.

To my understanding, nobody but me can see the contents of the journal, not even my employer. I would like to know what I can do in the case that my employer is asking me to look through my journal of notarial acts?M. A., Maryland

Maryland law does not specifically address the issue of inspection of Notary journals in its Notary statutes. As a professional standard of practice, you may allow your employer to inspect and make copies of journal entries of notarial acts related to its business operations as long as you are present when they inspect or copy your journal. However, your employer does not have the right to copy or inspect any entries for notarial acts you perform outside your employment.

For more information on different state rules regarding access to Notary journals, please see our article on handling requests to see Notary journal entries and our article on using your Notary seal and journal at work.

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 consultants 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.

View All: Hotline Tips

3 Comments

Add your comment

sharon harris

03 Oct 2024

i understand that

tamekiadmartin@gmail.com

10 Oct 2024

I just passed my exam and have not yet been commissioned but looking for work after I am commissioned. My question on this topic is a tricky one. Let's say I am employed as a Notary with an employer which has entries for the business but also my entries outside business hours are mixed in (e.g. (1) page of the log has mixed entries... the 1st 2 entries belong to the business and entries 3 & 4 are mines and so on...) How can my private entries be hidden?

National Notary Association

10 Oct 2024

Hello. To help us answer your question, can you please tell us what state you will be commissioned in?

Leave a Comment

Required *

All comments are reviewed and if approved, will display.

Close