Notary Practice Test

Notary Commission & Liability Practice Questions

Commission & Liability makes up 6 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest Notary practice test. Here are 10 of the 24 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-10 by the Tigertest team. Practice draws on model notary concepts. Model laws are not a substitute for your state’s enacted rules, official handbook or exam requirements.

1. 1. Which is a typical qualification for a notary commission?

   • A.Owning real property in the state
   • B.Being at least 18 years old
   • C.Being employed by a bank or law firm
   • D.Holding a four-year college degree

   Answer: B. States commonly require applicants to be at least 18, along with residency or employment in the state and no disqualifying convictions. Degrees, property ownership and particular employers are not general requirements.

2. 2. A person lives in a neighboring state but works full time in this state. Can she obtain a commission here?

   • A.Yes, every state accepts any adult applicant
   • B.No, no state ever commissions a nonresident
   • C.Only after her employer petitions the governor
   • D.Possibly, depending on state law

   Answer: D. Residency rules vary by state, and some states commission nonresidents who work or do business there. The absolute answers are wrong because practice differs.

3. 3. A new notary's application has been approved. Before performing any notarization, she typically must:

   • A.Take the oath of office and file any required bond
   • B.Obtain her employer's written permission
   • C.Register with the local police department
   • D.Notarize a sample document for state review and approval

   Answer: A. Commissioning usually requires taking the oath of office and, in many states, filing a bond, sometimes with the county; this varies by state. Employer permission is not part of the commissioning process.

4. 4. A new notary purchases the surety bond her state requires. Whom does the bond primarily protect?

   • A.The notary's employer, from liability
   • B.The state, from administrative costs
   • C.Members of the public harmed by the notary's misconduct
   • D.The notary, against every lawsuit filed against her

   Answer: C. A notary bond is a guarantee for the public, paying people harmed by the notary's errors or misconduct. It does not protect the notary, who must repay the surety.

5. 5. A newly commissioned notary asks how long her commission will last before renewal. The general answer is:

   • A.Until she changes employers
   • B.For life, unless the state revokes it for misconduct
   • C.Usually four years, though it varies by state
   • D.One year, renewed automatically

   Answer: C. Most commissions last about four years, but the term varies by state. A commission is personal to the notary and does not end when she changes jobs.

6. 6. A notary moves to a new home within the same state. What should she do?

   • A.Notify the commissioning authority promptly
   • B.Stop notarizing until her new seal arrives
   • C.Nothing, until the commission comes up for renewal
   • D.Apply for an entirely new commission immediately

   Answer: A. Notaries must report address changes to the commissioning authority within the time the state sets, which varies by state. A move within the state usually does not require a new commission.

7. 7. A notary marries and legally changes her last name. Until her commission is amended, she should sign notarizations:

   • A.With her new married name
   • B.With both names separated by a slash
   • C.With her initials in place of a name
   • D.With the name on her commission

   Answer: D. A notary signs exactly as commissioned until the commission is amended to reflect the new name. Signing with the new name too soon would not match the commission and seal.

8. 8. A notary moves out of state and resigns her commission. What should happen to her notary seal?

   • A.She may keep using it in her new state
   • B.It should be destroyed or defaced
   • C.She should pass it to a coworker notary
   • D.Her former employer should keep it on file

   Answer: B. When a commission ends, the seal is destroyed or defaced so it cannot be misused, and state rules may add steps. The seal belongs to the notary and may never be passed to another person.

9. 9. A notary's commission expired yesterday, and a customer needs an urgent acknowledgment today. The notary should:

   • A.Notarize, since a short grace period applies
   • B.Decline until a new commission takes effect
   • C.Notarize and show the old expiration date
   • D.Notarize if the customer signs a waiver

   Answer: B. A person whose commission has expired has no authority to perform notarial acts. There is no general grace period, and a customer's waiver cannot create authority.

10. 10. A notary's commission is revoked for misconduct. What happens to her notary journal?

    • A.It is shredded on the day of revocation
    • B.It is mailed to the last signer listed
    • C.Her employer files it with company records
    • D.It is kept or surrendered as state law directs

    Answer: D. State law decides whether the journal is retained by the former notary or surrendered to an official depository, and this varies by state. The journal belongs to the notary, not the employer, and must not be destroyed early.