To fill out a notary journal, record seven pieces of information for every notarial act: the date and time it occurred, the type of act you performed, a description of the document, the signer’s full name and address, the signer’s signature, how you verified the signer’s identity, and any fee you charged. Make the entry at the time of the act or immediately after, and have the signer sign directly in the journal so you have an independent signature sample on file.
Those seven fields are the core of every entry, whether your state requires a journal by statute or you keep one voluntarily. Some states add fields such as the document’s date, its page count, or the signer’s thumbprint, so check your commissioning authority’s requirements and build the extra items into your routine from the first entry forward.
The Seven Fields, in Order
- Date and time. Log when the notarial act took place, not when you got around to writing it up.
- Type of notarial act. Acknowledgment, jurat, oath, affirmation, copy certification, or another act your commission authorizes. Label it precisely.
- Document description. The title or type: “Deed of Trust,” “Power of Attorney,” “Affidavit of Support.” If there is no document (a standalone oath, for instance), note that.
- Signer’s full name and address. Record the name exactly as it appears on the identification the signer presented. Many states require the address as well.
- Signer’s signature. Have the signer sign in the journal itself. If a forgery claim comes up later, this is your independent comparison sample.
- Identification method. How you confirmed the signer is who they say they are. This field carries more weight than any other; the detail below covers it.
- Fee charged. Enter the amount. If you charged nothing, write that too, so there is no gap.
Recording How You Verified Identity
Most fraud disputes turn on the identification field, so write it in full rather than in shorthand.
Government-Issued ID
When the signer presents a driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued photo ID, capture the type of ID, the document number, the issuing agency or country, and the expiration date. An entry reading “California DL, #D1234567, expires 03/2028” is far more useful than one that says only “driver’s license.” Most states prohibit you from relying on an expired ID; if that is why you declined to notarize, log that reason in the journal.
Personal Knowledge
If you personally know the signer, write “known to me personally” in the identification field. Some states restrict when personal knowledge alone will do, so confirm your state’s rule before relying on it.
Credible Identifying Witnesses
When a signer lacks acceptable ID, many states let one or two credible witnesses vouch for the signer’s identity. Record each witness’s full name and address, how the witness knows the signer, and the identification the witness presented to you. You are effectively verifying the witness with the same rigor you would apply to the signer, and all of it goes in the journal. States differ on whether one witness or two are required.
Getting the Act Type Right
The act-type field is not just a label. It tells you which procedures you should have followed, and recording the wrong one can undermine the notarization.
- Acknowledgment. The signer appeared before you and confirmed the signature is theirs and was made voluntarily. The document may have been signed earlier. Your entry reflects the personal appearance and the acknowledgment of the signature.
- Jurat. The signer swore or affirmed that the document’s contents are true and signed it in your presence. Your entry reflects both the oath or affirmation and the fact that you watched the signing.
- Oath or affirmation. A verbal pledge without an accompanying document. Note the general subject and whether it was a sworn oath or a secular affirmation.
- Copy certification. You compared a copy against the original and certified it is a true reproduction. Record the document title and note that you made the comparison.
The acknowledgment-versus-jurat mix-up is the most common error. Language reading “subscribed and sworn before me” indicates a jurat, and the signer must sign in front of you. Language reading “acknowledged before me” is an acknowledgment, where the signer may have signed earlier. Label the entry to match what the certificate actually calls for.
Special Situations
Signature by Mark
If a signer cannot write their name because of a physical limitation or illiteracy, most states allow a mark (usually an X) in the signature field. Note in the journal that the signer used a mark. Two witnesses generally must observe the mark, and their names and signatures also go in the journal. If your state permits you to sign on the signer’s behalf when they cannot make any mark at all, document that you signed at the signer’s direction and in their presence, and cite the statutory authority that allows it.
Multiple Signers on One Document
Create a separate entry for each signer, even when several people sign the same document. Every signer’s identity has to be verified independently, and each verification needs its own record. Grouping several signers into one entry saves a minute now and creates a mess later if a question comes up about one of them.
Correcting a Mistake
In a paper journal, draw a single line through the incorrect text so the original stays legible, write the correction beside it, and add your initials and the date. Do not use correction fluid, tape, or anything else that hides what was there. A journal that looks tampered with loses its evidentiary value. Electronic journals handle corrections automatically, logging any amendment with a timestamp.
A Notarization That Doesn’t Happen
If you start an entry and then cannot complete the notarization, because the signer’s ID is expired, for instance, or the signer refuses the oath, do not tear the page out or leave the entry blank. Write down what happened and why. A line reading “notarization declined, expired ID” preserves the sequence and explains what would otherwise look like a gap.
Paper Journals and Electronic Journals
Paper journals are still common, and electronic journals are increasingly accepted. Both capture the same core fields; electronic platforms add tamper-evident storage, automatic timestamps, and often the ability to capture an electronic signature or a photo. If your state allows an electronic journal, confirm the platform meets your commissioning authority’s standards for encryption, backup, and export. You generally cannot keep both a paper and an electronic journal for the same category of acts, though some states let you maintain a paper journal for in-person work and an electronic one for remote notarizations.
Remote Online Notarization
Remote online notarization typically requires an electronic journal plus a retained audio-video recording of the session. Your entry includes the standard fields and adds the technology platform used, the identity-verification method (often knowledge-based authentication or credential analysis alongside a government ID), and the signer’s physical location during the act. Recording retention varies by state, commonly five or ten years, and sometimes tied to the journal’s own retention period. If your employer or the platform vendor stores recordings for you, get a written agreement covering access, ownership, and what happens if you leave the employer or the vendor goes out of business.
Securing and Keeping the Journal
Your journal holds names, addresses, ID numbers, and signatures, so treat it like a file of Social Security numbers. Store it in a locked drawer, safe, or other secure spot when it is not in active use, and do not leave it in your car.
Retention periods run from about five to ten years after the last entry, depending on the state, and the obligation outlives your commission. If your commission expires or you resign, keep the journal for the full retention period. Ten years is a reasonable floor as a general practice, because notarized documents like mortgages can be challenged long after signing.
If the journal is lost or stolen, notify your commissioning authority promptly. Many states require written notice by certified mail or a similar trackable method. File a police report if it was stolen and keep a copy. Start a new journal right away, and note inside it that it replaces the lost one, with the approximate date range the missing journal covered.
When your commission ends, follow your state’s disposition rule. Some states require you to deliver the journal to the secretary of state or a designated repository. Others let you keep it, provided you tell the commissioning authority where it is. Where the state has no specific rule, holding the journal securely for the retention period is the safe course.