California Notary Public ExamAcknowledgments and Proofs of ExecutionEasy
A Notary Public is presented with a document for an acknowledgment. The signer states they signed the document last week but acknowledges their signature today. The document itself is dated last week. What date should the Notary enter on the acknowledgment certificate?
- AThe date the Notary's commission expires.
- BLeave the date blank, as the document already has a date.
- CThe date the document was signed (last week).
- DThe current date, when the signer personally appeared and acknowledged.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. The current date, when the signer personally appeared and acknowledged.
The date on the acknowledgment certificate must always reflect the actual date the Notary performed the notarization (i.e., when the signer personally appeared and acknowledged their signature). It does not relate to the document's date or the Notary's commission expiration.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The Notary's commission expiration date is separate and typically part of the seal, not the notarization date.
- B. The date of notarization is a required element and cannot be left blank.
- C. The date of the document or the date it was signed is irrelevant to the date of notarization.
Acknowledgment Certificate: Date of Notarization
The date entered on an acknowledgment certificate must be the actual date the Notary Public performs the notarial act, regardless of the document's date.
- Reflects when the signer personally appeared and acknowledged.
- Must be the current date of the notarization.
- Different from the date the document was created or signed.
Memory trick: Date The Act, Not The Document.