California Notary Public ExamJournal RequirementsEasy
A Notary Public is completing a journal entry for an acknowledgment. What is the correct method for recording the fee collected for the notarial act?
- AOnly the fee charged for the notarial act itself (e.g., $15 for an acknowledgment) should be recorded.
- BThe total fee for all services rendered, including travel fees, should be recorded as a single entry.
- CNo fee needs to be recorded if the Notary Public waived the fee for the client.
- DThe fee should be recorded in a separate ledger, not in the official journal entry.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Only the fee charged for the notarial act itself (e.g., $15 for an acknowledgment) should be recorded.
California law requires that the journal entry reflect only the fee charged for the notarial act itself. Any additional fees, such as travel, are not part of the official notarial fee and should not be recorded in the journal.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Travel fees and other service charges are not part of the official notarial fee recorded in the journal.
- C. Even if waived, the statutory fee for the act should be recorded, often with a 'waived' notation.
- D. The fee for the notarial act is a mandatory entry in the official journal.
Journal Fee Entry
A California Notary Public must record only the fee charged for the notarial act itself in the official journal entry, excluding any other charges like travel fees.
- Only the statutory notarial fee is recorded.
- Travel fees or other charges are not recorded in the journal.
- If the fee is waived, it should still be noted (e.g., '$0' or 'waived').
Memory trick: Journal fees are 'pure act', no 'extras' allowed.