Notary Public Journal Entries

• A notary public must record specific details in their sequential journal for every acknowledgment performed.

Required Journal Entries

• Time and date of the act must be recorded.
• Indicate that the notarial act performed was an acknowledgment, writing out the word "acknowledgment".
• Record the type of document, usually found in the title; if no title exists, record the signer's description of the document's purpose.
• The person signing the document must provide their signature.
• A statement confirming that satisfactory evidence of the signer’s identity was obtained is needed.
• Details of how the signer's identity was established must be recorded.
• If identification was based on a document per California Civil Code sections 1185(b)(3) and (b)(4), record the type of identification, issuing governmental agency, serial or identifying number, and issue or expiration date.
• When identity is established by one credible witness, record the witness's name, and the credible witness must sign the journal.
• Alternatively, record the type of identification document, issuing agency, serial number, and issue or expiration date of the credible witness's ID.
• Obtaining the signature and ID information of a single credible witness ensures complete information for public requests, inquiries, subpoenas, or investigations.
• If established by two credible witnesses, both must sign the notary public’s journal, and their names, identification document types, issuing agencies, serial numbers, and issue or expiration dates must be documented.
• The fee charged for the notarial act must be recorded.
• The signer's right thumbprint is required if the document is a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, affecting real property (excluding trustee's deeds from foreclosure or deed of reconveyance), or a power of attorney.