Nevada Notary Practice Exam

If a document you notarized needs authentication, under what condition will it not be authenticated?

1. If you did not complete your journal entry

2. If you failed to properly notarize the document

3. If the document is a copy

4. If you were not present during the signing

The correct answer is: If you failed to properly notarize the document

The answer is appropriate because proper notarization is a critical part of the notarial process. A notarization must meet certain legal standards, which include verifying the identity of the signer, ensuring they are signing willingly and without coercion, and properly executing the notarization with appropriate statements, seals, and acknowledgments. If the notary fails to properly notarize the document, it lacks the required elements that confer authenticity and legal validity. A notary's role is to add a layer of trustworthiness to a document through their official act of witnessing the signing and verifying the signer's identity. Without this proper notarization, the document cannot be considered a reliable and authentic record, and therefore, would not be authenticated. In contrast, while factors like incomplete journal entries, the document being a copy, or a notary's absence during signing are significant issues, they do not directly undermine the fundamental integrity of the notarization itself to the same extent that improper notarization does. Thus, failure to perform a proper notarization is the primary reason the document wouldn't be authenticated.