Although the State of Alabama does not require a notary public to complete a notary journal by law, it is considered “best practice” to maintain a notary journal to protect the notary public from lawsuits and potential liabilities. 

The following pieces of information are considered “best practice” to collect in a notary journal

1. Date and time of each notarial act

2. A description of the document and type of notarial act (e.g., Deed of trust, Acknowledgment)

3.  The printed full name, signature and address of each person for whom a notarial act is performed.

4. A description of the identification document, its serial or identification number and its date of issuance or expiration

5. The fee charged for the notarial service

It is important to remember that these “best practices” are just recommendations, and that a notary can include more or less information as long as they remain compliant with their State code.