In-Person Paper Notarizations
Am I required by law to maintain a notary journal in Massachusetts?
Yes, a notary public in the State of Massachusetts must maintain a notary journal.
Journal format
Paper/hardbound or electronic journal acceptable
“The journal must be a bound book with sequentially numbered pages. A journal that has entries that are sequentially numbered will satisfy this requirement as well. The purpose of requiring a bound book is to prevent pages from being removed or altered.” (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-notaries-public#notary-journal-)
Journal entry requirements
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"(i) the date and time of the notarial act, proceeding or transaction;
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(ii) the type of notarial act;
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(iii) the type, title or a description of the document, transaction or proceeding; provided, however, that if multiple documents are signed by the same principal in the course of a transaction or during a single date, a single journal entry shall be sufficient;
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(iv) the signature and printed name and address of each principal and witness, except that if a principal or witness informs the notary public that the principal or witness is a battered person, the notary public shall make a note in the journal that the person’s address shall not be subject to public inspection”; and
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(v) a description of the type of satisfactory evidence of identity of each person, including:
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(1) a notation of the type of identification document, the issuing agency, its serial or identification number and its date of issuance or expiration; provided, however, that if the identification number on the document is the person’s social security number, instead of including the number, the notary public shall write in the words ‘Social Security number’ or the acronym ‘SSN’;
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(2) a notation if the notary public identified the individual based on the oath or affirmation of a credible witness or based on the notary public’s personal knowledge of the individual
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(3) the fee, if any, charged for the notarial act; and
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(4) the address where the notarization was performed.” (GL 222, Sec. 22[b])
Journal retention
Indefinitely while commissioned, although Massachusetts doesn't specifically provide guidance for retention of records during your commission, only after commission has expired or is revoked
“If a notary public’s commission expires, is resigned or revoked, the notary public shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, destroy or deface all notary seals and stamps so that they shall not be used and shall retain the journal and records for 7 years after the date of expiration, resignation or revocation” (GL 222, Sec. 24).
What happens to the journal upon resignation or death?
“If a notary public’s commission expires, is resigned or revoked, the notary public shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, destroy or deface all notary seals and stamps so that they shall not be used and shall retain the journal and records for 7 years after the date of expiration, resignation or revocation” (GL 222, Sec. 24).
Remote Online Notarizations
Is Remote Online Notarization (RON) approved in the State of Massachusetts
No, notaries in the State of Massachusetts are not authorized to perform remote online notarizations.
Reference Links
Helpful resources for Massachusetts Notaries
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Secretary of State Website for Massachusetts
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“A Notary’s Guide to Completing Journal Entries”
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