Should NY Notaries Keep a Journal? What the Law Says

New York does not legally require notaries to maintain a journal. But most experienced notaries keep one anyway - and there are compelling reasons why you should too.

What NY Law Says About Notary Journals

NY Executive Law Article 6 does not require notary publics to keep a journal of notarial acts. This stands in contrast to many other states where a journal is legally mandated.

However, the absence of a legal requirement is not the same as a recommendation against keeping one. The NNA, most notary educators, and professional associations all recommend maintaining a journal as standard best practice.

Why You Should Keep a Journal Anyway

Legal protection

If a notarization is ever challenged in court, your journal is contemporaneous evidence of what happened. Without it, it is your word against the challenger's.

Fraud prevention

A journal creates a paper trail that makes it harder to fabricate notarizations retroactively or accuse you of performing a notarization you did not do.

Business records

A journal serves as your business log - useful for billing disputes, client records, and tracking your volume.

Required by some clients

Some title companies and signing services now require loan signing agents to maintain a journal. It is an increasingly common requirement for professional notaries.

Peace of mind

Knowing you have a complete record of every notarization reduces professional anxiety and protects against future allegations.

What to Record in Each Journal Entry

+Date and time of notarization
+Type of notarial act (acknowledgment, jurat, oath, etc.)
+Description of document notarized
+Name of signer
+Type of ID presented and ID number
+Address where notarization took place
+Fee charged
+Signer's signature (in the journal)
+Any unusual circumstances

Journal Format Recommendations

Use a hardbound book with pre-numbered pages - loose-leaf or spiral notebooks are less secure.
Write in permanent ink. Never use pencil or erasable ink.
Never leave blank lines between entries. Draw a line through unused space.
Never white out or erase errors. Cross through mistakes with a single line and initial them.
Keep your journal secure - it contains personal information about signers.
Retain journals for at least 10 years after the last entry.