15 free questions on Maryland notary law, with the statute or regulation behind every answer.
New applicants take an approved course and exam
$25 application fee to the Secretary of State
4-year commission
Remote notarization allowed with extra rules
Score: 0 / 0
1.What is the minimum age to be appointed a Maryland notary public?
Answer: B. An applicant must "be at least 18 years old."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-102(a)(1)
2.A notary commissioned in Howard County may perform notarial acts where?
Answer: C. A notary "may exercise all functions of the office of notary in any other county or city than the county or city for which the notary is appointed."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-105
3.Which of the following is NOT one of the notarial acts listed in Maryland's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts?
Answer: B. § 18-201(j)(2) lists six notarial acts: "taking an acknowledgment", "administering an oath or affirmation", "taking a verification on oath or affirmation", "witnessing or attesting a signature", "certifying or attesting a copy", and "noting a protest of a negotiable instrument". Certifying the legal sufficiency of a contract is not a notarial act.Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-201(j)(2)
4.A notary has personal knowledge of a signer's identity when the signer is known through:
Answer: C. The individual is "personally known to the notarial officer through dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty that the individual has the identity claimed."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-206(a)
5.Which item must a Maryland notary public's official stamp include?
Answer: C. The official stamp shall include "the notary public's name and office."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-217(a)(1)(i)
6.Which notarial acts must a Maryland notary record in a journal?
Answer: D. Each notary "shall maintain a journal in which the notary public chronicles all notarial acts that the notary public performs."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-219(a)(1)
7.What is the maximum fee a Maryland notary may charge for an original (in-person) notarial act?
Answer: B. A notary may receive no more than "$8 for the performance of a notarial act."Source: COMAR 01.02.08.02A(1)
8.Where must a Maryland notary public be located when performing a remote notarial act?
Answer: A. "A notary public located in this State may perform a notarial act using communication technology for a remotely located individual."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-214(a)
Full Maryland Notary Study Guide: 100 practice questions + application checklist
Every answer quotes the Maryland law it comes from, so you can find it fast. Instant PDF, $19.
9.A notary who is not an attorney is asked to draft a power of attorney for a fee. What does Maryland law say?
Answer: C. A commission does not authorize an individual to "assist a person in drafting legal records, give legal advice, or otherwise practice law."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-224(a)(1)
10.Which official holds the statutory power to deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or impose conditions on a notary commission (a power that may be delegated)?
Answer: B. "The Governor may deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, or impose conditions on a commission as notary public," and may delegate that authority to the Secretary of State or Deputy Secretary of State.Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-104(a)(1), (b)(1)
11.Which applicant may qualify for a Maryland notary commission without living in Maryland?
Answer: D. An applicant must be a resident of the State or "have a place of employment or practice in the State," and an out-of-state resident must live in "a state that allows Maryland residents working in that state to serve as notaries public in that state."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-102(a)(3), (6)
12.May a Maryland notary notarize a record in which the notary's spouse is a party?
Answer: A. A notarial officer "may not perform a notarial act with respect to a record to which the notarial officer or the spouse of the notarial officer is a party."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-203(b)(1)
13.An "acknowledgment" is a declaration by an individual before a notarial officer that:
Answer: C. "Acknowledgment" means a declaration by an individual before a notarial officer that "the individual has signed a record for the purpose stated in the record."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-201(b)
14.Which of these is listed as satisfactory evidence of identity for a signer appearing in person?
Answer: B. Satisfactory evidence includes "a passport, driver's license, consular identification, or government-issued nondriver identification card."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-206(b)(1)(i)
15.For a notary who lives in Maryland, which county appears in the official stamp?
Answer: D. If the notary resides in the State, the stamp includes "the county in which the notary public resides."Source: Md. Code, State Gov't § 18-217(a)(1)(ii)
Full Maryland Notary Study Guide: 100 practice questions + application checklist
Every answer quotes the Maryland law it comes from, so you can find it fast. Instant PDF, $19.
StateExamPrepCo makes independent study aids. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the State of Maryland, the MHIC, PSI Services, or the Secretary of State, and not legal advice. Laws change; check official sources. Made with AI assistance and checked question by question against the cited law.