Becoming a notary public in Hawaii requires passing a closed-book written examination set by the Department of the Attorney General. The test checks whether you know the statutes and rules governing notarial acts in Hawaii, and it stands between you and a four-year commission to take acknowledgments, administer oaths, and perform a range of other official acts across the State.
What is a Hawaii notary public?
A Hawaii notary public is a state official commissioned by the attorney general to perform notarial acts: taking acknowledgments, administering oaths and affirmations, witnessing signatures, attesting to identity, and noting protests. Under HRS section 456-1, appointment is at the attorney general’s discretion. The commission runs for four years and is renewable.
Who needs to sit the Hawaii notary exam?
Anyone applying for a new notary public commission in Hawaii must pass the written examination. There is no exemption for attorneys or other licensed professionals. The test is closed-book and administered directly by the Department of the Attorney General.
What law does the Hawaii notary exam cover?
The exam draws from three bodies of publicly available state law.
- HRS Chapter 456: the core notary statute, covering appointment, qualifications, the list of authorized acts, the official seal, the journal, fees, the surety bond, discipline, and penalties.
- HRS sections 502-41 to 502-74: the law of acknowledgments and the rules for recording instruments with the bureau of conveyances. This section also provides the statutory acknowledgment forms used in Hawaii real property transactions.
- HAR Chapter 5-11: the attorney general’s administrative rules for notaries, covering standards of conduct, the ban on providing legal advice (unless the notary is a licensed Hawaii attorney), examination procedures, and fee ceilings.
Every practice question in the app cites the specific statute or rule it draws from, so you can trace each answer directly to its source.
What score do you need to pass the Hawaii notary exam?
The minimum passing score is 80 percent. Hawaii Administrative Rules section 5-11-32 requires at least eighty per cent of the questions to be answered correctly. An applicant who fails the examination twice must wait ninety days from the date of the last sitting before reapplying.
What are the eleven topic areas on the exam?
The exam tests eleven categories, each mapped to a real duty or rule a commissioned notary must follow.
- Commission and Qualifications: the appointment process, the four-year term, application requirements, and examination rules.
- Powers and Authorized Acts: the complete list of notarial acts, including acknowledgments, oaths and affirmations, jurats, witnessed signings, and protests.
- Conduct and Prohibited Acts: conflicts of interest, the ban on discrimination, and the rule that only licensed Hawaii attorneys may give legal advice.
- Seal and Official Signature: what the seal must display: the notary’s name, commission number, and the words “Notary Public, State of Hawaii” (HRS section 456-3).
- Identifying Signers: establishing a signer’s identity by personal knowledge or by a current government-issued photo ID (HRS section 456-1.6).
- Notarial Certificates: the required elements of acknowledgment and jurat certificates, and the duty to sign and date them contemporaneously (HAR 5-11-8).
- Journal and Records: required journal entries, the format, and the ten-year retention period after the last notarial act (HAR 5-11-9).
- Acknowledgment Law (HRS 502): statutory acknowledgment forms, out-of-state and foreign acknowledgments, and recording requirements.
- Fees: the $5 per-party fee for acknowledgments and other fee limits under HRS section 456-17.
- Bond, Filing, and Liability: the $1,000 surety bond and filing a copy of the commission, an impression of the seal, and a signature specimen with the circuit court clerk (HRS section 456-4).
- Discipline and Penalties: grounds for suspension or revocation and the requirement to notify the attorney general in writing within thirty days of any change in information on file (HAR 5-11-10).
When is the exam offered and what does it cost?
Examinations on Oahu are typically held on the second Wednesday of each month. On the neighbor islands they are held quarterly. Fees set by HAR 5-11-46:
- Application: $20
- Each examination sitting: $10
- Issuance of the commission: $100
- Surety bond: $1,000 (required by HRS section 456-5)
What happens after you pass?
After passing, you file three items with the clerk of the circuit court: a copy of your commission, an impression of your official seal, and a specimen of your official signature (HRS section 456-4). From that point you are commissioned for four years and may perform notarial acts anywhere in the State of Hawaii.
The official source for exam schedules and application materials is the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General notary public page at ag.hawaii.gov.
This article is based on publicly available Hawaii law: HRS Chapter 456, HRS sections 502-41 to 502-74, and HAR Chapter 5-11. It is not affiliated with the State of Hawaii or the Department of the Attorney General.