Under section 456-15, what must every notary record at length in a book of records?
Based on: HRS 456-15 (Record; copies as evidence)
Hawaii Notary Public Exam · Journal
Hawaii Notary Exam Practice Questions: Journal and Records (2026)
A Hawaii notary must create, maintain and retain a journal chronicling all notarial acts under HAR 5-11-9, and must retain that journal for ten years after the last notarial act recorded in it. HRS 456-15 requires the notary to record at length every act, with the type, date and time of day, the signature, printed name and address of each signer and witness, and the manner of identification. On resignation, expiration or death the records go to the attorney general within ninety days under HRS 456-16.
Practice
Free practice questions
Under section 456-15, which timing details must be entered for each official act?
Based on: HRS 456-15 (Record; copies as evidence)
Under section 456-15, what identifying information about each person whose signature is notarized must be recorded?
Based on: HRS 456-15 (Record; copies as evidence)
Under section 456-15, what must the record show about how the signer was identified?
Based on: HRS 456-15 (Record; copies as evidence)
Under section 456-15, copies or certificates granted by the notary under hand and seal are treated how?
Based on: HRS 456-15 (Record; copies as evidence)
Under section 456-16, where must a notary's records be deposited when the commission ends?
Based on: HRS 456-16 (Disposition of records; penalty)
Under section 456-16, within how many days must records be deposited after a commission ends?
Based on: HRS 456-16 (Disposition of records; penalty)
Under section 456-16, what is the penalty range for failing to deposit a notary's records on time?
Based on: HRS 456-16 (Disposition of records; penalty)
Under section 456-16, who brings the action to recover the forfeiture for failing to deposit records?
Based on: HRS 456-16 (Disposition of records; penalty)
Under section 5-11-9, what must a notary create, maintain, and retain to chronicle all notarial acts?
Based on: HAR 5-11-9 (Journal)
What the journal must contain and how it is built
Hawaii treats the journal as the permanent record of a notary's work, and HAR 5-11-9 sets exacting rules. A notary shall create, maintain and retain a journal in which the notary chronicles all notarial acts. The physical journal has a defined shape: the pages of a tangible journal must be consecutively numbered, it must be bound with a soft cover, and it must not exceed eleven inches in height and sixteen and one-half inches in width when fully opened. The information page must show the notary's name, business address, commission number, expiration date, journal number, and the beginning and ending dates of the acts recorded, and the notary must print the name in the top left corner and the commission number in the top right corner of each set of transaction pages. HRS 456-15 sets out what each entry captures: the notary must record at length all acts, protests, depositions and other things done in the official capacity, entering for each act the type, date and time of day; the signature, printed name and address of each person whose signature is notarised and of each witness; the manner in which the signer was identified; the title or type and date of the document; and any other parties to the instrument. Because of HRS 456-15, the journal is also evidentiary: all copies or certificates the notary grants under hand and seal are received as evidence of those transactions, and the journal is subject to audit at any time.
- Record at length the type, date and time of day of each act (HRS 456-15).
- Record each signer's and witness's signature, printed name and address, and how each was identified (HRS 456-15).
- Number the tangible journal pages consecutively and keep it bound with a soft cover (HAR 5-11-9).
Ten-year retention and surrendering the records
The single most-tested fact in this topic is retention. Under HAR 5-11-9, the notary shall retain the journal for ten years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in it, and a failure to retain it for ten years carries an administrative fine of no less than fifty dollars and no more than five hundred dollars. The journal is not surrendered like the seal. Under HAR 5-11-17 a notary who resigns, is revoked, abandons or expires must retain, or cause to be retained, the journal and inform the attorney general of its location, while surrendering the commission certificate for destruction and the rubber stamp seal for defacement within ninety days. The underlying records have their own disposition rule: HRS 456-16 provides that the records shall be deposited with the office of the attorney general upon resignation, death, expiration, removal or abandonment of office, and the notary or personal representative must comply within ninety days. Missing that ninety-day window under HRS 456-16 results in a forfeiture to the State of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, recovered in an action brought by the attorney general. The exam contrasts these endings: the seal is destroyed, but the journal and records are preserved, because they protect the public long after the notary stops practising.
| Point | Hawaii rule |
|---|---|
| Keep a journal of all acts | Required (HAR 5-11-9) |
| Record each act at length | Type, date, time, signer and witness details (HRS 456-15) |
| Tangible journal pages | Consecutively numbered, soft-cover bound (HAR 5-11-9) |
| Retention period | Ten years after the last act recorded (HAR 5-11-9) |
| On resignation or death | Records deposited with the attorney general within ninety days (HRS 456-16) |
| Fine for failing to retain ten years | $50 to $500 (HAR 5-11-9) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long must a Hawaii notary keep the journal?
Under HAR 5-11-9, a Hawaii notary must retain the journal for ten years after the performance of the last notarial act chronicled in it. Failing to retain it for the full ten years carries an administrative fine of no less than fifty dollars and no more than five hundred dollars.
What must a Hawaii notary record for each notarial act?
Under HRS 456-15, a Hawaii notary must record at length the type, date and time of day of each act; the signature, printed name and address of each person whose signature is notarised and of each witness; the manner in which the signer was identified; and the title or type and date of the document.
What happens to a Hawaii notary's records on resignation or death?
Under HRS 456-16, the records must be deposited with the office of the attorney general upon resignation, death, expiration, removal or abandonment, and the notary or personal representative must comply within ninety days. Failure to comply results in a forfeiture to the State of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.
Does a Hawaii notary surrender the journal like the seal?
No. Under HAR 5-11-17, a Hawaii notary surrenders the commission certificate for destruction and the rubber stamp seal for defacement, but must retain, or cause to be retained, the journal and inform the attorney general of its location. The journal is preserved, not destroyed.