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Notary · Fees and Jurisdiction

Within what geographic area may a notary generally perform notarial acts?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Within the state that commissioned the notary (the notary's jurisdiction), subject to that state's rules

  1. A Only in their home county, never elsewhere in the state
  2. B Within the state that commissioned the notary (the notary's jurisdiction), subject to that state's rules
  3. C Anywhere in the country
  4. D Anywhere in the world

Why this is the answer

A notary's authority is generally limited to the state that commissioned them; the notary may perform notarial acts throughout that state but not outside it. The document being notarized may be intended for use in another state or country, which is fine, but the act itself must be performed within the commissioning state's borders. Some states historically tied notaries to a specific county, but most now allow statewide practice — the notary must know their own state's rules. Performing an act outside one's jurisdiction is beyond the notary's authority. Jurisdiction defines where, not for what purpose, a notary may act.
Source: NNA Jurisdiction

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About this topic: Fees and Jurisdiction

Fees and jurisdiction questions cover the maximum fees a notary may charge, when fees must be posted, where the notary may act (state lines, out-of-state documents) and travel charges. This is one of 7 Notary questions on fees and jurisdiction, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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State-specific guides

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