Liability and Discipline: Practice Questions & Explanations

E&O insurance is professional liability coverage protecting notaries against claims arising from notarial errors. What it covers: unintentional mistakes — improper identification, defective certificate wording, failing to require signer presence, journal errors, and similar negligence. Typical coverage amounts: $5,000 to $100,000+ depending on the policy. Premium: typically $25-$200+ per year, depending on coverage and state. What it does NOT cover: intentional misconduct, fraud, criminal acts. Important: E&O insurance protects the notary; it does not protect the signer or third parties from notary errors (though it provides funds for the notary to pay valid claims). Some states require a separate notary bond — a bond protects signers and third parties (the bond pays valid claims up to the bond amount, then the notary must reimburse the bond company). Bond and E&O insurance serve different purposes: bond protects the public; E&O protects the notary. Many notaries carry both. Costs are modest relative to the risk of an uncovered legal claim.

Notarial misconduct has serious consequences. (1) Civil liability — signers, third parties, and others harmed by notarial errors can sue the notary personally for damages. Common claims: improper identification leading to identity theft losses, defective notarization that voids real estate transactions, jurat errors in court cases. Damages can be substantial. (2) Commission revocation — the state can suspend or revoke the notary's commission for misconduct, ending their ability to act as a notary. Revocation can be permanent. (3) Criminal charges — for serious offenses like notarial fraud, perjury, identity-related crimes, unauthorized practice of law. Penalties can include fines and imprisonment. (4) Professional consequences — many employers fire employees who lose their notary commission or face misconduct findings. Real estate professionals, mortgage lenders, lawyers, and others who depend on notaries cannot use a discredited notary. (5) Bond claims — if the notary bond is paid out, the notary must reimburse the bond company. (6) E&O insurance can help with civil claims but not with revocation or criminal charges. The combination of consequences can be financially ruinous. Following the rules carefully — proper ID verification, presence requirement, journal entries — protects the notary from most of these risks.

Notarial certificate errors should be addressed carefully and transparently. If discovered before delivery (still in the notary's presence): line through the error with a single line so the original remains readable, write the correction nearby, initial and date the change. Never erase or whiteout — these actions appear to hide alteration and undermine the certificate's credibility. If discovered after delivery: contact the signer and re-do the entire notarization correctly — the signer must be present again, ID re-verified, and a new certificate completed. Do not alter the certificate after the fact without the signer's presence. Common errors that require redoing: wrong date; wrong county on venue; wrong type of notarial act (acknowledgment vs jurat); missing signer information. Document all errors and corrections in the journal: original error, correction or new notarization. Pretending the error didn't happen creates greater legal exposure. Honest correction with proper procedure protects both the notary and the parties relying on the notarization.

A notary who performs an act improperly can face serious consequences. Civilly, the notary (and possibly their employer or surety bond) may be liable for damages caused by the misconduct, such as losses from a fraudulent document. Administratively, the commissioning authority can discipline the notary, including suspending or revoking the commission. In serious cases — for example, knowingly notarizing a forged signature or notarizing without the required personal appearance — the notary can face criminal charges. This is why following the rules exactly (personal appearance, proper identification, required oaths, accurate records) matters: shortcuts expose the notary to real legal and financial risk.

A notary surety bond, required in many states, protects the public — not the notary. If a notary's improper act, negligence, or misconduct causes financial harm to a member of the public, the injured party can make a claim against the bond up to its amount. The surety company that pays a claim can then seek reimbursement from the notary, so the bond does not shield the notary from personal liability. Notaries who want protection for themselves typically purchase separate errors-and-omissions (E&O) insurance. Understanding that the bond safeguards the public while E&O protects the notary is a common point on notary exams.

When a notary discovers an error in a certificate, it must be corrected openly and properly, never hidden. Acceptable practice generally involves drawing a single line through the incorrect information so it remains legible, writing the correct information, and initialing and dating the change — or, when appropriate, completing a fresh notarial certificate. Using correction fluid or otherwise concealing an alteration is improper because it can make the document look tampered with and undermines its integrity. Some corrections may require the signer to appear again. Handling errors transparently protects the validity of the notarization and the notary against accusations of fraud or improper alteration.