Utah Notary Practice Test

What must a notary declare about their commission for obtaining a seal?

1. Only the commission number

2. The start and expiration dates

3. Details of their commission only

4. Verification from the Governor

The correct answer is: The start and expiration dates

A notary must declare the start and expiration dates of their commission when obtaining a seal. The reason this is important is that these dates establish the validity period of the notary's authority to perform notarial acts. Notaries are required to operate within their commission’s timeframe, ensuring that all documents they notarize are executed while they are legally authorized to do so. Providing the start date allows the issuing authority to confirm when the notary began their duties, while the expiration date is crucial for determining the cutoff point for their notarial activities. This dual requirement helps maintain the integrity of the notarial process and protects the public from potential misconduct by ensuring that notaries are compliant with state regulations throughout the duration of their commission. Other responses might suggest that only one piece of information is necessary or focus on details unrelated to the commission's validity, but those do not cover the full scope of what is needed to correctly obtain and utilize a notarial seal.