How many journals can you keep at a time?

• A. One journal for all records
• B. Two journals for all records
• C. One for paper documents, one or more journals for electronic records
• D. Unlimited journals

Answer: (C)

In Maryland notary practice, every notarial act must be recorded, and the format you use can be either paper or electronic. The system allows you to keep a separate journal for each format: there is one journal for paper documents, and for electronic records you may have one or more journals. This separation helps keep a clear, auditable trail because paper entries and electronic entries involve different storage, security, and metadata considerations. It also accommodates using multiple electronic platforms or categories without mixing them into a single ledger.

So, you don’t have to limit yourself to just two journals; you can have multiple electronic journals in addition to the paper journal. The key idea is that paper records use one journal, while electronic records can be organized in one or more electronic journals.