What is the proper method for dating the notarial act on the certificate?

• A. Record the exact date (and sometimes the time) of the act on the certificate.
• B. Date the act next to the signer’s signature only if time is not known.
• C. Use the date the document was prepared.
• D. Date May 1, 1900 for all acts.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the notarial certificate must reflect when the notarization actually occurred. You should record the exact date of the act on the certificate, and include the time if it helps identify the moment the act took place. This makes the notarization verifiable and ties it to the proper time frame, which is important for the integrity of the record and for any later verification or challenge.

Dating it this way keeps the act separate from when the document was prepared and avoids using a generic or fixed date for all acts. It also ensures the date appears on the certificate itself, not left to a conditional note like “if time is not known.” So the correct approach is to put the precise date of the act on the certificate, with the time added when relevant.