For maintaining records, what do Illinois notaries NOT have to keep?

Illinois notaries are required to maintain certain records to ensure compliance with state laws and to provide a transparent record of their notarial acts. Among these records, a notarial journal, which documents each notarial act performed, is essential. Notaries are also expected to keep copies of the documents they notarize, as this can serve as an important reference in case of disputes or for verification of the notarial act.

While audio-visual recordings can be beneficial for certain high-stakes notarial acts, and notaries may choose to implement physical presence logs as a best practice for their own accountability, the law does not mandate keeping physical presence logs. Therefore, the requirement does not extend to maintaining those logs as part of the official record-keeping practices prescribed by Illinois law. This sets apart physical presence logs from the other record-keeping elements that notaries must adhere to.