When should notaries complete their journal entries?

Notaries are required to complete their journal entries immediately after performing notarial acts. Filling out the journal before the notarial acts are conducted does not provide a record of the transaction that has actually taken place. It is essential for notaries to accurately document the details of each act in real-time to ensure compliance with legal standards and to maintain an accurate historical record of their activities.

By documenting the details right after the act, the notary ensures that essential information, such as the date, time, type of document, and the parties involved, is correctly captured while it is still fresh in their memory. This practice also protects the notary in case of disputes or questions about the notarization later on. Proper journal maintenance is crucial for notaries as it plays a significant role in the legal integrity of the notarization process.

Other choices present different stages of the notarization process that do not align with best practices. For instance, completing entries after the signing party leaves may lead to inaccuracies due to forgetting details or misremembering the transaction. Similarly, making entries only at the end of the day or solely upon client request could result in missing important information or even failing to complete the journal altogether, thereby violating the requirements set forth in Illinois law for notaries