MD Notary Practice Test
Updated November 2026The MD notary public commission is issued by the Secretary of State and is valid for four years. New applicants must complete a course of study and pass an examination. Practice with the free MD Notary - Maryland Notary practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).
MD Notary: upcoming dates and official changes
- Updated Oct 29, 2026: Validity is now 4-year commission (previously 4-year commission).
- Updated Oct 29, 2026: Delivery is now Authorized course of study and examination providers (virtual or in-person) (previously Given by Secretary of State–authorized private course and exam providers).
- Updated Oct 29, 2026: Eligibility is now At least 18 years old, good moral character and integrity, Maryland resident or working in MD, and complete course and pass exam (previously 18+, Maryland resident or works in Maryland; course of study + exam for new applicants).
Facts verified Oct 29, 2026 against Maryland Secretary of State. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
- The Maryland notary public examination consists of at least 20 multiple-choice questions. (regs.maryland.gov)
- Maryland notary public applicants must achieve a score of at least 80 percent on the examination to receive a Certificate of Passing. (regs.maryland.gov)
- An application for an original or renewal appointment as a Maryland notary public requires a $25 processing fee payable to the Secretary of State. (regs.maryland.gov)
- Applicants who complete the Maryland notary course of study but fail to score at least 80 percent on the examination are provided an opportunity to retest. (regs.maryland.gov)
- A Maryland notary public commission has a term of 4 years. (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland notary applicants must complete a course of study and pass an examination through authorized course of study and examination providers. (Maryland Secretary of State)
- To be appointed as a Maryland notary public, an individual must be at least 18 years old, be of good moral character and integrity, and either reside in Maryland or have a place of employment or practice in the state. (Maryland Secretary of State)
- Maryland notary testing systems must provide immediate scoring notifying the applicant of passing or failure at the conclusion of the examination session. (regs.maryland.gov)
Facts verified Oct 29, 2026 against Maryland Secretary of State. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
MD Notary Exam at a Glance
| Item | Detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | At least 20 multiple-choice questions | regs.maryland.gov |
| Passing score | 80% | regs.maryland.gov |
| Exam fee | $25 application processing fee | regs.maryland.gov |
| Retake policy | Retest opportunity provided for applicants who complete the course but score below 80% | regs.maryland.gov |
| Validity | 4-year commission | mgaleg.maryland.gov |
| Delivery | Authorized course of study and examination providers (virtual or in-person) | Maryland Secretary of State |
| Eligibility | At least 18 years old, good moral character and integrity, Maryland resident or working in MD, and complete course and pass exam | Maryland Secretary of State |
| Score release | Immediate scoring upon conclusion of the examination session | regs.maryland.gov |
Facts verified Oct 29, 2026 against Maryland Secretary of State. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Free MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam Study Tools
Interactive MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
- MD Notary Remote Online Notarization 1 — 7 questions with answer explanations
- MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
- MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
- MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review
According to Maryland Secretary of State, “The examination shall contain at least 20 questions that are clearly stated in a multiple-choice format, and each applicant must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions in order to be issued a Certificate of Passing under Regulation .15E of this chapter .”[1]
MD Notary Practice Test Questions
Prepare for the MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
MD Notary Application Process
MD Notary Exam Questions covering Application Process. Master MD Notary Test concepts for certification prep.
MD Notary Associations and Networks
Free MD Notary Practice Test featuring Associations and Networks. Improve your MD Notary Exam score with mock test prep.
MD Notary Ethical Conduct
MD Notary Mock Exam on Ethical Conduct. MD Notary Study Guide questions to pass on your first try.
MD Notary Real Estate Documents
MD Notary Test Prep for Real Estate Documents. Practice MD Notary Quiz questions and boost your score.
MD Notary Acknowledgments and Jurats
MD Notary Questions and Answers on MD Notary Acknowledgments and Jurats. Free MD Notary practice for exam readiness.
MD Notary Fees and Records
MD Notary Mock Test covering MD Notary Fees and Records. Online MD Notary Test practice with instant feedback.
MD Notary Law and Statutes
Free MD Notary Quiz on MD Notary Law and Statutes. MD Notary Exam prep questions with detailed explanations.
MD Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements
MD Notary Practice Questions for MD Notary Seal and Stamp Requirements. Build confidence for your MD Notary certification exam.
Worked examples: how to reason through MD Notary questions
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Example 1
Question: Which of the following would DISQUALIFY an applicant from receiving a Maryland notary commission?
- A felony conviction that has not been pardoned
- Being a non-attorney
- Living in a county with few notaries
- Working part-time rather than full-time
Answer: A. A felony conviction that has not been pardoned
Explanation:
The correct answer is a felony conviction that has not been pardoned. Maryland requires good moral character and integrity, and an unpardoned felony conflicts directly with that requirement, so it disqualifies an applicant.
Being a non-attorney is not a barrier, because notaries are not required to be lawyers. Living in a county with few notaries has no bearing on eligibility, since the requirement concerns residence or workplace in the state, not local demand. Working part-time rather than full-time is also irrelevant, because the rules do not set an employment-hours test.
Rule to remember: disqualifiers relate to honesty and integrity, while job status, profession and local supply are distractors. When an option describes something about the applicant's character record, give it extra attention.
Example 2
Question: If a Maryland notary's journal is lost or stolen, what must the notary do?
- Notify the Secretary of State promptly
- File a police report only
- Purchase a new journal and continue without reporting
- Notify the Maryland Bar Association
Answer: A. Notify the Secretary of State promptly
Explanation:
The correct answer is to notify the Secretary of State promptly. The Secretary of State is the office that appoints and oversees notaries, so a lost or stolen journal is reported there.
Filing a police report only is wrong because it leaves out the notary's own reporting duty to the commissioning office. Buying a new journal and carrying on without reporting is wrong because the missing journal may hold signers' personal information, and concealing the loss defeats the purpose of record keeping. Notifying the Maryland Bar Association is wrong because that body does not supervise notaries.
Rule to remember: problems with your journal, seal or commission go to the Secretary of State, and they go there promptly. A police report can be an extra step, but it never replaces that notice.
Example 3
Question: Which document type would most commonly require a notary to record a credible witness's information in a journal entry?
- An identity verification where the signer lacks acceptable ID
- A standard mortgage closing document
- A vehicle title transfer
- A sworn affidavit with government-issued ID
Answer: A. An identity verification where the signer lacks acceptable ID
Explanation:
The correct answer is an identity verification where the signer lacks acceptable ID. A credible witness is a way to establish identity when the signer cannot produce satisfactory identification, and the witness's details belong in the journal entry for that act.
A standard mortgage closing document does not by itself trigger a credible witness, because identity is normally shown by ID. A vehicle title transfer is a document type, not an identification problem. A sworn affidavit with government-issued ID is wrong because the signer already has acceptable ID, so no witness is needed.
Rule to remember: the need for a credible witness comes from the identification situation, not from the kind of document being notarized. Look for the option where ID is missing.
How to use these practice tests
Start with the official material. Read the Secretary of State notary pages and the course your authorized provider supplies, and note the topics they stress. Then use the practice sets here to find gaps rather than to collect scores.
Begin with MD Notary Law and Statutes, because the other topics build on it. Move on to Acknowledgments and Jurats, Signature Witnessing and Special Acts, and Seal and Stamp Requirements, which cover the acts you will perform most often. Then work through Fees and Records, Ethical Conduct, Real Estate Documents and Remote Online Notarization. The Application Process and Associations and Networks sets round out the picture.
After each set, read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right. For each miss, write down the rule in a sentence and find where it appears in your course material or the regulations. Return to the same set a few days later and see whether the rule has stuck.
Before test day, do a mixed run across topics so you practise switching between them, as the real exam will. Remember that our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so treat them as practice for the rules, not as a preview of exact wording. Confirm the exam format and retest arrangements with your provider.
MD Notary Exam Flashcards
Quick review of essential MD notary concepts
📜What is the term length for a MD notary commission?
The term of office for a notary public in Maryland is four years.
START MD NOTARY PRACTICE TEST🎂Minimum age to become a notary in MD?
An applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
START MD NOTARY EXAM PREP💰What is the maximum fee for a standard notarial act?
A notary may charge up to $4.00 per notarial act.
REVIEW MD NOTARY QUESTIONS📓Is a journal required for MD notaries?
Yes, Maryland law requires notaries to maintain a fair register of all official acts.
TRY MD NOTARY MOCK EXAM🎓Is training required for new notaries?
Yes, new applicants must complete a course of study approved by the Secretary of State.
ACCESS MD NOTARY STUDY GUIDE✍️Can a notary notarize their own signature?
No, a notary public cannot notarize their own signature or a document in which they have a beneficial interest.
PRACTICE MD NOTARY TEST NOWMD Notary Exam Study Guide
Our md notary handbook summary provides essential information for your success. Each tab below covers critical aspects of the md notary exam.
Starting your journey as a notary public in MD is affordable compared to other professions. You can be fully commissioned and equipped for under $200.
MD Notary Application Checklist
- ✓Verify residency eligibility
- ✓Complete approved training course
- ✓Pass the notary exam
- ✓Download certificate of completion
- ✓Fill out online application
- ✓Pay $25 application fee
- ✓Obtain three character references
- ✓Wait for commission email
Start Your MD Notary Career
Get instant access to free md notary practice questions and study guides. Pass your exam and start notarizing documents in weeks.
Keep track of your expiration date. The md notary renewal application can be submitted 60 days prior to expiration. Don't let your commission lapse!
MD Notary: Pros and Cons
- +md state notary — mD Notary exam preparation strengthens your knowledge across all domains
- +Passing the exam proves competency to employers and clients
- +Study materials and practice tests are widely available
- +Exam-based credentials are portable across states and employers
- +Clear exam objectives help focus your study plan effectively
- −Exam anxiety can affect performance — practice tests help reduce it
- −Registration fees are non-refundable if you miss your test date
- −Limited retake opportunities may apply with waiting periods
- −Exam content updates periodically — use current study materials
- −Testing center availability may require advance scheduling
Pros and Cons at a Glance
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| md state notary — mD Notary exam preparation strengthens your knowledge across all domains | Exam anxiety can affect performance — practice tests help reduce it |
| Passing the exam proves competency to employers and clients | Registration fees are non-refundable if you miss your test date |
| Study materials and practice tests are widely available | Limited retake opportunities may apply with waiting periods |
| Exam-based credentials are portable across states and employers | Exam content updates periodically — use current study materials |
| Clear exam objectives help focus your study plan effectively | Testing center availability may require advance scheduling |
Sample MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam Practice Questions
Try these questions from our free MD Notary - Maryland Notary Exam practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
What is required to be included in the notary bond for Maryland?
- A. The notary’s name and commission term
- B. The notary’s social security number
- C. The notary’s business address
- D. The notary’s legal description of the property
Answer: A. The notary’s name and commission term
The notary bond required in Maryland must specifically include the notary's full legal name and the duration of their commission term. This information is essential for clearly identifying the bonded notary and the exact period during which the bond provides coverage. It links the financial protection directly to the individual notary and their authorized period of service.
What is the maximum fee a Maryland notary may charge for performing a remote online notarization (RON)?
- A. $25 per notarial act
- B. $4 per notarial act
- C. $10 per notarial act
- D. $50 per notarial act
Answer: A. $25 per notarial act
Maryland law allows up to $25 per notarial act for remote online notarizations.
Can a Maryland notary refuse to perform a notarial act if the signer refuses to pay the notary's fee?
- A. Yes, a notary may decline if the fee is not paid
- B. No, a notary must always perform the act
- C. Only if the notary is employed by a company
- D. Only for acknowledgments, not jurats
Answer: A. Yes, a notary may decline if the fee is not paid
A notary is not obligated to perform a notarial act and may decline if the signer refuses to pay the lawful fee.
A Maryland notary charges $6 for a single acknowledgment on a paper document. What has occurred?
- A. The notary has violated the statutory fee cap
- B. The fee is acceptable if the signer consented in writing
- C. The fee is within the legal limit
- D. The fee is only permissible for attorneys who are also notaries
Answer: A. The notary has violated the statutory fee cap
Charging more than the $4 statutory maximum for a paper notarial act is a violation of Maryland law.
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