Pennsylvania Notary Journals

Does Pennsylvania require a notary journal?

Yes. Pennsylvania requires all Pennsylvania notaries keep a notary journal. For more information, see our Pennsylvania Notary Journal Requirements page. 

ALL of our Pennsylvania Notary Journals meet Pennsylvania journal requirements.

Source: Pennsylvania Notary Public Law. (Act No. 373 of 1953, as amended by Act 151 of 2002, effective July 1, 2003).

(a) Every notary public shall keep and maintain custody and control of an accurate chronological register of all official acts by that notary done by virtue of that notary’s office, and shall, when thereunto required, give a certified copy of the register in the notary’s office to any person applying for same. Each register shall contain the date of the act, the character of the act, and the date and parties to the instrument, and the amount of fee collected for the service. Each notarization shall be indicated separately.

Also called the notary register, the notary journal is where the notary public records all notarial acts that the notary performs in chronological order.

A journal may be created on a tangible medium or in an electronic format. A notary public may maintain a separate journal for tangible records and for electronic records. If the journal is maintained on a tangible medium (i.e. on paper), it must be a bound register with numbered pages. If the journal is maintained in an electronic format, it must be in a tamper-evident electronic format complying with the regulations of the Department.

Journal entries shall be made contemporaneously with performance of the notarial act.