Washington Notary Journals

Does Washington require a notary journal?

Yes. Washington State requires all notaries to have a notary journal.

Source: Washington Notary Public Handbook.

“As of July 1, 2018, Washington State requires that all notarial acts be recorded in a notarial journal. The journal requirement protects notaries by creating a record of the notarial acts they perform. The journal can be purchased anywhere notary and office supplies are sold, and while their format may vary, there are a few requirements that the journal must include:

1. You must maintain one, and only one, physical journal for notarial acts at any given time.
2. The physical journal must be in a permanent, bound register with numbered pages.
3. If you have an electronic records notary public endorsement, you may also maintain
   an electronic journal. This journal may not replace the physical journal, and can
   only duplicate entries in the physical journal.
4. The journal must be kept in a locked and secured area, under the exclusive control of the
   notary, when not in use.
5. You must keep the journal for ten years after the last notarial act recorded in it.”