Arizona requires a paper journal for every tangible-record notarization. The journal is a public record. Report lost or stolen journals within 10 days or face a $1,000 penalty. New mandatory competency exam from July 2025. NotaryAct is state-configured for Arizona — all required fields enabled and compliance built in.
📋 2025 changes: A mandatory notary competency exam took effect July 1, 2025 for all new and renewing Arizona notaries (80% passing score, open book, $46.75). The 2025 Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual (updated March 2026) is the official exam reference. All journal requirements on this page reflect current law.
| ⚖️ Arizona Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | A.R.S. § 41-319 · Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual (2025) |
| Tangible Record Journal | Paper journal required — one at a time, chronological order ✓ |
| Electronic Record Journal | Paper OR electronic journal — electronic required for RON |
| Journal Is a Public Record | Yes — viewable/copyable on written request ✓ (exception: confidential records) |
| Non-Public Record Journal | Separate journal required · Belongs to employer · Retained by employer |
| Signer Signature in Journal | Required in paper journal · Not required for remote/electronic acts ✓ |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | Not required · Not prohibited · Optional in NotaryAct AZ configuration |
| Lost / Stolen Notification | Within 10 days — $1,000 penalty for failure ✓ |
| On Commission End | Surrender seal + journal with entries less than 5 years old to SOS within 3 months |
| RON Journal | Electronic journal required — retain 5 years · A/V recording cannot include images of notarized record ✓ |
| RON A/V Recording | Required — 5-year retention · Cannot include images of notarized electronic record |
| New Mandatory Exam | Effective July 1, 2025 · 80% required · $46.75 · Open book · Prometric ✓ |
| Max Fee Per Act | $10 per notarial act (traditional and RON) |
| Commission Term | 4 years · $43 fee · $10,000 surety bond |
Under A.R.S. § 41-319, every Arizona notary public must maintain a journal of all notarial acts. The statute draws a clear distinction between acts performed on tangible records (paper documents) and those performed on electronic records: a paper journal is always required for tangible record notarizations, while an electronic journal is required for RON sessions. Only one paper journal may be active at a time, and all entries must be recorded in chronological order.
Two features of Arizona’s journal law are particularly important to understand:
The journal is a public record. Unlike some states where journal contents are private or tightly controlled, Arizona’s notary journal is generally a public record. Any member of the public may request to view or copy journal entries by presenting a written request that includes the month and year of the act, the name of the person whose signature was notarized, and the type of record or transaction. The notary must furnish a certified copy when requested.
Non-public record entries require a separate journal. If a notarial act is confidential under attorney-client privilege or federal or state law, those entries must be kept in a separate journal from public record entries. The non-public journal belongs to the employer, not the notary, and must be retained by the employer. If a notary maintains only one journal, that journal is presumed to be a public record.
A.R.S. § 41-319(A) specifies what each journal entry must contain. All entries must be made at the time of the notarial act.
| 1 | Date and Time of the Notarial Act Auto-timestamped by NotaryAct at submission — locked and permanent. |
| 2 | Type of Notarial Act Acknowledgment, verification on oath or affirmation, witnessing/attesting a signature, copy certification, or other. NotaryAct provides a structured dropdown for all AZ-authorized act types. |
| 3 | Description of Document or Proceeding The title, type, or identifying description of the record being notarized. NotaryAct includes a dedicated document description field. |
| 4 | Signer’s Signature (Paper Journal Only) In a paper journal, the signer must sign the entry. This requirement is waived for electronic and remote notarizations. NotaryAct captures electronic signatures for in-person entries. Note: if the same signer has multiple notarizations within a 6-month period, the signature requirement applies only to the first. |
| 5 | Type of Satisfactory Evidence of Identity (or Personal Knowledge Notation) The type of ID presented, or a notation that personal knowledge of the individual was used. If personal knowledge was used, the notary may alternatively keep a copy of the notarized document instead of making a full journal entry. |
| 6 | Description of ID Including Issuance and Expiration Dates A description of the identification document used, including its date of issuance and expiration date. NotaryAct captures ID type and relevant credential dates per Arizona’s requirements. |
Arizona has one of the strictest lost/stolen journal notification deadlines in the country: 10 days. If your journal (or seal) is lost or stolen, you must notify the Arizona Secretary of State in writing within 10 days of discovery using the Notice of Loss/Theft Form. Failure to report within this 10-day window carries a statutory penalty of $1,000.
This tight deadline is another reason cloud-based recordkeeping matters. If your NotaryAct records are stored in the encrypted cloud, a lost or stolen device doesn’t mean lost records — your journal survives intact and there is nothing to report to the Secretary of State regarding the records themselves.
Arizona has a distinctive alternative for notarizations where the notary personally knows the signer: instead of making a journal entry, the notary may retain a paper or electronic copy of the notarized document. However, if the notary chooses to make a journal entry rather than keep a copy, they must still include all required fields (except that identity verification fields reference personal knowledge).
For most notaries in commercial or real estate contexts where signers are strangers, the standard journal entry approach is the right one. The personal knowledge exception is most useful for bank officers, attorneys, and others who regularly notarize for known clients.
Arizona authorizes RON and in-person electronic notarization (IPEN). To perform RON, an active notary applies through the SOS online system at no additional fee or additional bond. The SOS issues a separate E-notary/RON commission number. Notaries must use an SOS-approved RON platform.
For every RON session: an electronic journal entry is mandatory; an audio-visual recording of the session must be created and retained for at least 5 years; and the A/V recording may not include images of the electronic record being notarized. The maximum fee is $10 per RON notarial act — the same as for traditional acts — though the RON platform may charge separate technology fees.
| Arizona Requirement (A.R.S. § 41-319) | How NotaryAct Covers It | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Paper journal for tangible acts / electronic for RON | NotaryAct serves as electronic journal; print function produces tangible paper record satisfying paper journal requirement | ✔ |
| One paper journal at a time, chronological | Entries are sequential and locked; print function produces single chronological journal | ✔ |
| All 6 required entry fields | Date/time, act type, document description, signer signature, identity type, ID issuance/expiration — all included in AZ configuration | ✔ |
| Public record — certified copies on written request | Instant search, certified print and export by name, document type, month/year | ✔ |
| Signer signature in paper journal | Electronic signature capture; printed NotaryAct records include signature | ✔ |
| RON electronic journal — 5-year retention | Tamper-evident electronic records retained well beyond 5-year minimum | ✔ |
| Fingerprint — optional | Available as optional field via camera photo or Bluetooth scanner; not presented as required | ✔ |
| Lost/stolen records — 10-day notification protection | Cloud storage means records survive device loss; no journal record loss to trigger notification | ✔ |
Other state guides: California · Nevada · Colorado · Texas · All 50 States →
NotaryAct is state-configured for Arizona — all required fields enabled, electronic journal for RON, print function for tangible paper record compliance, and cloud backup that protects against the 10-day lost/stolen deadline. State-configured compliance, built in from the first entry.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects Arizona Revised Statutes § 41-319 and the 2025 Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual (updated March 2026) as in effect June 2026. Consult the Arizona Secretary of State’s Business Services Division at azsos.gov or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
