North Carolina requires a journal for every notarial act. Only signatures may be entered — thumbprints are not permitted. The new 2026 Notary Manual strengthens journal guidance, and electronic journal rules have been updated for electronic and remote notarizations. NotaryAct is state-configured for North Carolina — thumbprint capture is off, all required fields are on.
| ⚖️ North Carolina Notary Journal Law — Quick Reference | |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | NCGS Chapter 10B · § 10B-37 (Journal) · 18 NCAC 07I (Admin Rules) |
| Journal Required? | Yes — every notarial act ✓ |
| Traditional Journal Format | Tangible (paper) OR electronic · Separate entries for each act |
| Electronic / RON Journal | Electronic journal required for e-notary and remote electronic acts ✓ |
| Journal Ownership | Private property of the notary — not the employer ✓ |
| Thumbprint / Fingerprint | ⛔ Only a SIGNATURE may be entered — thumbprints not permitted (NNA-confirmed) |
| Backup Required | Yes — notary must maintain an exact backup copy of electronic journal ✓ |
| Lost / Stolen Journal | Notify NC Secretary of State within 10 days · File police report |
| RON Authorized Since | July 1, 2023 · Requires separate Electronic Notary commission |
| RON Prohibited Documents | Wills · Trusts · Advance healthcare directives · Parental rights relinquishments · Absentee ballots |
| RON Max Fee | $25 per principal signature |
| Traditional Max Fee | $10 per notarial act (acknowledgments and jurats) |
| Commission Term | 5 years |
Under NCGS 10B-37, every North Carolina notary must maintain a journal of all notarial acts they perform. The requirement covers traditional paper notarizations as well as electronic and remote electronic notarizations. Administrative rules at 18 NCAC 07I (effective July 1, 2024, amended July 1, 2025) add detailed requirements about entry format, backup obligations, electronic journal standards, and what may — and may not — be entered in the journal.
The new 2026 North Carolina Notary Public Manual, published by the UNC School of Government in April 2026, incorporates all changes and strengthens guidance on journal requirements. The 2026 manual is the authoritative reference for all North Carolina notaries and is required to be purchased and kept as a reference by every commission holder.
North Carolina’s administrative rules specify that only a signature may be collected in the notary journal from the signer. Thumbprints are excluded from the list of permitted journal entries. The National Notary Association confirms this on its product pages: “In North Carolina, only a signature may be entered in the journal.”
This is a meaningful distinction. Unlike California — where thumbprints are required for real estate documents — or Pennsylvania and Illinois — where biometrics are expressly prohibited — North Carolina reaches the same practical outcome through a positive exclusion: only signatures are authorized, so nothing else (including thumbprints) belongs in the journal.
✔ NotaryAct’s North Carolina configuration: Fingerprint capture is disabled in the NotaryAct North Carolina journal configuration. The feature does not appear in the NC journal entry flow. This is automatic — North Carolina notaries do not need to take any action to comply with the signature-only rule.
NCGS 10B-37 and 18 NCAC 07I specify the required contents of each journal entry. Each entry must be separate for each notarial act performed.
| 1 | Date and Time of the Notarial Act Auto-timestamped by NotaryAct at submission — locked and non-editable. Each entry must also clearly label the type of notarization (traditional, electronic, or remote electronic). |
| 2 | Type of Notarial Act Acknowledgment, jurat, verification, proof of execution, oath, affirmation, or copy certification. NotaryAct provides a structured dropdown for all NC-authorized act types. |
| 3 | Title or Description of the Document The document or proceeding being notarized. NotaryAct includes a dedicated document description field. |
| 4 | Name and Address of Each Principal Full name and address of every person for whom the act is performed. NotaryAct’s barcode scanner auto-fills from any NC driver’s license. |
| 5 | Identity Verification Method Personal knowledge, government-issued photo ID details, or credible witness information. NotaryAct supports all three methods with dedicated fields for each. |
| 6 | Signer’s Signature ONLY — NO THUMBPRINT The signature of each person for whom the act is performed. This is the only biographic marker permitted — thumbprints are excluded from what may be entered. NotaryAct captures electronic signatures. |
North Carolina’s administrative rules at 18 NCAC 07I are notably specific about electronic journal standards, with two requirements that deserve particular attention:
Separate entry for each act. An electronic notary must make a separate entry in the journal for each notarial act performed. Group entries covering multiple acts in a single entry are not permitted for electronic notarizations.
Exact backup copy required. The 18 NCAC 07I rules require notaries to maintain an exact backup copy of their electronic journal. This must be a true backup — not just the ability to export — and must be maintained at all times. NotaryAct’s continuous cloud backup satisfies this requirement: every entry is simultaneously stored in redundant cloud storage, providing an ongoing exact backup.
Journal access controls. Only the notary may make entries into their journal. An employer’s records do not substitute. The journal is the private property of the notary — it cannot be surrendered to or accessed by an employer without the notary’s consent.
Note on additional information requests. If a person requests that additional information be included in the journal entry beyond what is required, the notary shall note in the journal that such a request was made. This rule is designed to protect notaries from being pressured to include unauthorized content, while creating a record of the request.
North Carolina authorized Remote Electronic Notarization (called “REN” in NC statute) effective July 1, 2023, under NCGS Chapter 10B Article 2. To perform RON, a traditional notary must obtain a separate Electronic Notary commission from the NC Secretary of State, which requires additional coursework and SoS approval.
Key RON requirements: the notary must be physically in North Carolina; a live two-way audio-video session using an SoS-approved platform is required; multi-factor identity verification (credential analysis plus KBA) is standard; and a recording of each session must be created and retained. An electronic journal is mandatory for all electronic and remote electronic notarizations. The 2026 Notary Manual includes comprehensive REN procedures for the first time.
RON is not permitted for wills, trusts, advance healthcare directives, parental rights relinquishments, or absentee ballots.
| NC Requirement (NCGS 10B-37 / 18 NCAC 07I) | How NotaryAct Covers It | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Journal of every notarial act | All act types covered; separate entry per act enforced | ✔ |
| All 6 required entry fields | All fields enabled in NC configuration; act type labeled as traditional, electronic, or remote | ✔ |
| Only signature permitted — no thumbprints | Fingerprint capture disabled in NC configuration — automatic | ✔ |
| Electronic journal — tamper-evident | Entries locked at submission; encrypted cloud; audit trail | ✔ |
| Exact backup copy required | Continuous automatic backup to redundant cloud — exact copy maintained at all times | ✔ |
| Journal is notary’s private property | Password/biometric access; notary-only login; cannot be surrendered to employer | ✔ |
| Only notary makes entries | Entries can only be submitted under notary’s authenticated account | ✔ |
Other state guides: Virginia · Georgia · Florida · California · All 50 States →
NotaryAct is state-configured for North Carolina — fingerprint capture is off, all required fields are on, exact cloud backup is automatic, and electronic journal standards for RON are fully covered. Compliance is built in, not bolted on.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Information reflects NCGS Chapter 10B and 18 NCAC 07I as in effect June 2026, including amendments effective July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, and guidance from the 2026 NC Notary Public Manual (UNC School of Government). Consult the NC Secretary of State’s Notary Public Section or qualified legal counsel for guidance specific to your situation.
