When may a notary keep only one journal?

• A. When all notarizations performed are public record
• B. When performing both public and non-public record notarizations
• C. Only during first year of commission
• D. Whenever they choose

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how journals are used to record notarial acts. In Arizona, a notary must keep a journal for every notarization. You may keep only one journal when every single notarization you perform is a public-record act. Public-record entries belong in the official log, so a single journal can serve as the complete public record.

If you ever perform both public-record and non-public-record notarizations, you’re required to maintain two separate journals—one for the public acts and one for the private or non-public acts. This keeps the public record intact and protects any confidential information tied to non-public acts.

That’s why the correct choice is that you may keep only one journal when all notarizations are public record. The other situations require separate journals.