A notary journal is a permanent detailed written record of
all notarizations performed by the notary. The notary
journal
protects the notary from accusations of wrong doing and it helps prevent the notary from engaging in wrong doing. Every journal entry is legally presumed to be truthful. Wyoming statutes do not require keeping a journal but it is wise and highly recommended by the Secretary of State.
The journal must be tamper-proof and permanent as a legal record of notarial activity. The journal must be
permanently bound and have pre-numbered pages and entry spaces. The journal must never be shared and/or
used by other notaries. A notary public should complete the journal entry immediately before notarization occurs
and
make an entry for every notary service provided.The journal should require the recording of the following
information in every entry:
- Document signer's signature
- Date and time of the notarization
- Date of the document
- Type of notarization performed and type of
document notarized
- Document signer's address
- Statement on how the notary verified the signer's
identity
- Any special comments about the transaction.
There is no legal requirement for a Wyoming notary public to maintain a journal of notarial acts. It is highly recommended however.