North Carolina Notary Practice Exam

Is the presence of witnesses required for all notarizations in North Carolina?

1. Yes

2. No

The correct answer is: No

In North Carolina, the presence of witnesses is not required for all notarizations. The role of a notary public primarily involves verifying the identity of the signer and the signing of the document. According to North Carolina law, a notary can perform a notarization without witnesses in most cases, such as for acknowledgments, oaths, affirmations, and jurats, as long as the signer is personally present with the notary at the time of the notarization. However, there are specific documents, such as certain types of wills or real estate transactions, where the law may stipulate that witnesses are required. But for general notarization practices, the absence of a witness does not invalidate the notarization as long as legal guidelines are adhered to. This understanding of the notary's role and the legal requirements allows notaries to perform their duties efficiently without the need for witnesses in most scenarios, making the answer that witnesses are not required for all notarizations correct.