(1) A tangible notarial journal shall:
(a) Be a permanent, bound book with numbered pages; and
(b) Have the capacity to record for each notarial act:
(i) The information required by RCW
42.45.180(4);
(ii) A description of the notary public's method of identifying the principal; and
(iii) The principal's signature, or the signature of an authorized party in compliance with RCW
42.45.070, or a notation in the notary journal that the notarial act was performed via remote notarization.
(2) If a notary public keeps an electronic journal pursuant to RCW
42.45.180(3), the electronic journal shall:
(a) Be maintained only in addition to the tangible journal;
(b) Have the capacity to record the information required for a tangible notarial journal;
(c) Enable access by a password or other secure means of authentication;
(d) Be tamper-evident;
(e) Create a duplicate record of the journal as a backup; and
(f) Be capable of providing tangible or electronic copies of any entry made in the journal.
(3) A notary public's journal is the exclusive property of the notary public, and shall not be surrendered to an employer upon demand or termination, whether the employer paid for the journal or the notary's bond or application fees.
(4) A notary performing remote notarization must maintain a tangible notary journal as required in RCW
42.45.180 and WAC
308-30-190, this section, and WAC
308-30-210. Notaries performing remote notarization are not required to collect and maintain the signatures of the signers when those notarizations were performed remotely. Notaries must note in their tangible notary log that a notarization was performed remotely.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
42.45.250. WSR 21-05-039, § 308-30-200, filed 2/11/21, effective 3/14/21; WSR 18-12-028, § 308-30-200, filed 5/29/18, effective 7/1/18.]