Massachusetts Notary Journal Requirements

Massachusetts journal rules at a glance

• A journal is required. Lawyers, people who work for lawyers, and government-employee notaries acting in their government job are exempt.
• A paper journal is a permanent bound book with numbered pages, and only one may be in use at a time. Electronic journals must be permanent and tamper-evident.
• Each entry records:
• the date and time;
• the type of act and document;
• each signer's and witness's signature, printed name, and address;
• the ID details, or that a credible witness or personal knowledge was used;
• whether the act was in person or remote;
• the fee charged;
• where the act took place.
• Never record a Social Security or credit card number.
• After the commission ends, keep the journal and records for 7 years.

From the official Massachusetts notary sources, checked October 20, 2026: mass.gov (1), mass.gov (2), sec.state.ma.us (1), sec.state.ma.us (2). Lines marked "Not confirmed" need checking with the state. General information, not legal advice.

Inside the Massachusetts Notary Journal

• 500 numbered entries, laid out the way Massachusetts entries should be recorded.
• The fields Massachusetts requires, and nothing it doesn't allow you to record.
• A built-in Massachusetts notary handbook in the back matter, with loan-signing basics and a notary info log.
• Original Massachusetts cover art from Uptown Seal Press.
• Paperback or hardcover, printed to order and shipped free.