True or False: The liability of a notary is not limited to the success of performing the required notarial act.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Cannot be determined

Answer: (B)

Notary liability is tied to how the notarial act is performed. A notary is responsible for doing the notarization correctly and in compliance with the law. Liability arises when the notarial act is performed improperly—such as notarizing without proper appearance, failing to verify identity, or misusing the seal. If the act is performed correctly, there isn’t liability for the underlying transaction simply because the document later causes problems. In that sense, the notary’s civil exposure is limited to the notarial act itself, not to every consequence of the document. That’s why the statement is false: liability is not extended beyond the notarial act’s improper performance. For example, a notary who verifies identity correctly and completes the act properly is generally not liable for later fraud in the document, whereas a notary who botches the notarization can be sued for damages tied to that improper act.