A document is presented with blank spaces in its body. The notary's obligation is to:

This item tests the completeness requirement, which exists to stop a notarized document from being altered after the fact. A document presented with blank spaces in its material parts is incomplete on its face, and notarizing it would attach the notary's certificate and seal to an instrument whose terms could still change. The notary's duty is to decline until the signer completes the document, because any other course either transfers authorship to the notary or leaves a signed instrument open to later insertion. This is a face-of-the-document test: the notary is not judging whether the terms are wise, only whether the instrument is finished.

A document incomplete on its face may not be notarized, so the notary refuses the act and returns it to the signer to complete. Once the signer has filled the blanks themselves the notary may proceed normally, so refusing is a pause rather than a permanent bar.

A notary certifies the identity of the signer and the fact of the signature, not the truth or completeness of the content. California guidance nonetheless bars notarizing an instrument that is incomplete on its face, because a blank left open invites material terms to be inserted after the notarial certificate is attached.

No Blanks, No Seal. The signer fills the gaps; the notary fills only the certificate. If the page is not finished, neither are you.

Refusal questions feel harsh, so candidates avoid them. On completeness, incapacity and coercion scenarios, refusing is very often the tested answer.

• •Completing blanks for the signer as a courtesy
• •Treating a journal note as a substitute for refusing the act
• •Striking or lining through blanks to make the document look finished