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Massachusetts notary journal requirements

Massachusetts requires a journal entry for every act except subpoenas and oral oaths. Write "SSN" instead of a Social Security number. US Notary Journal is an electronic notary journal that asks for exactly what Massachusetts expects in each entry.

Journal required?

Required for every act

Electronic journal allowed?

Yes. An electronic journal is allowed when it is tamper-evident.

How long to keep it

No period found in statute. Keeping it at least 10 years is common practice.

Thumbprint

Optional

Source

M.G.L. c. 222 § 22

What a Massachusetts journal entry must include

• Date and time of the act
• Type of notarial act
• Document type or description
• Signer name
• Signer address
• Signer signature
• How identity was proven (ID type)
• ID issuing agency
• ID number
• ID issue and expiration dates
• Fee charged
• Location of the act

Good to know

• If a signer says they are a battered person, note that their address is not open to public inspection.

An electronic notary journal for Massachusetts

Choose Massachusetts as your commission state and US Notary Journal sets up the entry form above, warns you about the Massachusetts fee cap where one applies, and locks each finished entry so it cannot be altered. Use it on your phone at the signing and on your computer at the office.

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Last checked 2026-10-25. General information, not legal advice.