Free Practice Questions for Irish Notary Public

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Sample Irish Notary Public Practice Questions

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1Which ancient Roman scribes are considered the direct professional ancestors of modern notaries public?

A.Praetors

B.Tabelliones

C.Quaestors

D.Lictors

Explanation: In ancient Rome, the tabelliones were professional scribes who drafted legal documents, agreements, and wills. Over time, their work gained public recognition and credibility, forming the foundation of the modern notarial office.

2Prior to the Reformation, what was the primary source of authority for appointing notaries public in Ireland?

A.The English Crown

B.The Papacy (Bishop of Rome)

C.The High Sheriff of Dublin

D.The Brehon Assembly

Explanation: Historically, before the Reformation, notaries public in Ireland were ecclesiastical officers appointed under papal authority, either directly by the Pope or through papal legates, to draft international and ecclesiastical documents.

3Which English statute first transferred the power to appoint notaries in Ireland from the Pope to the Crown and the Archbishop of Canterbury?

A.The Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533 (Peterpence Act)

B.The Act of Union 1800

C.The Statute of Kilkenny 1366

D.The Magna Carta 1215

Explanation: The Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533 (often known as the Peterpence Act) abolished papal authority in Henry VIII's dominions, transferring the power to grant dispensations, faculties, and notary appointments to the Archbishop of Canterbury via the Court of Faculties.

4Which London-based court historically issued faculties (notarial commissions) for Irish notaries after the Reformation?

A.The Court of Common Pleas

B.The Court of Chancery

C.The Court of Faculties of the Archbishop of Canterbury

D.The High Court of Admiralty

Explanation: Following the 1533 reforms, the Court of Faculties under the Archbishop of Canterbury in London held the authority to issue faculties to notaries public in England and Ireland.

5Which Irish statute formally transferred the power to appoint notaries public in Ireland from ecclesiastical authority to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1871?

A.The Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act 1877

B.The Marriage Law (Ireland) Amendment Act 1870

C.The Irish Church Act 1869

D.The Matrimonial Causes Act 1857

Explanation: Under the Matrimonial Causes and Marriage Law (Ireland) Amendment Act 1870 (which came into operation in 1871), the jurisdiction previously exercised by the Archbishop of Armagh in appointing notaries public in Ireland was vested in, and became exercisable by, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. The Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland identifies this 1870 Act, not the Irish Church Act 1869, as the instrument that transferred notary appointments to the Lord Chancellor.

6Following disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871, what was the title of the official who assumed authority for notary appointments?

A.The Master of the Rolls

B.The Lord Chancellor of Ireland

C.The Attorney General for Ireland

D.The Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench

Explanation: From 1871, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland became the commissioning authority for notaries public in Ireland. The transfer was effected by the Matrimonial Causes and Marriage Law (Ireland) Amendment Act 1870, which vested the former ecclesiastical (Archbishop of Armagh) jurisdiction over notary appointments in the Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

7Under which post-independence legislation was the power to appoint notaries public in Ireland vested in the Chief Justice of Ireland?

A.The Constitution of Ireland 1937

B.The Courts of Justice Act 1924

C.The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924

D.The Succession Act 1965

Explanation: The Courts of Justice Act 1924, which established the judicial system of the Irish Free State, transferred the power of appointing notaries public from the Lord Chancellor of Ireland to the Chief Justice of Ireland (retained in later courts legislation).

8How are modern appointments of notaries public in Ireland officially executed?

A.By an order of the Minister for Justice

B.By a warrant under the hand of the President of Ireland

C.By a Faculty issued under the hand of the Chief Justice of Ireland

D.By a certificate of registration from the Law Society of Ireland

Explanation: The Chief Justice of Ireland issues a 'Faculty' to the successful candidate, which is the official commission under the hand of the Chief Justice enabling the person to practice as a notary public.

9What is the historical significance of the Public Notaries Act 1801 regarding notary training in Ireland?

A.It established a mandatory 10-year apprenticeship for all prospective notaries

B.It required all notaries to be qualified as solicitors or barristers

C.It regulated notary apprenticeships (articles of clerkship) and record-keeping in the United Kingdom

D.It abolished ecclesiastical jurisdiction over notarial certificates

Explanation: The Public Notaries Act 1801 (an imperial statute) regulated notary clerkships and record-keeping in the UK and Ireland. It required seven years of clerkship under articles to a practicing notary before admission.

10In what year was the Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland officially incorporated?

A.1881

B.1922

C.1981

D.2001

Explanation: The Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland was officially incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in 1981 to represent and govern the profession in Ireland.

About the Irish Notary Public Exam

The Faculty Examination / Diploma in Notarial Law & Practice (Dip.Not.L.) is set by the Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland after its Notarial Professional Course, run by the Institute of Notarial Studies. The 2026-27 course has twelve topics, from the office of notary public, identity and capacity, and oaths and declarations to company work, insolvency, foreign companies, and protests of bills of exchange, with Roman/civil law and private international law threads throughout.

Exam sponsor: Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Written examination; the published 2007-2014 Regulations specify a paper of six questions, five to be attempted

Time Limit

3 hours (June 2027 sitting, 1.00-4.00pm)

Passing Score

50% of the total marks available

Exam / Certification Fees

€7,500 for candidate notaries (2026-27 Notarial Professional Course/Diploma fee, including examination fees)

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. The Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland does not publish pass rates. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20%

Role & History of the Notary

Origins, appointment, and functions of the notary public in Ireland and internationally.

20%

Notarial Acts & Authentication

Drafting and authenticating deeds, affidavits, and attestations.

20%

International Private Law

Conflict of laws, choice of jurisdiction, and cross-border legal documents.

20%

Apostilles & Legalisation

The Hague Apostille Convention, legalisation procedures, and Irish practice.

20%

Professional Ethics

Duties of a notary public, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and disciplinary rules.

Preparing for the Irish Notary Public Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 50% of the total marks available
Assessment: Written examination; the published 2007-2014 Regulations specify a paper of six questions, five to be attempted
Time limit: 3 hours (June 2027 sitting, 1.00-4.00pm)
Exam / certification fees: €7,500 for candidate notaries (2026-27 Notarial Professional Course/Diploma fee, including examination fees) Official sources

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the Irish Notary Public exam?

The Faculty Examination is a written examination taken after the Notarial Professional Course; the June 2027 sitting runs from 1.00pm to 4.00pm. The published 2007-2014 Regulations describe a paper of six questions, five of which must be attempted.

What is the passing score for the Irish Notary Public exam?

Candidates must achieve not less than 50% of the total marks available. An unsuccessful candidate may resit on two further occasions (three sittings in all) under the published Regulations.