A notary public is a Ministerial Official which provides a variety of services.

• A. public servant
• B. elected official
• C. Ministerial Official which provides a variety of services.
• D. judicial officer

Answer: (C)

A notary public is a ministerial official because the duties they perform are defined by statute and carried out as routine acts, not as discretionary judgments. Their job is to witness and authenticate documents through specific, prescribed steps—administering oaths, taking acknowledgments, witnessing signatures, and certifying copies. These actions require applying the law as written and following established procedures, rather than interpreting facts or making legal decisions.

They’re not elected officials, since notaries are appointed or commissioned by the state, and they’re not judicial officers, because they do not preside over cases or rule on rights. While they are public officers, the key idea is that their authority is procedural and ministerial, focused on certifying and authenticating rather than deciding legal outcomes.