If you are commissioned as John A Doe you must sign the certificate of appointment as which name?

• A. John A Doe
• B. Jane Doe
• C. Notary Public
• D. John A Smith

Answer: (A)

Your signature on the certificate of appointment must be in the exact name you were commissioned under. That name is the official identifier linking you to your commission and your notarial authority. Since you are commissioned as John A Doe, you should sign as John A Doe. Signing with a different name would not correctly tie the certificate to your official commission, and would suggest someone else is acting as the notary. The other options would either be a different person (Jane Doe or John A Smith) or just a title (Notary Public) rather than the name you are commissioned to use. If your name changes, you must update the commission so your signature on official documents remains properly identified.