Which advertising practice is prohibited for notaries?

• A. Providing free services
• B. Advertising a legal opinion
• C. Giving testimonials
• D. Endorsing a product

Answer: (C)

Notaries must stay neutral and avoid advertising that could mislead people about what a notary can do. Giving testimonials in advertising directly implies endorsement or a claim about the notary’s authority and the value of a service, which is outside the notary’s official role. It can create the impression that the notary offers legal opinions or guarantees results, which they are not authorized to provide. That direct promotional use of endorsements is what's prohibited. The other options aren’t as directly tied to notarial duties: offering free services isn’t inherently disallowed if it’s truthful and transparent; advertising a legal opinion would falsely suggest legal counsel, which a notary cannot provide; endorsing a product would still be problematic, but the item’s focus here is the use of testimonials in advertising.