Government Code §8205(a)(2) is unambiguous: a notary public may not accept an acknowledgment or proof of any instrument that is incomplete. This is a mandatory duty to refuse — not a judgment call, not a courtesy to the client, and not something that changes based on the signer's explanation.
A document is incomplete if it contains blank spaces for material terms — dates, dollar amounts, property descriptions, party names, or other substantive information — that are meant to be filled in after the notarial act. "I'll complete it at the recorder's office" does not satisfy the requirement.
There is also no statutory mechanism for correcting a completed notarial act. If an error is discovered after the certificate has been signed and sealed, the entire process must be repeated: new personal appearance, new journal entry, new certificate dated at the time of the re-notarization.
Exam Tip: The verb is "must" — not "may" or "should." When an exam question presents a sympathetic scenario (the client is traveling tomorrow, the blank is minor), the legally correct action is always refusal. Any answer suggesting the notary can proceed with assurances is wrong.
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