California Notary Public exam FAQ
Format · pass mark · renewal · disqualification · after you pass
How many questions are on the California notary exam?
45 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. A scaled score of 70 is required to pass. The examination is administered by CPS HR Consulting on behalf of the California Secretary of State.
How often is the California notary exam offered?
Monthly in major California cities, and often more than once a month. A retake rarely means a long wait, which is unusual among professional licensing exams.
Is the California notary exam open book?
No. It is proctored and closed-book. No notes, books, or reference materials.
What is the California notary exam based on?
California law as set out in the Notary Public Handbook published by the Secretary of State. Government Code section 8201 says so directly: all questions shall be based on the law of this state as set forth in that booklet. It reprints the Government Code, Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedure sections that govern notarial practice.
Do California notaries have to retake the exam to renew?
Yes. A commission runs four years and reappointment requires passing the written examination again, plus an approved course of study. Most professional licences renew on continuing-education hours; this one renews on a test.
Do I need to take a course as well?
Yes. A six-hour approved course of study is required before appointment for everyone, no matter how many commissions they have held before. A three-hour refresher substitutes only for a current commission holder who applies before the current commission expires — once it lapses, the full six hours are required again.
Do I have to be a U.S. citizen?
No. The requirement is legal residency in the State of California. Citizenship is required only for notaries appointed to a military or naval reservation.
Will an old conviction disqualify me?
It depends on the offence, and no determination can be made until the background check is complete. What is certain is the disclosure rule: all convictions must be disclosed, including those dismissed under Penal Code section 1203.4 or 1203.4a, with no time limit. Failure to disclose is itself a ground for denial. The Secretary of State publishes disciplinary guidelines listing the most common disqualifying convictions.
What happens after I pass?
The commission is issued, and you then have 30 calendar days from the beginning of the term to file the oath of office and a $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk of your principal place of business. The commission does not take effect until both are filed, and no exception is made for mail or processing delays.
Can I notarize outside the county where I filed my oath?
Yes. A California notary may provide services anywhere in the state. The county named in the venue heading of the certificate is the county where the signer personally appeared before you — not where your oath was filed, and not where the document will be recorded.
Can I use a California notary commission in another state?
No. Notary law is state law. Around 29 states require an examination at all, and their rules on identification, journals, seals and certificate wording differ substantially from California’s. A California commission authorises you in California only.
Can I rely on personally knowing the signer in California?
No, and this surprises notaries commissioned in other states. California removed personal knowledge as a basis for identification: an acknowledgment may not be taken, nor a jurat executed, on personal knowledge alone. Satisfactory evidence must be presented and recorded in the journal, even for a neighbour of twenty years.
Can California notaries perform remote online notarization?
Not yet. California law requires the signer to be physically present; a video image is not a personal appearance. Senate Bill 696, the Online Notarization Act, is not set to commence until January 1, 2030, and takes effect only after the Secretary of State certifies the necessary technology project is complete.
What can a California notary charge?
$15 per signature for an acknowledgment or proof; $15 for an oath or affirmation with the jurat; $30 for deposition services plus $7 for the oath and $7 for the certificate; $15 to certify a copy of a power of attorney. No fee may be charged for vote-by-mail ballot envelopes, for a veteran’s benefit claim, or for nomination documents. Charging more than the prescribed fee is a ground for discipline.
Is this app affiliated with the Secretary of State?
No. It is an independent study aid. The examination’s own items are not public; every question in the app is original content written from the public Handbook, and each one carries the verbatim provision it tests.
Independent study aid. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the California Secretary of State or CPS HR Consulting. Nothing here is legal advice — verify against the current official Notary Public Handbook before relying on any point for professional purposes.
© 2026 Sai Chun Christopher Tang. All rights reserved.