To become a California notary public, you must be 18 or older and a legal resident, complete a six-hour approved course, pass the state exam and a background check, then file your oath and a $15,000 bond with the county clerk within 30 days. The state charges $40 for the application and exam. Each commission runs four years and is valid in every county. Below are the steps, costs, bond rules, seal order and renewal timing.
Engineer Seal Stamps compliance desk. Checked against the California Secretary of State notary pages and the Government Code sections reprinted in its 2026 Notary Public Handbook. Sources read September 2026.
| Requirement | California answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Age 18 or older and a legal California resident, with a cleared background check | Gov. Code § 8201; Secretary of State qualifications page |
| Education | A six-hour approved course for a first commission; a three-hour refresher for a timely reappointment. Proof of Completion is good for two years | Secretary of State, Complete Approved Education |
| Exam | Written state exam given by CPS HR Consulting; a score of 70 or higher passes | Secretary of State, Take the Exam |
| Application fee | $40 for the exam and application, paid at the exam site by check or money order; $20 for a retake | Secretary of State, Forms, Services, and Fees |
| Background check | Live Scan fingerprints within one year of the exam date, once per commission term | Secretary of State, Submit Fingerprints via Live Scan |
| Bond | $15,000 surety bond for each commission | Gov. Code § 8212 |
| Oath and filing | Oath and bond filed with the county clerk where your principal place of business is, within 30 calendar days of the commission start; no extensions | Gov. Code § 8213 |
| Commission term | Four years from the date shown on the commission | Gov. Code § 8204 |
| Stamp or seal | Made only by an authorized manufacturer against your Certificate of Authorization. See the California notary seal hub | Gov. Code § 8207 |
| Journal | One active sequential journal at a time, kept locked; right thumbprint for real property and power of attorney documents | Gov. Code § 8206 |
| Renewal | Exam again, ideally six months before expiration, after a refresher or six-hour course | Secretary of State, Notary FAQs |
| Remote online notarization | Not yet authorized; SB 696 provisions become operative by January 1, 2030 at the latest | Secretary of State 2026 Notary Public Handbook |
How the California journal rule and remote notarization rule compare with the other 53 jurisdictions: see notary journal requirements by state and remote online notarization by state.
Who can become a notary public in California?
You qualify if you are at least 18, a legal resident of California, and able to finish the approved course, pass the written exam and clear a background check. Statute sets no maximum age.
The background check comes with disclosure duties. You must disclose every conviction and any arrest with a trial still pending. A felony conviction or a disqualifying misdemeanor can lead to denial, depending on how long ago probation ended, and the Secretary of State's qualifications page lists those time limits. An applicant found out of compliance with a child or family support order receives only a temporary term commission.
What are the steps to get a California notary commission?
The Secretary of State publishes a seven-step checklist, and the order matters: course, exam registration, exam, fingerprints, commission packet, supplies, then oath and bond. The final step carries a hard 30-day deadline.
- Finish a six-hour course from a vendor on the Secretary of State's approved list. Keep the Proof of Completion certificate.
- Register for the exam with CPS HR Consulting, which runs the test for the state.
- Sit the exam. Bring current photo ID, a completed Notary Public Application, a 2 by 2 inch color passport photo, your Proof of Completion, the registration confirmation letter and the $40 fee.
- Submit fingerprints through Live Scan after you pass, within one year of the exam date.
- Wait for the commission packet. It arrives after approval and a cleared background check.
- Buy your seal and journal using the Certificate of Authorization in the packet.
- File your oath and $15,000 bond with the county clerk in the county of your principal place of business.
The packet contains a cover letter, filing instructions, your commission certificate, two Notary Public Oath and Certificate of Filing forms, the Certificate of Authorization to Manufacture Notary Public Seals and the list of authorized seal manufacturers. Filing in person is the Secretary of State's suggestion, since the 30-day period cannot be extended.
What does the California notary course and exam involve?
New applicants complete a six-hour course from an approved vendor, then take a written exam where 70 or better is a pass. Results are available about 15 business days after the exam date.
The six-hour course always satisfies the education rule. The three-hour refresher is open only to current notaries who have finished the six-hour course once and who test and submit the application before their commission expires. Let the commission lapse and the six-hour course is required again.
A failed attempt comes with a fail notice and a retake voucher. The retake fee is $20, and you cannot sit the exam more than once in the same calendar month. Exam results stay valid for one year.
How much does it cost to become a notary in California?
The Secretary of State's own charge is $40 for a new or reappointing commission application, which covers the exam. The course, fingerprints, bond, county filing, seal and journal are paid to other parties, and the state does not publish those amounts.
- Application and exam: $40, or $20 for a retake after a fail.
- Education course: priced by the approved vendor you choose.
- Live Scan: a fingerprint processing fee plus a rolling fee; the Live Scan site confirms the amount.
- Bond: the premium on a $15,000 bond is set by the surety company.
- County filing: the Secretary of State pages list no county clerk charge, so ask your county clerk.
- Seal and journal: bought from suppliers after the packet arrives.
Several later filings are free: name change applications, address changes and seal authorization requests carry no Secretary of State fee. A duplicate commission certificate costs $10.
How does the California notary bond work?
Every commission needs a $15,000 surety bond, filed with the county clerk together with your oath within 30 calendar days of the commission start date. The bond is a fund for people harmed by a notarial error, not coverage for you.
The 2026 Notary Public Handbook puts it plainly: the bond is not an insurance policy for the notary. It offers a limited source of money for claims, and the notary remains personally liable for the full extent of any damages.
You may file the oath and bond before the commission start date, but no later than 30 days after it. Where you file does not restrict where you work: the commission lets you notarize throughout California regardless of which county holds your oath and bond. A late filing means starting the application over.
Which notary seal should you order once your California commission is issued?
Order a rubber stamp seal from a manufacturer on the Secretary of State's authorized list, and only after your commission packet arrives. The maker produces a seal only when you present the Certificate of Authorization that comes in that packet.
The face is built from your commission. It must carry the State Seal with the words "Notary Public," plus your commissioned name, your commission number, the expiration date, the county where your oath and bond are filed, and the maker's vendor identification number. Two outlines are allowed: round up to 2 inches across, or rectangular up to 1 by 2.5 inches, each with a serrated or milled edge.
An embosser may be used alongside the stamp but never replaces it. Our California notary seal guide walks through each element and the two narrow exceptions to the seal rule. Keep the seal locked and under your sole control, and do not surrender it to an employer when you leave a job.
What must a California notary journal record?
California allows one active sequential journal at a time, kept in a locked and secured area under your direct and exclusive control. Each entry covers the act, the document, the signer and how you confirmed identity.
- Date, time and type of each official act
- The character of each instrument notarized
- The signature of each person whose signature is notarized
- A statement that identity rested on satisfactory evidence
- The fee charged for the service
For a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust or any other document affecting real property, and for a power of attorney, the signer must also place a right thumbprint in the journal. Choose a journal with enough space for these entries. Within 30 days after a commission stops being valid, deliver every journal, record and paper to the county clerk where your oath was filed, and destroy the seal.
How long does a California commission last, and how do you renew it?
A commission lasts four years from the start date printed on it. Reappointment works like a new application: education, the exam, fresh Live Scan fingerprints, then a new oath and bond filing within 30 days.
To avoid a gap between terms, the Secretary of State advises testing at least six months before your current commission expires. A reappointment commission is issued no sooner than 30 days before the current one ends. Fingerprints are required once for each commission term.
Your seal shows the old expiration date, so it cannot serve the new term, and the new packet includes a new Certificate of Authorization. The ESS guide to checking a notary seal's expiration date shows where that date sits on the impression.
What changes when your name or address changes in California?
Notify the Secretary of State in writing within 30 days of any change to your business or residence address, by certified mail or another delivery that provides a receipt. A name change needs a form, an amended commission and new county filings.
For a name change, send the Name Change form. After approval you receive an amended commission, and you then have 30 days to file a new oath of office and an amendment to your bond with the county clerk. When an oath is filed in a new county, the Secretary of State sends a new Certificate of Authorization once it processes that oath, and our seal hub places the replacement seal within 30 days of the amended filing.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a notary in California?
The Secretary of State publishes no total timeline, but it gives these markers. Exam results take about 15 business days, the Department of Justice name check can take up to about four weeks, and in late September 2026 the processing page showed applications with a July 25, 2026 exam date being worked. Add up to 30 days for the oath and bond filing.
Can I get a California notary bond the same day?
The Secretary of State does not address how fast a surety issues a bond; that is up to the bonding company. The state fixes the deadline instead: the $15,000 bond and your oath must be filed with the county clerk within 30 calendar days of the commission start date.
Do I need a new bond when my commission expires?
Yes. Each commission, reappointments included, has its own 30-day window to file an oath and a $15,000 bond, so budget for a bond with every new term.
Can I notarize outside the county where my bond is filed?
Yes. A California commission is valid throughout the state, whichever county holds your oath and bond.
Can California notaries notarize online?
Not yet. SB 696 took effect on January 1, 2024 and phases in. Its remote online notarization provisions become operative when the Secretary of State finishes the Notary Automation Project 2.0 or on January 1, 2030, whichever comes first. The 2026 Handbook says current law does not yet allow it.
What happens if I fail the California notary exam?
You receive a fail notice with a retake voucher. The retake fee is $20, and you may test no more than once in a calendar month.
Where do I buy California notary supplies?
The seal must come from a manufacturer on the authorized list mailed in your commission packet, ordered with your Certificate of Authorization. The Secretary of State notes that a journal can be bought at stationery supply stores, as long as it has room for every required entry.
With your Certificate of Authorization in hand, compare round and rectangular seal stamps in the ESS California stamps and seals collection. To see how California's seal rules compare with other states, read our notary seal requirements by state guide.
