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California Notary Exam Practice Test 2025
— Free CA Notary Public Sample Questions,
Study Guide & Exam Tips
Get ready for the California Notary Exam with free practice tests, updated sample questions,
and the latest study materials for 2025. Learn key notary laws, exam topics, and test tips to pass
the CA Notary Public Exam on your first try.
• California Notary Exam practice test
• California Notary Public exam 2025
• Free CA notary practice exam
• California notary sample questions
If the document with the notarized signature is a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, or other document
affecting real property, or a power of attorney - ANSWER-the notary public must require the party
signing the document to place his or her right thumbprint in the journal as part of the line item entry for
the transaction. If the right thumbprint is not available, then the notary public must have the party use
his or her left thumbprint, or any available finger and must record the left thumbprint or which other
fingerprint is captured in the journal. If the party signing the document is physically unable to provide a
thumbprint or fingerprint, the notary public must record that fact in the journal and must provide an
explanation of the physical condition of the person. The thumbprint is not required for trustee's deeds
for a decree of foreclosure or a nonjudicial foreclosure, or a deed of reconveyance.
Acknowledgement - ANSWER-An acknowledgment is the notarial certificate attached to a document
when the notary public confirms the identity of the signer and the signer acknowledges being the signer
of the document.
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Wording for acknowledgement - ANSWER-"whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and
acknowledged to me that he executed the same. . .." A certificate of acknowledgment often will be
found at the end of a document.
By completing a certificate of acknowledgment, the notary public is certifying under penalty of perjury: -
ANSWER-That the signer personally appeared before the notary public on the date indicated and in the
county indicated in the venue heading;→To the identity of the signer (based on satisfactory evidence);
and→That the signer acknowledged signing the document.
To perform an acknowledgment, a notary public must: - ANSWER-→Examine the document for
completeness;→Confirm the identity of the signer (based on satisfactory evidence) and the signer's
acknowledgment of the signature;→Complete a journal entry for the transaction; and→Attach a
completed certificate of acknowledgment to the document or complete the certificate of
acknowledgment at the end of the document.
Journal entry for acknowledgement - ANSWER-Time and date of the act.→Indicate that the type of
notarial act performed was an acknowledgment, Type of document, Signature of the person signing the
document, Indicate that satisfactory evidence of the signer's identity was obtained
A notary public is______ if the notary public willfully fails to properly maintain his or her notarial journal.
- ANSWER-guilty of a misdemeanor
Must be recorded - ANSWER-The date and time the notary public performed the notarial service. The
type of notarial act performed. The character of every instrument sworn, affirmed, acknowledged, or
proved before the notary public. The signature of each person whose signature is being notarized.A
statement as to whether the identity of the person making an acknowledgment or taking an oath or
affirmation was based on satisfactory evidence
"character of every instrument" - ANSWER-the kind or type of document on which the signature is being
notarized
If the notary public accepted an identification document as listed in California Civil Code sections
1185(b)(3) and (b)(4) to meet the requirements of "satisfactory evidence," - ANSWER-hen the notary
California Notary Exam Practice Test 2025
— Free CA Notary Public Sample Questions,
Study Guide & Exam Tips
Get ready for the California Notary Exam with free practice tests, updated sample questions,
and the latest study materials for 2025. Learn key notary laws, exam topics, and test tips to pass
the CA Notary Public Exam on your first try.
• California Notary Exam practice test
• California Notary Public exam 2025
• Free CA notary practice exam
• California notary sample questions
If the document with the notarized signature is a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, or other document
affecting real property, or a power of attorney - ANSWER-the notary public must require the party
signing the document to place his or her right thumbprint in the journal as part of the line item entry for
the transaction. If the right thumbprint is not available, then the notary public must have the party use
his or her left thumbprint, or any available finger and must record the left thumbprint or which other
fingerprint is captured in the journal. If the party signing the document is physically unable to provide a
thumbprint or fingerprint, the notary public must record that fact in the journal and must provide an
explanation of the physical condition of the person. The thumbprint is not required for trustee's deeds
for a decree of foreclosure or a nonjudicial foreclosure, or a deed of reconveyance.
Acknowledgement - ANSWER-An acknowledgment is the notarial certificate attached to a document
when the notary public confirms the identity of the signer and the signer acknowledges being the signer
of the document.
, 2|Page
Wording for acknowledgement - ANSWER-"whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and
acknowledged to me that he executed the same. . .." A certificate of acknowledgment often will be
found at the end of a document.
By completing a certificate of acknowledgment, the notary public is certifying under penalty of perjury: -
ANSWER-That the signer personally appeared before the notary public on the date indicated and in the
county indicated in the venue heading;→To the identity of the signer (based on satisfactory evidence);
and→That the signer acknowledged signing the document.
To perform an acknowledgment, a notary public must: - ANSWER-→Examine the document for
completeness;→Confirm the identity of the signer (based on satisfactory evidence) and the signer's
acknowledgment of the signature;→Complete a journal entry for the transaction; and→Attach a
completed certificate of acknowledgment to the document or complete the certificate of
acknowledgment at the end of the document.
Journal entry for acknowledgement - ANSWER-Time and date of the act.→Indicate that the type of
notarial act performed was an acknowledgment, Type of document, Signature of the person signing the
document, Indicate that satisfactory evidence of the signer's identity was obtained
A notary public is______ if the notary public willfully fails to properly maintain his or her notarial journal.
- ANSWER-guilty of a misdemeanor
Must be recorded - ANSWER-The date and time the notary public performed the notarial service. The
type of notarial act performed. The character of every instrument sworn, affirmed, acknowledged, or
proved before the notary public. The signature of each person whose signature is being notarized.A
statement as to whether the identity of the person making an acknowledgment or taking an oath or
affirmation was based on satisfactory evidence
"character of every instrument" - ANSWER-the kind or type of document on which the signature is being
notarized
If the notary public accepted an identification document as listed in California Civil Code sections
1185(b)(3) and (b)(4) to meet the requirements of "satisfactory evidence," - ANSWER-hen the notary
