California Notary Public Exam Questions
and answers | Updated 2024/25
Critical commencement date - commencement date stated in the commission NOT date
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commission was issued or mailed
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ii Who issues commission? - Secretary of State
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When does commission become valid - After taking oath of office and bond are filed on
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time
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ii Who do you file oath and bond with - county clerk
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ii Where is a notary's commission limited to? - State of california; not only a certain county
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ii What kind of bond and how much needs to be filed - Surety bond for 15,000
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What is the purpose of the surety bond - reimburse members of the public that are
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damaged by notarial misconduct
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May still be liable for damages, costs and attorney's fees exceeding policy limits
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What kind of notary publics are not allowed to perform notorial acts on their own time? -
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Notaries appointed by Secretart of State who serve as notary public on behalf of the state,
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city or county public agency
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What are the restrictions of becoming a notary on a military or naval reservation - -doesnt
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have to be a CA resident
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-cannot collect fees ii ii
-can only collect fees on the naval reservtion
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With who should the oath and bond be filed - county clerk in the county where the notary
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holds her principal place of business
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How much time and who must a notary notify of an address change? - Notify Secretary of
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State by certified mail within 30 days of changing residence or business address
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ii Fine for failing to notify of address change: - $500
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What are the two duties to respond to written requests - 1-respond in 30 days to written
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requests for information
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2-respond in time specified when certified copies of journal are requested ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
ii Can an employer request that fees be turned over to employer? - yes.
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, ii How many journals can a notary keep - one
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Who can request photostatic copies of a notary's journal? - -any member of the general
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public can request to see their line item in the journal
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What must the request include when requesting copies of a notorial journal - -Name of
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properties
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-type of document
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-month and year the act occurred
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ii Maximum fee per page of copy requests - $0.30 ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
How long does the notary have to respond to requests for copies of the journal - 15
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calendar days
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Does an employee have to permit their employer, employer's auditor or agent to inspect
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journal - yes
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ii Who has to be present when showing employer journal - the notary public
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How long does notary have to notify the Secretary of state of journal being taken by peace
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officer - 10 days
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How long goes notary have to notify secretary of state of lost, stolen or misplaced -
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immediately
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ii How long after expiration does notary public have to return journal - 30 days
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What items does notary seal have to include - -words Notary Public
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-notary's name ii
-commission expiration date ii ii
-county where oath and bond were filed
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-commission number ii
-sequential ID number for seal ii ii ii ii
ii When may someone use an embosser seal - if it is also inked
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When is a seal not required - acknowledgements on a CA subdivision map since the
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material used for maps isnt compatible with inks
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What is included in the acknowledgment of the map - -Name
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-county where notary's commission is
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-expiration date ii
-signature goes above or adjacent to all this ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
and answers | Updated 2024/25
Critical commencement date - commencement date stated in the commission NOT date
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
commission was issued or mailed
ii ii ii ii ii
ii Who issues commission? - Secretary of State
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
When does commission become valid - After taking oath of office and bond are filed on
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
time
ii
ii Who do you file oath and bond with - county clerk
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
ii Where is a notary's commission limited to? - State of california; not only a certain county
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
ii What kind of bond and how much needs to be filed - Surety bond for 15,000
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
What is the purpose of the surety bond - reimburse members of the public that are
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
damaged by notarial misconduct
ii ii ii ii
May still be liable for damages, costs and attorney's fees exceeding policy limits
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
What kind of notary publics are not allowed to perform notorial acts on their own time? -
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Notaries appointed by Secretart of State who serve as notary public on behalf of the state,
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
city or county public agency
ii ii ii ii ii
What are the restrictions of becoming a notary on a military or naval reservation - -doesnt
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
have to be a CA resident
ii ii ii ii ii ii
-cannot collect fees ii ii
-can only collect fees on the naval reservtion
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
With who should the oath and bond be filed - county clerk in the county where the notary
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
holds her principal place of business
ii ii ii ii ii ii
How much time and who must a notary notify of an address change? - Notify Secretary of
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
State by certified mail within 30 days of changing residence or business address
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
ii Fine for failing to notify of address change: - $500
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
What are the two duties to respond to written requests - 1-respond in 30 days to written
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
requests for information
ii ii ii
2-respond in time specified when certified copies of journal are requested ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
ii Can an employer request that fees be turned over to employer? - yes.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
, ii How many journals can a notary keep - one
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Who can request photostatic copies of a notary's journal? - -any member of the general
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
public can request to see their line item in the journal
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
What must the request include when requesting copies of a notorial journal - -Name of
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
properties
ii
-type of document
ii ii
-month and year the act occurred
ii ii ii ii ii
ii Maximum fee per page of copy requests - $0.30 ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
How long does the notary have to respond to requests for copies of the journal - 15
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
calendar days
ii ii
Does an employee have to permit their employer, employer's auditor or agent to inspect
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
journal - yes
ii ii ii ii ii
ii Who has to be present when showing employer journal - the notary public
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
How long does notary have to notify the Secretary of state of journal being taken by peace
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
officer - 10 days
ii ii ii ii ii ii
How long goes notary have to notify secretary of state of lost, stolen or misplaced -
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
immediately
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ii How long after expiration does notary public have to return journal - 30 days
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
What items does notary seal have to include - -words Notary Public
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
-notary's name ii
-commission expiration date ii ii
-county where oath and bond were filed
ii ii ii ii ii ii
-commission number ii
-sequential ID number for seal ii ii ii ii
ii When may someone use an embosser seal - if it is also inked
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
When is a seal not required - acknowledgements on a CA subdivision map since the
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
material used for maps isnt compatible with inks
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
What is included in the acknowledgment of the map - -Name
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-county where notary's commission is
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-expiration date ii
-signature goes above or adjacent to all this ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
