Applicants are required to disclose on their applications all arrests for which trials are pending and all convictions, including convictions that have been dismissed under Penal Code section 1203.4 or 1203.4a. If you have any questions concerning the disclosure of convictions or arrests, contact the Secretary of State’s offce prior to signing the application. If you do not recall the specifcs about your arrest(s) and/or conviction(s), you can contact the California Department of Justice at (916) 227-3849.
The Secretary of State may deny an application for the following reasons:
- Failure to disclose any conviction;
- Conviction of a felony; or
- Conviction of a disqualifying lesser offense.
The applicant has the right to appeal the denial through the administrative hearing process. (Government Code section 8214.3) For a complete list of reasons the Secretary of State may deny an application, please refer to Government Code section 8214.1. Refer to the Secretary of State’s Notary Public Disciplinary Guidelines for a list of the most common disqualifying convictions. The disciplinary guidelines are available on the Secretary of State’s website or can be mailed to you upon request.
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