California Notary Law

The Secretary of State shall require an applicant for appointment and commission as a notary public to complete an application form and submit a photograph of their person as prescribed by the Secretary of State. Information on this form filed by an applicant with the Secretary of State, except for his or her name and address, is confidential and no individual record shall be divulged by an official or employee having access to it to any person other than the applicant, his or her authorized representative, or an employee or officer of the federal government, the state government, or a local agency, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 6252 of the Government Code, acting in his or her official capacity. That information shall be used by the Secretary of State for the sole purpose of carrying out the duties of this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 399, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2008.)

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE – TITLE 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA – DIVISION 1. GENERAL – CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public

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(a) The Secretary of State shall review the course of study proposed by any vendor to be offered pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 8201. If the course of study includes all material that a person is expected to know to satisfactorily complete the written examination required pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 8201, the Secretary of State shall approve the course of study.

(b) (1) The Secretary of State shall, by regulation, prescribe an application form and adopt a certificate of approval for the notary public education course of study proposed by a vendor.

(2) The Secretary of State may also provide a notary public education course of study.

(c) The Secretary of State shall compile a list of all persons offering an approved course of study pursuant to subdivision (a) and shall provide the list with every booklet of the laws of California relating to notaries public distributed by the Secretary of State.

(d) (1) A person who provides notary public education and violates any of the regulations adopted by the Secretary of State for approved vendors is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation and shall be required to pay restitution where appropriate.

(2) The local district attorney, city attorney, or the Attorney General may bring a civil action to recover the civil penalty prescribed pursuant to this subdivision. A public prosecutor shall inform the Secretary of State of any civil penalty imposed under this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 399, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2008.)

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE – TITLE 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA – DIVISION 1. GENERAL – CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public

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(a) Prior to granting an appointment as a notary public, the Secretary of State shall determine that the applicant possesses the required honesty, credibility, truthfulness, and integrity to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. To assist in determining the identity of the applicant and whether the applicant has been convicted of a disqualifying crime specified in subdivision (b) of Section 8214.1, the Secretary of State shall require that applicants be fingerprinted.

(b) Applicants shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the department for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and content of a record of state and federal convictions and arrests and information as to the existence and content of a record of state and federal arrests for which the department establishes that the person is free on bail, or on his or her recognizance, pending trial or appeal.

(c) The department shall forward the fingerprint images and related information received pursuant to subdivision (a) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and request a federal summary of criminal information.

(d) The department shall review the information returned from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and disseminate a response to the Secretary of State pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.

(e) The Secretary of State shall request from the department subsequent arrest notification service, pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for each person who submitted information pursuant to subdivision (a).

(f) The department shall charge a fee sufficient to cover the cost of processing the requests described in this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 399, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2008.)

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE – TITLE 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA – DIVISION 1. GENERAL – CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public

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(a) Every person appointed as notary public shall meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Be at the time of appointment a legal resident of this state, except as otherwise provided in Section 8203.1.

(2) Be not less than 18 years of age.

(3) For appointments made on or after July 1, 2005, have satisfactorily completed a six-hour course of study approved by the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8201.2 concerning the functions and duties of a notary public.

(4) Have satisfactorily completed a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State to determine the fitness of the person to exercise the functions and duties of the office of notary public. All questions shall be based on the law of this state as set forth in the booklet of the laws of California relating to notaries public distributed by the Secretary of State.

(b) (1) Commencing July 1, 2005, each applicant for notary public shall provide satisfactory proof that he or she has completed the course of study required pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) prior to approval of his or her appointment as a notary public by the Secretary of State.

(2) Commencing July 1, 2005, an applicant for notary public who holds a California notary public commission, and who has satisfactorily completed the six-hour course of study required pursuant to paragraph (1) at least one time, shall provide satisfactory proof when applying for reappointment as a notary public that he or she has satisfactorily completed a three-hour refresher course of study prior to reappointment as a notary public by the Secretary of State.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 539, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.)

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE – TITLE 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA – DIVISION 1. GENERAL – CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public

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The Secretary of State may appoint and commission notaries public in such number as the Secretary of State deems necessary for the public convenience. Notaries public may act as such notaries in any part of this state.

(Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1009.)

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE – TITLE 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA – DIVISION 1. GENERAL – CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public

California Notary Law

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• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8200
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8201
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8201.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8201.2
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8201.5
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8202.
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8202.5.
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8202.7.
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8202.8
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8203.1.
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8203.2
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8203.3
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8203.4
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8203.5
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8203.6.
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8204
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8204.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8205
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8206
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8206.5
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8207
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8207.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8207.2
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8207.3
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8207.4
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8209
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8211
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8212
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8213
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8213.5
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8213.6
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.15
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.2
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.21
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.23
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.3
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.4
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.5
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8214.8
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8216
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8219.5
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8220
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8221
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8222
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8223
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8224
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8224.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8225
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8227.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8227.3
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8228
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8228.1
• CHAPTER 3. Notaries Public – 8230