Notaries Public in California

Welcome to the Notary Near Me ™ page for California. Click on the links above to find a notary in California by city. Once you locate a California Notary Public, view details of their professional notary experience on their profile page, such as whether they are a loan signing agent, or can receive e-docs.

If you are Notary Public in California, add your listing to the mobile notary directory today!

Become a Notary Public in California

The information and links below provide a general overview of how to become a Notary Public in California

Qualifications

In order to become a Notary Public in California, you must be 18 years of age or older and be a legal resident of California. You must satisfactorily complete a Secretary of State approved course of study, as well as pass a written examination. Notary Public applicants must also undergo a background check.

A complete overview of qualifications and requirements for being appointed as a CA Notary Public can be viewed on the Secretary of State website: http://www.sos.ca.gov/notary/qualifications

Notary Exam

Preparation for the written notary exam should include referring to The Notary Public Handbook, a resource to help applicants prepare for the notary public exam including California laws for notaries public. Refer to the current version of The Notary Public Handbook at the time you are preparing for the exam.

Notary Public CA Mobile Notary Fees

There are not any restrictions on the amount a California Mobile Notary may charge as a travel fee. Mobile notaries may charge extra for late night signings, as well as hospital and jail signings.

Notary Public CA Maximum Notary Fees

Maximum notarization fees are based on the California Government Code Section 8211. Refer to The Notary Public Handbook to see the maximum notary fees.

California Notary Public Acknowledgment Information

A California Notary acknowledgment is the notary act of a signer declaring to a Notary Public that they have willingly signed a document. The act of presenting a signed document before a Notary Public and asking the Notary Public to notarize the signature constitutes acknowledging signing the document. The signer may sign the document before being in the presence of the Notary Public, however, the signer must appear before the Notary Public to sign the notary journal and receive the affixation of the notary seal on the notary certificate.

California Notary Public Jurat Information

A Jurat is the notary act of a signer swearing under oath before a Notary Public that the statement in the notarized document is true. Jurat certificate wording must accompany all Jurat notary acts in one of the following: within the document itself, after the signature area(s), or on an attached certificate form.

The current California Jurat requires the signer to be positively identified. It not longer allows the signer to be identified on the basis of being "personally known" to the Notary Public.