The California Notary Public Examination is a closed-book, 45-item multiple-choice test with a 60-minute limit, administered by CPS HR Consulting for the California Secretary of State. You need a scaled score of 70 on a 0–100 scale to pass. This guide explains the format, the five scored content areas, the rules behind the largest topics, and a preparation plan you can adjust whether this is your first attempt or a retake.
How the exam is formatted and scored
The exam has 45 multiple-choice items with a 60-minute limit; 40 items are scored across five content areas and five are unscored pilot items. A scaled score of at least 70 on a 0–100 scale is required to pass.
CPS HR Consulting administers the written examination on behalf of the California Secretary of State. It is a closed-book test given under proctors, and you should allow roughly two to three hours for registration, testing, and proctor instructions.
Forty items count toward your score. The remaining five are unscored items collected to evaluate questions for future exam forms. All material in the California Notary Public Handbook, including updates, is subject to examination.
Scoring is scaled, not a raw percentage. Your raw score is converted to a common scale from 0 to 100 so that results are comparable across the multiple exam versions that exist. A scaled score of at least 70 passes. Because of that conversion, a 69 does not mean you missed the pass mark by one percentage point of correct answers, and dividing correct items by total items will not reproduce your reported score.
Sources checked: Notary Exam Information – CPS HR Consulting — Exam format, content areas, scoring, retake and rescore rules; CA Notary Exam FAQ – CPS HR Consulting — Registration, what to bring, scoring, accommodations; Take the Exam :: California Secretary of State — What to bring, fees, results, retake rule
Who qualifies and what happens before appointment
You must be a legal California resident, at least 18 years old, complete a Secretary of State-approved course, pass the written examination, and clear a background check.
The appointment requirements under Government Code section 8201 are: legal California residency, age 18 or older, an approved course of study, the written examination, and a background check.
The education rule differs for new and returning notaries. Every person appointed must satisfactorily complete a six-hour approved course, no matter how many prior commission terms they held. A notary holding a current commission who has completed the six-hour course at least once may instead take a three-hour refresher, and only when applying for a new commission before the current one expires. If your commission has expired, the six-hour course is required again.
Applicants must disclose all pending arrests and all convictions on the application, including convictions dismissed under Penal Code sections 1203.4 or 1203.4a. The Secretary of State may deny an application for failure to disclose, a felony conviction, or a disqualifying lesser offense, and applicants have the right to appeal a denial through the administrative hearing process.
Passing the exam is only one step. Fingerprinting through Live Scan happens after you pass, and the commission is issued later by the Secretary of State's Notary Public Section.
Sources checked: California Secretary of State 2026 Notary Public Handbook (partial extract) — Introduction, qualifications, acknowledgments, jurats, fees, change of address; Become a Notary Public :: California Secretary of State — Requirements, checklist, convictions; Notary Exam Information – CPS HR Consulting — Exam format, content areas, scoring, retake and rescore rules
The five content areas and their item counts
The 40 scored items are distributed across administrative procedures, notarial acts and documentation, identification and subscribing witness notarizations, immigration and foreign language, and misconduct and fees.
CPS HR publishes the item counts per content area. Misconduct and fees carry the largest share, which makes fee tables and disciplinary consequences a high-value use of your study time.
Use the topic list below to connect each tested area to the corresponding chapters in the 2026 handbook. Read those chapters in full, including updates: the exam can draw on all handbook material.
- Administrative procedures — appointment, qualification, oath and bond, address changes
- Notarial acts and documentation — acknowledgments, jurats, copy certification, incomplete documents
- Identification and subscribing witness notarizations — satisfactory evidence, credible witnesses, proofs of execution
- Immigration and foreign language — immigration documents, notarizing in foreign languages
- Misconduct and fees — prohibited acts, penalties, maximum fees, advertising rules
| Content area | Scored items |
|---|---|
| Misconduct/fees | 15 |
| Notarial acts/documentation | 12 |
| Administrative procedures | 5 |
| Identification/subscribing witness notarizations | 4 |
| Immigration/foreign language | 4 |
Sources checked: Notary Exam Information – CPS HR Consulting — Exam format, content areas, scoring, retake and rescore rules; California Secretary of State 2026 Notary Public Handbook (partial extract) — Introduction, qualifications, acknowledgments, jurats, fees, change of address
Act distinctions worth drilling
An acknowledgment certifies that the signer appeared, proved identity, and acknowledged executing the document; a jurat certifies that the signer appeared, signed in the notary's presence, and took an oath or affirmation.
For an acknowledgment, the certificate must state that the signer personally appeared on the date and in the county indicated, that the notary verified identity through satisfactory evidence, and that the signer acknowledged executing the document. The signing may have happened days earlier. The certificate must be filled out completely when the signature and seal are affixed, and it is executed under penalty of perjury. Knowingly stating a false material fact carries a civil penalty of up to $10,000 and can be a criminal offense.
A jurat is identified by the wording 'Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed).' It certifies personal appearance, that the signer signed in the notary's presence, that the notary administered the oath or affirmation, and the signer's identity. There is no prescribed oath wording; an acceptable example is asking whether the signer swears or affirms the statements are true. Raising right hands is traditional, not legally required.
Two appearance rules apply to both acts: a signer must personally appear, so neither certificate can be completed for a document that was mailed or delivered without an appearance, even if the notary knows the signer, and a seal and signature cannot be affixed without the correct notarial wording.
Credible witnesses change what your journal must contain. If identity rested on one credible witness personally known to the notary, the journal needs the witness's signature or the identifying document details for the witness. With two credible witnesses whose identities are proven by satisfactory evidence, the journal needs both signatures plus the document types, numbers, and issue or expiration dates.
Proof of execution by a subscribing witness is a distinct route: the principal has signed but does not appear, and a subscribing witness appears instead to prove the execution under oath. It cannot be used with any power of attorney, quitclaim deed, most grant deeds, mortgage, deed of trust, security agreement, any instrument affecting real property, or any instrument requiring a journal thumbprint.
Also review the handbook chapters on signature by mark, copy certification of powers of attorney, tangible copy certification, incomplete documents, and correcting a notarial act.
Fee rules and a worked fee exercise
Government Code section 8211 sets maximum fees; a notary may charge less or nothing, must journal every act even at no charge, and must observe the no-fee exceptions such as voting materials and veteran benefit documents.
Charging a fee, and how much, is at the discretion of the notary or the notary's employer, provided the amount does not exceed the statutory maximum. Every notarial act requires a journal entry even when no fee is charged; writing 'no fee' or '0' satisfies this.
Several services must be free: notarizing vote by mail ballot identification envelopes and other voting materials, veteran's benefit applications and claims, and verification of nomination documents. Notaries appointed to military and naval reservations collect no fees, and a notary working for a public entity charges no fee for pension-related affidavits, applications, or vouchers. Conversely, a notary appointed under Government Code section 8202.5 for certain public agencies must charge for all services and remit the fees to the employing agency.
The table gives selected maximum fees. For deposition services and the complete schedule, consult the Fees section of the current handbook.
Practice exercise
During one visit, a notary completes a jurat, including the seal, for a single signer; administers a separate oath or affirmation to another person; and notarizes the signature on a vote by mail ballot identification envelope. Assuming the notary charges the maximum allowed for each service, what total may be collected, and what must the journal show for the ballot envelope?
Show answer
$30 total, and the journal must contain an entry for the ballot envelope notarization even though no fee was charged.
The jurat maximum is $15 including the seal, and an oath or affirmation for one person is $15, giving $30. Notarizing signatures on vote by mail ballot identification envelopes is a $0 service under Government Code section 8211(d), so it adds nothing to the total. Section 8206 still requires a journal entry for every notarial act, so the envelope entry goes in the journal with 'no fee' or '0' as the fee notation. If the notary had charged less or nothing for the jurat or oath, that would also be lawful because fees are discretionary below the maximum.
| Service | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment or proof of a deed or other instrument, including seal and certificate | $15 for each signature |
| Administering an oath or affirmation to one person | $15 |
| Executing a jurat, including the seal | $15 |
| Certifying a copy of a power of attorney | $15 |
| Vote by mail ballot identification envelopes and other voting materials | $0 |
| Veteran's benefit application or claim notarization | $0 |
After you pass: results, fingerprints, and your bond
Results arrive roughly 15 to 20 business days after the exam. Passing candidates are forwarded for processing, complete Live Scan fingerprinting, receive the commission packet, then file the oath and bond within 30 calendar days.
CPS HR states that results are sent approximately 15 to 20 business days after the exam; the Secretary of State's exam page says 15 business days. Treat both as approximations rather than promising yourself an exact date, and do not expect results over the phone.
Candidates scoring 70 or more have their applications transmitted to the Secretary of State. All appointees must undergo a background check by the California Department of Justice and the FBI for each appointment, using Live Scan. Fingerprinting information is mailed to applicants who pass.
Once the commission issues, you have 30 calendar days from the start of the commission term to take, subscribe, and file the oath of office and file a $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk in the county of your principal place of business. The commission does not take effect until the oath and bond are filed. If you miss the window, the commission is not valid and you may not act as a notary until a new appointment is obtained and you qualify on time. No exceptions are made for mail or county processing delays, so file early.
After commissioning, notify the Secretary of State of any business or residence address change in writing within 30 days; willful failure is an infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500. Filing a new oath and bond after moving to a new county is optional, because a commissioned notary may perform services anywhere in California.
Child support compliance matters too: applicants found non-compliant with child or family support orders receive temporary-term commissions, and non-compliance after commissioning can lead to suspension or revocation.
Sources checked: Notary Exam Information – CPS HR Consulting — Exam format, content areas, scoring, retake and rescore rules; Take the Exam :: California Secretary of State — What to bring, fees, results, retake rule; California Secretary of State 2026 Notary Public Handbook (partial extract) — Introduction, qualifications, acknowledgments, jurats, fees, change of address; Become a Notary Public :: California Secretary of State — Requirements, checklist, convictions
A preparation plan, including if you scored 69
Study directly from the 2026 handbook, weighting your time toward misconduct/fees and notarial acts, and treat a scaled 69 as a near-pass on a converted scale, not a percentage shortfall.
The handbook is the official source of California notary law, and approved courses are built to cover everything the exam expects. Review the handbook section by section, matching chapters to the five content areas, and spend the largest share of time on misconduct/fees and notarial acts/documentation, which together hold 27 of the 40 scored items.
If you scored 69, the number is a scaled score, so you were not one percentage point from a raw pass mark. The practical move is diagnostic: identify which content areas produced your errors, then re-read the matching handbook sections and work practice items until those distinctions are automatic. You can take the exam again, but no more than once in the same calendar month; testing twice in one month makes the second score invalid and forfeits the fees paid.
Two official aids are worth adding: the Secretary of State's Notary Public Sample Workbook and the Disciplinary Guidelines, both listed as handbook resources. If you believe a scoring error occurred, a rescore can be requested in writing with a $30 money order payable to CPS HR, received within 45 days of the test date.
For volume, apply your diagnostic habits to the free practice questions and the other study guides on this site. Avoid memorizing copied statutory text; the handbook is closed-book on exam day, so practice recalling rules and applying them to short fact patterns instead.
- Re-read handbook sections matched to your weakest content areas
- Weight study time toward misconduct/fees (15 items) and notarial acts (12 items)
- Retest at most once per calendar month
- Rescoring: written request, $30 money order, within 45 days
Sources checked: Notary Exam Information – CPS HR Consulting — Exam format, content areas, scoring, retake and rescore rules; CA Notary Exam FAQ – CPS HR Consulting — Registration, what to bring, scoring, accommodations; California Secretary of State 2026 Notary Public Handbook (partial extract) — Introduction, qualifications, acknowledgments, jurats, fees, change of address
What to bring on exam day
Bring current photo identification, the completed application with passport photo, your education Proof of Completion certificate, the registration confirmation, and the fee by check or money order.
The Secretary of State's exam checklist asks you to allow plenty of travel time and bring the required items. The name on your identification must match the full legal name on your application, and errors on the application can delay your commission.
Payment is $40 for new applicants and reappointments, or $20 for applicants who failed their most recent attempt; failed-exam candidates should bring the printed results letter with the reduced fee. Make checks or money orders payable to the Secretary of State, since cash is not accepted at the exam site. Bring sharpened No. 2 pencils as well.
- Current government-issued photo ID matching the application name
- Completed Notary Public Application with a 2" x 2" color passport photo
- Proof of Completion certificate from your six-hour or three-hour course
- Registration confirmation letter
- $40 fee, or $20 with the printed failure notice, by check or money order
- No. 2 pencils
Sources checked: Take the Exam :: California Secretary of State — What to bring, fees, results, retake rule; CA Notary Exam FAQ – CPS HR Consulting — Registration, what to bring, scoring, accommodations
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