A person appointed a notary public in the state of California shall purchase and file an official bond no later than 30 days after the beginning of the term specified in their notary commission, as stated by the California Government Code section 8213. A notary public bond is a $15,000 surety bond that protects the California public against possible financial losses due to improper conduct by a notary. The bond can be purchased from any bonding or insurance company in California. Notaries public must maintain the notary public bond for their entire 4-year term of office.

A notary journal is similar to record books but is specifically used to record the details of each notarization act. California notaries public shall add a detailed entry about every such act in the journal, which includes information such as the document type, date, time, location, identification details of the parties involved, notary fees charged, and any other relevant information. Detailed requirements for notary journals are specified by the California Government Code section 8206. Notary journals are required in order to keep record of notarial acts and are significant for maintaining accountability and protection against fraud.

A notary seal or stamp is an essential tool that is used to authenticate and validate documents. In California, notaries public typically use a rectangular self-inking stamp that contains the notary public’s name, state, commission number, validity date, and sometimes a decorative border or emblem. Such modern notary stamps are often preferred to traditional ink stamps or seals. It is only allowed to purchase a notary seal or stamp produced by an authorized manufacturer in California. A list of such manufacturers is usually sent to a notary public along with their commission packet.

A pocket embosser can be useful as an additional protection layer along with a notary stamp. Some notaries also use it as a compact and portable version of an embossing seal. A pocket embosser is optimal for carrying in a notary’s pocket or bag. In addition to a traditional embossing seal or a self-inked stamp, it creates extra authentication on the notary’s documents.

A compact notary seal is a backup tool that notaries public can use in case of a lost or damaged primary notary seal. Notary Course Online offers a SuperSlim Seal, which can replace a regular notary seal or stamp when you need. It can also serve as an ideal solution for mobile notaries and whenever you want to keep a notary seal with you just in case.

A notary disclaimer stamp and a jurat stamp can be used in a number of cases administered by notaries public. A jurat is a notarial act where a person signs a document in the notary’s presence and swears or affirms, under oath, that the document’s contents are true and accurate. A disclaimer stamp, for example, may include a statement indicating that the notary is not providing any legal advice and the notary’s role is limited to verifying the signer’s identity and administering the oath or affirmation.

A thumbprint pad, also called an ink pad or fingerprint pad, is an inked surface designed for capturing fingerprints. While notary acts commonly require the affixing of a notary seal, the use of thumbprints is less common. However, in certain cases or for specific types of transactions, a notary public may be required to take the thumbprints of the document signer(s) as an extra level of verification.