California is one of the most strict when it comes to notary procedures.

I have completed a thorough review of notary public requirements by each state and let me tell you that here in California the notary public bar is set the highest. Let’s start with what it takes to become a notary public in California. The 6-hour education course requirement for a first time notary is the longest of all 50 states. Most states have no education requirement at all or if they do it’s only a 3-4 hour job preparation program. A 3-hour refresher course is what is required every four years when a current notary is seeking reappointment to continue to serve the public or their place of business. With laws changing , this continued education process is key. California’s commitment to curated instruction for their notaries is not only rigorous for the applicants, but the Secretary of State also only approves those education vendors whose programs meet the exceedingly high standards. Only the best notary public education platforms make this cut, making Notary Course Online is one of the top in the industry. The sole purpose of the meticulous California notary education process is to prepare applicants to pass the every 4-year notary public exam. The exam is yet another requirement where other states seriously lag behind California with less than half of states not requiring any testing at all.  

Fees & Regulations

Here in California there is a very specific framework for allowable fees as well as firm penalties for notaries public who over charge or otherwise misuse their commission. A California notary public does benefit from a high allowable fee per notarization act. The $15 per act fee is one of the top in the nation, second only to Rhode Island’s allowable fee of $25 per act. Maximum allowable fees for services helps maintain a fair playing field for notaries public working in different capacities. However,  consistent clients or repeat customers can be given a “bulk discount” when multiple notarizations are needed at the same appointment. Think loan signing or living trust signing appointments where you could have 10-12 signatures per client. Those notarization fees can really add up for the signer and many store-front notary services don’t offer any kind of discounts. For independent or mobile notaries, the addition of travel, printing, courier and delivery fees can make the job very lucrative. But one must always quote any extra fees prior to the appointment. Excessive fees can be construed as notarial misconduct that can result in the California Secretary of State issuing fines of $1,500 in addition to suspension or permanent revocation of a notary public commission. Charging for notarizations that should be of no cost for US veterans’ benefits paperwork or on voting materials would also be considered notarial misconduct.  

Paperwork

California’s notarial certificates are where you can really see the difference in how each states’ laws manage their notaries public. When notarizing documents that originate in another state, a California notary public should be specifically aware of what information is required to be documented. Be careful of pre-printed documents that contain venues out of state, even if the remaining verbiage appears to be California compliant. Especially if the signer’s name is associated with any kind of authority, position or title they hold. California law prohibits a notary public from certifying that a signer holds any particular capacity. The California Acknowledgement notarial certificate covers this specifically with the included verbiage of “executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies)”. Many out of state acknowledgement forms will include the signers’ title even when the rest of the notarial verbiage is California compliant. The safest bet for California notaries public is to use a loose California Acknowledgement certificate. Another big requirement for notarizations taking place in California is when it comes to affidavits or sworn statements, the use of the California Jurat is the only proper notarial certificate to use. So when it comes to notarizing documents that originate outside of California, one should have a stack of loose Acknowledgments and Jurats at the ready. The use of a  “See Attached Certificate” stamp is also a best business practice for California notaries.