How to Become a Notary in California (2026)
A complete, up-to-date walkthrough of every step — the 6-hour course, the state exam, fingerprinting, your bond, and filing your commission — with real 2026 costs and timelines.
In Short How do you become a notary in California?
To become a California notary public in 2026, you must be at least 18 and a California resident, complete a state-approved 6-hour education course, pass the state exam administered by CPS HR Consulting, get fingerprinted (Live Scan), and — once the Secretary of State issues your commission — file your oath of office and a $15,000 surety bond with your county clerk within 30 days. The commission lasts four years. Most people finish in about 6–10 weeks and spend roughly $200–$350 all-in, including the course, exam, bond, and supplies.
What a California notary public actually does
A notary public is a public official appointed by the California Secretary of State to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of documents. Your core job is to verify that the person signing is who they claim to be, that they’re signing willingly, and that the act is properly recorded. Notaries perform acknowledgments, jurats, oaths and affirmations, proofs of execution, and certify copies of certain records.
It’s a genuinely useful credential. Notaries work inside banks, escrow and title companies, law firms, and hospitals, and many run their own mobile or loan-signing businesses on the side. A California commission lasts four years and lets you notarize anywhere in the state, not just your home county.
Who’s eligible to become a notary in California
Set by Government Code §8201
Before you spend a dollar, make sure you meet the basic requirements. To qualify for appointment you must:
- Be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
- Be a legal resident of California. You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen.
- Complete a state-approved course of study (6 hours for new applicants).
- Pass the written, proctored, closed-book state exam.
- Clear a background check via Live Scan fingerprinting.
Certain criminal convictions can disqualify you, and every applicant must disclose arrests pending trial and all convictions on the application. If you’re unsure whether something on your record is disqualifying, contact the Secretary of State’s Notary Public Section before you apply.
Source: California Government Code §8201 · CA Secretary of State, Notary Public qualificationsHow to become a notary in California: the 7 steps
The exact order the state expects you to do them in
Confirm you meet the requirements
Check the eligibility list above: 18+, California resident, and clear on the background-check front. This is the five-minute step everyone skips — don’t. It’s the cheapest place to catch a problem.
Complete the state-approved 6-hour course
California law requires every first-time applicant to complete a 6-hour course of study approved by the Secretary of State before you’re allowed to sit the exam. Simply reading the state handbook does not satisfy this — you must complete a formal, structured course from an approved vendor and receive a Proof of Completion certificate.
You bring that certificate to the exam site. Without it, you won’t be admitted to test. Our 6-hour online course is self-paced, covers every exam topic, and issues your Proof of Completion the moment you finish.
Register for and pass the state exam
Register for the exam through CPS HR Consulting, the company the Secretary of State contracts to administer it. Pick a date and location from their schedule. The exam is in person, proctored, closed-book, and taken on paper — it is not offered online by the state.
You bring your completed Notary Public Application (with a 2″×2″ color passport photo attached), your Proof of Completion certificate, valid government photo ID, the fee by check or money order, and sharpened No. 2 pencils. More on the exam itself below.
Get fingerprinted (Live Scan)
All applicants must be fingerprinted as part of a background check run by the California Department of Justice and FBI. After you pass the exam, the state mails you fingerprinting instructions. You take the Live Scan form to an authorized location and get printed; results are transmitted electronically, so you don’t mail anything to the Secretary of State yourself.
Wait for your commission from the Secretary of State
Passing applicants have their applications forwarded to the Secretary of State for processing. Once you clear the background check, the state issues your commission. Processing typically takes around six weeks, and occasionally longer during busy periods — build that wait into your plans.
File your oath and $15,000 bond — within 30 days
This is the deadline people blow. Once your commission is issued, you have 30 calendar days to take and file your oath of office and file a $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk in the county where you keep your principal place of business. Your commission does not take effect until the oath and bond are filed.
Miss the 30-day window and you have to redo the process — new certificate, new exam, and pay the filing fee again. Don’t miss it.
Buy your seal and journal, and start notarizing
Before you can legally notarize, you need an official notary seal (stamp) from an authorized manufacturer and a sequential journal to record every act. Once your oath and bond are on file and your supplies are in hand, you’re an active California notary for the next four years.
Step 2 is where it starts.
Everything else waits on your Proof of Completion. Knock out the state-approved 6-hour course online, at your pace, and walk into the exam ready.
Start My 6-Hour Course →The 6-hour course, explained
The 6-hour requirement exists so that new notaries actually understand California notary law before they’re trusted with someone’s deed or power of attorney. An approved course is built around the Secretary of State’s Notary Public Handbook and has to cover the same ground the exam tests, including:
- The notary’s role, duties, and limits as a public officer
- Notarial acts — acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, proofs of execution, certified copies — and when each applies
- Identifying signers: satisfactory evidence of identity, acceptable IDs, and credible witnesses
- The notary journal: required entries, thumbprints, and secure recordkeeping
- Seal requirements, the maximum fees you may charge, and advertising rules
- Prohibited acts, immigration-document limits, liability, and penalties
Approved courses are self-paced and issue a Proof of Completion certificate that’s valid for two years — so plan to pass the exam within that window.
The California notary exam: what to expect
Administered by CPS HR Consulting for the Secretary of State
The exam is a closed-book, multiple-choice test taken in person on paper. It’s very passable if you’ve actually done the course — but it asks specific questions about California law that trip up anyone who just skimmed the handbook.
What to bring to the exam
- Your admission confirmation from CPS HR
- Valid, government-issued photo ID (name must match your application)
- A completed Notary Public Application with a 2″×2″ color passport photo attached
- Your Proof of Completion certificate
- The fee — by check or money order payable to the Secretary of State (no cash or cards at the site)
- Sharpened No. 2 pencils
How much does it cost to become a notary in California?
Real 2026 figures — course, state fees, bond, and supplies
Becoming a California notary isn’t expensive, but it’s more than just the course. Here’s the full picture. Most applicants spend roughly $200–$350 all-in, depending on where you get fingerprinted and what supplies you buy.
| Cost | Typical 2026 amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| State-approved 6-hour course | $39 (ours) – $100+ | Your course vendor |
| Exam + application processing fee | $40 (new applicant) | Secretary of State (at exam site) |
| 2″×2″ passport photo | ≈ $10–$15 | Photo/print shop |
| Live Scan fingerprinting | ≈ $70–$90 total* | DOJ, FBI + rolling fee |
| $15,000 surety bond (4 yr) | ≈ $40–$80 | Bond/insurance vendor |
| Official notary seal (stamp) | ≈ $20–$40 | Authorized manufacturer |
| Sequential journal | ≈ $15–$30 | Supply vendor |
| County clerk filing fee | Small (varies by county) | Your county clerk |
| Ballpark total | ≈ $200 – $350 | |
*Live Scan is roughly $32 to the DOJ and $19 to the FBI, plus a “rolling fee” (about $20–$40) that varies by location. Shop around — rolling fees differ a lot between operators.
The $40 fee is a combined exam-and-application processing fee for new applicants (a failed-exam retake is $20). Paid by check or money order at the exam site. Source: CA Secretary of State, “Take the Exam.”How long does it take to become a notary in California?
From your first hour of coursework to an active commission, realistically plan on 6 to 10 weeks. The course itself is fast — most people finish in one or two sittings. The wait is in exam scheduling, results, and state processing.
Complete the 6-hour course
Self-paced, often done in a day or two. Get your Proof of Completion instantly.
Register & sit the exam
Book the next available CPS HR date near you and take the test.
Exam results arrive
CPS HR mails or emails your score. A 70 or better passes.
Get fingerprinted (Live Scan)
Instructions come from the state; results transmit electronically.
Commission issued
The Secretary of State processes and issues your commission.
File oath + $15,000 bond
File at the county clerk. Your commission activates on filing.
6-hour or 3-hour course: which one do you need?
California has two approved course lengths, and picking the wrong one wastes time. The short version: new applicants and anyone whose commission has lapsed take the 6-hour course. Only active notaries renewing before their commission expires may take the 3-hour refresher.
| 6-Hour Course | 3-Hour Refresher | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | First-time applicants, or anyone whose commission already expired | Active notaries renewing before their commission expires |
| Required by | California Government Code §8201 | |
| Eligibility catch | Always allowed | Only if you file your renewal before your current commission expires |
| Format | 100% online, self-paced | 100% online, self-paced |
After you’re commissioned: what you can (and can’t) charge
Once active, you can notarize anywhere in California for the next four years. The Secretary of State caps what you may charge per notarial act, and knowing the caps is both an exam topic and a real-world liability issue.
- Acknowledgments and jurats: a maximum of $15 per signature.
- Depositions: $30 total, plus $7 per oath and $7 for the certificate.
- Travel and mobile fees: not regulated by the state — you set your own, but they must be itemized separately from the notarial fee.
You’re also required to keep a sequential journal of every notarial act and to safeguard both your journal and your seal. Failing to secure them, or refusing to surrender the journal when required, can carry penalties.
Renewing your commission
Notary commissions don’t auto-renew. Roughly 90 days before your four-year term ends, start the renewal process: complete a course (the 3-hour refresher if you’re still active, or the full 6-hour course if you’ve lapsed), pass the state exam again, and submit a fresh application packet. The single most important thing is to file before your current commission expires — that’s what keeps you eligible for the shorter refresher and avoids a gap in your commission.
What about remote online notarization (RON)?
This is the question everyone’s asking in 2026. California authorized remote online notarization under SB 696, signed in 2024 — but with an effective date of January 1, 2030. As of 2026, RON is not yet operative in California, and the full technology and identity-verification framework is still being built out ahead of that date. For now, California notarizations require the signer’s physical, in-person appearance; a video call is not a personal appearance under state law.
Source: California SB 696 (2024), effective Jan 1, 2030.The mistakes that cost people time and money
- Skimming the handbook instead of taking the course. Reading the PDF doesn’t satisfy the requirement and doesn’t prepare you for the specific way the exam is worded.
- Missing the 30-day oath-and-bond deadline. The most expensive mistake there is — it sends you back to the start.
- Forgetting the passport photo or the check. The exam site turns people away for incomplete packets and won’t take cash or cards.
- Letting the commission lapse before renewing. An expired commission means the full 6-hour course all over again.
- Buying a “cheap” course that isn’t state-approved. If the vendor isn’t approved by the Secretary of State, your Proof of Completion is worthless at the exam site.
Ready to actually do this?
Start with the one step everything else depends on. Our state-approved 6-hour course gets you exam-ready and hands you your certificate the second you finish.
Enroll in the 6-Hour Course →Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a notary in California?
Plan on about 6 to 10 weeks from start to an active commission. The 6-hour course is quick (often one or two sittings), but exam scheduling, roughly 15 business days for results, and about six weeks of state processing add up. You then have 30 days to file your oath and bond.
How much does it cost to become a notary in California?
Most people spend roughly $200 to $350 all-in. That covers a state-approved course (ours is $39), the $40 state exam and application fee, a passport photo, Live Scan fingerprinting (about $70–$90), a $15,000 surety bond (about $40–$80), an official seal, and a journal.
Do I have to take a course, or can I just read the handbook?
You must complete a formal 6-hour course from a Secretary of State–approved vendor and receive a Proof of Completion certificate. Reading the handbook on its own does not satisfy the requirement, and you can’t sit the exam without the certificate.
Can I take the notary course online?
Yes. The state-approved course is 100% online and self-paced. The exam itself, however, is taken in person at a CPS HR test site — the state does not offer the exam online.
What’s on the exam and what’s a passing score?
The exam is closed-book with 45 multiple-choice questions and a 60-minute limit. You need a scaled score of 70 to pass. It’s drawn entirely from the California Notary Public Handbook.
Do I take the 6-hour or 3-hour course?
Take the 6-hour course if you’ve never held a commission or if your previous commission has expired. The 3-hour refresher is only for active notaries renewing before their current commission expires.
What happens after I pass the exam?
You get fingerprinted via Live Scan, then wait for the Secretary of State to process and issue your commission (about six weeks). Once it’s issued, you have 30 days to file your oath of office and $15,000 surety bond with your county clerk — your commission activates on filing.
How long is a California notary commission valid?
Four years from the commencement date on your commission. To keep notarizing without a gap, start renewing about 90 days before it expires.
Can I notarize remotely (online) in California?
Not yet. California authorized remote online notarization under SB 696, but it doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2030. For now, signers must appear in person.
Educational information, not legal advice. This guide summarizes the California notary public commissioning process as of July 2026, based on the California Secretary of State, CPS HR Consulting, and the California Government Code (§§8201, 8204, 8211, 8212, 8213). Fees, timelines, and procedures are set by the state and may change — always confirm current requirements at sos.ca.gov/notary before applying. 6 Hour Notary is a notary education vendor and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the California Secretary of State.