California Notary Public Education Requirements

There are only a few easy steps to completing yur California Notary Public Education requirements:

  • Step 1: For both the six hour initial education and three hour continuing education course, read the NotaryX Approved California Notary Public Education Course.
  • Step 2: New notaries are advised to read the NotaryX Exam and Application Notes.
  • Step 3: Take the quiz below as proof of completion of the education course.
  • Step 4: Within 24 hours, you will receive the results of your exam and a certificate of completion of the approved education course.

    To get a certificate of completion, please answer the questions below and use the submit button at the end of the quiz to send the results to NotaryX.com. The questions were designed to simulate the questions that you can expect on the notary exam.


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    1. What is the basic function of a notary?
    A. To witness the signing of legal documents.
    B. To verify that a document is true.
    C. To establish the identity of a signer.
    D. To make sure that a document is completed correctly.

    2. A notary is employed by a government agency. Which of the following is a true statement?
    A. The notary may not charge a fee.
    B. The notary may charge a fee if permission is given by the agency.
    C. The notary may charge a fee but remit the fee to the agency.
    D. The notary must charge a fee if required by the agency.

    3. Which of the following is incorrect?
    A. A new notary needs a six-hour notary education course.
    B. A current notary needs a three hour notary education course.
    C. Notaries previously holding commissions need a six hour notary education course.
    D. Fingerprints are required only for new notaries.

    4. An employer pays all of the costs for a notary. The employer wants copies of all of the journal entries.
    A. The employer has a right to the journal and to make copies.
    B. The employer can make copies as long as the notary is supervising the copying.
    C. The employer can have copies of all business related journal entries.
    D. The employer cannot have copies of journal entries.

    5. Which of the following require a thumbprint entry in the notary journal.
    A. Deed of reconveyance.
    B. Deed of trust.
    C. Deed of foreclosure.
    D. Trustee's deed.

    6. Which of the following are you allowed to do?
    A. List your services and fees in Spanish.
    B. Use the translation "Notario Publico".
    C. Advertise that you are a notary and an immigration specialist.
    D. Complete a Spanish acknowledgement form.

    7. For the following types of documents, which fee per signature is not allowed?
    A. Acknowledgement - $10.00
    B. Jurat - $10.00
    C. Acknowledgement - $5.00
    D. Vote by mail certification - $10.00

    8. Someone has asked for a copy of a journal record. They must do all of the following, except:
    A. Put the request in writing.
    B. Specify the month and year of the journal entry.
    C. Specify the parties involved in the transaction.
    D. Pay a $1.00 copy fee.

    9. Which is the incorrect statement?
    A. A notary may notarize a California document in another state.
    B. An out of state document may be notarized in California.
    C. A notary may notarize a document in a California county in which their bond was not filed.
    D. A notary may change the county in which their bond is filed.

    10. An acknowledgement was signed by the signer before appearing in front of the notary.
    A. The signer must acknowledge their signature in front of the notary.
    B. The signer must sign again in front of the notary.
    C. The signer should get a new copy of the document and then sign in front of the notary.
    D. The signer can sign a separate piece of paper in front of the notary so the notary can compare the signature.

    11. What characteristics should a notary seal have?
    A. Commission expiration date, county of oath and bond, name of seal manufacturer.
    B. County of oath and bond, serrated or milled border, commission expiration date.
    C. Name of seal manufacturer, commission expiration date, serrated or milled border.
    D. Serrated or milled border, name of seal manufacturer, county of oath and bond.

    12. A notary was working for a business. The business paid for the notary's commission and all equipment. The notary is laid off due to lack of work.
    A. The notary must give all materials back to the employer.
    B. The notary must keep the seal and journal but stop acting as a notary.
    C. The notary must negotiate with the employer to continue acting as a notary.
    D. The notary may continue to act as a notary since the commission belongs to the notary.

    13. When using the oath or affirmation of a single credible witness, which is true?
    A. The identity of the witness is established only through the use of a valid ID.
    B. A credible witness is appropriate if the signer left his ID at home, many miles away.
    C. The signature or identification information of the witness is recorded in the journal.
    D. Since the witness is known to the notary, a valid ID is not necessary.

    14. Which of the following does not require you to refuse the notary?
    A. The signer does not understand the document being signed.
    B. Some parts of the document are not completed.
    C. The signer does not have proper identification.
    D. The signer does not want to sign the document.

    15. A document is completed in a foreign language. The signer asked for a jurat to be included.
    A. The document cannot be notarized because it is in a foreign language.
    B. The document can be notarized as long as the signer can complete the oath in English.
    C. The document can be notarized as long as the notary understands the langauge of the document.
    D. The document can be notarized if the notary understands the language and the jurat is translated correctly into the language.

    16. When is it inappropriate to use two credible witnesses for identification of a signer?
    A. If the signer has a license but left it out of state.
    B. If the two credible witnesses do not know each other.
    C. If the signer received a replacement license one year ago but it has now expired.
    D. If the signer's license was stolen.

    17. A signer has a valid ID but can sign only by an X. How many witnesses are required?
    A. One witness who is not required to sign the notary journal.
    B. One witness who is required to sign the notary journal.
    C. Two witnesses, neither of which is required to sign the notary journal.
    D. Two witnesses, both of whom are required to sign the notary journal.

    18. Your brother and sister-in-law ask you to notarize a letter giving their daughter permission to go a school field trip.
    A. You cannot notarize a document for a close relative.
    B. You can notarize any document for your brother and sister-in-law.
    C. You can notarize this document.
    D. You can notarize this document but only if your brother does not sign the document.

    19. When completing the acknowledgment, the notary is always stating:
    A. That the signer appeared before the notary.
    B. That the document was signed in front of the notary.
    C. That the contents of the document are true.
    D. That a notary journal entry was completed.

    20. A proof of execution by a subscribing witness is allowed on which of the following documents?
    A. Power of Attorney.
    B. Request for Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate.
    C. Grant Deed.
    D. Quitclaim Deed.

    21. A notary voluntarily resigns their commission. What is not required?
    A. Send notary journal to the county clerk.
    B. Send letter to the Secretary of State.
    C. Destroy or deface notary seal.
    D. Give notice to employer.

    22. You must notify the Secretary of State by certified or registered mail when the journal is:
    A. Lost.
    B. Stolen.
    C. Replaced.
    D. Surrendered to a peace officer.

    23. Two people, a mother and son, ask you to notarize a request for a copy of a birth certificate for the son. These requests are normally completed by the person requesting the birth certificate or a close relative. The form uses an acknowledgment. The document has already been signed by the son but he does not have a valid ID. What do you do?
    A. The notary can be completed because the acknowledgement does dot need to be signed in front of the notary.
    B. Refuse the notary.
    C. The signer's mother has a valid ID, use her as a subscribing witness.
    D. Use the mother as a signer. Cross out the sons name in the signature area.

    24. You notarize a document but the seal is not clear. What can be done?
    A. Put another seal on the document, stamp a new seal over the existing seal, attach a separate notarial certificate.
    B. Attach a separate notarial certificate, replace signature page if possible, put another seal on the document.
    C. Replace signature page if possible, attach a separate notarial certificate, stamp a new seal over the existing seal.
    D. Stamp a new seal over the existing seal, put another seal on the document, replace signature page if possible.

    25. A notary receives a commission and orders the seal, journal, and bond. The oath of office is filed in the county. When can a new notary begin notarizing documents?
    A. After getting the notary commission.
    B. After getting the seal, journal, and bond.
    C. After filing the oath of office with the county recorder.
    D. Cannot be determined from the information given.

    26. Which is not required when a jurat is completed by the notary?
    A. The signer must appear in front of the notary public.
    B. The notary needs to verify that the contents are true.
    C. The signer must sign in front of the notary public.
    D. The signer must swear that the contents are true.

    27. A notary advertises that they are available for in-home signings 24 hours per day. The notary's phone rings at 2:00am by a caller who needs a document notarized immediately. The notary tells the caller to call back the next morning and refuses to do the notary at 2:00am.
    A. The notary and bond issuer could be at risk for any liability for not performing the notary.
    B. A delay of a few hours should not effect the notary.
    C. Only the bond issuer is at risk because the bond covers damage to the public.
    D. 24 hour availability is an advertising gimic. There is no liability because there is no real expectation of 24 hour availability.

    28. A signer has identification but is able to sign only be mark. Who is required to sign the notary journal?
    A. The signer, and the two witnesses.
    B. The signer only.
    C. The two witnesses only.
    D. The signer and one of the witnesses.

    29. What is the best way to tell if a document is complete?
    A. Scan the document, check for blanks, ask the signer.
    B. Scan the document, ask the signer, look for missing pages.
    C. Check for blanks, ask the signer, look for missing pages.
    D. Scan the document, check for blanks, look for missing pages.

    30. The notary signs an acknowledgement which is known to be false. Which of the following is not true.
    A. The notary's bond may be liable.
    B. The notary may be personally liable.
    C. There may be a fine of as much as $10,000.
    D. The notary has committed a misdemeanor.

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