1.1 Basic Qualifications
Key Takeaways
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old, with no maximum age limit
- Legal residency in California is required; U.S. citizenship is NOT required
- New applicants take a 6-hour course; renewals take a 3-hour refresher
- The exam is 45 multiple-choice items, 1 hour, scaled passing score of 70
- Live Scan fingerprinting and a DOJ/FBI background check are mandatory for everyone
Who Can Become a California Notary?
California Government Code Section 8201 sets four threshold qualifications: the applicant must be at least 18 years old, a legal California resident, must satisfy the education requirement, and must pass a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State (SOS). A clean background check, verified through fingerprinting, is also mandatory. Memorize these as a fixed checklist — the exam frequently asks which item is or is NOT a requirement.
Age and Residency
You must be 18 years of age at the time of application. There is no maximum age. Residency is the trap most candidates miss: you must be a legal resident of California, but U.S. citizenship is NOT required. A lawful permanent resident (green-card holder) qualifies; a U.S. citizen who lives in Nevada and merely works in California does not.
- Physical California residence is required
- A California address serves as the principal place of business
- Living in another state disqualifies you, regardless of where you work
- Immigration status beyond lawful residency is irrelevant
Residency is a continuing requirement, not a one-time box. If a sitting notary permanently relocates out of California, the commission is forfeited — you cannot "keep" a California commission while living in Oregon. By contrast, temporary travel does not affect residency, and there is no requirement to have lived in California for any minimum length of time before applying.
Education Requirement
Every applicant must complete an SOS-approved course before sitting for the exam. The hour count differs by applicant type and is a high-frequency test point.
| Applicant Type | Required Course | Typical Content |
|---|---|---|
| New applicant | 6-hour approved course | Full curriculum: acts, ID rules, journal, seal, fees, prohibited acts |
| Renewal applicant (no lapse in current commission) | 3-hour refresher | Law updates and procedural reinforcement |
Trap: A renewal applicant whose commission has already expired is treated as a new applicant and must take the full 6 hours. The 3-hour course is only available to those renewing a currently valid commission. The course completion certificate is valid for two years — fail to pass the exam within that window and you must retake the course.
The Written Examination
The exam is administered by CPS HR Consulting under contract with the SOS. The logistics below are memorize-cold facts.
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Total items | 45 multiple-choice |
| Scored items | 40 (5 are unscored pretest items) |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 70 (scale 0-100) |
| Time limit | 1 hour (60 minutes) |
| Format | Closed-book, proctored, in person |
| Results | Mailed/emailed in roughly 15-20 business days |
The five content areas are: (1) Administrative Procedures, (2) Notarial Acts/Documentation, (3) Identification/Subscribing Witness Notarizations, (4) Immigration/Foreign Language, and (5) Misconduct/Fees. A scaled score converts your raw score to a common scale so different exam forms are comparable — it is NOT a simple percentage, so do not assume "70 = 28 of 40 correct."
There is no limit on retakes, but each attempt requires a new exam registration and fee, and the exam may only be taken after the education requirement is met. The course completion certificate's two-year validity is the binding constraint: if you exhaust that window without passing, you must repeat the 6-hour course before testing again.
Background Check and Disqualifying Offenses
All applicants — new and renewal — must submit fingerprints via Live Scan, electronically transmitted to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI. The SOS reviews criminal history and may deny or revoke a commission. Government Code Section 8214.1 lists grounds for denial.
| Conduct | Effect on Application |
|---|---|
| Felony conviction | Likely denial (or revocation) |
| Crime involving dishonesty (fraud, forgery, theft, embezzlement) | Strong grounds for denial |
| Crime of moral turpitude | May disqualify |
| Failure to disclose a conviction | Independent ground for denial; can itself be perjury |
| Minor traffic infractions | Generally not disqualifying |
Worked scenario: An applicant with a 12-year-old felony theft conviction discloses it and submits evidence of rehabilitation. The SOS weighs the offense's nature, recency, and rehabilitation individually — disclosure preserves the chance of approval, while concealment guarantees denial and risks a perjury charge.
The same grounds that block a new applicant can also support revocation or suspension of a sitting notary, so the background standard is not just an entry gate — it applies for the life of the commission. Note the difference between a conviction (a reportable disqualifying event) and a mere arrest (not by itself disqualifying). When in doubt, disclose: the cost of over-disclosing is zero, while the cost of omission is denial plus possible perjury liability.
On the Exam
- Age 18, no maximum; citizenship not required, legal CA residency is
- Course hours: 6 new, 3 renewal (expired = 6 again)
- Exam: 45 items / 40 scored / scaled 70 / 60 minutes, run by CPS HR
- Background check applies to everyone, including renewals
A California notary applicant is a lawful permanent resident but not a U.S. citizen. They physically live in Sacramento. Are they eligible?
How many items appear on the California notary exam, and how many are scored?
A notary's commission expired three weeks ago. To get re-commissioned, what education must they complete?