California Notary Public Commission & Exam Preparation2026 HandbookExam Schedule
CACalifornia Notary GuideCommission · Exam · Oath & Bond
Official content domains

Study in the same proportions used by the exam.

The 40 scored questions are distributed across five domains. Start with Misconduct/Fees and Notarial Acts because together they account for 27 scored items.

Take diagnosticOpen 2026 handbook
Current exam structure45 questions · 60 minutes
40scored5pilot70scaled pass

Scaled scoring is not a simple raw percentage.

Official domainAdministrative Procedures

Applications, education, testing, Live Scan, address changes, renewal, and the 30-day oath-and-bond deadline.

Open module →Official domainNotarial Acts & Documentation

Acknowledgments, jurats, certificate completion, personal appearance, incomplete documents, and copy limits.

Open module →Official domainIdentification & Credible Witnesses

Satisfactory evidence, paper identification, one or two credible witnesses, and subscribing-witness limits.

Open module →Official domainImmigration & Foreign-Language Rules

Foreign-language documents, translated advertising, direct communication, and legal-advice boundaries.

Open module →Official domainMisconduct, Fees & Professional Boundaries

Maximum fees, conflicts, false certificates, journal and seal security, advertising, and disciplinary exposure.

Open module →