To become a notary public in California, you must meet five requirements set by the Secretary of State under Government Code §8201. All five are mandatory — no waivers, no shortcuts.
1. Age and residency
You must be at least 18 years old and a legal resident of California. U.S. citizenship is not required. There is no maximum age.
2. Education
All new applicants must complete a 6-hour education course from a vendor approved by the California Secretary of State. This is required by Government Code §8201(a)(3). No exceptions — even licensed attorneys must complete the course.
Renewing notaries who hold an active commission and previously completed a 6-hour course may take a 3-hour refresher course instead (Government Code §8201(b)(2)). If your commission expired before you apply for renewal, you must retake the full 6-hour course.
California CE Academy offers both courses online: 6-Hour Course ($49) | 3-Hour Refresher ($29)
3. State exam
You must pass a proctored written exam administered by CPS HR Consulting. The exam has 45 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes, closed-book. You need 70% to pass (28 of 40 scored questions). Passing scores are valid for one year. Register at cpshr.us.
4. Background check
All applicants must submit fingerprints through the Live Scan system for DOJ and FBI criminal background checks. Certain convictions — particularly those involving dishonesty, fraud, or moral turpitude — can disqualify an applicant. Each case is reviewed individually by the Secretary of State.
5. Bond and oath
After receiving your commission certificate, you must file a $15,000 surety bond and oath of office with your county clerk within 30 calendar days of the commission start date. Miss this deadline and the commission is void — you start over from scratch.
Total cost
The full commissioning process costs $220 to $340 in total. See our detailed cost breakdown or use the interactive cost calculator.
Timeline
Most applicants complete the process in 4 to 8 weeks. The biggest variable is background check processing time (2–4 weeks). Read our full step-by-step guide for details on each stage.
Ready to start? Begin the SOS-approved 6-hour education course — complete it at your own pace, get your certificate instantly.