Notary Public Handbook - California Page 23
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4821
GOVERNMENT CODE
GOVERNMENT CODE
Notaries Public
(Chapter 3, Division 1, Title 2)
§ 8200. Appointment and commission; number; jurisdiction
The Secretary of State may appoint and commission notaries public in such number as the
Secretary of State deems necessary for the public convenience. Notaries public may act as
such notaries in any part of this state.
§ 8201. Qualifications to be a notary public; proof of course completion; reappointment
(a) Every person appointed as notary public shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Be at the time of appointment a legal resident of this state, except as otherwise provided
in Section 8203.1.
(2) Be not less than 18 years of age.
(3) For appointments made on or after July 1, 2005, have satisfactorily completed a six-hour
course of study approved by the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8201.2 concerning the
functions and duties of a notary public.
(4) Have satisfactorily completed a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State
to determine the fitness of the person to exercise the functions and duties of the office of
notary public. All questions shall be based on the law of this state as set forth in the booklet of
the laws of California relating to notaries public distributed by the Secretary of State.
(b) (1) Commencing July 1, 2005, each applicant for notary public shall provide satisfactory
proof that he or she has completed the course of study required pursuant to paragraph (3) of
subdivision (a) prior to approval of his or her appointment as a notary public by the Secretary
of State.
(2) Commencing July 1, 2005, an applicant for notary public who holds a California notary
public commission, and who has satisfactorily completed the six-hour course of study required
pursuant to paragraph (1) at least one time, shall provide satisfactory proof when applying for
reappointment as a notary public that he or she has satisfactorily completed a three-hour refresher
course of study prior to reappointment as a notary public by the Secretary of State.
§ 8201.1. Additional qualifications; determination; identification; fingerprints
Prior to granting an appointment as a notary public, the Secretary of State shall determine
that the applicant possesses the required honesty, credibility, truthfulness, and integrity to
fulfill the responsibilities of the position. To assist in determining the identity of the applicant
and whether the applicant has been convicted of a disqualifying crime specified in subdivision
(b) of Section 8214.1, the Secretary of State shall require that applicants be fingerprinted.
§ 8201.2. Review of course of study and refresher courses for notary public; approval
of education course of study, violation of regulations; civil penalties
(a) Commencing January 1, 2005, the Secretary of State shall review the course of study
and any refresher course proposed by any vendor to be offered pursuant to paragraph (3) of
subdivision (a) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 8201. If the course of study
includes all material that a person is expected to know to satisfactorily complete the written
examination required pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 8201, the Secretary
of State shall approve the course of study.
(b) (1) The Secretary of State shall, by regulation, prescribe an application form and adopt
a certificate of approval for the notary public education course of study proposed by a vendor.
(2) The Secretary of State may also provide a notary public education course of study.
(c) The Secretary of State shall compile a list of all persons offering an approved course of
study pursuant to subdivision (a) and shall provide the list with every booklet of the laws of
California relating to notaries public distributed by the Secretary of State.
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