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California Notary Public Exam

Past exam questions and practice questions based on official past exams

Full mock exam40 questions · 60 min · 4 choices →Key conceptsAI-written · VerifiedRead the key concepts by subject and unit before you practice.5 subjects · 10 unitsOpen key concepts →

Exam info

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Type
State license
Field
Legal
Provider
California Secretary of State
Sections
Administrative Procedures (5) · Notarial Acts and Documentation (12) · Identification and Subscribing Witness Notarizations (4) · Immigration and Foreign Language (4) · Misconduct and Fees (15)
Questions · Time
40 questions · 60 min
Format
The real California Notary Public Exam has 45 multiple choice questions and a one-hour time limit. Forty questions are scored and 5 are unscored pilot questions. The scored questions cover five areas: Administrative Procedures (5), Notarial Acts and Documentation (12), Identification and Subscribing Witness Notarizations (4), Immigration and Foreign Language (4), and Misconduct and Fees (15). Everything in the current California Notary Public Handbook may be tested. This practice mock uses the 40 scored questions, with 4 answer choices per question.
Passing score
On the real exam you need a scaled score of 70 on a scale of 0 to 100 to pass. A scaled score is not the same as a percent of correct answers. This site uses 70% correct as a practice goal only; it is not an official cut score. There is no separate minimum score for each area.
Eligibility
To become a California notary public you must be at least 18 years old, be a legal resident of California, complete a 6-hour course approved by the Secretary of State, pass the written exam, and clear a background check. Notaries renewing before their commission expires may take a 3-hour refresher course instead, if they have completed the 6-hour course before. Check the Secretary of State notary pages before you apply.

Exam outline

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Tap a unit name to see its key concepts and sample questions.

Administrative Procedures5 questions

  1. Unit 1: Commission, Bond, and Oath★★★★☆Weight 60%Concepts
  2. Unit 2: Seal, Address Changes, and Commission Records★★★☆☆Weight 40%Concepts

Notarial Acts and Documentation12 questions

  1. Unit 1: Acknowledgments and Jurats★★★★★Weight 50%Concepts
  2. Unit 2: The Notary Journal★★★★★Weight 30%Concepts
  3. Unit 3: Certified Copies, Oaths, and Other Acts★★★☆☆Weight 20%Concepts

Identification and Subscribing Witness Notarizations4 questions

  1. Unit 1: Satisfactory Evidence of Identity★★★★★Weight 70%Concepts
  2. Unit 2: Subscribing Witness Notarizations★★★☆☆Weight 30%Concepts

Immigration and Foreign Language4 questions

  1. Unit 1: Immigration Documents and Foreign Language Advertising★★★★☆Weight 100%Concepts

Misconduct and Fees15 questions

  1. Unit 1: Notary Fees★★★★☆Weight 35%Concepts
  2. Unit 2: Misconduct, Penalties, and Disqualifying Interest★★★★★Weight 65%Concepts

California Notary Public Exam study tips

Written by our team
Study order
Start with Misconduct and Fees (15 scored questions) and Notarial Acts and Documentation (12), because together they make up more than half of the scored exam. Then study Administrative Procedures (5), so you know the commission, bond, oath, and seal rules. Finish with Identification and Subscribing Witness Notarizations (4) and Immigration and Foreign Language (4).
Topics people often miss
Misconduct, Penalties, and Disqualifying Interest has many dollar amounts and penalty types that are easy to mix up, so make a small table of each act and its penalty. In The Notary Journal, learn exactly which documents need a thumbprint and what each entry must contain. In Satisfactory Evidence of Identity, learn the difference between one credible witness and two credible witnesses.
Test day tips
You have 45 questions in one hour, so you have a little over one minute per question. Read every number in the choices carefully, because many wrong answers use a nearby number such as 10 days instead of 30. Read "NOT" and "EXCEPT" questions twice. Answer every question, and keep a steady pace so you reach the end.
▼ More about California Notary Public Exam (trends · overview · FAQ)▲ Hide

California Notary Public Exam exam trends

Misconduct and Fees is the largest area with 15 of the 40 scored questions, followed by Notarial Acts and Documentation with 12. Administrative Procedures has 5 questions, and Identification and Subscribing Witness Notarizations and Immigration and Foreign Language have 4 each. Many questions ask for exact numbers, such as deadlines in days, bond and penalty amounts, and what must go in the journal. The chapters on this site are study groupings inside each official area, and the chapter splits are estimates, not official numbers.

Read the current California Notary Public Handbook first, because everything in it may be tested. Start with Misconduct and Fees and Notarial Acts, which together make up most of the scored questions. Make a list of every number you meet (days, dollar amounts, years) and review it often. When you can answer most Intermediate questions, take a full 40-question Mock Exam and review every miss.

California Notary Public Exam Sample Questions and Explanations →

About California Notary Public Exam

The California Notary Public Exam is the written test you must pass to become a notary public in California. It has 45 multiple choice questions in one hour, and 40 of them are scored. Questions come from the California Notary Public Handbook and cover your commission and bond, acknowledgments and jurats, the notary journal, identifying signers, immigration and foreign language rules, and fees and misconduct. Short practice sets here help you learn these rules one area at a time.

FAQ

Q. How many questions are on the California Notary Public Exam?
The exam has 45 multiple choice questions, and you have one hour. Forty questions are scored and 5 are unscored pilot questions. This site's mock exam uses 40 questions to match the scored part.
Q. What score do I need to pass?
You need a scaled score of 70 on a 0 to 100 scale. A scaled score is not a percent of correct answers. This site uses 70% correct as a practice goal only.
Q. When do I get my exam results?
Results usually arrive about 15 to 20 business days after the exam. Check the exam vendor's information page for the current process.
Q. Are these real exam questions?
No. Every question here is an AI-made practice question written for study. Real exam questions are confidential, so use this site for practice and study the current California Notary Public Handbook as well.
Q. Is this site connected to the California Secretary of State?
No. This site is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the California Secretary of State or the exam vendor, CPS HR Consulting.

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