California Notary Public Exam
Contains Questions with Verified Answers
Passing Score: 94.67%.
The exam consists of 45 multiple-choice questions & Possible Questions to be Tested
1. If your oath and bond are not filed within the time limit for qualifying, which
of the following apply?
A. You must retake the six hour training notary training course
B. You may pay a $20 late processing fee in the case of delay beyond your
control including but not limited to mail service delays and county clerk mail
processing delays
C. Your commission is no longer valid and you must apply for another one
D. You must pay a $20 late processing fee to proceed with the application
Answer: C. Your commission is no longer valid and you must apply for another
one
2. Suppose a subscribing witness brings you a document to be notarized
and is then placed under oath. Which of the following must be said by the
subscribing witness?
A. The principal asked the subscribing witness to sign the document as
a witness and actually signed
B. The subscribing witness either saw the principal sign the document OR
heard the principal acknowledge that they signed the document
C. The principal signer is the person described in the document and the
subscribing witness personally knows the principal
D. All of the above and/or below answers
Answer: D. All of the above and/or below answers
,3. Only one of the following is not a required item in a notary public's journal.
Which one is it?
A. The county in which each signer presently resides
B. The date, time and type of each official act (e.g., acknowledgment, jurat)
C. The signature of each person whose signature is being notarized
D. The character of every instrument sworn to, affirmed, acknowledged or
proved before the notary public (e.g., deed of trust)
Answer: A. The county in which each signer presently resides
4. A notary public who holds himself or herself out as being an immigration
specialist, immigration consultant or any other title or description reflecting
an expertise in immigration matters shall not:
A. assist in entering data, provided by the client, on immigration forms provid-
ed by a federal or state agency
B. charge any fees for notarial services in relation to immigration documents
C. advertise in any manner whatsoever that he or she is a notary public
D. act in the capacity of a notary public
Answer: C. advertise in any manner whatsoever that he or she is a notary public
5. Suppose that you are notarizing a document for a friend who you have
known since childhood. Which of the following is not necessary to include in
the journal:
A. The serial number of an identifying document presented
B. Notary fee (since you are not going2 / to
11
charge your friend)
C. A form of ID (since you know the person)
D. The length of time you have known your friend
Answer: D. The length of time you have known your friend
6. In almost all of the notarial certificates the notary public completes, there
will be a venue heading such as "State of California, County of ."
The county named is
, A. where the notary's oath and bond are on file
B. the notary's official business address
C. where the signer appeared personally before the notary
D. the notary's geographical jurisdiction
Answer: C. where the signer appeared person- ally before the notary
7. Inmate identification is an acceptable form of identification for proof of
the identity of a credible witness or an individual who executes a written
instrument provided
A. (**) The inmate is in custody in a local detention facility.
B. Both (*) and (**)
C. None of the above and/or below answers
D. (*) The inmate identification is current or has been issued within 5 years by
a sheriff's department
Answer: B. Both (*) and (**)
8. An acknowledgment
A. proves that the signer signed the document in the presence of the notary
public
B. proves that the signer personally appeared before the notary public and
acknowledged signing the document
C. proves that the signer acknowledged signing the document
D. proves that the signer personally appeared before the notary public
Answer: B.
proves that the signer personally appeared before the notary public and acknowl-
edged signing the document
9. An oath administered a notary public
A. never makes reference to a supreme being
B. has only a single acceptable wording defined by by law
C. must make reference to a supreme being
D. may use the wording "under penalty of perjury"
Answer: D. may use the wording "under penalty of perjury"
Contains Questions with Verified Answers
Passing Score: 94.67%.
The exam consists of 45 multiple-choice questions & Possible Questions to be Tested
1. If your oath and bond are not filed within the time limit for qualifying, which
of the following apply?
A. You must retake the six hour training notary training course
B. You may pay a $20 late processing fee in the case of delay beyond your
control including but not limited to mail service delays and county clerk mail
processing delays
C. Your commission is no longer valid and you must apply for another one
D. You must pay a $20 late processing fee to proceed with the application
Answer: C. Your commission is no longer valid and you must apply for another
one
2. Suppose a subscribing witness brings you a document to be notarized
and is then placed under oath. Which of the following must be said by the
subscribing witness?
A. The principal asked the subscribing witness to sign the document as
a witness and actually signed
B. The subscribing witness either saw the principal sign the document OR
heard the principal acknowledge that they signed the document
C. The principal signer is the person described in the document and the
subscribing witness personally knows the principal
D. All of the above and/or below answers
Answer: D. All of the above and/or below answers
,3. Only one of the following is not a required item in a notary public's journal.
Which one is it?
A. The county in which each signer presently resides
B. The date, time and type of each official act (e.g., acknowledgment, jurat)
C. The signature of each person whose signature is being notarized
D. The character of every instrument sworn to, affirmed, acknowledged or
proved before the notary public (e.g., deed of trust)
Answer: A. The county in which each signer presently resides
4. A notary public who holds himself or herself out as being an immigration
specialist, immigration consultant or any other title or description reflecting
an expertise in immigration matters shall not:
A. assist in entering data, provided by the client, on immigration forms provid-
ed by a federal or state agency
B. charge any fees for notarial services in relation to immigration documents
C. advertise in any manner whatsoever that he or she is a notary public
D. act in the capacity of a notary public
Answer: C. advertise in any manner whatsoever that he or she is a notary public
5. Suppose that you are notarizing a document for a friend who you have
known since childhood. Which of the following is not necessary to include in
the journal:
A. The serial number of an identifying document presented
B. Notary fee (since you are not going2 / to
11
charge your friend)
C. A form of ID (since you know the person)
D. The length of time you have known your friend
Answer: D. The length of time you have known your friend
6. In almost all of the notarial certificates the notary public completes, there
will be a venue heading such as "State of California, County of ."
The county named is
, A. where the notary's oath and bond are on file
B. the notary's official business address
C. where the signer appeared personally before the notary
D. the notary's geographical jurisdiction
Answer: C. where the signer appeared person- ally before the notary
7. Inmate identification is an acceptable form of identification for proof of
the identity of a credible witness or an individual who executes a written
instrument provided
A. (**) The inmate is in custody in a local detention facility.
B. Both (*) and (**)
C. None of the above and/or below answers
D. (*) The inmate identification is current or has been issued within 5 years by
a sheriff's department
Answer: B. Both (*) and (**)
8. An acknowledgment
A. proves that the signer signed the document in the presence of the notary
public
B. proves that the signer personally appeared before the notary public and
acknowledged signing the document
C. proves that the signer acknowledged signing the document
D. proves that the signer personally appeared before the notary public
Answer: B.
proves that the signer personally appeared before the notary public and acknowl-
edged signing the document
9. An oath administered a notary public
A. never makes reference to a supreme being
B. has only a single acceptable wording defined by by law
C. must make reference to a supreme being
D. may use the wording "under penalty of perjury"
Answer: D. may use the wording "under penalty of perjury"
