Every person appointed as a notary public shall:
- be 18 years of age or older (there is no maximum age set by statute)
- be a legal California resident
- complete a course of study approved by the Secretary of State
- satisfactorily complete and pass a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State
- clear a background check
- (Government Code section 8201.)
Child Support
- Applicants found to be non-compliant with child or family support orders will be issued temporary term notary public commissions.
- Notaries public found to be non-compliant after the notary public commission is issued may be subject to commission suspension or revocation. (Family Code section 17520.)
Background Check
- State law requires all applicants be fingerprinted as part of a background check prior to being granted an appointment as a notary public.
- Information concerning the fingerprinting requirement will be mailed to applicants who pass the examination.
Convictions
- All applicants are required to disclose on their application any arrests for which trial is pending and all convictions:
- Conviction of a felony where not less than 10 years have passed since the completion of probation;
- Conviction of a disqualifying misdemeanor (involving moral turpitude) where not less than 5 years have passed since the completion of probation.
- Convictions dismissed under Penal Code section 1203.4 or 1203.4a must be disclosed.
- If you have any questions concerning the disclosure of convictions or arrests, contact the Secretary of State prior to signing the application.
The Secretary of State will recommend denial of an application for the following reasons:
- Failure to disclose any arrest or conviction;
- Conviction of a felony where not less than 10 years have passed since the completion of probation;
- Conviction of a disqualifying misdemeanor where not less than 5 years have passed since the completion of probation; or
- A determination that the facts of a particular case warrant denial, such as the nature and severity of the act or the presence of aggravating factors.
For additional information, please review the Disciplinary Guidelines.
For a list of Disqualifying Convictions on the SOS website.
