California Notary Practice Exam 2024

If you plan to become a notary public in California, you’ll need to take the California Notary Practice Exam 2024 . This free test simulator has 45 questions, and you have 60 minutes to complete this test. Keep in mind this test does not contain exactly the same questions you will have on your exam (this is against the law), but they are very similar. The passing score for this test is 70%. If you have 80%+ you will very likely pass the actual exam. If you score bellow 70% we suggest to review “Notary Public Handbook.” Good Luck!

When presented with a scenario, determine who the Notary is in the scenario. Select the “best” answer.
If you are having difficulty finding the “correct” answer, use a process of elimination and select the “best” answer.
If you are not 100% sure of the answer, skip it for now. Sometimes the test itself will help you answer the question. Be sure to come back and answer the question. Remember an unanswered question is a 100% wrong answer; a wild guess has a 25% chance of being the correct answer.
Select the most whole and complete answer, which can stand on its own.

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California Notary Practice Exam 2024

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NOTARY PRACTICE TEST #1

Notary Exam - Practice Test

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1 / 45

A. John is a mobile Notary who visited the State Line resort on the border of California and Nevada. While on the California side, his friend Judy asked him to notarize three documents: one Acknowledgement and two Jurats. John performed the notarizations by notarizing the Acknowledgment and administering an oath for both Jurats. Which of the following is true.

A. John faces a fine of $750.

B. Judy must personally know John because she is going under oath.

C. John followed the law by completing the notarizations on the California side of the border.

D. John may fill out one Jurat certificate for both documents.

2 / 45

B. A notary public in California is asked to notarize a document written in a foreign language that the notary does not understand. What is the appropriate action?

A. Find an interpreter to assist with the notarization

B. Refuse to notarize the document

C. Use a translation app to understand the document and then notarize

D. Proceed with the notarization if the notary can communicate with the signer in a common language

3 / 45

C. Wilma is asked by her father, who is also her employer, to notarize a Grant Deed, in which Wilma is named as a grantee.

A. Wilma must notarize the document in the authorized capacity of an employee.

B. Wilma may not notarize.

C. Wilma may not notarize the document because she is a relative.

D. Wilma must include fingerprints in the journal because the document is a Deed.

4 / 45

D. What is an acceptable form of identification for a notary public to use in verifying a signer’s identity in California?

A. A temporary driver’s license without a photograph

B. A social security card

C. A birth certificate

D. A valid passport issued by a foreign government

5 / 45

E. Marissa recently moved from San Diego county to Orange County. Which of the following is true.

A. File a change of address to avoid a $500 fine.

B. Get a new notary seal.

C. She must file a new oath and bond at the at Orange County Clerk’s office.

D. File a change of address to avoid a $750 fine.

6 / 45

F. Mark is a notary appointed to an air force base. While visiting his family in Sacramento, he’s asked to notarize an Arizona Deed of Trust by his Father. Which of the following is true:

A. Mark cannot notarize.

B. Mark cannot notarize because the document signer is his direct relation.

C. Mark cannot notarize because the document is from another state

D. Mark cannot notarize because he is not in the same county as his commission

7 / 45

G. Virginia has taken the notary class online and just passed her notary test with a score of 70%. She now has 30 days to:

A. Take her oath of office at the County Clerk’s Office.

B. Buy a $15,000 surety bond.

C. Re-take her test until she receives a score of 75%.

D. None of the above.

8 / 45

H. What is the primary purpose of a notary public’s journal entry for each notarial act performed?

A. To provide legal advice to the signer

B. To create a permanent, chronological record

C. To determine the fees to be charged

D. To advertise the notary’s services

9 / 45

I. When performing a copy certification, what must the notary public ensure about the document being copied?

A. It is a publicly recorded document

B. It is an original document

C. It is a translated document

D. It is a legal document

10 / 45

J. Felicia is called to notarize a document at a nursing home, where she meets Carlton, the document signer. He is unable to sign his own name and therefore says he has brought his daughter and granddaughter to act as the Subscribing Witness and Credible Witness respectfully. How shall Felicia proceed?

A. Require an ID from Carlton’s daughter.

B. None of the above

C. Require Carlton sign the Proof of Execution by Subscribing Witness form.

D. Refuse because the Carlton’s granddaughter is under 18 years of age

11 / 45

K. What is a credible identifying witness, and when might a notary public in California use one?

A. A person who vouches for the signer but is unknown to the notary

B. A person who provides a written statement about the signer’s identity

C. A person known to the notary and who has identification, used when the signer has no identification

D. A person known to both the notary and the signer, used when the signer has no identification

12 / 45

L. What is the minimum age requirement to become a notary public in California?

A. 25 years

B. 16 years

C. 18 years

D. 21 years

13 / 45

M. The Venue:

A. The State and County where the notary has filed his or her bond and oath.

B. The State and County where the notary preformed the oath or affirmation, or where the notary required the signer to acknowledge that they signed the document.

C. The State and County where the document was signed.

D. Is the State and County where the document was drawn.

14 / 45

N. Sally, a California notary, is asked to notarize a document, but upon review, she notices she cannot stamp her notary seal onto the document. What is the document Sally is asked to Notarize.

A. Grand Deed

B. Circulator’s Affidavit or other Voting Documen

C. California Subdivision Map

D. Hard Copy of a California Driver License

15 / 45

O. When a Notary moves to a new county, he must:

A. Inform his client base of his new location.

B. Refile his oath and bond in his new county and obtain a new seal.

C. Update his address with the county recorder’s office.

D. Inform the SOS of his new address.

16 / 45

P. When identifying the signer and there is no indication that the any of the information, evidence, names or physical description would lead a reasonable person to believe that
the signer is not who he or she claims to be or that the document was forged, translated or miss-represents the signer’s legal obligation, how should the notary proceed:

A. The notary should indicate the current residing county in the venue.

B. The notary should refuse to notarize.

C. The notary must indicate the signer’s physical description in the journal.

D. The notary may ask the signer to return with different identification.

17 / 45

Q. The $15,000 surety bond

A. Provides a limited fund to reimburse members of the public who are damaged by notarial misconduct.

B. Limits the maximum amount of recoverable monetary award against a notary in a civil lawsuit.

C. Must be obtained from a licensed insurance company.

D. Must be filed with the CA Secretary of State.

18 / 45

R. Jimmisha brings a document to Mr. Singh, a notary public. Mr. Singh will mark in his journal that he performed a Jurat. What identifying wording did she rely on?

A. “Acknowledged to me..."

B. "Personally appeared”

C. “Do you swear or affirm that the statements in this document are true?”

D. Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me”

19 / 45

S. Bill brings a document to be acknowledged before a Notary Public. The Notary Public certifies on the Acknowledgment form to all of the following, except

A. That Bill acknowledged executing the document to the Notary.

B. That the signer personally appeared before the notary public.

C. “Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me”.

D. The county and to the identity of the signer.

20 / 45

T. When performing a Jurat, what must the notary public do in addition to administering an oath or affirmation?

A. Have the signer sign the document in their presence

B. Provide legal advice on the document’s content

C. Ensure the document is complete and accurate

D. Verify the signer’s identity using personal knowledge

21 / 45

U. Fred met his brother Steve, a California notary, to have his Grand Deed notarized for his and his wife’s property in Mexico. Fred came alone, even though both he and his wife signed the document. Fred’s ID was issued 6 years ago but is expired. Can Steve preform the notary?

A. No, because the Grand Deed includes Fred’s wife’s signature

B. Yes, because the Mexican document is currently within California state lines

C. No, because Fred’s only ID is expired and issued over 5 years ago.

D. Yes, because Fred and Steve are long time friends.

22 / 45

V. Which of the following procedures may not be used for a “Proof of Execution by a Subscribing Witness”?

A. If Jake arranges with a notary over the phone to have a Subscribing Witness appear before the notary.

B. f Jake has signed the document but cannot appear before the notary.

C. If the Credible Witness personally knows the Notary and personally knows the Subscribing Witness, who personally knows the document signer.

D. If Jake has signed the document and swears under oath to a Subscribing Witness that he is the document principal.

23 / 45

W. Nat Notary is presented with a written request for a copy of a line item in her journal; for a Notarization she did a few months back. It contains all the information necessary to provide the copy. How long does Nat Notary have to provide a photostatic copy?

A. 30 calendar days

B. 15 calendar days

C. 30 business days

D. 15 business days

24 / 45

X. What is the required amount of the surety bond that a California notary public must maintain during their commission?

A. $10,000

B. $20,000

C. $5,000

D. $15,000

25 / 45

Y. Sandra is a notary and a qualified and bonded immigration specialist. How much can Sandra charge to help one individual complete immigration forms?

A. $5 for the oath and $5 for the certificate

B. Sandra may not give legal advice or tell people how to fill out any documents.

C. None of the above.

D. $15

26 / 45

Z. In California, what is the maximum fee a notary public can charge for administering an oath or affirmation?

A. $10

B. $5

C. $20

D. $15

27 / 45

AA. Samuel introduces himself to a local notary and presents a paper identification, but it is expired and issued 7 years ago. The notary refuses to notarize because the paper identification document is not valid. So Samuel returns to the notary and introduces his wife, Cynthia, who has a valid Military ID card. How should the notary proceed?

A. Require the military ID contain a signature before accepting.

B. Place both Samuel and Cynthia in the journal.

C. Notarize using Cynthia as a credible witness.

D. None of the above.

28 / 45

AB. If a notary public in California changes their address, how many days do they have to notify the Secretary of State of the change?

A. 30 DAYS

B. 10 DAYS

C. 20 DAYS

D. 40 DAYS

29 / 45

AC. What is the penalty for notary execution of any certificate on a deed, containing a statement known to the notary public to be false?

A. 10000$

B. 2500$

C. 750$

D. 1500$

30 / 45

AD. Linda, a close friend of Mary, a notary public, brings in a document to be notarized that is incomplete. What should Mary do?

A. The notary public should decline and advise the person requesting the notarization to consult a member of the California State Bar.

B. Refuse to notarize the document.

C. Make copies and enter into his/her notary public journal

D. None of the above.

31 / 45

AE. Which document must a notary notarize for free?

A. A veteran’s will.

B. A document relating to nomination for public office.

C. A veteran’s spouse’s benefit documents.

D. A veteran’s Deed of Reconveyance.

32 / 45

AF. When certifying a copy of a Power of Attorney…

A. If an attorney recommends that the document be notarized, a notary public may do so

B. The notary public must either witness the signer sign the document or require the signer acknowledge they signed the document.

C. None of the above.

D. The notary must certify the copy, according to probate law.

33 / 45

AG. When accepting an ID card from another state, the ID card must have the following:

A. a signature, identifying number, physical description and photograph

B. a signature, identifying number and physical description

C. a physical description, photograph and signature

D. a photograph, signature, identifying number and birth date

34 / 45

AH. Fernando has been a notary, employed by his company for 30 years. He recently retired, therefore, he must

A. b.Take the journal to the County Clerk’s office where his oath and bond are filed.

B. a.Destroy the notary seal.

C. None of the above.

D. Both a & b

35 / 45

AI. Maria, a Spanish speaking notary, wants to advertise to the Spanish speaking community. She creates a sign that reads, “Notario Publico,” followed by the term, “I am not an attorney and therefore cannot give legal advice on immigration matters or any other legal matters,” both in English and Spanish. Which of the following is true

A. Maria has included the required legal disclaimer.

B. Maria will have her notary licensed revoked.

C. Maria will face a fine of $1,500.

D. Maria will face a fine of $1,000 for giving legal advice.

36 / 45

AJ. Bob, a California notary, is given a Vietnamese document, which he cannot read. Which of the following is true:

A. Bob must include the title of the document in the official Notary journal

B. Bob must refuse the notarization.

C. Bob must ask the signer to translate the document.

D. Bob must make sure the document is complete.

37 / 45

AK. Joe is asked by his employer Kristen, a loan officer, to explain the terms of the loan document to the client, including the interest rate, the length of the loan and the mortgage payments. Which of the following is true.

A. Joe must indicate the document’s date in the journal

B. Joe may not notarize the document.

C. If Joe complies, he will be fined $1,000

D. Kristen has just committed a misdemeanor.

38 / 45

AL. Kelly is a notary and also an escrow officer; she earns a bonus from her company for processing the sale of a property for one of the clients. She may:

A. Notarize the document, only if she declines the bonus.

B. Not notarize the document under any circumstances.

C. Notarize the document involving this transaction.

D. Refer another notary who has no financial interest in the document.

39 / 45

AM. If by review of your journal it is discovered that you failed to obtain a thumbprint from the signer for a deed of trust, what would the financial penalty be?

A. 2500$

B. 1500$

C. 750$

D. 10000$

40 / 45

AN. In the following form, what goes after the words “personally appeared”?

Ackn image

A. The name of the signer exactly as it appears on their ID.

B. The name of the notary public.

C. The names of both signers plus their authorized capacity.

D. The name of the signer exactly as it appears on the document.

41 / 45

AO. A notary public in California realizes they have overcharged a client for a notarization. What is the appropriate action for the notary to take?

A. Keep the extra fee as a tip

B. Offer a discount on a future notarization

C. Refund the overcharged amount to the client

D. Donate the overcharged amount to charity

42 / 45

AP. A notary public in California is asked to notarize a document but realizes that the signer is under duress. What is the appropriate action for the notary to take?

A. Charge a higher fee due to the complexity of the situation

B. Refuse to notarize the document and document the incident

C. Ask the signer to return at a later time without the person exerting duress

D. Proceed with the notarization as long as the signer provides proper identification

43 / 45

AQ. What type of notarial act requires the notary public to ensure that the signer is willingly and knowingly executing the document?

A. Jurat

B. Copy Certification

C. Protest

D. Acknowledgment

44 / 45

AR. Timothy is a notary, but is also gaining a direct financial compensation from the transaction. Timothy is therefore a

A. Real estate agent

B. Employee

C. Vendor

D. None of the above

45 / 45

AS. The California Notary’s stamp does not include

A. The vendor’s identification number

B. The Notary's commission expiration date.

C. The county of Notary's residence

D. The Notary’s identification number.

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FEES/PENATIES

Notary Exam - FEES and PENALTIES

This is a small test will help you to memorize fees and penalties for notary public in California.

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1 / 25

A. What is the maximum fee for administering an oath or affirmation to one person?

A. $20

B. $5

C. $15

D. $20

2 / 25

B. What is the maximum fee for Acknowledgment?

A. $15

B. $20

C. $5

D. $10

3 / 25

C. For administering the oath to the witness the sum of:

A. $20

B. $15

C. $7

D. $10

4 / 25

D. What is the required amount for the official bond that every notary public must file in California?

A. $20,000

B. $15,000

C. $10,000

D. $5,000

California law requires every notary public to fle an ofcial bond in the amount of $15,000.

5 / 25

E. If you are a notary public seeking reappointment and took an approved six-hour education course, you must attach a current proof of completion certificate to a
new application, along with a 2” x 2” color passport photo of yourself and a check for:

A. $15

B. $20

C. #25

D. $10

6 / 25

F. Every person appointed a notary public shall execute an official bond in the sum:

A. $15,000

B. $30,000

C. $25,000

D. $10,000

7 / 25

G. Willful failure to notify the Secretary of State of a change of address shall be punishable as an infraction by a fine of:

A. $1,000

B. $750

C. $1,500

D. $500

8 / 25

H. The maximum fee for Jurat is:

A. $20

B. $10

C. $5

D. $15

9 / 25

I. For the certificate to the deposition sum is:

A. $7

B. $20

C. $10

D. $15

10 / 25

J. A notary public who willfully fails to provide access to the sequential journal of notarial acts when requested by a peace officer shall be subject to a civil penalty to;

A. $500

B. $2,500

C. $1,000

D. $750

11 / 25

K. What is the fine for willfully failing to notify the Secretary of State of a name change?

A. $1,000

B. $500

C. $750

D. $1,500

12 / 25

L. . What is the maximum fee for certifying a copy of a power of attorney?

A. $30

B. $10

C. $15

D. $25

13 / 25

M. The maximum fee for Veteran’s Benefits is:

A. $10

B. $0

C. $15

D. $5

14 / 25

N. The maximum fee for Voting Materials is:

A. $10

B. $5

C. $15

D. $0

15 / 25

O. What penalty may be imposed on a person who knowingly files a false or forged document affecting real property consisting of a single-family residence with the county recorder?

A. $75,000

B. $1,000

C. $1,500

D. $2,500

16 / 25

P. For taking an acknowledgment or proof of a deed, or other instrument, to include the seal and the writing of the certificate, the sum of:

A. $15

B. $10

C. $7

D. $5

17 / 25

Q. The maximum fee for Powers of Attorney is:

A. $15

B. $10

C. $5

D. $20

18 / 25

R. What is the maximum fee for all services rendered in connection with taking a deposition?

A. $45

B. $50

C. $15

D. $30

19 / 25

S. The notary public who willfully states as true any material fact known to be false is subject to a civil penalty is:

A. $1,000

B. $10,000

C. $2,500

D. $1,500

20 / 25

T. What is the maximum civil penalty for a provider of notary public education who violates regulations adopted by the Secretary of State for approved vendors?

A. $750

B. $1,000

C. $1,500

D. $500

21 / 25

U. What is the maximum civil penalty a notary public may face for willfully stating as true any material fact that they know to be false?

A. $5,000

B. $7,000

C. $15,000

D. $10,000

22 / 25

V. The maximum fee for Immigration Forms is:

A. $15

B. $30

C. $150

D. $50

23 / 25

W. Max fee for photocopy of journal entry per page is:

A. $10

B. $0,30

C. $0

D. $5

24 / 25

X. For administering an oath or affirmation to one person and executing the jurat, including the seal, the sum of:

A. $5

B. $25

C. $10

D. $15

25 / 25

Y. What is the maximum civil penalty for a notary public who willfully states as true any material fact known to be false in a certificate of acknowledgment?

A. $15,000

B. $7,500

C. $10,000

D. $5,000

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California Notary Practice Exam 2024

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