California mobile notary guide
How to Become a Notary in California and Work as a Mobile Notary
How to become a notary in California: the short answer
You must be at least 18, a legal California resident, complete a six-hour state-approved course, pass the state exam with a score of 70 or more, and clear a Live Scan background check. The state exam and application fee is $40. You then file a $15,000 bond and your oath with the county clerk within 30 days. Fees are capped at $15 per signature.
California mobile notary rules at a glance
| Rule | California |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment fee cap | Up to $15 for each signature taken on an acknowledgment or proof, including the seal and certificate[1] |
| Jurat fee cap | Up to $15 to give an oath or affirmation to one person and complete the jurat, including the seal[1] |
| Travel fee | California law sets no travel fee. Government Code 8211 caps only the notarial act. Agree any travel charge with the signer before the appointment and record it separately in your journal.[2] |
| Commission term | 4 years[3] |
| Bond | $15,000 official surety bond, filed with your oath at the county clerk within 30 days[3] |
| Training | Required: six-hour Secretary of State approved course (three-hour refresher for timely renewals)[3] |
| Exam | Required: written state exam, 70 or more to pass[3] |
| Journal required | Yes, for every official act |
| Remote online notarization | Not authorized[4] |
How to become a mobile notary in California
First, check you qualify. California requires that you are:
- At least 18 years old[5]
- A legal resident of California at the time of appointment[5]
- Complete a six-hour course approved by the Secretary of State (a three-hour refresher if you renew before your commission expires)[6]
- Pass the written state exam with a score of 70 or more[7]
- Clear a California DOJ and FBI background check through Live Scan fingerprinting[8]
- Disclose every conviction and any arrest with a trial pending on the application[9]
Then follow these steps.
- Take the six-hour approved courseChoose a vendor from the Secretary of State's approved list. Your Proof of Completion certificate is valid for two years, so pass the exam before it expires.[6]
- Register for the state examExams are run by CPS HR Consulting. Register at notary.cpshr.us or by phone at (916) 263-3520.[10]
- Sit the examBring photo ID, your completed application, a 2x2 color passport photo, your course certificate, your registration letter, and a check or money order. You need 70 or more to pass, and you can retake it once per calendar month.[7]
$40 exam and application fee ($20 to retake) - Get Live Scan fingerprintsAfter you pass, submit fingerprints through the DOJ Live Scan program within one year of the exam date. The commission is not issued until the DOJ and FBI report comes back.[8]
Processing fee plus a rolling fee set by the Live Scan site - Buy your seal and journalYour commission packet includes a certificate of authorization to order a seal from a licensed manufacturer. The seal must show your name, the State Seal, your county, commission number and expiration date.[11]
- File your oath and $15,000 bondFile both with the county clerk where your principal place of business is, within 30 calendar days of the commission start date. This deadline cannot be extended, and the commission does not take effect until you file.[12]
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 fifteen dollars ($15) for each signature taken.
What it costs to get commissioned in California
These are the amounts the state sets. Bond, training and supply prices vary by vendor, so we list the legal requirement rather than a price.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Exam and application processing fee | $40[7] |
| Exam retake | $20[13] |
| Notary bond (legal amount, not the premium) | $15,000[14] |
| Live Scan fingerprinting | Set by the Live Scan site[8] |
| Duplicate commission certificate | $10[13] |
| Apostille | $20 per apostille[15] |
How much can a mobile notary charge in California?
The notarial fee itself is capped at $15 per signature for an acknowledgment and $15 for an oath with jurat. Anything on top for a mobile visit is a travel charge you agree with the client in advance and list separately; California law sets no figure for it.
| Notarial act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment | Up to $15 for each signature taken on an acknowledgment or proof, including the seal and certificate[1] |
| Jurat | Up to $15 to give an oath or affirmation to one person and complete the jurat, including the seal[1] |
| Oath or affirmation | Up to $15 per person. In California the oath and the jurat are one combined $15 charge, not two[1] |
| Copy certification | Only a copy of a power of attorney (Probate Code 4307) can be certified, up to $15[1] |
| Deposition, all services | $30, plus $7 to swear the witness and $7 for the certificate |
| Vote by mail ballot envelopes and other voting materials | No fee allowed |
| Veteran pension or benefit claims | No fee allowed (Government Code 6107) |
| Remote online notarization | Online notarization, once it is live: up to $30 per signature for an acknowledgment and $30 for an oath with jurat. California notaries cannot perform online notarization yet.[16] |
Travel fees in California
California sets no travel fee. Government Code 8211 caps only the notarial act, at $15 per signature for an acknowledgment and $15 for an oath with jurat. The Secretary of State handbook says travel fees, if any, should be identified separately in the journal. Agree the travel charge with the signer before you go and never fold it into the notarial fee.[2]
Price a signing in California with the fee calculator, which uses these caps.
If the document to be notarized is a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, or other document affecting real property, or a power of attorney document, the notary public shall require the party signing the document to place his or her right thumbprint in the journal.
Journal, ID and seal rules for mobile work
Journal
Keep one active sequential journal at a time, in a locked and secured area. Each entry records the date, time and type of act, the type of document, the signer's signature, how identity was proven (with the ID details or credible witness details), and the fee charged. For a deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust, other real property document, or power of attorney, the signer must leave a right thumbprint in the journal. A lost or stolen journal must be reported to the Secretary of State.[17]
Need one? Our free printable notary journal has a column for every field most states ask for.
Identifying the signer
Identity must be proven by satisfactory evidence (Civil Code 1185). That means a current ID or one issued within 5 years, such as a California driver's license or ID card or a US passport; certain other photo IDs with a description, signature and number, such as another state's driver's license or a US military ID; or the oath of one credible witness the notary knows, or of two credible witnesses with ID.[11]
Seal or stamp
A seal is required. It must show your name, the State Seal, the words Notary Public, the county where your bond and oath are filed, your commission expiration date, and your commission and manufacturer ID numbers. It must be kept locked and stays with you, not your employer.[1]
No, California law requires a person to appear personally before a notary public to obtain notarial acts like acknowledgments or jurats. This means the party must be physically present before the notary public.
Working as a loan signing agent in California
California has no separate license or registration for notary signing agents. You work under your regular notary commission, so the $15 per signature cap, the journal entry, and the right thumbprint rule for deeds, deeds of trust and other real property documents apply at every loan signing. The Secretary of State's qualification list contains nothing extra for signing agents.[9][17]
Remote online notarization in California
Not yet. The Online Notarization Act (SB 696) is law, but it only takes effect when the Secretary of State finishes its technology project or on January 1, 2030, whichever comes first. Until then signers must appear in person. Once live, online notaries must register, carry a $25,000 bond, and may charge up to $30 per signature.[4]
Apostilles and authentications
Clients often ask a mobile notary about apostilles. A notary does not issue them. In California, the office that does is the California Secretary of State, Notary Public Section (Sacramento and Los Angeles), and the fee is $20 per apostille, plus $6 special handling per official's signature for in-person requests.[15] Mail requests go to the Sacramento office only, with the original notarized document, a cover sheet naming the destination country, the fee, and a return envelope. Same-day service is available in person in Sacramento, Los Angeles and at pop-up events.
Mistakes that get California notaries in trouble
- Charging more than $15 per signature, or hiding travel inside the notarial fee, is grounds to refuse, suspend or revoke a commission under Government Code 8214.1(h).
- Skipping the right thumbprint for a deed, deed of trust, other real property document or power of attorney breaks Government Code 8206.
- Missing the 30 day window to file your oath and $15,000 bond with the county clerk means the commission never takes effect, and the window cannot be extended.
- Leaving your seal or journal unlocked: willful failure to keep them secure is a misdemeanor under Government Code 8228.1.
- Offering remote online notarization: California notaries cannot do it until the Online Notarization Act becomes operative.
Watch: California notary basics
How to Become a Notary in California | NNA, from National Notary Association. State specific walkthrough of the California commission steps from the national notary association.
How to Become a Notary Signing Agent, from National Notary Association. Explains the signing agent path that most California mobile notaries add after commissioning.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to become a notary in California?
The state charges a $40 exam and application processing fee, or $20 to retake the exam. You also pay a Live Scan fingerprint fee set by the site, the price of a six-hour approved course, a $15,000 surety bond, a seal and a journal. Those last items are set by vendors, not the state, so prices vary. You must file the bond and oath with your county clerk within 30 days.
Is the CA notary exam hard?
You need a score of 70 or more to pass. The Secretary of State recommends studying the Notary Public Handbook first, and the six-hour approved course covers the same laws. Results arrive about 15 business days later. If you fail, you get a retake voucher, pay $20, and can sit the exam again, but not more than once in the same calendar month.
How much money does a notary make in California?
There is no official earnings figure. What the law does set is the maximum fee per act: $15 for each signature on an acknowledgment and $15 for an oath with jurat. Mobile notaries can add a travel charge agreed with the client in advance, and that amount is not set by law. Your income depends on how many signings you do and what you charge for travel.
Is it worth being a notary in California?
It depends on your goals. Startup costs are modest: $40 to the state plus a course, fingerprints, bond, seal and journal. In return you can charge up to $15 per signature and set your own travel fee. The duties are strict, including a thumbprint for real property documents and a locked journal, and overcharging can cost you your commission.
Can you become a notary in California online?
Partly. Course vendors are approved by the Secretary of State, so check the approved vendor list for the format you want. The exam is not online: you sit it at an exam site run by CPS HR Consulting and pay by check or money order. Fingerprints are taken in person at a Live Scan site, and the oath and bond are filed with the county clerk.
How do I become a mobile notary in California?
There is no separate mobile notary license. Get your regular commission first: course, exam, Live Scan, then file your oath and $15,000 bond within 30 days. After that you can travel to signers. Charge no more than $15 per signature for the notarial act, agree any travel fee in advance, and record it separately in your journal.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from one of these official pages. We read them on October 1, 2026.
- California Government Code 8211. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Notary Public Handbook (January 2026), Fees. notary.cdn.sos.ca.gov
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Secretary of State, Notary FAQs. sos.ca.gov
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- Take the six-hour approved course. sos.ca.gov
- Sit the exam. sos.ca.gov
- Get Live Scan fingerprints. sos.ca.gov
- California SOS, Requirements to Become a Notary Public. sos.ca.gov
- Register for the state exam. sos.ca.gov
- Buy your seal and journal. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- File your oath and $15,000 bond. sos.ca.gov
- Forms, Services and Fees. sos.ca.gov
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- Request an Apostille. sos.ca.gov
- Government Code 8231.9, Online notarization fees. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Government Code 8206 (journal). leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
Junaid runs Ertiqah LLC and edits this site. He is not a notary or a lawyer. His job here is narrow: read the statute and the Secretary of State page for each rule, quote it, and link it, so you can check every number yourself. How we check facts.
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