Attached below is text from the California Notary Public Handbook.
It is for my personal reference only. If you want to view the official online copy, go here:
http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/notary/notary_2003hdbk.htm#sos
Table of Contents

General Information
Appointment and Qualifications
Notary Seal
Notary Records
Acknowledgments
Jurat
Subscribing Witness
Signature by Mark
Powers of Attorney - Certifying
Notarization of Incomplete Documents
Certified Copies
Wills
Illegal Advertising
Immigration Documents
Confidential Marriages
Grounds for Denial, Revocation, or Suspension of
Appointment and Commission
Disciplinary Guidelines
Important Issues and Information
Common Questions and Answers
Government Code
Civil Code
Code of Civil Procedure
Business and Professions Code
Elections Code
Uniform Commercial Code
Probate Code
Penal Code

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General Information
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Appointment and Qualifications

In order to qualify to become a notary public you must:
be a resident of the State of California;

be at least 18 years of age;

pass a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State;

be able to read, write, and understand English; and

Pass a background check.

To determine if a person meets the requirements to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, a completed application shall be submitted at the examination site. The application is forwarded to the Office of the Secretary of State and reviewed by Secretary of State staff for qualifying information. Once an applicant has passed the examination, the applicant will be required to have his/her fingerprints submitted via live scan as part of a thorough background check. Commissioned notaries seeking reappointment with less than a six-month break in service are not required to have their fingerprints retaken. Those applicants who have held a notary public commission in the past, but have had a break in their commission of more than six months, are required to have their fingerprints submitted via live scan.

Requirements and Time Limit for Qualifying
Once the commission has been issued, a person has 30 calendar days to take, subscribe, and file an oath of office and file a $15,000 surety bond with the county clerk's office. The commission does not take effect until the oath and bond are filed with the county clerk's office. The filing must take place in the county where the notary maintains his or her principal place of business as shown in the application on file with the Secretary of State. If the oath and bond are not filed within the 30-calendar-day time period, the commission will not be valid, and the person commissioned may not act as a notary public until a new appointment is obtained and the person has properly qualified within the 30-calendar-day time limit. Government Code Section 8213(a) permits the mailing of completed oaths and bonds to the applicable county clerk for filing of the initial oath and bond. It should be noted that exceptions to the 30-day filing requirement are not made due to mail service or county clerk mail processing delays or for any other reason. If mailing an oath and bond to the county clerk, sufficient time must be allowed by the newly commissioned notary to ensure timely filing. (Government Code Sections 8212 and 8213)

Notary Public Bonds
In order to provide some protection to the public, California law requires that notaries public be bonded. It is important to note that the notary bond is not an insurance policy for the notary. It is designed only to provide a limited fund for paying claims against the notary. The notary remains personally liable to the full extent of the damage sustained and may be required to reimburse the bonding company for sums paid by the company because of misconduct or negligence of the notary public. (Government Code Section 8214)

Geographic Jurisdiction
A notary public can provide notarial services throughout the State of California. A notary public is not limited to providing services only in the county where the oath and bond are on file. In virtually all of the certificates the notary is called on to complete, there will be a venue heading such as "State of California, County of ." The county named in the heading is the county where the signer personally appeared before the notary public and acknowledged signing the document. (Government Code Section 8200)

Acts Constituting the Practice of Law
(Inserted at the request of The State Bar of California)
California notaries are prohibited from performing any duties which may be construed as the unlawful practice of law. Among the acts which constitute the practice of law are the preparation, drafting, or selection or determination of the kind of any legal document, or giving advice with relation to any legal documents or matters. If asked to perform such tasks, a California notary should decline and refer the requester to an attorney.

Notary Seal

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Each notary public is required to have and to use a seal. The seal must be kept in a locked and secured area, under the direct and exclusive control of the notary and must not be surrendered to an employer upon termination of employment, whether or not the employer paid for the seal, or to any other person.
Because of the legal requirement that the seal be photographically reproducible, the rubber stamp seal has become all but universal; however, notaries may also use an embosser seal in addition to the rubber stamp. The legal requirements for a seal are shown below. (Government Code Section 8207)

It is photographically reproducible when it is affixed to a document.

It contains the State Seal and the words "Notary Public."

It contains the name of the notary public as shown on the commission.

It contains the name of the county where the oath of office and notary bond are on file.

It contains the expiration date of the notary public commission.

It contains the sequential identification number assigned to the notary as well as the identification number assigned to the manufacturer or vendor for every seal or stamp manufactured on or after January 1, 1992.

The seal has a serrated or milled edged border.
Many documents that are acknowledged may later be recorded. A document may not be accepted by the recorder if the notary seal is illegible. Notaries are cautioned to take care that the notary stamp leaves a clear impression. All the elements must be easily discernible. The seal should not be placed over signatures or any printed matter on the document. An illegible or improperly placed seal may result in rejection of the document for recordation and result in inconveniences and extra expenses for all those involved.

The law allows only one condition under which a notary may authenticate an official act without using an official notary seal. Because subdivision maps are usually drawn on a material that will not accept standard stamp pad ink and other acceptable inks are not as readily available, acknowledgments for California subdivision map certificates may be notarized without the official seal. The notary's name, the county of the notary's principal place of business, and the commission expiration date must be typed or printed below the notary's signature on the acknowledgment. (Government Code Section 66436(c))

A NOTARY PUBLIC SHALL NOT USE THE OFFICIAL SEAL
OR THE TITLE NOTARY PUBLIC FOR ANY PURPOSE
OTHER THAN THE RENDERING OF NOTARIAL SERVICE.
(Government Code Section 8207)

When the notary public commission is no longer valid, the notary public seal must be destroyed to protect the notary from possible fraudulent use by another.

Notary Records

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A notary public is required to keep one active sequential journal at a time of all acts performed as a notary public. The journal must be kept in a locked and secured area (such as a lock box or locked desk drawer), under the direct and exclusive control of the notary. The journal shall include the items shown below. (Government Code Section 8206(a))

Date, time and type of each official act (acknowledgment or jurat).

Character of every instrument acknowledged or proved before the notary (e.g. deed of trust)

The signature of each person whose signature is being notarized.

A statement as to whether the identity of a person making an acknowledgment was based on personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence. If identity was established by satisfactory evidence pursuant to Section 1185 of the Civil Code, then the journal shall contain the signature of the credible witness swearing or affirming to the identity of the individual or the type of identifying document, the governmental agency issuing the document, the serial or identifying number of the document, and the date of issue or expiration of the document(e.g., driver’s license, Department of Motor Vehicles, #X00000, 00/00/00.)

If the identity of the person making the acknowledgment was established by the oaths or affirmations of two credible witnesses whose identities are proven upon the presentation of satisfactory evidence, the type of identifying documents, the identifying numbers of the documents and the dates of issuance or expiration of the documents presented by the witnesses to establish their identity. (e.g., driver’s license, Department of Motor Vehicles, #X00000, 00/00/00.)

The fee charged for the notarial service.

If the document to be notarized is a deed, quitclaim deed, or deed of trust affecting real property, the notary public shall require the party signing the document to place his or her right thumbprint in the journal. If the right thumbprint is not available, then the notary shall have the party use his or her left thumb, or any available finger and shall so indicate in the journal. If the party signing the document is physically unable to provide a thumb or fingerprint, the notary shall so indicate in the journal and shall also provide an explanation of that physical condition.

If the sequential journal is stolen, lost, misplaced, destroyed, damaged, or otherwise rendered unusable, the notary public must immediately notify the Secretary of State by certified or registered mail. The notification must include the periods of journal entries, the notary public commission number, the commission expiration date, and, when applicable, a photocopy of the police report that lists the journal. (Government Code Section 8206(b))

A notary must provide a photostatic copy of a line item from his or her journal when provided with a written request from any member of the public which includes the name of the parties, the type of document, and the month and year in which the document was notarized. (Government Code Section 8206(c))

The sequential journal is the exclusive property of the notary public and shall not be surrendered to an employer upon termination of employment, whether or not the employer paid for the journal, or at any other time. The circumstances in which the notary public must relinquish the journal or permit inspection and copying of journal transactions and the procedures the notary public must follow are specified in Government Code Section 8206(d).

Within 30 days from the date the notary public commission is no longer valid, all notarial records and papers must be delivered to the county clerk's office where the oath is on file. Failure to do so could result in a misdemeanor. Documents delivered to the Secretary of State will be returned to the sender. (Government Code Section 8209)

Acknowledgments

The form most frequently completed by the notary public is the acknowledgment. The acknowledgment form is set forth in Section 1189 of the Civil Code. In the acknowledgment, the notary public certifies:

That the signer personally appeared before the notary public on the date indicated in the county indicated.

To the identity of the signer.

That the signer acknowledged executing the document.

The notary public sequential journal must contain a statement as to whether the identity of a person making an acknowledgment was based on personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence. If identity was established based on satisfactory evidence then the journal shall contain the signature of the credible witness swearing or affirming to the identity of the individual or the type of identifying document used to establish the person's identity, the governmental agency issuing the document, the serial or identifying number of the document, and the date of issue or expiration of the document.
The certificate of acknowledgment must be completely filled out at the time the notary's signature and seal are affixed.

The completion of an acknowledgment that contains statements that the notary public knows to be false not only may cause the notary to be liable for civil penalties and administrative action, but is also a criminal offense.

A notary public may complete an acknowledgment form required in another state or jurisdiction of the United States on documents to be filed in that other state or jurisdiction, provided the form does not require the notary to determine or certify that the signer holds a particular representative capacity or to make other determinations and certifications not allowed by California law.

Any certificate of acknowledgment taken within this state shall be in substantially the following form:

SAMPLE CERTIFICATE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT
State of California
County of ______________ } ss.
On __________ before me, (here insert name and title of the officer), personally appeared __________________________ personally known to me (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence) to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.


NOTARY SIGNATURE
NOTARY SEAL

Note
Key wording of an acknowledgment is "personally appeared." It is not acceptable to affix an acknowledgment to a document mailed or otherwise delivered to a notary whereby the signer did NOT personally appear before the notary, even if the signer is known by the notary. Also, it is not acceptable to affix a notary seal and signature to a document without the notarial wording.

Jurat

The second form most frequently completed by a notary public is the jurat. The jurat is identified by the wording "Subscribed and sworn to" immediately above the place where the notary public signs his/her name. In the jurat, the notary public certifies:

That the signer personally appeared before the notary public on the date indicated and in the county indicated.

That the signer signed the document in the presence of the notary public.

That the notary public administered the oath.

There is no prescribed wording for the oath, but an acceptable oath would be "Do you swear or affirm that the statements in this document are true?" When administering the oath, the signer and notary traditionally raise their right hands but this is not a legal requirement.

In the jurat, the notary public is not certifying to the identity of the signer.

A sample affidavit (written statement made under oath) may be worded as follows:

I cerfify that I have resided in the State of California for more than five years.

/s/ John Doe

A sample jurat that could be attached to this affidavit would contain wording as shown below:

SAMPLE JURAT
State of California
County of _______________ } ss.

Subscribed and sworn to before me on _________________.

(date)

NOTARY SIGNATURE

NOTARY SEAL

Note
Key wording of a jurat is "subscribed and sworn to before me." It is not acceptable to affix a jurat to a document mailed or otherwise delivered to a notary whereby the signer did NOT personally appear, take an oath, and sign in the presence of the notary, even if the signer is known by the notary. Also, it is not acceptable to affix a notary seal and signature to a document without the notarial wording.

Subscribing Witness

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If a person, called the principal, has signed a document, but cannot personally appear before a notary public, another individual can appear on that principal's behalf. That person is called a subscribing witness.(Civil Code Section 1195)

NOTE: A proof by a subscribing witness cannot be used in conjunction with any Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Security Agreement, Quitclaim Deed, or Grant Deed document.(Government Code Section 27287)

The requirements for proof of execution by a subscribing witness are as follows:

The subscribing witness must have been requested by the principal to get the document notarized. The subscribing witness must be able to say, under oath, that he or she either saw the principal sign the document or heard the principal acknowledge that he/she signed the document. (Code of Civil Procedure 1935)
The subscribing witness must personally know the notary public, or if the subscribing witness does not personally know the notary, then his or her identity must be established, or proved, by a third party. That third party must personally know both the subscribing witness and the notary public. (Civil Code Section 1196) That third party is called a credible witness. Since the subscribing witness must be personally known by the notary public, or by one credible witness, paper identification cannot be used in establishing the subscribing witness' identity. (Civil Code Section 1196)
The subscribing witness must sign the document. (Code of Civil Procedure 1935) and (Civil Code Section 1197)
The subscribing witness must sign the notary's official journal. (Government Code Section 8206(a)(2)(C)) In addition, if the identity of the subscribing witness was established by a third party, or credible witness, then the credible witness must also sign the notary's official journal. (Government Code Section 8206(a)(2)(D))

The following scenario provides an example of how Proof by Subscribing Witness form may be used:

The principal, Steve, needs to get a document notarized.
Steve is in the hospital and, therefore, cannot appear before Cathy, the Notary Public, in order to get his signature notarized.
Steve's longtime friend, Joe, is at the hospital visiting Steve. Steve tells Joe that he needs to get a document notarized. Since Steve can't leave, he asks Joe, the Subscribing Witness, to get the document notarized on his behalf. Steve could have either signed the document in Joe's presence or had signed it prior to Joe's arrival. If the document was signed prior to Joe's arrival, Steve would need to have acknowledged to Joe at that time that he signed the document. Steve then gives the document to Joe. Joe, who personally knows Notary Public Cathy, goes to her office and advises her that Steve wants to get the document notarized.
Joe must sign or have signed the document as the Subscribing Witness. Cathy, in her capacity as a Notary Public, must place Joe under oath. Under oath or affirmation, Joe then swears to Cathy that Steve signed the document, that he personally knows Steve, and that Steve asked him to get the document notarized.
Since Joe is the person who appeared before Cathy, Joe must sign Cathy's notary public journal. Cathy notarizes Joe's signature and then enters the information in her journal entry. In that Joe is the subscribing witness and paper identification is not allowed, Cathy does not enter Joe's driver's license in her journal. Joe then takes the document back to Steve.

Shown below is a suggested format for proof of execution by a subscribing witness. Other formats with similar wording may also be acceptable.

SAMPLE SUBSCRIBING WITNESS
State of California
County of ______________ } ss.
On _____________ (date), before me, the undersigned, a notary public for the state, personally appeared _________________ (subscribing witness’s name), personally known to me (or proved to me on the oath of _________________ [credible witness’s name], who is personally known to me) to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument, as a witness thereto, who, being by me duly sworn, deposed and said that he/she was present and saw/heard acknowledged _________________ (name[s] of principal[s]), the same person(s) described in and whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within and annexed instrument in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies) as (a) party (ies) thereto, execute the same, and that said affiant subscribed his/her name to the within instrument as a witness at the request of _________________ (name[s] of principal[s]).
WITNESS my hand and official seal.

NOTARY SIGNATURE

NOTARY SEAL

Note: It is not acceptable to affix a notary seal and signature to a document without the notarial wording.

Signature by Mark

When the signer of an instrument cannot write (sign) his or her name, that person may sign the document by mark. (Civil Code Section 14) The requirements for signature by mark are as follows:

The person signing the document by mark must be identified by the notary public by either personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence. (Civil Code Section 1185)
The signer's mark must be witnessed by two persons who must subscribe their own names as witnesses on the document. One witness should write the person's name next to the person's mark and then the witness should sign his or her name as a witness. The witnesses are only verifying that they witnessed the individual make his or her mark on the signature line of the document. A notary public is not required to identify the two persons who witnessed the signing by mark or to have the two witnesses sign the notary's journal. Exception: If the witnesses were acting in the capacity of credible witnesses in establishing the identity of the person signing by mark, then the witnesses' signatures must be entered in the notary's journal.

Following is an example of a Power of Attorney executed by Signature by Mark:

I, Bob Smith, give my power of attorney to Jane Brown to act as my Attorney on all matters pertaining to the handling of my estate, finances, and investments. This Power of Attorney is to remain in effect until another document revoking this instrument has been filed of record thereby rendering this instrument null and void.

Date: Feb. 5, 1998 Name: By:


State of California
County of

} ss.

On February 5, 1998, before me, John Doe, a notary public for the State of California, personally appeared Bob Smith, personally known to me (or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence) to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.

NOTARY SIGNATURE

NOTARY SEAL

Note: It is not acceptable to affix a notary seal and signature to a document without the notarial wording.

Powers of Attorney - Certifying
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A notary public can certify copies of powers of attorney. A certified copy of a power of attorney that has been certified by a notary public has the same force and effect as the original power of attorney. (Probate Code Section 4307)
A suggested format for the certification is shown below. Other formats with similar wording may also be acceptable.

SAMPLE CERTIFICATION OF POWER OF ATTORNEY
State of California
County of ______________ } ss.
I (name of notary) , Notary Public, certify that on (date) , I examined the original power of attorney and the copy of the power of attorney. I further certify that the copy is a true and correct copy of the original power of attorney.

NOTARY SIGNATURE

NOTARY SEAL

Note: It is not acceptable to affix a notary seal and signature to a document without the notarial wording.

Notarization of Incomplete Documents
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A notary public may not notarize a document which is incomplete. If presented with a document for notarization which the notary knows from his or her experience to be incomplete or is without doubt on its face incomplete, the notary must refuse to notarize the document. (Government Code Section 8205)

Certified Copies

California statute specifies that a notary public may only certify copies of powers of attorney under Section 4307 of the Probate Code, and copies of his or her notary public journal. (Government Code Section 8205(a)(4))and (Government Code Section 8205(b)(1))

Certified copies of birth, fetal death, death, and marriage records may be made only by the State Registrar, by duly appointed and acting local registrars during their term of office, and by county recorders. (Health & Safety Code Section 103545)

Wills

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The California State Bar advises that when a notary public is asked to notarize a document which purports to be a will, the notary public should decline and advise the person requesting the notarization to consult a member of the California State Bar. If an attorney recommends that the document be notarized, a notary may do so.

Illegal Advertising

California law requires any non-attorney notary who advertises notarial services in a language other than English to post a prescribed notice, in English and the other language, that the notary is not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. The notary must also list the fees charged for notarial services. In any event, a notary may not translate the term "Notary Public", defined as "notario publico" or "notario", into Spanish, even if the prescribed notice is also posted. A first offense of this law is grounds for the suspension or revocation of a notary's commission. A second offense shall be grounds for the permanent revocation of a notary's commission. (Government Code Section 8219.5)

A notary is legally barred from advertising in any manner whatsoever that he or she is a notary if the notary promotes himself or herself as an immigration specialist or consultant. (Government Code Section 8223)

Immigration Documents

Contrary to popular belief, there is no prohibition against notarizing immigration documents. However, several laws specifically outline what a notary can and cannot do. Only a person who is qualified and bonded as an immigration consultant under the Business and Professions Code may assist a client in completing immigration forms. A notary may not charge any individual more than $10 for each set of forms, unless the notary is also an attorney who is rendering professional services as an attorney. This fee limitation applies even if the person is not performing notarial duties.(Government Code Section 8223)

Confidential Marriages

Confidential Marriage licenses may be issued by the county clerk to a notary public pursuant to Family Code Section 503. The license shall be valid for a period of 90 days and may only be used in the county in which it was issued.

A notary who is interested in authorizing confidential marriages may apply for approval to the county clerk in the county in which the notary resides. A notary public shall not authorize a confidential marriage unless he or she is approved by the county clerk having jurisdiction. The county clerk offers a course of instruction which a notary must complete before authorization will be granted. Additionally, in order for a notary to perform the marriage, he/she must be one of the persons authorized under Family Code Sections 400-402, e.g., priest, minister, or rabbi. The county clerk in the county where the notary resides may or may not approve the authorizing of confidential marriages. It is best to check with the county clerk if you are interested in obtaining approval to do this.

The form that a notary completes when notarizing a Confidential Marriage License is a jurat. Execution of a jurat requires that the signer(s) personally appeared before the notary, that the signer(s) signed the document in the presence of the notary, and that the notary administered the oath. Please refer to the section of this handbook titled "JURAT" for the prescribed form.

If the county clerk finds that the notary has violated any of the provisions of Family Code Section 500 et. seq. regarding confidential marriages, the county clerk may place the notary on probation or suspend or revoke his or her approval. If a notary violates any of the provisions of Government Code Section 8214.1, the approval shall be revoked. In addition, the county clerk shall report the findings of any hearing to the Secretary of State for appropriate action.

Grounds for Denial, Revocation, or Suspension of Appointment and Commission
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The Secretary of State may refuse to appoint any person as notary public or may revoke or suspend the commission of a notary public for specific reasons. These reasons include but are not limited to: a substantial misstatement or omission in the application; conviction of a crime; failure to furnish the Secretary of State with certified copies of the notary journal when requested to do so or to provide information relating to official acts performed by the notary; charging more than the fee prescribed by law; failure to complete the acknowledgment at the time the notary's seal and signature are attached to the document; executing a false certificate; failure to submit to the Secretary of State any court ordered money judgment, including restitution; and failure to secure the sequential journal or the official seal; illegal advertising. (Government Code Sections 8205, 8219.5, 8223 and 8214.1)

In addition, the Secretary of State may suspend or revoke the commission of a notary who has not complied with child or family support obligations. (Family Code Section 17520)

Disciplinary Guidelines

In June 1998, the Secretary of State instituted disciplinary guidelines, which were revised effective March 31, 2001, in order to facilitate due process and to maintain consistency in reviewing applications, investigating alleged violations, and implementing administrative actions. (Government Code Section 8220)

The disciplinary guidelines are designed to assist administrative law judges, in addition to assisting attorneys, notaries public, applicants, and others involved in the disciplinary process. They will be used to determine what disciplinary action will be taken for violations of notary public law. The disciplinary guidelines are available at a cost of $4 per copy, payable to the Secretary of State, or they may be accessed through the Internet. Please refer to the inside front cover of this handbook for our mailing and Internet addresses.

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Important Issues and Information
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Notary seals and journals - safeguarding
Notary seals and journals are the exclusive property of the notary public. As a precautionary practice against possible fraud and misuse by others, the Secretary of State’s Office has always suggested that these items be stored in a secure area. Effective January 1, 1998 amendments to Government Code Sections 8206 and 8207 - - -Chapter 319, Statutes of 1997 (SB 618, Watson)- - - specifically addressed these issues to clarify any misconceptions. Notary seals and journals are the exclusive property of the notary public regardless of the purchaser and are now required to be "kept in a locked and secured area, under the direct and exclusive control of the notary." The journal is to be surrendered only as stipulated in Government Code Section 8206 and is not to be given to an employer upon termination of employment. The seal is to be destroyed when no longer in use, pursuant to Government Code Section 8207, and, like the journal, is not to be given to an employer upon termination of employment.
Commissions
Like the notary journals and seals, a notary commission is the property of the notary public, regardless of who paid the fees, with the exception of those notaries commissioned on behalf of the state, city, county, and public school districts, or on behalf of a military reservation. Should a notary’s employment be terminated, the notary may elect to retain or resign their commission. Should the notary elect to retain their commission, the notary must notify the Secretary of State of the new business address. If the notary elects to resign their commission, it is the notary’s responsibility to notify the Secretary of State in writing of such resignation and to deliver, within 30 days of that resignation, all notarial journals, records and papers to the county clerk’s office where their current oath of office and bond are on file and to destroy the notary seal.

Those notaries who are commissioned on behalf of the state, city, county, or public school districts, or on behalf of a military reservation must resign their commissions when they terminate their employment. These notaries must follow the procedures described above.

Fees
Government Code Section 8211 provides for a maximum fee that may be charged for notary services, but California law does not require that a fee be charged or that a specific amount be charged, provided that the amount charged does not exceed the maximum. Many organizations offer notary services at no charge to their customers. Other organizations, while charging a fee to most customers, waive the fee for the elderly, etc. The charging of a fee and the amount of the fee charged is at the discretion of the notary or the notary’s employer. To avoid possible problems, the fees charged (or not charged) should be consistent from customer to customer.

Exceptions: 1) Pursuant to Government Code Section 8203.6, no fees shall be collected by notaries appointed to military and naval reservations in accordance with 8203.1; 2) pursuant to Elections Code Section 8080, no fee shall be collected by notaries for verifying any nomination document or circulator's affidavit; and 3) pursuant to Government Code Section 6107, no fee may be charged to a United States military veteran for notarization of an application or a claim for a pension, allotment, allowance, compensation, insurance, or any other veteran's benefit. In addition, Government Code Section 6100 requires any notary public who is appointed to act for and on behalf of certain public agencies, pursuant to Government Code Section 8202.5, to charge for all services and remit the fees received to the employing agency. The fee charged must be entered in the journal.

Change of business address, residence address and/or change of county
Law requires that a notary public notify the Secretary of State in writing, by certified mail, within 30 days of any change of business or residence address. Upon the change of a business address, a notary may elect to file a new oath of office and bond in the new county. However, this is optional. Once commissioned, a notary may perform notary services anywhere in the state. Statutes require that the original oath and bond be filed in the county where the notary maintains their principal place of business as shown in the application filed with the Secretary of State, but is permissive as to whether or not a change of county is recorded after the original oath and bond filing should the notary move. Please refer to Government Code Section 8213. There is no fee for the processing of address change notifications.

Note: To ensure proper processing, please include the following when submitting an address change notification:

name of the notary exactly as it appears on the commission certificate;
commission number and expiration date of the commission;
whether the address change is for the business, residence, and/or for mailing purposes; and
new business, residence, and/or mailing address.
Please be sure the request is signed and dated by the notary. The change of address can be submitted in letter form or, for your convenience, an address change form will be provided upon request.

Miscellaneous Provisions

Unless working under an agreement with an employer as described in Government Code Sections 8202.7 and 8202.8, or having a direct financial or beneficial interest to the transaction, it is the duty of the California notary public, upon the payment of any fees, if applicable, to notarize upon request any properly submitted document for any person, anywhere in the State of California.
A notary is not prohibited from notarizing documents for relatives, unless doing so would provide a direct financial or beneficial interest to the notary. With California's community property law, care should be exercised if notarizing for a spouse.
A notary can notarize a document in a foreign language that they are not familiar with, as a notary public is not responsible for the contents of the document. The notary should be able to identify the type of document being notarized for entry in the notary's journal. If unable to identify the type of document, the notary must make an entry to that effect in their journal, e.g. "a document in a foreign language." The notary should be mindful of the completeness of the document and should not notarize the document if it appears to be incomplete. The notary is responsible for completing the acknowledgment or jurat.
When notarizing a document, a notary must be able to communicate with their customer in order for the signer to either swear to or affirm the contents of an affidavit or to acknowledge the execution of a document. An interpreter should not be used, as vital information could be lost in the translation. If a notary is unable to communicate with a customer, the customer should be referred to a notary who speaks the customer's language.
Both the acknowledgment and the jurat contain language that the signer personally appeared before the notary. While personal appearance is required for the completion of the acknowledgment, the document does not have to be signed in the presence of the notary. When completing an acknowledgment, the signer affirms to the notary that they did, in fact, sign the document. A jurat is affixed to a written statement made by the signer, who takes an oath before the notary that the information contained in the statement is correct and then signs the document in the presence of the notary.

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Common Questions and Answers

Q. I have changed my business or home address, what do I do?

A. Send our office a letter or a change of address form by certified mail within 30 days of the change. (Government Code Section 8213.5)

Q. I have changed my business from one county to another, what do I do?

A. Your commission allows you to notarize throughout the State of California. If the location of your business has changed, you are not required to transfer your oath of office and bond to that new county. You are, however, required to send our office an address change via certified mail. If you do choose to transfer your county, you will need to take and file an oath of office and take the original or a duplicate of the originial bond and file it with the new county. A certificate of authorization to manufacture a notary public seal will be sent to you once you have qualified by filing your new oath of office with the new county. Your stamp must reflect the county where your oath and bond are filed. (Government Code Section 8213 and 8213.5)

Q. I lost my stamp or journal, what do I do?

A. Send our office a letter by certified mail explaining what happened and, if applicable, a photocopy of a police report. If you have had your stamp lost or stolen we will send an authorization so you can have a new stamp made. (Government Code Section 8206)

Q. I have changed my name. What do I do?

A. Send our office a completed name change form and, once approved, you will be issued an amended commission that reflects your new name. You will then need to file a new oath of office and an amendment to your bond with the county clerk within 30 days from the date the amended commission was issued in order for the name change to take effect. (Government Code Section 8213.6) and (8213)

Q. I need to request a new certificate of authorization to have a new stamp made. Is there a fee?

A. No; however, you must send our office a written request for a certificate of authorization. [Government Code Section 8207.3(e)]

Q. How do I resign my commission?

A. If you want to resign your commission, send a letter to our office and deliver all of your notarial records and papers to the county clerk in which your current oath of office is on file within 30 days. (Government Code Section 8209)

Q. I did not file my oath and bond on time, what do I do?

A. If you failed to file your oath and bond within the prescribed time, your commission is void. If you wish to reapply, you must complete a new application and send it to our office with a check for $20.00.

Q. How do I obtain a reappointment as a notary public?

A. Every four years you must take and pass the examination. Call Cooperative Personnel Services(CPS) at (916) 263-3520 to receive an exam registration packet. You will hear a recorded message and will need to leave your name and address. A complete package will be mailed to you. Please be aware that after you pass the exam, your commission for reappointment will not be sent to you more than 30 days before the expiration of your current commission.

Q. Where can I get a live scan fingerprint form?

A. You will be sent a live scan fingerprint form with instructions once you have passed the examination.

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Government Code

Notaries Public
(Chapter 3, Division 1, Title 2)
Back to the Table of Contents

§ 8200. Appointment and commission; number; jurisdiction
The Secretary of State may appoint and commission notaries public in such number as the Secretary of State deems necessary for the public convenience. Notaries public may act as such notaries in any part of this state.

§ 8201. Qualifications
Every person appointed as notary public shall:
(a) Be at the time of appointment a legal resident of this state, except as otherwise provided in Section 8203.1.
(b) Be not less than 18 years of age.
(c) Have satisfactorily completed a written examination prescribed by the Secretary of State to determine the fitness of the person to exercise the functions of the office of notary public. All questions shall be based on the law of this state as set forth in the booklet of the laws of California relating to notaries public distributed by the Secretary of State.

§ 8201.1. Additional qualifications; determination; identification; fingerprints
Prior to granting an appointment as a notary public, the Secretary of State shall determine that the applicant possesses the required honesty, credibility, truthfulness, and integrity to fulfill the responsibilities of the position. To assist in determining the identity of the applicant and whether the applicant has been convicted of a disqualifying crime specified in subdivision (b) of Section 8214.1, the Secretary of State shall require that applicants be fingerprinted.

§ 8201.5. Application form; confidential nature; use of information
The Secretary of State shall require an applicant for appointment and commission as a notary public to complete an application form prescribed by the Secretary of State. Information on this form filed by an applicant with the Secretary of State, except for his name and address, is confidential and no individual record shall be divulged by an official or employee having access to it to any person other than the applicant, his authorized representative, or an employee or officer of the federal government, the state government, or a local agency, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 6252 of the Government Code, acting in his official capacity. Such information shall be used by the Secretary of State for the sole purpose of carrying out the duties of this chapter.

§ 8202.5. State, county and school district employees; certificates; expenses
The Secretary of State may appoint and commission the number of state, city, county, and public school district employees as notaries public to act for and on behalf of the governmental entity for which appointed which the Secretary of State deems proper. Whenever a notary is appointed and commissioned, a duly authorized representative of the employing governmental entity shall execute a certificate that the appointment is made for the purposes of the employing governmental entity, and whenever the certificate is filed with any state or county officer, no fees shall be charged by the officer for the filing or issuance of any document in connection with the appointment.

The state or any city, county, or school district for which the notary public is appointed and commissioned pursuant to this section may pay from any funds available for its support the premiums on any bond and the cost of any stamps, seals, or other supplies required in connection with the appointment, commission, or performance of the duties of the notary public.

Any fees collected or obtained by any notary public whose documents have been filed without charge and for whom bond premiums have been paid by the employer of the notary public shall be remitted by the notary public to the employing agency which shall deposit the funds to the credit of the fund from which the salary of the notary public is paid.

§ 8202.7. Private employers; agreement to pay premium on bonds and costs of supplies;remission of fees to employer
A private employer, pursuant to an agreement with an employee who is a notary public, may pay the premiums on any bond and the cost of any stamps, seals, or other supplies required in connection with the appointment, commission, or performance of the duties of such notary public. Such agreement may also provide for the remission of fees collected by such notary public to the employer, in which case any fees collected or obtained by such notary public while such agreement is in effect shall be remitted by such notary public to the employer which shall deposit such funds to the credit of the fund from which the compensation of the notary public is paid.

§ 8202.8. Private employers; limitation on provision of notarial services
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a private employer of a notary public who has entered into an agreement with his or her employee pursuant to Section 8202.7 may limit, during the employee's ordinary course of employment, the providing of notarial services by the employee solely to transactions directly associated with the business purposes of the employer.

§ 8203.1. Military and naval reservations; appointment and commission of notaries; qualifications
The Secretary of State may appoint and commission notaries public for the military and naval reservations of the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marine Corps of the United States, wherever located in the state; provided, however, that such appointee shall be a citizen of the United States, not less than 18 years of age, and must meet the requirements set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 8201.

§ 8203.2. Military and naval reservations, recommendation of commanding officer; jurisdiction of notary
Such notaries public shall be appointed only upon the recommendation of the commanding officer of the reservation in which they are to act, and they shall be authorized to act only within the boundaries of this reservation.

§ 8203.3. Military and naval reservations, qualifications of notaries
In addition to the qualifications established in Section 8203.1, appointment will be made only from among those persons who are federal civil service employees at the reservation in which they will act as notaries public.

§ 8203.4. Military and naval reservations; term of office; termination; resignation
The term of office shall be as set forth in Section 8204, except that the appointment shall terminate if the person shall cease to be employed as a federal civil service employee at the reservation for which appointed. The commanding officer of the reservation shall notify the Secretary of State of termination of employment at the reservation for which appointed within 30 days of such termination. A notary public whose appointment terminates pursuant to this section will have such termination treated as a resignation.

§ 8203.5. Military and naval reservations, jurat
In addition to the name of the State, the jurat shall also contain the name of the reservation in which the instrument is executed.

§ 8203.6. Military and naval reservations, fees
No fees shall be collected by such notaries public for service rendered within the reservation in the capacity of a notary public.

§ 8204. Term of office
The term of office of a notary public is for four years commencing with the date specified in the commission.

§ 8204.1. Cancellation of Commission; failure to pay; notice
The Secretary of State may cancel the commission of a notary public if a check or other remittance accepted as payment for the examination, application, commission, and fingerprint fee is not paid upon presentation to the financial institution upon which the check or other remittance was drawn. Upon receiving written notification that the item presented for payment has not been honored for payment, the Secretary of State shall first give a written notice of the applicability of this section to the notary public or the person submitting the instrument. Thereafter, if the amount is not paid by a cashier’s check or the equivalent, the Secretary of State shall give a second written notice of cancellation and the cancellation shall thereupon be effective. This second notice shall be given at least 20 days after the first notice, and no more than 90 days after the commencement date of the commission.

§ 8205. Duties
(a) It is the duty of a notary public, when requested:
(1) To demand acceptance and payment of foreign and inland bills of exchange, or promissory notes, to protest them for nonacceptance and nonpayment, and, with regard only to the nonacceptance or nonpayment of bills and notes, to exercise any other powers and duties that by the law of nations and according to commercial usages, or by the laws of any other state, government, or country, may be performed by notaries.

(2) To take the acknowledgment or proof of advance health care directives, powers of attorney, mortgages, deeds, grants, transfers, and other instruments of writing executed by any person, and to give a certificate of that proof or acknowledgment, endorsed on or attached to the instrument. The certificate shall be signed by the notary public in the notary public's own handwriting. A notary public may not accept any acknowledgment or proof of any instrument that is incomplete.

(3) To take depositions and affidavits, and administer oaths and affirmations, in all matters incident to the duties of the office, or to be used before any court, judge, officer, or board. Any deposition, affidavit, oath or affirmation shall be signed by the notary public in the notary public's own handwriting.

(4) To certify copies of powers of attorney under Section 4307 of the Probate Code. The certification shall be signed by the notary public in the notary public's own handwriting.

(b) It shall further be the duty of a notary public, upon written request:

(1) To furnish to the Secretary of State certified copies of the notary's journal.

(2) To respond within 30 days of receiving written requests sent by certified mail from the Secretary of State's office for information relating to official acts performed by the notary.

§ 8206. Sequential journal; contents; thumbprint; loss of journal; copies of pages; exclusive property of notary public; limitations on surrender
(a) (1) A notary public shall keep one active sequential journal at a time, of all official acts performed as a notary public. The journal shall be kept in a locked and secured area, under the direct and exclusive control of the notary. Failure to secure the journal shall be cause for the Secretary of State to take administrative action against the commission held by the notary public pursuant to Section 8214.1.
(2) The journal shall be in addition to and apart from any copies of notarized documents that may be in the possession of the notary public and shall include all of the following:

(A) Date, time, and type of each official act.

(B) Character of every instrument acknowledged or proved before the notary.

(C) The signature of each person whose signature is being notarized.

(D) A statement as to whether the identity of a person making an acknowledgment was based on personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence. If identity was established by satisfactory evidence pursuant to Section 1185 of the Civil Code, then the journal shall contain the signature of the credible witness swearing or affirming to the identity of the individual or the type of identifying document, the governmental agency issuing the document, the serial or identifying number of the document, and the date of issue or expiration of the document.

(E) If the identity of the person making the acknowledgment was established by the oaths or affirmations of two credible witnesses whose identities are proven upon the presentation of satisfactory evidence, the type of identifying documents, the identifying numbers of the documents and the dates of issuance or expiration of the documents presented by the witnesses to establish their identity.

(F) The fee charged for the notarial service.

(G) If the document to be notarized is a deed, quitclaim deed, or deed of trust affecting real property, the notary public shall require the party signing the document to place his or her right thumbprint in the journal. If the right thumbprint is not available, then the notary shall have the party use his or her left thumb, or any available finger and shall so indicate in the journal. If the party signing the document is physically unable to provide a thumbprint or fingerprint, the notary shall so indicate in the journal and shall also provide an explanation of that physical condition. This paragraph shall not apply to a trustee's deed resulting from a decree of foreclosure or a nonjudicial foreclosure pursuant to Section 2924 of the Civil Code , nor to a deed of reconveyance.

(b) If a sequential journal of official acts performed by a notary public is stolen, lost, misplaced, destroyed, damaged, or otherwise rendered unusable as a record of notarial acts and information, the notary public shall immediately notify the Secretary of State by certified or registered mail. The notification shall include the period of the journal entries, the notary public commission number, and the expiration date of the commission, and when applicable, a photocopy of any police report that specifies the theft of the sequential journal of official acts.

(c) Upon written request of any member of the public, which request shall include the name of the parties, the type of document, and the month and year in which notarized, the notary shall supply a photostatic copy of the line item representing the requested transaction at a cost of not more than thirty cents ($0.30) per page.

(d) The journal of notarial acts of a notary public is the exclusive property of that notary public, and shall not be surrendered to an employer upon termination of employment, whether or not the employer paid for the journal, or at any other time. The notary public shall not surrender the journal to any other person, except the county clerk, pursuant to Section 8209, or to a peace officer, as defined in Sections 830.1, 830.2, and 830.3 of the Penal Code, acting in his or her official capacity and within his or her authority, in response to a criminal search warrant signed by a magistrate and served upon the notary public by the peace officer. The notary public shall obtain a receipt for the journal, and shall notify the Secretary of State by certified mail within 10 days that the journal was relinquished to a peace officer. The notification shall include the period of the journal entries, the commission number of the notary public, the expiration date of the commission, and a photocopy of the receipt. The notary public shall obtain a new sequential journal. If the journal relinquished to a peace officer is returned to the notary public and a new journal has been obtained, the notary public shall make no new entries in the returned journal. A notary public who is an employee shall permit inspection and copying of journal transactions by a duly designated auditor or agent of the notary public’s employer, provided that the inspection and copying is done in the presence of the notary public and the transactions are directly associated with the business purposes of the employer. The notary public, upon the request of the employer, shall regularly provide copies of all transactions that are directly associated with the business purposes of the employer, but shall not be required to provide copies of any transaction that is unrel ted to the employer’s business. Confidentiality and safekeeping of any copies of the journal provided to the employer shall be the responsibility of that employer.

(e) The notary public shall provide the journal for examination and copying in the presence of the notary public upon receipt of a subpoena duces tecum or a court order, and shall certify those copies if requested.

§ 8207. Seal
A notary public shall provide and keep an official seal, which shall clearly show, when embossed, stamped, impressed or affixed to a document, the name of the notary, the State Seal, the words "Notary Public," and the name of the county wherein the bond and oath of office are filed, and the date the notary public's commission expires. The seal of every notary public commissioned on or after January 1, 1992, shall contain the sequential identification number assigned to the notary and the sequential identification number assigned to the manufacturer or vendor. The notary public shall authenticate with the official seal all official acts.
A notary public shall not use the official notarial seal except for the purpose of carrying out the duties and responsibilities as set forth in this chapter. A notary public shall not use the title "notary public" except for the purpose of rendering notarial service.

The seal of every notary public shall be affixed by a seal press or stamp that will print or emboss a seal which legibly reproduces under photographic methods the required elements of the seal. The seal may be circular not over two inches in diameter, or may be a rectangular form of not more than one inch in width by two and one-half inches in length, with a serrated or milled edged border, and shall contain the information required by this section.

The seal shall be kept in a locked and secured area, under the direct and exclusive control of the notary. Failure to secure the seal shall be cause for the Secretary of State to take administrative action against the commission held by the notary public pursuant to Section 8214.1.

The official seal of a notary public is the exclusive property of that notary public, and shall not be surrendered to an employer upon the termination of employment, whether or not the employer paid for the seal, or to any other person. The notary, or his or her representative, shall destroy or deface the seal upon termination, resignation, or revocation of the notary’s commission.

This section shall become operative on January 1, 1992.

§ 8207.1. Identification number
The Secretary of State shall assign a sequential identification number to each notary which shall appear on the notary commission.
This section shall become operative on January 1, 1992.

§ 8207.2. Manufacture, duplication, and sale of seal or stamp; procedures and guidelines for issuance of seals; certificate of authorization
(a) No notary seal or press stamp shall be manufactured, duplicated, sold, or offered for sale unless authorized by the Secretary of State.
(b) The Secretary of State shall develop and implement procedures and guidelines for the issuance of notary seals on or before January 1, 1992.

(c) The Secretary of State shall issue a permit with a sequential identification number to each manufacturer or vendor authorized to issue notary seals. The Secretary of State may establish a fee for the issuance of the permit which shall not exceed the actual costs of issuing the permit.

(d) The Secretary of State shall develop a certificate of authorization to purchase a notary stamp from an authorized vendor.

(e) The certificate of authorization shall be designed to prevent forgeries and shall contain a sequential identification number.

(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1992.

§ 8207.3. Certificates of authorization; authorization to provide seal; lost, misplaced, damaged or otherwise unworkable seal
(a) The Secretary of State shall issue certificates of authorization with which a notary public can obtain an official notary seal.
(b) A vendor or manufacturer is authorized to provide a notary with an official seal only upon presentation by the notary public of a certificate of authorization.

(c) A vendor of official seals shall note the receipt of certificates of authorization and sequential identification numbers of certificates presented by a notary public upon a certificate of authorization.

(d) A copy of a certificate of authorization shall be retained by a vendor and the original, which shall contain a sample impression of the seal issued to the notary public, shall be submitted to the Secretary of State for verification and recordkeeping. The Secretary of State shall develop guidelines for submitting certificates of authorization by vendors.

(e) Any notary whose official seal is lost, misplaced, destroyed, broken, damaged, or is rendered otherwise unworkable shall immediately mail or deliver written notice of that fact to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State, within five working days after receipt of the notice, if requested by a notary, shall issue a certificate of authorization which a notary may use to obtain a replacement seal.

(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1992.

§ 8207.4. Violations; penalties
(a) Any person who willfully violates any part of Section 8207.1, 8207.2, 8207.3, or 8207.4 shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for each violation, which may be recovered in a civil action brought by the Attorney General or the district attorney or city attorney, or by a city prosecutor in any city and county.
(b) The penalty provided by this section is not an exclusive remedy, and does not affect any other relief or remedy provided by law.

(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1992.

§ 8208. Protest of bill or note for nonacceptance or nonpayment
The protest of a notary public, under his or her hand and official seal, of a bill of exchange or promissory note for nonacceptance or nonpayment, specifying any of the following is prima facie evidence of the facts recited therein:
(a) The time and place of presentment.

(b) The fact that presentment was made and the manner thereof.

(c) The cause or reason for protesting the bill.

(d) The demand made and the answer given, if any, or the fact that the drawee or acceptor could not be found.

§ 8209. Resignation, disqualification or removal of notary; records delivered to clerk; misdemeanor; death; destruction of records
(a) If any notary public resigns, is disqualified, removed from office, or allows his or her appointment to expire without obtaining reappointment within 30 days, all notarial records and papers shall be delivered within 30 days to the clerk of the county in which the notary public's current official oath of office is on file. If the notary public willfully fails or refuses to deliver all notarial records and papers to the county clerk within 30 days, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be personally liable for damages to any person injured by that action or inaction.
(b) In the case of the death of a notary public, the personal representative of the deceased shall promptly notify the Secretary of State of the death of the notary public and shall deliver all notarial records and papers of the deceased to the clerk of the county in which the notary public's official oath of office is on file.

(c) After 10 years from the date of deposit with the county clerk, if no request for, or reference to such records has been made, they may be destroyed upon order of court.

§ 8211. Fees
Fees charged by a notary public for the following services shall not exceed the fees prescribed by this section.
(a) 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 ten dollars ($10) for each signature taken.

(b) For administering an oath or affirmation to one person and executing the jurat, including the seal, the sum of ten dollars ($10).

(c) For all services rendered in connection with the taking of any deposition, the sum of twenty dollars ($20), and in addition thereto, the sum of five dollars ($5) for administering the oath to the witness and the sum of five dollars ($5) for the certificate to the deposition.

(d) For every protest for the nonpayment of a promissory note or for the nonpayment or nonacceptance of a bill of exchange, draft, or check, the sum of ten dollars ($10).

(e) For serving every notice of nonpayment of a promissory note or of nonpayment or nonacceptance of a bill of exchange, order, draft, or check, the sum of five dollars ($5).

(f) For recording every protest, the sum of five dollars ($5).

(g) No fee may be charged to notarize signatures on absentee ballot identification envelopes or other voting materials.

(h) For certifying a copy of a power of attorney under Section 4307 of the Probate Code the sum of ten dollars ($10).

(i) In accordance with Section 6107, no fee may be charged to a United States military veteran for notarization of an application or a claim for a pension, allotment, allowance, compensation, insurance, or any other veteran's benefit.

§ 8212. Bond; amount; form
Every person appointed a notary public shall execute an official bond in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000). The bond shall be in the form of a bond executed by an admitted surety insurer and not a deposit in lieu of bond.

§ 8213. Bonds and oaths; filing; certificate; copy of oath as evidence; transfer to new county; name changes; fees
(a) No later than 30 days after the beginning of the term prescribed in the commission, every person appointed a notary public shall file an official bond, and an oath of office in the office of the county clerk of the county within which the person maintains a principal place of business as shown in the application submitted to the Secretary of State, and the commission shall not take effect unless this is done within the 30-day period. A person appointed to be a notary public shall take and subscribe the oath of office either in the office of that county clerk or before another notary public in that county. If the oath of office is taken and subscribed before a notary public, the oath and bond may be filed with the county clerk by certified mail. Upon the filing of the oath and bond, the county clerk shall immediately transmit to the Secretary of State a certificate setting forth the fact of the filing and containing a copy of the official oath, personally signed by the notary public in the form set forth in the commission and shall immediately deliver the bond to the county recorder for recording. The county clerk shall retain the oath of office for one year following the expiration of the term of the commission for which the oath was taken, after which the oath may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of. The copy of the oath, personally signed by the notary public, on file with the Secretary of State may at any time be read in evidence with like effect as the original oath, without further proof.
(b) If a notary public transfers the principal place of business from one county to another, the notary public may file a new oath of office and bond, or a duplicate of the original bond with the county clerk to which the principal place of business was transferred. If the notary public elects to make a new filing, the notary public shall, within 30 days of the filing, obtain an official seal which shall include the name of the county to which the notary public has transferred. In a case where the notary public elects to make a new filing, the same filing and recording fees are applicable as in the case of the original filing and recording of the bond.

(c) If a notary public submits an application for a name change to the Secretary of State, the notary public shall, within 30 days from the date an amended commission is issued, file a new oath of office and an amendment to the bond with the county clerk in which the principal place of business is located. The amended commission with the name change shall not take effect unless the filing is completed within the 30-day period. The amended commission with the name change takes effect the date the oath and amendment to the bond is filed with the county clerk. If the principal place of business address was changed in the application for name change, either a new or