CA Notary Prep / Free California notary practice exam

Free California notary practice exam

Updated October 2026 · Based on the 2026 California Notary Public Handbook

Twenty questions in the style of the California notary exam, picked to match the official topic split: misconduct and fees first, then notarial acts, administration, identity and immigration. Pick an answer to see whether you were right, and why.

How to use it Answer without looking anything up: the real exam is closed book. Count a guess as wrong. Under 80%? Review the explanations and the fee table, then try again tomorrow.

What is the maximum fee for administering an oath or affirmation to one person and executing the jurat, including the seal? $10 $15 $20 $30

Answer B. For an oath or affirmation to one person and the jurat, including the seal, a notary may charge no more than $15.

Which notarial certificate does the notary sign under penalty of perjury? The jurat The certificate of acknowledgment Neither; notarial certificates are never signed under penalty of perjury Both the acknowledgment and the jurat

Answer B. The California acknowledgment form states that the notary certifies under penalty of perjury that the paragraph is true and correct. The jurat form does not contain that statement.

A US military veteran needs a signature notarized on an application for a pension benefit. What may the notary charge? No fee may be charged $7 for the jurat $15 per signature Half the normal fee

Answer A. A notary may not charge for notarizing a veteran's application or claim for a pension, allotment, allowance, compensation, insurance or other veteran's benefit.

During a jurat, the signer declines to raise his right hand. What should the notary do? Ask a credible witness to raise a hand on the signer's behalf Continue with the oath; raising the right hand is traditional but not required Refuse the jurat, since raising the right hand is mandatory Switch to an acknowledgment instead

Answer B. Raising the right hand is a tradition, not a legal requirement. What matters is that the oath or affirmation is administered.

Tom, a notary working in a private real estate office, wants to charge only $5 per acknowledgment signature. Is this allowed? No, the fee set by statute is a fixed amount No, unless the Secretary of State approves a reduced fee schedule Yes, the statutory amounts are maximums and a notary may charge less or nothing Yes, but only for clients over age 65

Answer C. The fees in §8211 are maximums. A notary may charge less or nothing, except a notary whose fees must be paid to a public agency.

How long is a Proof of Completion certificate from an approved notary education course valid? 6 months 1 year 4 years 2 years

Answer D. A Proof of Completion for the 6-hour or 3-hour course is valid for 2 years from the date of issuance. Do not confuse it with the 1-year validity of exam results.

In a proof of execution, who is a "subscribing witness"? Any person who identifies the signer to the notary under oath when the signer has no acceptable ID A person who sees a document signed or hears it acknowledged and, at the signer's request, signs as a witness A person who reads and translates the document for the signer and then signs the journal A person named as a beneficiary in the document

Answer B. A subscribing witness sees the writing executed or hears it acknowledged and, at the party's request, signs the document as a witness.

A notary runs an advertisement that is false or misleading. Under §8214.15(a), what is the maximum civil penalty for this violation? $750 $500 $1,500 $2,500

Answer C. False or misleading advertising under §8214.1(f) is among the violations that carry a civil penalty of up to $1,500.

Which of these may be used as satisfactory evidence of identity, assuming it meets the date and content requirements? A major credit card bearing the signer's photo and signature A Social Security card A valid passport issued by the signer's country of citizenship A recent utility bill showing the signer's name and address

Answer C. A valid foreign passport from the signer's country of citizenship is an acceptable ID document. Credit cards, Social Security cards and bills are not on the list.

A notary moves her business to a new address and willfully fails to notify the Secretary of State. What is the penalty? An infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500 A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in county jail A civil penalty of up to $1,500 Automatic revocation of the commission

Answer A. Willful failure to notify the Secretary of State of a change of address is an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $500.

For which real property document is a journal thumbprint NOT required? A deed of trust securing a home loan A grant deed A deed of reconveyance A quitclaim deed between family members

Answer C. The thumbprint rule exempts a deed of reconveyance and a trustee's deed resulting from a foreclosure. Other real property documents require it.

Which communication is exempt from the foreign-language advertising notice requirement? A printed flyer A window sign A newspaper ad A single desk plaque

Answer D. The notice requirement covers signs and other written communications, with the exception of a single desk plaque.

A notary willfully stops recording notarial acts in the journal for several months. This willful failure to perform journal duties is: A misdemeanor An infraction with a $500 fine A felony Only a reason for a written warning

Answer A. Willful failure to perform any duty required by §8206 on the journal is a misdemeanor.

Which statement about the notary seal impression is correct? It must be applied in red ink It must be photographically reproducible; an embosser may be used only in addition An embosser alone satisfies the seal requirement if the impression is clear It may be in any shape or size the notary chooses

Answer B. The seal impression must be photographically reproducible. A rubber stamp is almost universal, and an embosser may be used in addition to it.

In which situation is an applicant whose application is denied NOT entitled to a hearing? The denial is the applicant's first denial The applicant passed the exam with a high score The denial comes within 1 year after a prior denial or revocation The applicant is renewing an existing commission

Answer C. A person has the right to a hearing before revocation, suspension or a civil penalty, and after a denial, except when the denial occurs within 1 year after a prior denial or revocation, or after an order under §8214.4.

Which person may NOT serve as a credible witness for a signer? A friend of the signer with acceptable ID A coworker of the signer who has no interest in the document A neighbor of the signer known to the notary A person named as a beneficiary in the document

Answer D. A credible witness must have no financial interest in the document and must not be named in it.

A customer asks Jamal, a notary in San Bernardino County, which type of deed she should use to add her daughter to the title of her house. Jamal picks a form and fills it out for her. Jamal has: Acted properly, because he did not charge for the advice Acted properly, because notaries may select common forms Committed the unauthorized practice of law, a ground for discipline Committed no violation if he notarizes the deed afterward

Answer C. Selecting or determining the kind of legal document, or giving legal advice, is the unauthorized practice of law and a ground for denial, suspension or revocation.

A customer asks a notary, who is not an attorney, to write her will and tell her whether a trust would be better. What should the notary do? Decline, because preparing legal documents and giving legal advice is the unauthorized practice of law Help, and then notarize the will Help, if the customer signs a written waiver acknowledging that the notary is not an attorney Help draft the will, as long as she charges only the statutory notary fee for her time

Answer A. Notaries may not prepare, draft, select or determine the kind of legal document, or give legal advice.

Ray lives in Sacramento County, but his principal place of business shown on his application is in Placer County. His commission begins March 1. Where and by when must he file his oath and bond? Sacramento County clerk, within 30 days Placer County clerk, within 30 calendar days of March 1 Placer County clerk, within 60 days, extendable for mail delays Secretary of State, within 10 days

Answer B. The oath and bond are filed with the county clerk of the county of the principal place of business within 30 calendar days of the commission start date. This period cannot be extended.

A notary who is qualified and bonded as an immigration consultant helps a client fill out a set of immigration forms. What is the maximum she may charge for that service? $15 per page of each immigration form she completes $15 per individual for each set of forms, plus notarial fees if she performs notarial acts Whatever the client agrees to pay in a written contract signed in advance $50 per set of forms, plus notarial fees for any notarial acts

Answer B. A qualified, bonded notary may charge up to $15 per individual for each set of immigration forms, in addition to authorized notarial fees for any notarial acts.

How the real exam is built

CPS HR publishes the split of the 40 scored questions: misconduct and fees 15, notarial acts 12, administrative procedures 5, identification and subscribing witness 4, immigration and foreign language 4. Five more unscored questions are mixed in, and you cannot tell which ones.

These 20 questions follow the same proportions. The three full 45-question mock exams in the study guide PDF do too.

Frequently asked questions

Are these the real California notary exam questions?

No. CPS HR does not publish its exam questions. These are original questions written from the 2026 Notary Public Handbook, in the same multiple-choice format.

What score should I aim for?

The real exam uses a scaled score with a pass mark of 70, which is not a percentage. Aim for 80% or more on practice questions to keep a safe margin.

Is there a California notary practice exam PDF?

Yes. The California Notary Exam Study Guide 2026 PDF contains three full 45-question mock exams with explained answers, plus the complete study material.