New Notary
To become a Notary Public in California for the first time. You must take a 6-hour notary class. Once you have taken a 6-hour class, you will only be required to take a 3-hour Renewing class every four years; this is as long as you have not allowed your notary license/commission to expire.
For New Notary Applicants, there are a few things you should know.
The following are requirements you must meet to become a notary.
Qualifications and Requirements for a California Notary Public appointment:
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Be a legal resident of the State of California.
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Be at least 18 years old.
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Complete our training class approved by the Secretary of State.
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Pass a notary exam prescribed by the Secretary of State.
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Pass a background check.
Renewing Notary
If you are a current California Notary with a valid notary commission and have completed an approved (6) six-hour course of study at least once, then you will be allowed to take the notary (3) three-hour authorized refresher course for reappointment.
The process is still the same; you must take a 3-hour class, take the notary exam, pass a background check, order a new stamp, and bond and file with the county.
Note: The (3) refresher course is acceptable only if the notary public takes the (3) hour approved course of study, submits a new application, passes the notary exam before the expiration of the current notary public commission. Should the notaries commission expire before the course completion, the notary must take another (6) Six-hour approved course.
To avoid a break in notary public commission terms, you should take the notary public exam at least six months before the expiration date of your current notary public commission. Test results are valid for one year from the date of the examination.
All notary public applicants, whether or not they have held a previous commission, must submit fingerprints to the California Department of Justice for a background check. The Department of Justice will forward fingerprint images to the Federal Bureau of Investigation requesting a federal summary of criminal information that will be submitted to the Secretary of State.