The California notary public exam

What the test is, how it is scored, and how to walk in prepared.

The format

Questions45 multiple-choice

Time limit60 minutes

Books allowedNone - closed book

ProctoredYes, in person

Passing score70 (scaled)

LanguageEnglish only

Administered byCPS HR Consulting, for the Secretary of State

Based onCalifornia law as presented in the current Notary Public Handbook

What to bring

Your completed notary public application
Your Proof of Completion certificate (6-hour or 3-hour)
A current California driver license or DMV-issued identification card
A 2" x 2" color passport photograph
The examination fee - check, money order or cashier's check. No cash.

The exam is in English - and that shapes how we teach

There is no translated version of the California notary exam. That is exactly why our courses teach the law in your language while keeping every legal term of art in English: acknowledgment, jurat, credible witness, subscribing witness, venue. You learn what the concept means the way you think, and you learn the term the way the exam will show it to you. Our practice questions are written in English for the same reason, with the explanations in your language.

How to prepare

The exam is drawn from the current Notary Public Handbook, so the material in an approved course is the material on the test. Work through every lesson, then drill the practice questions until the English phrasing feels ordinary rather than foreign. Pay particular attention to the acts that look similar but are not - an acknowledgment is not a jurat - and to the numbers: fees, deadlines, and penalty amounts.

Start with Lesson 1, free

This page is educational information about California law, not legal advice.